Nordicana
Scandinavian Americana — the slow, soulful sound.
Nordicana is what happens when First Aid Kit, Daniel Norgren, Darling West, Malin Pettersen, Sarah Klang, Ásgeir, J. Karjalainen and a hundred others take American roots music seriously and make it their own. The Nordic countries arguably take this music more seriously than the country it came from — bigger festivals per capita, deeper bench, longer attention spans.
Names worth knowing
Sweden · 2007 — present
First Aid Kit
Two Swedish sisters who out-Emmylou'd half of Nashville.
Sweden · 1983 — present
Daniel Norgren
A one-man Swedish Big Pink, recorded to tape.
Sweden · 1983 — present
The Tallest Man on Earth
Kristian Matsson, one guitar, a voice like cracked porcelain.
Sweden · 1978 — present
Anna Ternheim
Stockholm noir-folk with a Nashville detour.
Sweden · 1990 — present
Sarah Klang
Dream-country from Gothenburg.
Sweden · 1952 — present
Doug Seegers
An American discovered by Sweden, then by Nashville.
Sweden · 1975 — present
Lars Winnerbäck
Sweden's Springsteen, in Swedish.
Sweden · 1995 — present
Weeping Willows
Stockholm rockabilly noir with a baritone center.
Norway · 2013 — present
Darling West
Oslo Americana duo with three Spellemann awards.
Norway · 1989 — present
Malin Pettersen
Norway's most quietly authoritative country voice.
Norway · 1989 — present
Signe Marie Rustad
Plainspoken Norwegian Americana.
Norway · 1985 — present
Ida Jenshus
Trondheim country with a Trønder backbone.
Norway · 1990 — present
Hellbillies
Country rock in Hallingdal dialect — and a national institution.
Norway · 1963 — present
Stein Torleif Bjella
Hallingdal's quiet master of the village song.
Norway · 1981 — present
Amund Maarud
Norway's hardest-working roots-blues guitarist.
Norway · 1993 — present
Madrugada
Norwegian noir-rock with a country undercurrent.
Norway · 1976 — present
Sivert Høyem
The Madrugada baritone, solo and uncompromising.
Norway · 1968 — present
Bjørn Berge
Acoustic blues guitarist who tours the world from Haugesund.
Norway · 1979 — present
Thomas Dybdahl
Stavanger's hushed alt-folk auteur.
Norway · 1969 — present
Tønes
Sirdal dialect country-folk, miniature masterpieces.
Norway · 1959 — present
Frode Alnæs
Dance With a Stranger's guitarist, solo roots-rock veteran.
Norway · 1956 — present
Kari Bremnes
Northern Norwegian songcraft, cinematic and exact.
Denmark · 1985 — present
The Sandmen
Copenhagen roots-rock since the mid '80s.
Denmark · 1979 — present
Marie Fisker
Aarhus noir-Americana, Howe Gelb's longtime collaborator.
Denmark · 1976 — present
Kira Skov
Cinematic Danish songwriter with a country-soul streak.
Finland · 2011 — present
Steve'n'Seagulls
Finnish bluegrass band that covered metal classics into a global cult.
Finland · 1957 — present
J. Karjalainen
Finland's Springsteen-figure, four decades in.
Finland · 1980 — present
22-Pistepirkko
Finnish alt-country garage trio with forty years of patience.
Iceland · 1992 — present
Ásgeir
Icelandic folk that crossed the Atlantic both ways.
Iceland · 1980 — present
Junius Meyvant
Icelandic folk-soul with horns.
Iceland · 2010 — present
Of Monsters and Men
Reykjavík folk-rock that filled rooms three sizes too large.