The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in Nordic music in 2021.
Events January 7 January – The death of Finnish guitarist Alexi Laiho is announced on social media by members of his band Bodom After Midnight. It is reported that Laiho had "suffered from long-term health issues during his last years". 12 January – Finnish musician Marko Hietala announces that he is leaving Nightwish and retiring from public life as a result of disillusionment and concerns about his mental health. 22 January – Papa Emeritus IV is introduced to the public on the TV game show "På spåret", performing with The Hellacopters. 25 January – Swedish musician Snowy Shaw announces that he will release one song per month during 2021, making up a digital album.
February 20 February In the final of Melodi Grand Prix 2021, the 59th edition of Norway's national selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, Tix is selected as the country's representative, with the song "Fallen Angel". In the Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2021, the 10th edition of Finland's national selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, the rock group Blind Channel are selected as the country's representatives, with their song "Dark Side".
March 13 March At Melodifestivalen 2021, the 61st edition of the Swedish music competition, Tusse is selected as Sweden's entrant, with the song "Voices", composed by Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt and Anderz Wrethov. The Mamas, who had been selected as the 2020 entrants, with "Move", also competed in the final, with a new song, "In the Middle", but finished in third place. Iceland's Eurovision representatives, Daði og Gagnamagnið, release "10 Years", the song chosen as the country's entry.
May 30 April – Finnish rock band Before the Dawn release their first single since reforming after their 2013 break-up.
May 19 May – It is announced that two members of Gagnamagnið, Iceland's competitors at the Eurovision Song Contest, have tested positive for COVID-19, meaning that their appearance in the semi-final and final have to be based on footage from their rehearsal at Rotterdam Ahoy, recorded on 13 May. 20 May – In the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, Denmark fail to qualify for the final. 22 May – In the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Iceland finish in 4th place, Finland in 6th place, Sweden in 14th place, and Norway in 18th place.
June 16 June – Copenhell festival was scheduled to begin on this date, with a line-up including Judas Priest, Opeth and The Hu, but was cancelled because of continuing COVID-19 restrictions. 22 June – Mia Winter Wallace rejoins Abbath.
July 7 July – Bingsjöstämning, an annual folk festival held near Uppsala, Sweden, takes place online, the live festival having been cancelled because of continuing COVID-19 restrictions.
August 13 August – Mikael Stanne announces that longtime drummer Anders Jivarp and bassist Anders Iwers will be leaving the Swedish metal band Dark Tranquillity. 26 August – ABBA launch a new website, containing information about their forthcoming new album.
October October – Tarja Turunen produces her autobiography, Singing in My Blood.
November 5 November - ABBA release Voyage, their first album of new material in 40 years. ABBA's new single, is nominated for a Grammy award in the "Record of the Year" category, the group's first-ever nomination.
December 6 December – The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra appoints Ryan Bancroft as its next principal conductor, beginning with the 2023–2024 season. 6 December – The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra announces that Susanna Mälkki will stand down as its chief conductor at the end of the 2022–2023 season, and will become chief conductor emeritus with the orchestra.
Albums released January DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.8Welfare Jazz Viagra BoysYEAR000115En gång i tiden Benjamin IngrossoTEN MusicIngrosso's first album in Swedish language22Leviathan Therion Nuclear BlastKvitravn WardrunaNorse Music Postponed from April 2020Never Say Die Wig Wam Frontiers Records29Imperial Soen Silver Lining MusicWhere the Gloom Becomes Sound Tribulation Metal Blade (U.S.); Century Media
February DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.5The Raging River Cult of Luna Red Crk Recordings EP; guest appearance by Mark LaneganJylhä Korpiklaani Nuclear BlastDigital album, CD, black vinyl and green vinyl Sturle Dagsland Sturle DagslandDebut album, recorded in Stavanger Oakland moments: cello, voice, reuniting (rejoicing)Torben Ulrich & Lori Goldstonvia Bandcamp12Riddles, Ruins & Revelations Sirenia Napalm Records19Among Ashes and Monoliths Ablaze My Sorrow Black Lion RecordsNeyslutrans Remixed Hatari Svikamylla Remixes of songs that appeared on Hatari's debut album, Neyslutrans26North Star EinherjerStreaming via BandcampEscape of the Phoenix Evergrey
March DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.5Necro Sapiens Baest Poster Girl Zara Larsson TEN, Epic #3 on Swedish album chartThe Sognametal Legacy Windir Season of MistCompilation album, on vinyl 12Heart Healer Heart HealerFrontiers RecordsMagnus Karlsson's project to create the first metal opera using female singers only. Royal Destroyer The CrownMetal Blade Records19Live by Fire II Enforcer Nuclear Blast Records Live albumDing Dong. You're Dead. Hedvig Mollestad Trio Rune Grammofon Happy HeroesTrollfest Napalm Records EP26Earthrise The Quill Ninth full-length album
April DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef. 2 Shadows of Iconoclasm Darkthrone Peaceville Records Box set 9 Norwegian Gothic Årabrot Pelagic Produced by Jaime Gomez ArellanoVultures Die Alone Arion Produced by Matias Kupiainen16Have Courage Dear Heart Liv Kristine Nuclear Blast 9-track EP; digital version only released on this date23Paint the Sky with Blood Bodom After Midnight Napalm Records EP; featuring final work of Alexi Laiho 30Out of the Ashes Into the Fire Axewitch Pure Steel Records First album since 1985Ups!de Down Electric Boys Mighty Music Recorded at Ghost Ward studios; co-produced with David CastilloWild North West Vreid Season of Mist
May DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.1Green Valley Live Candlemass Peaceville Live album, including one new track7Virgo Sarah Klang Pangur RecordsSeek Shelter Iceage Mexican Summer First album featuring Casper Morilla Fernandez. Two tracks feature the Lisboa Gospel Collective.21Welcome Daði Freyr AWAL EPWitness VOLA Mascot Records The band's first top ten album on the UK Rock Albums chart28Creatures of the Dark Realm Bloodbound AFM Records 9th studio albumSvartrviðr King of AsgardMixed and mastered by Magnus Devo Andersson at Endarker Studio (Sweden)
June DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.11Lay Down and Be Counted General SurgeryEPNeedles of Rust This EndingBlack Lion RecordsRecorded, mixed and mastered at Wing Studios by Sverker Widgren 18The Enigma Birth Timo Tolkki's AvalonFrontiers Music Srlfeaturing Raphael Mendes 25Eternal Hails Darkthrone Opus Ferox – The Great Escape Loch Vostok Fun Is Not a Straight Line Sasu RipattiPlanet Mu
July DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.2The Nightmare of Being At the GatesCentury Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren9Temporary Highs in the Violet SkiesSnoh Aalegra ARTium, Roc Nation Atavistic Black Disorder / KommandoMayhemCentury EP23Parabellum Yngwie MalmsteenMusic Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group 30Sprinkles Kasper BjørkeInstrumental Arete Netherbird Eisenwald 20 Years of Gloom, Beauty and Despair – Live in Helsinki Swallow the Sun Century Media Records Live album
August DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.13Negative Act of Denial Crusader Records/Golden Robot Records Debut album20Hexahedron – Live at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter Ulver Live album recorded in April 201827Aphelion Leprous InsideOut Music Recorded at studios in Sweden and NorwayThe Tritonus Bell Hooded MenaceMixed by Andy LaRocqueVanagandr Thyrfing Despotz RecordsCo-recorded and co-produced by Jakob Herrmann at Top Floor Studios, Gothenburg; mixed by Jacob Hansen
September DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.10Back on Track M.ill.ionAOR HeavenMixed by Simon Hanhart and mastered by Tim DebneyStrong Anette OlzonFrontiers Music SrlWritten and composed in collaboration with Magnus Karlsson 17Argent Moon InsomniumCentury Media RecordsEP24Companion Skepticism Svart Records First album since 2015Shaman (EP) Orbit Culture Seek & Strike Produced, mixed and mastered by Niklas Karlsson
October DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.1Mnemosynean Katatonia Peaceville Records Compilation album8Imperial Congregation Blood Red ThroneNuclear Blast Wired Eclipse 15God Ends Here Aeon Metal Blade Records Måsstaden under vatten Vildhjarta Century Media First album with Buster Odeholm as drummer22Arsonist of the Soul Burning PointAFM RecordsFirst album for five years 29The Sixth Storm Count RavenI Hate RecordsFirst album for 12 years WoduridaR HelheimDark EssenceRecorded at Conclave & Earshot Studio
November DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.5 Voyage ABBAPolar Music/Universal MusicProduced by Benny Andersson Origin Omnium Gatherum Century Media RecordsMixed by Jens Bogren and mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios Allsighr Sarke Soulseller RecordsRecorded by Børge Finstad and Kevin Kleiven at Top Room Studios12 Angel of Carnage Unleashed Darkwoods My Betrothed Napalm Records Featuring Tuomas Holopainen Won't Let the Sun Go Down The Mamas Universal Music EP 19 Moonflowers Swallow the Sun Bonus instrumental album composed for strings and recorded at Sipoo Church in Finland26 Worship the Eternal Darkness Archgoat Debemur Morti Productions Heaven in Hiding Imminence We Are Triumphant Records The Bleeding Veil In Mourning Agonia Records Lordiversity Lordi Box set of seven albums
December DayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef.3 Victory in Blood Unanimated First studio album for 10 years Servant of the Mind Volbeat Republic Records Featuring Stine Bramsen10 Praesentialis in Aeternum Funeral mixed and mastered by Børge Finstad A Gentleman's Legacy The Murder of My Sweet Featuring Mike Palace and Patrick Janson17 1349 Memory Garden No Remorse Records First full-length album for 8 years
Eurovision Song Contest Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Classical works Anna S. Þorvaldsdóttir – Catamorphosis Klas Torstensson – City Imprints
Opera Kaija Saariaho and Sofi Oksanen – Innocence
Film and television music Matti Bye – Young Royals Gaute Storaas – Three Wishes for Cinderella (Tre nøtter til Askepott), starring Astrid S
Deaths 10 January – Thorleif Torstensson, 71, Swedish singer (COVID-19) 16 January – Pave Maijanen, 70, Finnish musician (complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) 13 February – Eva Nässén, 74, Swedish singer and teacher 1 March – Hauk Buen, 87, Norwegian hardingfele fiddler and fiddle maker 7 March – Lars-Göran Petrov, 49, Swedish singer (cancer) 11 March – Claes Dieden, 78, Swedish singer-songwriter 4 May – Henrik Ohlin, Swedish bassist (Black Ingvars). (death announced on this date) 10 May Lars-Gunnar Bodin, 85, Swedish electronic music pioneer Svante Thuresson, 84, Swedish jazz musician 25 May – Søren Holm, 25, Danish singer (Liss). 2 June – Carl Høgset, 79, Norwegian choral conductor and singer 9 June – Torgny Björk, 82, Swedish musician, composer and singer. 27 June – Peps Persson, 74, Swedish blues and reggae musician and social critic 20 July – Curt-Eric Holmquist, 73, conductor and Eurovision Song Contest winner 4 August – Anders Pettersson, 69, Swedish musician (Lasse Stefanz) 16 September – Geir Johnson, 67, Norwegian composer and musicologist 19 September – Mats Paulson, 83, Swedish singer, poet and songwriter 30 September – Lennart Åberg, 79, Swedish jazz musician and composer 9 October – Jim Pembroke, 75, British-born vocalist of Finnish band Wigwam