Famous Icelander Musicians

Bjork is an Icelandic singer, record producer, songwriter, DJ, and actress. She is best known for her association with the now-defunct yet popular band, The Sugarcubes. The bestselling Icelandic singer-songwriter of all time, Bjork was named in Time magazine's most influential people in the world list in 2015. Over the course of her illustrious career, Bjork has received several awards.

Daði Freyr is an Icelandic musician best known as the frontman of a musical band named Daði & Gagnamagnið. In 2021, Freyr represented Iceland at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 10 Years and finished fourth. 

Jóhann Jóhannsson was an Icelandic music composer best remembered for his wide array of work for various medium like theatre, television, and film. He is perhaps best known for his work in the 2014 biographical romantic drama film The Theory of Everything, for which he received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award. 

Hildur Guðnadóttir is an Icelandic composer and musician. A classically trained cellist, Guðnadóttir has recorded with popular bands like Throbbing Gristle, Pan Sonic, Stórsveit Nix Noltes, and Múm. Hildur Guðnadóttir is best known for her work in films like Joker, for which she received the Academy Award under the Best Original Score category.

BAFTA-winning Irish multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds is known for his innovative experiments with electronic music. A trained drummer and pianist, he uses his customized software to mingle classical and modern notes. He is also known for his collaborative initiatives, such as his work with the techno duo Kiasmos.

Marketa Irglova is a Czech-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known for starring in the 2007 Irish musical drama film Once, which earned Irglová numerous prestigious awards, such as an Oscar under the Best Original Song category for her song, Falling Slowly. 

Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir is an Icelandic musician. She is the current guitarist and lead vocalist of a band named Of Monsters and Men. The band has released popular albums like My Head Is an Animal, Beneath the Skin, and Fever Dream. My Head Is an Animal was certified platinum and multi-platinum by many trade organizations.

Jónsi is an Icelandic musician best known for his association with a post-rock band named Sigur Rós, where he performs as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Renowned for using his cello bow on guitar, Jónsi has also achieved popularity for his amazing countertenor voice.

Sjón is an Icelandic poet, lyricist, screenwriter, and novelist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with singer-songwriter and composer Björk. Sjón's works are widely read and have been translated into many languages. Over the course of his career, Sjón has won several prestigious awards such as the Nordic Council's Literature Prize and DV Newspaper Culture Prize.

Ragnar Þórhallsson is an Icelandic musician best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist of a band named Of Monsters and Men. He performs as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band alongside Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir. Of Monsters and Men has released some successful albums like My Head Is an Animal and Beneath the Skin.

Ásgeir Trausti is an Icelandic musician and singer-songwriter. Apart from performing with his eponymous band, Trausti also plays guitar for The Lovely Lion. Over the course of his career, Ásgeir Trausti has won several prestigious awards such as Icelandic Music Awards and Kraumur Award.

Stony Blyden is an Icelandic rapper, singer, actor, drummer, and record producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Stony in the 2018 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film, Dude. Stony Blyden also played an important role in the 2020 American romantic drama film, Life in a Year.

Atli Örvarsson is an Icelandic composer best known for his work in American films and TV series. He is credited with composing and orchestrating music for popular Hollywood films like Angels & Demons and the Pirates of the Caribbean film series.

The son of a footballer, Icelandic musician Orri Páll Dýrason is best known as the former drummer of the post-rock band Sigur Rós. He quit the band amid allegations of sexual assault by a fan on Instagram. He later defended his innocence through a Facebook post.

Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Kjartan Sveinsson is best known as the keyboardist of the post-rock band Sigur Rós, which he had quit in 2013 and rejoined in 2022. He also composed for the Academy Award-nominated short film The Last Farm. He has also collaborated with many artists, such as Ragnar Kjartansson.

Icelandic musician and songwriter Brynjar Leifsson is best known as the lead guitarist of the folk band Of Monsters and Me. He also appeared as a musician in the sixth season of Game of Thrones. He is known for his work on albums such as Beneath the Skin and Fever Dream.

Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Sóley was a child when she mastered classical and jazz-style piano and then went on to study composition. Beginning her musical journey with the indie-folk band Seabear, she later collaborated with Sin Fang. She is known for redefining electronic pop, too.

Icelandic singer and trumpet player Einar Örn Benediktsson is best known as a member of the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes. While he has experimented with genres such as punk rock and electro, he has also created works of fine art and exhibited internationally. He has also been part of Icelandic politics.

Icelandic singer-songwriter and indie-musician Ólöf Arnalds gained-attention with her debut- album Við Og Við that found place among Paste Magazine's Top 100 Albums of 2007 and eMusic's editor's list of Best Albums of 2008. Moving on, she released other albums like Innundir Skinni and Sudden Elevation of which the latter marked Arnalds’ first album that was sung entirely in English.

Icelandic musician Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson founded the post-rock band Sigur Rós. He was the drummer of the band until 1999, when Orri Páll Dýrason took his place. Post-retirement, he joined a graphic design course.

Icelandic singer Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson began his career as part of the pop group Nýdönsk. He also participated in the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest and later founded the electronic music band GusGus. Apart from composing and writing for TV and films, he has also played a lead role in the short film Nautn.

Icelandic singer, songwriter, and violinist Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir is associated with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and represented Iceland in the 2012 and 2016 Eurovision Song Contests. The folk, pop, and soul singer is known for her chartbusting tracks such as Never Forget and Hear Them Calling.

Icelandic singer-songwriter Bubbi Morthens was 14 when he left school and began travelling as a migrant fish worker and experimenting with his guitar. While he has been part of bands such as Utangarðsmenn and Egó, he has also had a tough battle with drug addiction earlier and later advocated addiction prevention.

Icelandic singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jófríður Ákadóttir is also popularly known as JFDR. She founded the groups Samaris and Pascal Pinon. The daughter of composer/musician Áki Ásgeirsson, she began composing songs on her guitar at age 11 and has been releasing albums since age 15.

While he was initially interested in skateboarding and painting, Icelandic singer-songwriter Unnar Gísli Sigurmundsson, known by his pseudonym, Júníus Meyvant, was later suspended from music school for his eccentricity. Known for his freaky folk-pop, he has also won honors at the 2015 and 2017 Icelandic Music Awards.

Icelandic pop singer and DJ Paul Oscar started his musical journey singing at private functions as a child. He came out as gay at 16 and later also performed in drag shows. He also participated in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. He has also appeared in a film and been a radio jockey.  

Icelandic musician Gyða Valtýsdóttir is best known as the co-founder of the indietronica band Múm. She has also provided music to films, theater, and dance pieces, and has released several solo albums. She is the twin sister of the lead vocalist of Mum, Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir.

Icelandic record producer and composer Valgeir Sigurðsson owns the label Bedroom Community and the recording facility Greenhouse Studios. He began his musical journey at age 16, when he joined a recording studio for the first time. His creations often include experimental, electronic, and alternative music.

Born into a musical family, Icelandic jazz icon Anna Mjöll began playing the guitar at age 6 and wrote her first song at 8. She mastered the cello and piano pretty early too and went on to perform at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest. The Sorbonne alumna later moved to the US to perform.

Icelandic composer, pianist, and conductor Jón Leifs is noted as the only internationally successful conductor of the country till present. Most of his compositions like Hekla and Dettifoss were inspired by Icelandic natural phenomena. He advocated for music education and artists’ rights and worked on the ratification by Iceland of the Berne Convention and establishing Performing Rights Society of Iceland.

Legendary Icelandic drummer and singer Sigtryggur Baldursson was a founder-member of the alternative rock band the Sugarcubes. A master of punk and alternative music, he has also sung using the pseudonym Bogomil Font. He has written music for theater and has managed ÚTÓN, or Iceland Music.

Known as the Grandfather of Icelandic Rock, Megas began his musical journey by studying the piano and writing sheet music in school. He was once banned from radio for creating non-traditional Icelandic folk songs. His songs redefine Icelandic mythology and also speak about drugs and social issues.

Icelandic actor and pop-rock musician Helgi Björnsson, also known as Helgi Björns, has also performed as part of his own band, Helgi Björns Og Reiðmenn Vindanna. His filmography includes movies such as Hitler's Grave, Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre, and Remote Control. He is the son of footballer Björn Helgason.

Icelandic musician Mugison is best-known for spawning award-winning albums like Mugiboogie and Mugimama Is This Monkey Music?, with the latter becoming both a critical and commercial success. The annual music festival Aldrei fór ég suður held since 2004 in Ísafjörður, Iceland, is the brainchild of Mugison and his father. Mugison also conceived the electronic music-instrument Mirstumenti along with his sound-engineer.

Icelandic singer Magni Ásgeirsson was 15 when he began performing on stage and first gained recognition with the show Rock Star: Supernova in 2006. Apart from being a soloist, he has also been part of the pop band Á Móti Sól. He has sung for the children’s show Lazytown Extra.

Born to an Icelandic mother and a Sri Lankan father in London, singer Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir, better known as Lay Low, moved to Reykjavik as a child. Her debut album, Please Don't Hate Me, became a chart-topper. She has also composed and performed for the play How I Learned to Drive.

Icelandic composer-conductor Daníel Bjarnason gained-attention with his debut album, Processions. Many of his works were commissioned and debuted by Los Angeles Philharmonic. Notable works of Bjarnason, who is presently composer-in-residence at Muziekgebouw Frits Philips, includes The Isle Is Full of Noises and Over Light Earth, both of which won him Composer of the Year award at 2013 Icelandic Music Awards. 

A man who dons many hats, Bardi Johannsson is an Icelandic composer, musician, host, designer, director, and writer. He has contributed to the award-winning score of the movie Reykjavik Rotterdam and has also composed for the American film Would You Rather and the French film The Finishers.

Icelandic musician Sigurjón Brink, also known as Sjonni Brink, founded the Europe Theater Prize-winning theater group Vesturport. A 3-time participant on the show Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins, he died before appearing in it for the fourth time, while a song he composed for the show was later performed by his musician friends.

Celebrated composer of Iceland Anna Sigríður Þorvaldsdóttir, whose music is many a time influenced by landscapes and nature, won Nordic Council Music Prize for her work Dreaming. Other important works of the virtuoso includes AERIALITY commissioned by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra with whom she is presently associated as composer-in-residence. Music of Anna is often performed in the US and Europe.

Musician, art-director, and allsherjargoði of Ásatrúarfélagið Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson is best-remembered for pioneering use of computers in composing musical-pieces that paved-way for new concepts in recording and arrangements. He worked with several bands, most-notably with Þeyr that released albums like Útfrymi through independent record-label Esquimaux Management that he co-created; and worked with several musicians like Sigur Rós, on experimental projects.

Icelandic musician Steindór Andersen is best known for his Rímur chanting and collaborations with the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. Steindór is a regular guest at the Folk Music Festival in Siglufjörður. Rimur EP released by Sigur Rós in 2001 featured Andersen performing rímur. He also performed Hugann seiða svalli frá from Rímur on the band’s 2007 DVD release, Heima.