Apparently Oslo is current leading the way as an international capital of musical tastemaking: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/the-real-tastemakers-why-were-all-listening-to-atlanta-and-oslo-7658169.html
Check out an interview with / bossman Joakim Haugland from M Magazine: http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/featuresinterviews/interviews/sounds-from-a-smalltown/
Swedish label has a new booking division, a new office in Copenhagen and a new website to tie it all together: http://hybr.is/
Export Music Sweden reports back from SXSW: http://www.exportmusicsweden.org/2012/03/so-now-south-by-south-by-southwest-is-basically-over/
If anyone comes across any worthwhile firsthand reports or videos, let me know.
Listen to Norway has posted a full schedule for Norwegian acts showcasing at SXSW (along with a Spotify playlist): http://listento.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2012031211270879330281
The final print edition of Sweden's premiere hip-hop mag Kingsize will roll off the presses in April. The mag will continue online-only thereafter.
Swedish webzine Throw Me Away is publishing a multi-part series by Billy Rimgard on the history of Swedish indie from 1999-2009 and the first part which focuses on The Radio Dept. can be found here: http://www.throwmeaway.se/svensk-indie/kapitel-ett-against-the-tide/
New chapters will be posted weekly.
Swedish trumpet player/composer Goran Kajfes is this year's winner of the Nordic Music Prize for his album "XY" on .
Here are the winners of the 2012 Swedish Grammis:
Best Album: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Best Artist: Lykke Li
Best Electronic/Dance: Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Best Hip-Hop/Soul: Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Best Hardrock/Metal: Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Best Jazz: Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter: Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Song: Avicii - Levels
Best Music Video: Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Best Newcomer: Aleks
Best Pop: Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan
Best Producer: Masse Salazar
Best Rock: Deportees - Islands & Shores
Best International Success: Swedish House Mafia
Best Lyrics: Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Innovator: Avicii
Full list: http://www.grammis.se/?ha_events=grammis-vinnarna-2012
Here are the winners of the 2012 Manifest award, Sweden's indie/alternative Grammy:
Folk/Ballad: Siri Karlsson - Gran Fuego ()
Experimental: Hanna Hartman - H ^ 2 ()
Punk: Obnoxious Youth - The Eternal Void ()
Dance: Jonsson/Alter - Samlad årsproduktion ()
Hardrock: Opeth - Heritage ()
Rhythm: Simone Moreno - Planetas ()
Singer/Songwriter/Country/Americana: Ane Brun - It All Start With One ()
Rock: Pascal/Mattias Alkberg - Allt det här ()
Best Unsigned: Death By Armborst
Jazz: Jonas Holgersson - Snick Snack ()
Hip-Hop: Mofeta & Jerre - Briljanter & Smaragder ()
Synth: Necro Facility - Wintermute ()
Pop: Azure Blue - Rule of thirds ()
Best live act: This is Head ()
SKAP/Manifest Prize for best lyrics: Philip Ekström - Det Vackra Livet ()
SKAP/Manifest Prize for best composer: Maria Lindén - I Break Horses ()
Manifest Prize for best indie: Popkollo
has started a new dance-music imprint called to be spearheaded by A&R/manager Patrik Larsson. As far as releases go, the label will focus on digital EPs and singles as well as a new compilation series called "March to a Uniform Beat". Read the full press release: http://www.uniformbeat.com/playground-music-launches-a-new-dance-label
The Swedish Consulate in NYC will be hosting a party at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn on February 2 called "Under the Bridge" featuring live music from Nina Persson of Cardigans/A Camp alongside her husband Nathan Larson plus Fibes, Oh Fibes! and Sibille Attar of [ingenting]/Little Red Corvette. There will also be an art exhibition of photos and videos from Lars Tunbjörk, Roxy Farhat, MOCH and Ruvan Wijesooriya, as well as DJ sets by Tiedye, Puss Puss and The Swede Beat. Full details: http://www.swedenabroad.com/News____13053.aspx?slaveid=135706
Here are the winners of the 2012 P3 Guld awards:
Artist: Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går bort
Group: Deportees - Islands & shores
Song: Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen
Newcomer: Den Svenska Björnstammen
Guldmicken (Best Live Act): Kapten Röd
Pop: Syket - With love
Hip-hop/Soul: Ison & Fille - För evigt
Dance: L-Wiz - Samlad produktion
Rock/Metal: Graveyard - Hisingen blues
It may come as a surprise, but I'm actually a fan of the latest Kapten Röd record and am glad to see that he won.
Ja Ja Ja pays tribute to their forebears from Tack! Tack! Tack!: http://www.jajajamusic.com/index.php/2012/01/flipside-of-a-memory-tack-tack-tack-retrospective/
The winners of the 2011 Spellemannprisen, the Norwegian Grammy, were announced over the weekend:
2011 Spellemann: Bernhoft - "Solidarity Breaks"
Female artist: Ane Brun - "It All Starts With One"
Male Artist: Bernhoft - "Solidarity Breaks"
Pop Group: Team Me - "To The Treetops!"
Rock: Honningbarna - "La Alarmane Gå"
Metal: Årabrot - "Solar Anus"
Electronica: Biosphere - "N-Plants"
Hip-hop: Lars Vaular - "Du Betyr Meg"
Folk/Traditional: Ragnhild Furebotten - "Never On A Sunday"
Jazz: Ola Kvernberg - "Liarbird"
Open Class: Bárut/Inga Juuso - "Balggis"
Lyrics: Lars Vaular - "Du Betyr Meg"
Composer: Rolf Wallin/Lundeng/Torjesen/Bodø Symfonietta/Eggen - "Wire And String"
Newcomer/Gramostipend: Jonas Alaska - "Jonas Alaska"
Music Video: Envy - One Song
2011 Hit: Plumbo - Møkkamann
Read more: http://www.spellemann.no/index.php?option=com_winner&Itemid=29&year=2011