2025 in Scandinavian music

The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in Scandinavian music in 2025.

Events

• 6 January – Finnish DJ Yotto broadcasts his first hour-long show, "Yotto's Odd World", on Europe's One World Radio, specialising in electronic dance music. ^[1]
• 16 January – Norway's Kristine Tjøgersen is one of the recipients of the Ernst von Siemens Composer Prizes for 2025. ^[2]
• 29 January – 1 February – The Bodø Jazz Open takes place in Norway, featuring Susanne Lundeng, Arve Henriksen, Cornelis Vreeswijk, Rebekka Bakken and others. ^[3]
• 2 February – At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Norwegian sound engineer Morten Lindberg is among nominees for the Grammy award for Best Immersive Audio Album for his work on Henning Sommerro's Borders and Pax by Nina T. Karlsen, Ensemble 96 & Current Saxophone Quartet, and for Producer of the Year, Classical, for Borders, Pax and Mor (Karen Haugom Olsen & Nidaros Domkor). ^[4]
• 8 March – In the final of Sweden's 65th Melodifestivalen, with a new voting format, KAJ is the act selected to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Bara bada bastu". ^[5]
• 10 March – The Norwegian Radio Orchestra announces the appointment of Holly Hyun Choe as its next principal conductor, with effect from January 2026; she will be the first female conductor to hold the post. ^[6]
• 10 March – Guitarist Anders Nyström leaves the Swedish band Katatonia, which he co-founded in 1991. ^[7]
• May – Heavy metal band My Dying Bride are due to return to live performance, with Finland's Mikko Kotamäki replacing Aaron Stainthorpe. ^[8]
• 17 May – In the final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, Sweden take fourth place with "Bara bada bastu", performed by KAJ, which tops the singles charts in Finland, Norway and Sweden. ^[9] Finland finish in 11th place, Norway 18th and Iceland 25th. Denmark are eliminated at the semi-final stage. ^[10]

Classical works

• Anders Hillborg – Hell Mountain (Homage to Mahler) ^[11]
• Bent Sørensen and Jon Fosse – Asle and Alida (opera) ^[12]

Albums released

January

Day	Artist	Album	Label	Notes	Ref.
10	The Halo Effect	March of the Unheard	Nuclear Blast		[13]
24	Avatarium	Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead	AFM Records		[14]
25	Wardruna	Birna		"She-Bear" theme	[15]

February

Day	Artist	Album	Label	Notes	Ref.
7	Marko Hietala	Roses from the Deep	Nuclear Blast		[16]
	Majestica	Power Train	Nuclear Blast	First album for four years	[17]
14	Dawn of Solace	Affliction Vortex			[18]
	Dynazty	Game of Faces	Nuclear Blast		[19]
28	Arion	The Light That Burns the Sky	Ranka Kustannus, Avalon Label / Marquee Inc., RPM		[20]

March

Day	Artist	Album	Label	Notes	Ref.
21	Lordi	Limited Deadition	Reigning Phoenix Music		[21]
28	Svartsyn	Vortex of the Destroyer	Reigning Phoenix Music		[22]

April

Day	Artist	Album	Label	Notes	Ref.
25	Liv Kristine	Amor Vincit Omnia	Metalville Records		[23]
	Yngwie Malmsteen	Tokyo Live	Music Theories Recordings	Live album	[24]

May

Day	Artist	Album	Label	Notes	Ref.
16	KAJ	The Sauna Collection	Warner Music Sweden	Compilation album	[25]
	Tarja Turunen	Circus Life	earMUSIC	Live album	[26]

Deaths

• 4 January – Árni Grétar Jóhannesson (Futuregrapher), Icelandic electronic musician, 41 (injuries resulting from car accident) ^[27]
• 5 January – Fredrik Lindgren, Swedish heavy metal musician, 53 (undisclosed causes) ^[28]
• 7 January – Ragne Wahlquist, Swedish heavy metal musician, 69 ^[29]
• 30 January – Leif "Loket" Olsson, Swedish television and radio host and dansband singer, 82 ^[30]
• 17 February – Nannie Porres, Swedish jazz singer, 85 ^[31]
• 20 February – Ilkka Kuusisto, Finnish composer, choirmaster and opera manager ^[32]
• 1 March – Sindre Nedland, Norwegian heavy metal vocalist, 40 (cancer) ^[33]
• 25 March – Tapani Kansa, Finnish singer, 76 (complications from gallbladder surgery) ^[34]
• 9 April (probable) – Terje Venaas, Norwegian jazz bassist (born 1947) ^[35]
• 10 April – Niklas Eklund, Swedish classical trumpeter (born 1969) ^[36]
• 12 April – Steindór Andersen, Icelandic musician (born 1954) ^[37]
• 22 April – Odd Magne Gridseth, Norwegian jazz bassist, 65 ^[38]
• 30 April – Kari Løvaas, Norwegian opera singer (born 1939) ^[39]
• 20 May
  • Michael B. Tretow, Swedish record producer associated with ABBA, 80 ^[40]
  • Per Nørgård, Danish composer and music theorist, 92 ^[41]
• 2 June – Birgit Carlstén, Swedish singer and actress, 75 ^[42]
• 7 June – Axel Skalstad, Norwegian jazz drummer, 32^{[ citation needed ]}
• 15 June – Sven-Åke Johansson, Swedish free jazz drummer and composer, 81/2 ^[43]
• 19 June
  • Anne Marie Børud, Norwegian singer, 76 ^[44]
  • Geirr Lystrup, Norwegian singer and writer, 76 ^[45]
• 2 July – Sven Lindahl, Swedish musician, radio and TV presenter, 88 ^[46]
• 9 August – Bjørn Kjellemyr, Norwegian jazz bassist, 74 ^[47]
• 13 August – Klaus Wirzenius, Finnish bassist, 37 ^[48]
• 20 August – Frank Øren, Norwegian singer, 59 ^[49]
• 16 September – Tomas Lindberg, Swedish death metal singer, 52 (adenoid cystic carcinoma) ^[50]
• 20 September – Ivar Bøksle, Norwegian singer and accordionist, 78 ^[51]

References

1. "Yotto's Odd World". Tomorrowland.com. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
2. "2025 Composer Prizes to Ashkan Behzadi, Bastien David and Kristine Tjøgersen". EVS Musikstiftung. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
3. "Program 2025". Bodo Jazz Open. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
4. "Morten Lindberg". Grammy. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
5. "KAJ has won 'Melodifestivalen' and will represent Sweden in Basel". Eurovision Song Contest . 8 March 2025. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
6. Jan Fredrik Heyerdahl (10 March 2025). "Choe ny sjefdirigent". Norwegian Radio. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
7. Omar, Cordy (17 March 2025). "Anders Nyström Co-Founder of Katatonia Has Departed the Band". Ghost Cult Magazine. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
8. Greg Kennelty (6 December 2024). "MY DYING BRIDE Returns To The Stage In 2025, Will Not Be Joined By Vocalist AARON STAINTHORPE". Metal Injection. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
9. "Chart – Sverigetopplistan" (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 May 2025.
10. "Grand Final of Basel 2025". Eurovision.tv. EBU. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
11. "Mahler Festival 2025 Amsterdam, 9 & 10 May 2025 concert programme". Mahler Festival 2025 Amsterdam. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
12. Christopher Woodley (30 March 2025). "Echo of a silent scream: Bent Sørensen's Asle and Alida premieres at Bergen National Opera". Bachtrack. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
13. "Album Review: The Halo Effect – March of the Unheard". Metal Planet Music. 5 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
14. "Avatarium to release new studio album "Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead" on January 24th 2025". Grande Rock. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
15. Matt Mills (20 September 2024). "Norse folk shamen Wardruna announce new album Birna with single Himinndotter". loudersound.com. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
16. "Ex-NIGHTWISH Bassist/Vocalist MARKO HIETALA Announces New Solo Album 'Roses From The Deep'". Blabbermouth.net. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
17. "MAJESTICA To Release Power Train Album In February; Title Track Music Video Streaming". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles . 25 January 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
18. "Dawn Of Solace to release new studio album "Affliction Vortex" on February 14th 2025". Grande Rock. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
19. "Dynazty to release new studio album "Game of Faces" on February 14th 2025". Grande Rock. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
20. "Arion to release new studio album "The Light That Burns the Sky" on February 28th 2025". Grande Rock. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
21. "Lordi Announce Limited Deadition Album And "Syntax Terror" Lyric Video". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
22. "Svartsyn – Vortex of the Destroyer". UKEM Records. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
23. "LIV KRISTINE Reveals Amor Vincit Omnia Cover Artwork And Tracklist; Release Date Confirmed For April 2025". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles . 22 February 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
24. "Yngwie Malmsteen to release new live album "Tokyo Live" on April 25th 2025". Grande Rock. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
25. "KAJ – Sauna Collection LP Coloured Vinyl" (in Finnish). Levykauppa Äx. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
26. "TARJA Announces 'Circus Life' Live Album, Blu-Ray". Blabbermouth.net. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
27. Brynjar Birgisson (4 January 2025). "Árni Grétar var einn fremsti raftónlistarmaður Íslands: "Hann var hlý sál"". Mannlíf (in Icelandic). Retrieved 6 January 2025.
28. "Original UNLEASHED Guitarist FREDRIK LINDGREN Dead At 53". Blabbermouth.net. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
29. "Legendary metal 'Godfather' dead at 69". Penn Live. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
30. "Leif 'Loket' Olsson är död". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 31 January 2025.
31. "Jazzradion minns Nannie Porres". Sveriges Radio. 22 February 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
32. Eromäki, Veikko (20 February 2025). "Säveltäjä Ilkka Kuusisto on kuollut" (in Finnish). YLE. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
33. Joel Barrios (6 March 2025). "IN VAIN's Vocalist SINDRE NEDLAND Has Passed Away". Metal Injection. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
34. Koivistoinen, Viivi (25 March 2025). "Tapani Kansan puoliso kertoo artistin viimeisistä hetkistä: "Hän oli väsynyt"". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 25 March 2025.
35. "Terje Venaas er død – Veldig trist" . Romsdal Budstikke. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
36. "legend Niklas Eklund dies at 56". classic107.com. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
37. Haukur Hólm (16 April 2025). "Steindór Andersen látinn" (in Icelandic). RÚV. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
38. "Odd Magne Gridseth". Minnesider. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
39. "Kari Løvaas (85) er død". TA (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 May 2025.
40. Davison, Tamara (21 May 2025). "Who was Michael Tretow? ABBA honour cherished sound engineer". The Standard.
41. Mellor, Andrew (28 May 2025). "Per Nørgård Obituary: 'The contemporary music world has lost an artist of colossal imagination and influence'". Gramophone . Retrieved 28 May 2025.
42. "Actress and Director Birgit Carlstén Passes Away at 75". Sweden Herald. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
43. "Sven-Åke Johansson (1943–2025)"". jazzpages.de (in German). 15 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
44. Neset, Marit (19 June 2025). "(+) Anne Marie Børud er død". www.vl.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 20 June 2025.
45. "Artisten Geirr Lystrup er død". VG. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
46. "Nyhetsankaret Sven Lindahl är död". Aftonbladet (in Swedish).
47. "Norsk jazzlegende død". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 22 August 2025.
48. Heiskanen, Aaro (14 August 2025). "Tampereella hukkunut oli tunnettu muusikko". Iltalehti. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
49. "Artist Frank Øren er død" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 26 August 2025.
50. Baldin, Benedetta (16 September 2025). "Tomas "Goatspell" Lindberg of At The Gates has passed away". Chaoszine. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
51. Klepp, Hannah Solstad; Nijjer, Harpreet Kaur (20 September 2025). "Visesanger Ivar Bøksle (78) er død". VG (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 September 2025.