Go here for a list of Norwegian industry types attending the Great Escape Festival in London: https://www.musicexportnorway.no/index.php?id=4480687

Mustasch, Babylon Bombs and Hell n' Diesel will be playing a special Swedish hard-rock showcase in London on June 5 called the Real Rock of Sweden Expo. More details here: https://www.rrose.se/

Swedish label Service (Jens Lekman, The Embassy) has announced the signing of Ikons (remember?). Check out the new single "Guns" right here: https://srvice.com/catalog/item.php?catno=SRVC001
Service has also relaunched themselves as a cooperative and is offering up public membership in exchange for use of their new subscription service: https://srvice.com/catalog/item.php?catno=JOIN_SERVICE

Border Blaster is organizing a seminar on European hip-hop/urban music called Make It Blast!, set to take place in Stockholm on May 27. Read more: https://www.border-blaster.com/makeitblast/

Music Export Norway has opened an office in London: https://www.norway.org.uk/culture/music/menopening.htm

MIC Norway reports that industry fest By:Larm will remain in Oslo for the foreseeable future: https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008042815514171775692

Finnish label If Society is now working with Cargo Records for distribution in GAS and worldwide digital distribution.

Swedish label Nomethod is now working with Bonnier Amigo (BAM) as their distributor.

Gbg-based avant/experimental label Kning Disk, one of my favorite labels both for their music and sense of design, has signed a new distro deal with Dotshop.

Danish singer/songwriter-focused label Songcrafter Music (Tobias Stenkjær, Amalie Riis, CS Nielsen) has signed a new agreement with Rootsy in Sweden to arrange for full European distribution.

Swedish hip-hop artist Max Peezay embarassed the IFPI by asking to removed from a lawsuit they have pending against The Pirate Bay, forcing them to make a public apology. Read more about the debacle at The Local: https://www.thelocal.se/11144/20080416/

Word has it that the Lykke Li-Atlantic deal I mentioned yesterday is worldwide excluding Scandinavia. The "indie" moniker of imprint LL Recordings will be used as a front, just as it is in Sweden/Scandinavia with EMI.

The news is out: yes, I will be back in Sweden this summer. The good people at STIM have invited me to attend this year's Hultsfred Festival and how could I refuse? See you there? Read the press release: [click here]

Swedish site Rockfoto.nu is now moving into editorial content.

STIM has set May 31 as the date for this year's "Swedish Music Day", the 25th anniversary of said occasion. Find out more: https://www.mic.stim.se/smd