NORWAY - Road Map
Fast facts
Dial Code: +47
Population: 5,3 million
Language: Norwegian
Capital City: Oslo
Currency: NOK
GDP Per Capita: $69.296
Labels, distribution & licensing
RECORD LABELS
The Norwegian independent record label sector is represented by Fono – the Norwegian Independent Record Producers Association.
Key Norwegian independent record labels:
• Grappa
• KKV
• Rune Grammfon
• Smalltown Supersound
• Indie Recordings
• Fysisk Format
• Jansen Plateproduksjon
• Hubro
• Sofa Music
• Full Pupp
• Sellout
• Petroleum Records
• Brilliance
• Riot Factory
• Aurora (contemporary/classical)
• Simax (contemporary/classical)
• LAWO (contemporary/classical)
• Karisma/Dark Essence
• Propeller Recordings
• daWork
• Oslo Records
• Playground Music Norway
• MTG Music
• Full Effekt Records
• Vibbefanger Records
• Eget Selskap
Major labels:
Norway’s major label sector is represented by IFPI Norway.
• Universal
• Sony
• Warner
LICENSING
• Border Music Norway
• Musikkoperatørene
• VME
• Sonet
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION
• The Orchard
• NoordRights
• INgrooves
• Beat
Publishing & Performance rights
PUBLISHING
Norway’s publishing sector is relatively small but still highly active. Annual turnover for the sector is estimated to app. 100mNOK. The publishing sector is represented by its interest organisation Musikkforleggerne – the Norwegian Music Publishers’ Association.
Songwriting/song camps:
• Trondheim Calling SONG:EXPO: The co-writing camp is held annually in late January and attracts international song writers, A&Rs and publishers which are teamed up with domestic writers to create a vibrant meeting point in which leads are provided and songs pitched for markets in the US, Germany, UK and Asia.
• Song Farm was founded in 2010 by Hilde Wahl and Jørn Dalchow who for many years has been part of the Norwegian music industry. The aim of Song Farm is to establish events and venues where Norwegian and international songwriters can meet, write new songs, build networks and get new knowledge. Song Farm is also co-hosting in partnership with Ontrack Studio, a professional camp called «Out Of The Woods» . This Camp is twice a year, in April and September.
• by:Songs takes place in Sandvika and Asker outside Oslo the days before by:Larm conference and music festival.
• Bergen Songs is an independent song camp in Bergen in april.
• Out of the Woods Songwriting Camp have consistently developed unique songwriting camps for new and established Nordic, Scandinavian and international songwriters. The songwriting camps are genre or stylistically specific and offer experienced and developing writers the opportunity to make incredible music and build long lasting connections, networks and careers within the industry.
Publishing companies:
• Hacate
• Oslo Recordings
• Arctic Rights Management
• Warner/Chappell Music Norway
• daWorks
• GILT
Sheet music publishers:
• Cantando
• Norsk Musikkforlag
• Norsk Noteservice
• Musikk-Husets Forlag
• Lyche Musikkforlag
PERFORMING RIGHTS/COLLECTING SOCIETIES
Tono is Norway’s Performing Rights Society and represents more than 22 000 Norwegian rights holders.
Administration of mechanical rights on the Norwegian market is administered by NCB – Nordic Copyright Bureau.
Gramo is the joint collection society in Norway for musicians, performing artists and phonogram producers. Gramo manages and administers the right of performers and producers to receive remuneration when recorded music is being played on the airways or in other public arenas.
MANAGEMENT
Pop/rock:
• Stageway
• Made
• Toothfairy
• HES
• ACT
• Indianer
• Little Big Sister
• Mandelbaum
• Circle Management
• Plexus Management
• MER
• Artist Vision
• Compro AS
• Hedline Arts
• Paperclip
Jazz/Folk:
• Kalleklev
• Musikkprofil
Classical/contemporary:
• Classical Management
• Artefact
• Pro Arte
STUDIOS
Oslo:
Saga Studio
Trondheim:
Nidaros Studio
Giske:
Ocean Sound Recordings
Bergen:
Asker:
Media, PR & Promotion
MEDIA
TV:
TV broadcasting is dominated by public broadcaster NRK – the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which has a market share of 39 per cent (2014) with its three channels (NRK1, NRK2 and NRK3/NRKSuper). Trailing behind is commercial broadcaster TV2 with a market share of 28,7% with its five channels. TV Norge is third on the list with its 8,1% share of the market.
www.nrk.no
www.tv2.no
www.tvnorge.no
Radio:
NRK is also dominant on the radio waves. On average, the public broadcaster had a listener base of 69% of the total population in 2016. Coming in on second is the commercial station P4 which has a 18% stake in the market while Radio Norge is third with its 8%.
• NRK P1
• NRK P2
• NRK P3
• NRK P13
• NRK mP3
• P4
• Radio Norge
Key radio programmes:
• National Rap Show
• Atlantis
• Bluesasylet
• Spillerom (Classical/Contemporary)
• Jazzklubben (Jazz)
• Jungeltelegrafen (Folk/traditional/world)
Web:
A quartet of music-specific sites that focus on album reviews, festival reports, artist interviews and live reviews:
• 730.no
• Gaffa
• YLTV
• Musikknyheter.no
• Lydskrift (Contemporary/classical)
• Lydgalleriet (Contemporary/classical)
Print:
Akersgata, the Norwegian equivalent to Fleet Street, encompasses several dailies that feature album reviews, festival reports and, to some extent, artist interviews:
• VG
• Dagbladet
• Aftenposten
• Dagsavisen
• Klassekampen
• Morgenbladet
A string of niche-oriented, high-quality music magazines have a loyal user base in Norway and cover their respective genres thoroughly:
• Klassisk Musikkmagasin (Classical/contemporary)
• Jazznytt (Jazz)
• Scream Magazine (Metal, hardcore)
• Metal Hammer (Metal, hardcore)
• Blues News (Blues)
PR-agencies:
• Indianer
• Little Big Sister
• Sesong1
• HES
• Miss Fixit
• Ghost Town Artist
• Brilliance
• Killer Inc
• Bakke Consulting
Live & Venues
LIVE
Pop/rock/EDM:
• Øya Festival
• Bergenfest
• Stavernfestivalen
• Palmesus
• Findings
• Utopia
• Kadetten
• Mablis
• Bukta
• Pstereo
• Tons of Rock
• Notodden Blues Festival
• by:Larm
• Inferno Metal Festival
• Vill Vill Vest
• Trondheim Calling
• Girl Interrupted
Jazz:
• Kongsberg Jazz Festival
• Molde International Jazz Festival
• Punkt
• Oslo Jazz Festival
• Vossajazz
• Nattjazz
Traditional folk/world-music:
• Førde Folk Music Festival
• Oslo World Music Festival
• Folkelarm
Contemporary/Classical:
• Bergen International Festival
• ICMF International Chamber Music Festival Stavanger
• Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival
• Oslo Chamber Music Festival
• St. Olav Festival
• Oslo International Church Music Festival
• Borealis
• Risør Chamber Music Festival
• Festival of North Norway
• Trondheim Chamber Music Festival
VENUES
A selection of the main venues of Norway’s seven largest cities:
Oslo:
• Oslo Spektrum
• Rockefeller/John Dee/Sentrum Scene
• Nasjonal Jazzscene/Victoria
• Riksscenen – the Norwegian Hub for Traditional Music and Dance
• Blå
• Cosmopolite
• Parkteatret
• Kulturhuset
• Røverstaden
• Telenor Arena
• Youngs
Bergen:
• USF Verftet
• Landmark
• Østre
• Kvarteret
• Hulen
• Underlig
Trondheim:
• Byscenen
• Studentersamfundet
• Olavshallen
Tromsø:
• Driv
• Blå Rock
• Kulturhuset
Stavanger:
• Checkpoint Charlie
• Cementen
• Folken
• TOU
• Stavanger Konserthus
BOOKING AGENTS
Norwegian booking agents focusing on the domestic market:
• All Things Live
• United Stage Norway
• Artistpartner
• Musikkprofil
• Kalleklev
• Polar Artist
• FKP Scorpio Norge
• Ramble On
• TimeOut
• Brilliance
• Stageway
• Standing Ovation
• Live Nation
• Vibe Agency
• Radar Booking
• Nordic Live
ORCHESTRAS
Norway’s five largest cities sport a symphony orchestra of their own with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra fronting a strong sector that is active at home and abroad:
• The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
• The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
• The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra
• Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra
• The Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra
• Stavanger Symphony Orchestra
• Norwegian Radio Orchestra
OPERAS
The Norwegian opera scene is spearheaded by Oslo’s Norwegian National Opera, which stages large and smaller operas at its spectacular icebergesque opera house by the capital’s waterfront.
• The Norwegian National Opera
• Bergen National Opera
• Operaen i Kristiansund
• Opera Nordfjord
CONCERT HALLS
In addition to the established conventional concert halls in the country’s main cities, Norway has app. 115 publicly funded cultural houses in cities and municipalities throughout the country.
• Oslo Concert Hall
• Grieghallen
• Kilden
• Olavshallen
• Stavanger Concert Hall
CULTURAL HOUSES
An overview of Norway’s Cultural Houses, sorted county-wise can be found here.
Record Industry:
According to the 2018 IFPI Norway’s Annual Report, international repertoire accounted for a 80 per cent stake of the market. Sales of physical units made up for no more than 10 per cent of overall turnover in 2018, with digital downloads generating 2 per cent and streaming services 89 per cent of total revenue.
Recorded music generated a turnover of 741 mNOK, where streaming accounted for 656 mNOK, which amounts to 89 per cent of the total turnover.
Turnover from sales of physical units in 2018 ended at a value of 70 mNOK while digital downloads and streaming services generated 671 mNOK.
76 per cent of the Norwegian population listens to music at least an hour per day, and they use streaming services frequently.
Other
MUSIC INDUSTRY NETWORKING ARENAS
Oslo’s by:Larm is widely regarded as one of the Nordic music scene’s premier networking arenas and showcasing festivals. The event is staged annually mid-February in Oslo and features a wealth of showcases with Nordic bands and performers, seminars, meeting arenas and creative networking sessions.
Øya International is the Oslo festival’s programme for its foreign delegates and offers a tailored package for the participants with exclusive concerts, networking sessions and social events.
Folkelarm is the Norwegian folk/trad/world music scene’s premier meeting point and showcasing festival. Held at Oslo’s Riksscenen – the Norwegian Hub for Traditional Music and Dance, the showcase festival also features seminars and networking arenas for domestic as well as international folk music execs.
The Norwegian contemporary music scene’s main festival is without doubt the Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival. The festival also features a tailored programme for its invited foreign delegates.
Vill Vill Vest is a music festival showcasing Norwegian artists at Bergen's most established venues. In addition to the concerts, the music organization Brak presents an extensive seminar program for promoters, artists and the music industry.
Trondheim Calling is an annual music conference and music festival situated smack in the middle of Norway.