The Sound of Iceland
When the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes became an unexpected international sensation in the late 1980s, its lead singer was praised in foreign media under the name of Guðmundsdóttir. She later left the band to pursue a solo career under her first name, Björk.
Björk is still Iceland’s best-known musician, but since her debut, an incredible number of bands and musicians have risen to global fame: Sigur Rós, Laufey, KALEO, Of Monsters and Men, Ásgeir, Emilíana Torrini, Daði Freyr, Ólafur Arnalds, and Vikingur Ólafsson, to name a few.
Reason One: Little Reykjavík
Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík, is the place to begin exploring the making of a robust music scene.
Reykjavik is small enough that everybody collaborates with everybody, often for the necessity of making a living in a small market: a vocalist for one band will sing back-up with another, and a classically trained musician may collaborate with a rap band.
The easy connections are often fostered by the small network of music schools, which operate with government support to be open to students regardless of economic background.
Music Festivals
Iceland’s music tourism has also played a significant role in getting the word out about local bands to a worldwide audience. With its location situated between North America and Europe, Iceland is the perfect place for the word to spread on both sides of the Atlantic.
Reykjavík has a lively festival calendar that runs year-round, with more than a dozen music festivals hosted at venues across the capital and many more taking place around Iceland. From intimate concert halls to unexpected city spaces, live music is woven into everyday life here.
While Iceland Airwaves is the most internationally recognized, drawing music fans from around the world each November, it is far from the only Icelandic music festival with global reach. The Reykjavík Jazz Festival, held each summer, brings leading international and Icelandic jazz musicians to stages across the city. Meanwhile, Dark Music Days focuses on contemporary classical music, offering a platform for new works by Icelandic and international composers in the heart of winter.
Together, these festivals reflect Reykjavík’s wide-ranging music scene, where experimental sounds, classical traditions, and global influences meet in a city known for creativity and close connections between artists and audiences.
Where to Enjoy Music in Reykjavík
To browse what’s on in Reykjavík, check out the Tix ticket platform and the event pages of the free bi-weekly Reykjavík Grapevine.
Most large concerts typically take place in the landmark Harpa Music Hall, home to the national Symphony Orchestra.
Over the weekends, downtown venues such as Kex Hostel, Húrra, and Dillon – to name a few – offer live music.
… And Outside of Reykjavík
Over the summer, it is relatively easy to catch a prominent Icelandic band on tour in towns large and small. Check local listings; concerts are usually held at local restaurants. In Akureyri, the northern capital, the Græni hatturinn is a busy live music venue for Icelandic pop and rock.
Local churches are also venues for unplugged music. The church in Seyðisfjörður has well-established Wednesday night concerts from July to August, and the Skálholt church is a prestigious venue for instrumentalists and choirs.
Notable festivals include Bræðslan, held in an abandoned fish factory in Borgarfjörður eystri, and the Easter-weekend Aldrei fór ég suður in Ísafjörður.
In the meantime, here is some homework for Spotify listeners.
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