Study: Oslo and Stockholm lead Europe in music taste
Apparently Oslo and Stockholm are ahead of the curve when it comes to music discovery (and rejection): http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-04/18/cities-musical-taste
Tag: Industry
Smalltown Supersound boss beds down with Warner, starts new label
label manager Joakim Haugland has started a new label in collaboration with called after the name of an old watch and record shop in Flekkefjord. Their first signings: hype acts Young Dreams and I Was A King, the latter of which will be releasing their new record "You love it here" through the new enterprise on October 5.
Dias Nordicos 2012: Turboweekend, Lilla Sällskapet, more
The first batch of acts have been confirmed for the 2012 edition of the Spanish Nordic arts + music fest Dias Nordicos in late September have been confirmed and they include Turboweekend, Kúra, Hanna Kolstø, Husky Rescue and Lilla Sällskapet. Full details: http://www.diasnordicos.com/
Brilliance begets Karat
Norwegian label/booking agency (Philco Fiction, Tomorrow We Move to Hawaii) has split off a new company called to house their heavier artists such as Benea Reach and Jeroan Drive. Check the new website: http://karatrecords.no/
GT vs WOW
Kudos to Way Out West press chief Joel Borg for calling bullshit on Swedish newspaper GT's crass anti-vegetarian meat party: http://www.dagensmedia.se/nyheter/pr/article3518797.ece
I'm not one to so quickly invoke Godwin's Law, but fuck them for making light of a serious issue.
Export Music Sweden business changes
Like many other Scandinavian music industry organizations, Export Music Sweden (ExMS) will be changing their business focus going forward in 2013 and current CEO Anders Hjelmtorp will be stepping down. Read the full press release (in Swedish): http://www.exportmusicsweden.org/2012/06/export-music-swedens-verksamhet-forandras/
Hybris on Spotify mythbusting
Kalle Magnusson from the label dispels many of the myths concerning artist royalties and digital service payouts in 2012: http://blog.mediaevolution.se/2012/06/26/mythbusting-spotify-doesn%E2%80%99t-give-any-money-to-artists/
This is merely one example of many which shows the gents at speaking out against what many of the old vanguard would like you to believe.
Kulturrådet stipend update
For folks who are curious about the money trail, here's the latest list of Swedish labels receiving funding from Kulturrådet for production and marketing costs: http://www.musikindustrin.se/artikel/3541/KULTURRADET_3_5_miljoner_kronor_fordelade_pa_41_bolag.html
MIC + MEN = Music Norway
Following in the footsteps of Music Export Finland and the Finnish Music Information Centre, it was announced today that Norway's Music Information Centre and Music Export Norway will be merging to form a new consolidated international music promotion group under the header Music Norway. Read the press release here (in Norwegian).
Norgesvenn, Norway's friend
is a new Norwegian label founded by a couple of the guys at dedicated to licensing music from abroad for their home market. Their first singing: Danish electropop hype Battlekatt. Read more: http://norgesvenn.no/
Now open: Music Finland
Music Finland, the new consolidated office of Music Export Finland and the Finnish Music Information Centre, has officially opened its doors as of this week: http://musicfinland.fi/
The websites of the two prior organizations will continue to function until this September when the merger is complete.
RIP Release the Bats
Swedish experimental label is calling it quits after 10 years with two final releases, one of which is a compilation spotlighting their biggest genre specialty -- new dark, electronic sounds from the Swedish underground: http://releasethebats.com/
Introducing Øya in Berlin
The Øya Festival and Music Export Norway are sending a trio of bands to Berlin for a showcase in May: http://www.musicexportnorway.no/oya-and-men-bring-acts-to-berlin.5046844-149133.html
The featured acts are Team Me, Einar Stray and Sandra Kolstad. RSVP req'd, details at the aforementioned link.
Ja Ja Ja May: Sansa, Maribel, Reptile Youth
Ja Ja Ja's upcoming showcase for May 31 will featuring Reptile Youth, Maribel and Sansa. Full details + sample tunes from each artist: http://www.jajajamusic.com/index.php/2012/04/new-show-ja-ja-ja-w-sansa-maribel-reptile-youth/
Border and PIAS join forces to launch PIAS Nordic
Export Music Sweden reports that (that's Play It Again Sam, in case it rings a bell) has joined forces with Sweden's leading distributor to launch a new pan-Scandinavian distribution venture under the banner : http://www.exportmusicsweden.org/2012/04/pias-and-border-launch-pias-nordic/
Other Scandinavian operations taken under the wing of this joint operation include (Norway), (Denmark) and (Finland).