Music - thisisFINLAND

Make air, not war: The joyfully absurd World Championships in Oulu

Ever dreamed of witnessing something wildly fun and just a little bit bonkers? Picture people of all ages rocking out on stage with instruments only they can see. Dancing like nobody’s watching, fully immersed in the moment. This is air guitar at its most serious. And most glorious.

Arts & culture Music

Quirky ’90s band Ultra Bra stages a stylish comeback at 30

Ultra Bra, one of the most beloved Finnish bands of the 1990s, has released new songs after more than two decades and reunited for shows at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium and summer festivals.

Arts & culture Culture

A night hike into the heart of Finnish folk music

Kaustinen, a small Finnish town renowned for its rich folk music traditions, welcomes festival-goers with a unique night hike through rain-soaked forests and magical cliffs. As fiddles echo in the dusk, hikers from across the globe gather to experience music and nature under the northern summer sky that never goes dark.

1902

The year Francisco Tárrega composed the waltz that later became the Nokia ringtone

Arts & culture Music

Käärijä and Tuuletar show Osaka 2025 how to “Party like a Finn”

In June, Finland will present shows by Käärijä (pictured) and Tuuletar at the Nordic Pavilion at the Osaka 2025 World Expo in Japan. The Nordic Pavilion is a joint project between the Nordic countries Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Music Finland is a partner of the Finland Day music program.

Arts & culture Festivals

Magic in the Finnish summer air

Every year, music festivals fill cities, fells, forests and lakesides with live music and a peculiar kind of charm that can only be felt in the summertime. Let’s unpack the reasons that make Finland the promised land of summer festivals – and look at some unique festival experiences for those who have seen it all.

1970

The year Ruisrock, Finland's oldest (and Europe's second-oldest) rock fest, was founded

Arts & culture Music

Finland’s Eurovision story evolves from trials to triumphs

In the glitzy Eurovision Song Contest, Finland languished as a perennial underdog for decades. Then its fortunes changed dramatically, and it has repeatedly been a serious contender to win the continent’s hearts.

Arts & culture Music

Made in Finland: Sweden sends Finnish sauna-party band KAJ to Eurovision

In a curious turn of events, Sweden has chosen KAJ, a comedy group from Finland, as its representative for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Finland’s own delegate is Erika Vikman.

Arts & culture Webpick

Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen gets Grammy for recording of Kaija Saariaho’s opera

Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen received a 2025 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording, with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Adriana Mater, a work by the late Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

53.2 per 100,000 people

Most heavy metal bands per capita in the world

Source: Business Insider