The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in Nordic music in 2026.
Events 5 January – Following US President Donald Trump's threat to annexe Greenland, singer Björk comes out in favour of Greenland's independence. 1 February – Among the nominees at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards are Ghost for Best Metal Performance, Bohuslän Big Band (with Danilo Pérez) for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and Ludwig Göransson for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media. 26–27 February – Children of Bodom will play their first shows in seven years at the Tavastia Club in Helsinki, titled "A Celebration of Music". Both shows are to be held as a tribute to their original vocalist and guitarist Alexi Laiho, who died in 2020, with Samy Elbanna of Lost Society filling in for him. 9 April – Pekka Kuusisto announces that he is suspending United States engagements in protest at the conduct of the current US government. 23–25 April – Jazzahead festival in Germany features a "Danish Clubnight". Scandinavian performers include the Kathrine Windfeld Sextet, Sinne Eeg & Jacob Christoffersen. June – Zara Larsson is among the acts slated to appear at the Roskilde Festival. Autumn – Esa-Pekka Salonen takes up his new position as Creative Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the United States.
Top hit singles Felicia Eriksson – "My System" (#1 Sweden) Haloo Helsinki! – "Voiko enkelitkin eksyä" (#5 Finland) Zara Larsson – "Lush Life" (re-entry; #3 Sweden, #6 Denmark) Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius – "Liekinheitin" (#1 Finland)
Albums released January DayArtistAlbumLabelNotes Ref. 2Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 Chandos Conducted by Edward Gardner 7Sondre Lerche Turning Up the Heat Again PLZ 9For My Pain... Buried Blue Rainheart Productions Tour launch album 23Agnes Beautiful Madness Polydor Sweden 30Møl Dreamcrush Nuclear Blast Therion Con Orquesta Napalm Records Live album
February DayArtistAlbumLabelNotes Ref. 6MayhemLiturgy of Death Century Media Wolverine Anomalies Music Theories Recordings First album since 2016 13Kuumaa Valoa vartenUniversal Music Finland 20Clawfinger Before We All Die Perception First studio album for 18 years Stam1na Apnea 27Stavanger Symphony Orchestra Nielsen - Symphonies 2 & 4 Lawo Classics Conducted by Andris Poga
March DayArtistAlbumLabelNotes Ref. 6Lost SocietyHell Is a State of Mind Nuclear Blast Vreid The Skies Turn Black Indie Recordings Includes official score for the 2026 film Kraken 13WitchcraftA Sinner's Child Heavy Psych Sounds Records EP 27Defacing GodDarkness Is My Crown Apostasy Records
April DayArtistAlbumLabelNotes Ref. 3Green CarnationA Dark Poem, Pt. II: Sanguis Season of Mist Second album in a trilogy 10VomitoryIn Death Throes Metal Blade
May DayArtistAlbumLabelNotes Ref. 8DarkthronePre-Historic Metal Peaceville DraconianIn Somnolent Ruin Metal Blade
Classical works Stefan Klaverdal – Och näktergalen i mina drömmar
Film and television music Amorphis – Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo Kaspar Kaae & Johan Testad – The Swedish Connection
Deaths 2 January – Ritva Auvinen, Finnish opera singer (born 1932) 18 January – , Swedish rick musician (Black Ingvars, Swedish Erotica) (cancer; born 1962) 21 January – Kristinn Svavarsson, Icelandic saxophonist (Mezzoforte; born 1947) 7 February – Kåre Grøttum, Norwegian jazz pianist and composer (born 1934) 1 March – Johann (J.) Strauss, rock musician, age unknown 12 March – Hjálmar H. Ragnarsson, Icelandic composer (born 1952) 9 April – Björgvin Halldórsson, Icelandic Eurovision singer (born 1951) 21 April – Lena Maria Gårdenäs, Swedish singer and actress (born 1947) 24 April – Busk Margit Jonsson, Swedish operatic soprano (born 1929) 25 April – Jesper Thilo, Danish jazz saxophonist (born 1941) 30 April – Georg Wadenius, Swedish guitarist, 80 26 May – Bjørn Tidmand, Danish Eurovision singer, 86 13 June – Görel Hanser, Swedish record company executive and talent manager, 76 6 July Megas, Icelandic singer and songwriter, 81 Roger Svensson (B. War), Swedish bassist, 60 14 July – Little Gerhard (Karl-Gerhard Lundkvist), Swedish singer, 92 30 July – Gunnar Þórðarson, Icelandic songwriter, guitarist, producer and composer, 81
References