Finland’s music spans ancient runo-song and regional folk traditions, a strong classical legacy, communal national song, and internationally successful rock and metal. These examples deliberately cross that range, from Karelian and epic folk material to the national anthem and Nightwish.
The music of Finland can be roughly divided in the following three categories.Folk music is typically influenced by Karelian traditional tunes and lyrics of the Kalevala metre. Karelian heritage has traditionally been perceived as the purest expression of Finnic myths and beliefs, thought to be spared from Germanic and Slavic influences. In the west of the country, more mainstream Nordic folk music traditions prevail. The Sami people of northern Finland have their own musical traditions, collectively Sami music. Finnish folk music has undergone a roots revival in the recent decades, and has also become a part of popular music.In the field of classical music, Finland has produced a proportionally exceptional number of artists.Contemporary music includes e.g. a renowned metal music scene, in common with the other Nordic countries, as well as a number of prominent rock and pop bands, jazz musicians, hip hop performers and makers of dance music. A Schlager scene with bandstand dancing exists where Finnish tango, somewhat modified from the Argentinian, is also popular.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia’s “Music of Finland” article
This Karelian ensemble highlights a regional folk tradition shared across Finland’s eastern cultural landscape.
Nightwish represents Finland’s internationally prominent symphonic-metal scene.
“Maamme,” also known in Swedish as “Vårt Land,” is Finland’s national anthem.
Heikki Laitinen’s performance draws on Finnish epic and folk-song traditions.