First-Ever Stockholm Music Week Celebrates the Industry’s Present and Future
Between April 22-29, the first inaugural Stockholm Music Week brought together thought leaders and partners across industries including music, tech, government, and academia, with the shared goal of continuing to shine light on Sweden’s music scene and the impact it has around the world.
The international initiative served as a hub for expert-led panels, fan events, artist talks, and more, all celebrating Sweden’s creative legacy while looking ahead toward its future.
Adding to the excitement, Spotify released the Swedish Loud & Clear report, timed to coincide with the week’s agenda. The annual report showed that in 2025, artists in Sweden generated nearly 2 billion kronor (over USD $214 million) in royalties, nearly double the amount earned in 2018.
Learn more about our findings on our Loud & Clear website and read on for our recap of Stockholm Music Week.
Celebrating 20 years with fans and artists
Spotify was founded in Stockholm 20 years ago, and as part of our anniversary celebrations, the 1,700 top listeners of Swedish artists Boko Yout, Agnes, Lykke Li, and Sebastian Ingrosso were invited for an unforgettable night of live music and fandom. The event was hosted at Fållan in Stockholm, and made possible in partnership with L’Oréal brands Redken and Maybelline.
Swedish music export is recognized by the government
Earlier the same day, the Swedish government presented the annual Music Export Prize, which recognizes artists who have had a particularly successful year abroad. Spotify’s Nordic editorial lead Emma Vikström served as a jury member for the award and had the honor of announcing the winner: opera singer Christina Nilsson.
“Being part of this year’s jury has been both inspiring and genuinely challenging,” said Emma. “The strength and diversity of Swedish music globally right now is remarkable—from artists like Zara Larsson and Ghost to boundary-pushing creators like Yung Lean and Ludwig Göransson, alongside the success of Christina Nilsson. Ultimately, this year’s nominees reflect not just individual success stories, but the continued evolution and global relevance of Swedish music.”
Building sustainable artist careers
On Tuesday, Spotify held a morning session on streaming, discovery, and the artist’s perspective. Spotify’s Head of Music for Northern Europe, Andy Sloan-Vincent, opened the talk with our commitment to emerging artists.
Following that, we presented a new report by researcher and music industry analyst Daniel Johansson: A Decade of Discovery: Swedish artists on Spotify 2015–2025. The report shows that while there’s a bigger audience to find today, new artists also see more barriers to break through from increased volume and more catalog consumption. Afterward, a panel of industry experts discussed how the music landscape has evolved, and what it takes for emerging artists to break through today.
Finally, Swedish duo Icona Pop and artist Olga Myko shared their perspective on navigating the music industry and how they’re building careers with longevity in mind, concluding that engaging with superfans is key to building a lasting presence as an artist.
Closing out the week at the Grammis
Stockholm Music Week wrapped up at Sweden’s annual music awards, the Grammis, where the country’s top performers were honored. For the seventh consecutive year, Spotify was proud to sponsor the Best New Artist category, which was awarded this year to Fanny Avonne.
Zara Larsson, who was awarded Artist of the Year, closed out the gala with her acceptance speech, saying, “We should all celebrate, because Swedish music is the best in the world!”
The excitement of the Grammis was a fitting finale to a landmark week in Stockholm—a week that underscored the continued momentum of Sweden’s music scene and the promise it holds for the industry as a whole.
