Yesterday, the nominations for the Icelandic Music Awards 2026 were announced at a ceremony held at Austurbær on Snorrabraut.

There are 135 nominations across 27 categories in total. Birnir leads the pack this year with six nominations, including two for "Song of the Year." Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm receive five nominations together, with Páll receiving one additional nomination, bringing his total to six. Tómas Jónsson receives five nominations across two categories, followed by international superstars Laufey and Víkingur Heiðar, who each receive four.

The Icelandic Music Awards will be held at Harpa on March 18 and will be broadcast live on RÚV. In addition to the categories announced yesterday, an Honorary Award will be presented and the Brightest Hope (Newcomer of the Year) will be named. Numerous artists will perform, and the ceremony will be hosted by musician Friðrik Ómar.

List of all nominations:

Performers of the Year

• Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic: Laufey; Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm; Birnir; Mugison; Inspector Spacetime.
• Classical and Contemporary Music: Björg Brjánsdóttir; Óður; Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson; Cantoque Ensemble; KIMI ensemble.
• Jazz Music: Ásgeir Ásgeirsson; Björgvin Ragnar Hjálmarsson; Mánudjass kvintett; Tómas Jónsson; Birgir Steinn Theodórsson.
• Other Music: Markéta Irglová; RAKEL; Björk Guðmundsdóttir; Néfur; Árný Margrét.

Vocalists of the Year

• Jazz Music: Silva Þórðardóttir; Rósa Guðrún Sveinsdóttir; Rebekka Blöndal; Björg Blöndal; Stína Ágústsdóttir.
• Classical and Contemporary Music: Bryndís Guðjónsdóttir; Jóhann Kristinsson; Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir; Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir; Þórgunnur Anna Örnólfsdóttir.
• Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic: Laufey; Steingrímur Teague; Una Torfadóttir; Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson; Salka Sól Eyfeld.

Songs and Compositions of the Year

• Jazz Music: Hægur dans – Ingi Bjarni; Heima – Sara Magnúsdóttir; Gúmbó nr. 5 – Tómas Jónsson; Watachico – Watachico; Hver stund með þér – Einar Scheving.
• Classical and Contemporary Music: Bergmál úr garðinum – Haukur Tómasson; Eyland – Veronique Vaka; Fiðlukonsert – Þórður Magnússon; Before we fall, cello concerto – Anna Þorvaldsdóttir; Rangifonia: Earthsong – Ingibjörg Ýr Skarphéðinsdóttir.
• Other Music: Always – RAKEL; A Dawning – Ólafur Arnalds and Talos; Hulin hönd – Ari Árelíus; Day Old Thoughts – Árný Margrét; Words That Move – Sævar Jóhannsson.
• Pop Music: Lover Girl – Laufey; Eitt af blómunum – Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm; Bekkjarmót og jarðarfarir – Friðrik Dór and Moses Hightower; Bleikur Range Rover – Aron Kristinn and Birnir; Miklu betri einn – ELVAR.
• Rock Music: Loftið – Spacestation; Gera sitt besta – HASAR; Ugh – GRÓA; Riot – The Vintage Caravan; Ordinary Creature – Of Monsters and Men.
• Hip Hop: Ljósin kvikna – Alaska1867, Aron Can, and Þormóður Eiríksson; Sumarið – Úlfur Úlfur; Súperman – Saint Pete; LXS – Birnir; 10 ÞÚSUND – Emmsjé Gauti and Króli.
• Electronic Music: REYKJAVÍKURKVÖLD – gugusar; eh plan? – digital ísland; In The Sound of Breathing – SAGES (Ólafur Arnalds & Loreen); Party at My House – Inspector Spacetime; Partýið er þú og ég – GusGus.

Albums of the Year

• Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic: Reykjavík Fusion – Veigar Margeirsson; Svepparíkið – Sin Fang; Where is Jón? – Úlfur Eldjárn; Stormur – Una Torfa, The National Theatre, and Stormur Theatre Group; Little Disasters – Ragnar Ólafsson.
• Other Music: Quiet Presence – Sævar Jóhannsson; a place to be – RAKEL; A Dawning – Ólafur Arnalds and Talos; Best á flest - Sounds of America – Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and Tómas Jónsson; Khemeia – Khemeia.
• Jazz Music: Hope – Ingi Bjarni; Crossing borders – Ásgeir Ásgeirsson; Go Round Merry – Sunna Gunnlaugs; Gúmbó nr. 5 – Tómas Jónsson; 210 – Ómar Guðjónsson.
• Pop Music: A Matter of Time – Laufey; Alveg – Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm; Borgartún – Snorri Helgason; Bríet - Act I – Bríet; RÍFAST – KUSK and ÓVITI.
• Rock Music: Reykjavík Syndrome – Spacestation; All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade – Of Monsters and Men; Drop P – GRÓA; Portals – The Vintage Caravan; Painted Blue – Pétur Ben.
• Hip Hop: STÉTTIN – Emmsé Gauti; Dyrnar – Birnir; Brat – Daniil; 222 – Alaska1867 and Whyrun; Joey 3 – Joey Christ.
• Electronic Music: Vatn og raf – Árni Grétar Jóhannesson and Jóhannes Pálmason; History of Silence – múm; QUACK – gugusar; Í henglum alheimsins – LaFontaine; fyi – knackered.
• Classical and Contemporary Music: Where to From – Hildur Guðnadóttir; NÁND – Sigurgeir Agnarsson; UBIQUE – Anna Þorvaldsdóttir; XV – Eyþór Ingi Jónsson; Opus 109: Beethoven, Bach, Schubert – Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson.

Music Event of the Year

• Vor í Vaglaskógi – KALEO et al.
• Mánudjass – Mánudjass kvintett
• Borgartún Album Release Concert at Austurbæjarbíó – Snorri Helgason
• Birnir’s Concert at Laugardalshöll – Birnir
• The opera “Dido and Aeneas” at the 50th Anniversary of the Skálholt Summer Concerts – Skálholt Summer Concerts

Music Video of the Year

• You Stopped Asking This Question - Sævar Jóhannsson – Vikram Pradhan
• STÆLAR - GKR – Magnus Andersen and GKR
• Það sem jólin snúast um - GDRN, KK, and Magnús Jóhann – Kristný Eiríksdóttir
• LXS - Birnir – Erlendur Sveinsson
• Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 30, Op. 109: III. Andante molto cantabile - Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson – Erlendur Sveinsson

Producer of the Year

• 210 - Ómar Guðjónsson – Ásgeir Aðalsteinsson and Ómar Guðjónsson
• Alveg - Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm – Benni Hemm Hemm, Páll Óskar, Albert Finnbogason, and Haffi Tempó
• Where to From - Hildur Guðnadóttir – Hildur Guðnadóttir
• XV - Eyþór Ingi Jónsson – Håkan Ekman and Anders Hannus
• Opus 109: Beethoven, Bach, Schubert - Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson – Christopher Tarnow and Christian Badzura

Lyricist of the Year

• Nameless Children – Markéta Irglová
• Sumarið – Arnar Freyr Frostason and Helgi Sæmundur Guðmundsson
• Eitt af blómunum – Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm
• Svanavatn – Jón Hallur Stefánsson
• La bohème – Sólveig Sigurðardóttir and Þórhallur Auður Helgason

Album Artwork of the Year

• Best á flest – Sounds of America – Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and Tómas Jónsson – Davíð Arnar Baldursson and Ragnar Þórhallsson
• Magical Thinking - Farao – Gréta Þorkelsdóttir
• Deep Cuts - Cell7 – Eysteinn Þórðarsson
• RÍFAST - KUSK & Óviti – Viktor Weisshappel for STRIK STUDIO
• Cornucopia Live - Björk Guðmundsdóttir – m/m paris

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