Sister Flo
Sister Flo is one of the best bands that ever came from Finland. Their magical and melancholic indie sound is made with excellent production, clean and sad electric guitars and smooth vocals. Their song White Noise is one of my favourite songs ever.
Delay Trees
Delay Trees is an ambitious indie band that, true to their name, use quite a lot of echoes and delay in their electric guitars. Their self-titled debut album is among some of the best Finnish albums. This is the kind of music I can proudly say is from Finland.
Liekki
Liekki sings in Finnish, but not understanding the lyrics doesn't probably matter at all, since they don't really make that much sense even to Finns. Like is all about clean and beautiful guitars, melancholic melodies and masterful production. The soft and high vocals are extremely beautiful.
Tigerbombs
Tigerbombs is one of the best pop bands in Finland. They really know how to make catchy melodies and danceable indie beats. The sounds are innovative, yet not too experimental. This is the kind of music that has been made for sunny summer nights and wild gigs.
Puny
Puny makes guitar-driven indie rock with excellent melodies and ambitious sounds. This band sometimes resembles bands such as Oasis or The Coral. Even if the Finnish accent reveals that these guys are actually from Finland, the overall sound is very international.
Death Hawks
This is one of the greatest Finnish bands of the recent years. Their songs have well-made sounds of Finnish indie, but the songs have more influences from experimental psychedelia. The guitars, bass and drums are all played masterfully and the result is a hypnotic experience of excellent music.
Cessna
Cessna's sounds are a bit lo-fi, but in just the right way. If you are a fan of Belle and Sebastian, you may well like Cessna's indie rock melodies and endearing, slightly out of tune sounds. The bass lines play a lot of high notes in the style of 80's alternative rock and bands such as the Smiths.
Jermaine
Jermaine plays ambitious radio friendly indie rock. The vocals have authentic indie nasal and the guitars really know how to mix catchy riffs with power chords and solo guitars. This is good music for dancing and for carefree summer days.
Captain Cougar
Captain Cougar plays dreamlike pop music with excellent clear female vocals. Piano has a central role in the band even if it's a full band effort. The sounds are occasionally a bit too commercial for my taste, but generally it all sounds good.
Ochre Room
Ochre room is an alt-country band that makes beautiful and melodic songs mainly with acoustic instruments. They also use some slide guitars. The vocal harmonies are well made. The band actually manages to sound quite non-Finnish, because the English is pronounced so well.
Home Junior
Home Junior plays gypsy-influenced folk music with some punk sounds on top. It manages not to be too corny. The emphasis is more in indie rock type of sounds than on folk punk. This band sounds like it would sound great live.
The Saturnettes
The Saturnettes uses new wave and post punk sounds to make sunny electronic indie rock. The melodies are catchy and the instruments sound light despite of slight industrialism. There are also some great vocal harmonies in the choruses.
I Was a Teenage Satan Worshipper
The name of this band might suggest something else completely. This is an electro indie band that bears resemblance to bands such as Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear. This is one of the cool bands that have appeared with Finland's hipsterification lately.
King of All the Animals
This indie rock band plays danceable and guitar-driven indie rock tunes with overdriven bass lines. It reminds me of bands like Hot Hot Heat or Maxïmo Park. Catchy melodies and fast guitar riffs along with enthusiasm of youth,
The Rollstons
The Rollstons play some heavy guitars even if the general sound is a lot lighter. Their songs have a variety of different levels going from riffing to hypnotic and mellow smoothness. The songwriting is quite complex and makes the songs interesting.
Velvert
Velvet plays indie pop-rock that has quite clearly been influenced by The Beatles, but also by some more modern indie bands. The sounds are quite lo-fi giving a sense of being recorded in a basement. It's still very pleasant to listen to.
The Props
The Props play lightly overdriven guitars in their melancholic melodies. The vocals are raspy and very indie. If you like bands like Pixies or Placebo, this sounds like it could be somewhere between those sounds.
Coo
This band plays rock n' roll and funk with their extremely Finnish sounding English accent. The songs are well written and interesting. I like their funky songs more than their basic rock n' roll stuff. It sets them apart from other similar artists.
The Beatfools
This rockabilly band sounds modern even if their clear influences come from 1950's. The metal sounding electric guitars play solos while the vocals have taken clear influences from Elvis Presley. It's good for dancing, I can tell you that.
Francine
This band uses the style all too well known in Finland where the 1960's surf rock guitars have been added to melancholic pop melodies. The songs are well made and if you're not tired of listening to this style, it's quite good.
Amulet
Amulet plays surf rock with some rockabilly elements. The sound is kind of old, but if you enjoy that camp value from the 50's, this might be your kind of music. The melodies are very simple and sound like they have been made thousands of times before.
Volter
Voter plays fresh and sunny sounding summery indie rock with some hippy elements and some surf rock elements. The choruses have been carefully written to give that warm feeling. It's retro, but very good retro.
Kytäjä
Kytäjä plays mainly instrumental music that actually sounds quite a lot like film score music. In addition to normal band instruments, there's some flute, melodica and glockenspiel used. There are some retro elements in the sounds even if they also use some space elements in there.
Typeface
Typeface plays fast indie rock. The sounds are a bit corny and resemble some annoying elements of Finnish pop-metal. Despite of this, the songs are beautifully written and the quieter bits can be quite enjoyable.
Artisokka
Artisokka, despite of their name, sings in English. Their mellow indie pop has some psychedelic elements and hypnotising clear guitars that wave like the sea in the wind. The sounds are quite lo-fi, but not bad at all.
Hi-Lo & In Between
This band is a rarity from this geographical area. They play classy and well-made ominous folk music with excellent guitar picking and some pizzicato on string instruments. The vocals are a mix of deep baritone voice and higher vocals combined together.
Frendz
Frendz is an old-school folk band in the style of folk from the 70's. I am constantly reminded of artists like Cat Stevens or Don McLean. These guys have definitely listened their fare share of English folk music as well.
Risto
Risotto does not fully open to people who don't understand Finnish, because the lyrics are very obscene sometimes. Even so, the songs are very well played and I'm sure the melodies and sounds alone are enough to interest you.
T. Toiviainen & Treble
I could basically say pretty much the same things about this combo as I said about Risto above. The lyrics are not quite as strange though. The guitars are beautifully played even if the sounds are quite lo-fi.
Kukka
Kukka plays subtle and lazy indie pop. They even sing in English, but the accent is very Finnish. Their sounds are quite lo-fi, but it's probably just a positive thing. The pianos and organs sound beautiful.
Muuan Mies
Muuan Mies plays lazy and soulful indie pop with echoey electric guitars. The bass lines are seductively raunchy as are the Finnish lyrics by the way. I don't know how well this music works to people who do not speak Finnish, but I still think you should give it a shot.
Matti Johannes Koivu
This singer-songwriter makes absolutely beautiful music. The delicate folk songs with amazing and clear vocals spiced up with a variety of instruments are full of otherworldly sound. The lyrics are in Finnish, but the overall sound is great for everyone.
Puumaja
Pumas makes indie folk with beautiful melodies and subtle and quiet instrumentation. The vocals are not necessarily anything special, but it's not bad either. Acoustic instruments get a bit of boost from various electric guitar sounds.
Ultramariini
Aforementioned Matti Johannes Koivu is the lead singer of this excellent indie rock band. The sound is a lot bigger than on his solo stuff and piano has a more central role instead of a guitar. Beautiful melodies and melancholic feels.
Puk
This indie rock band uses some modern progressive rock elements in their guitar driven music. The overall sound is very melodic and beautiful even if the guitars sometimes have some out-of-tune qualities as well.
Samae Koskinen
Samae Koskinen is a singer-songwriter who is best known for his band Sister Flo that I mentioned at the beginning of this list. His solo stuff is quite sunny and there's a definite feel-good atmosphere in the songs.
Tabula Rasa
This progressive rock band from the 70's was not quite as experimental as some of the bands from Helsinki. Tabula Rasa's music is filled with beautiful and melancholic melodies. The solo guitars are brilliant, as are the flutes and high-pitched vocals.
Kaseva
Kaseva was one of the first bands in Finland that made excellent original pop-music. Their songs are usually very melancholic. There are some apparent influences from 1960's psychedelic pop scene and bands such as The Beatles and the Zombies.
Eppu Normaali
This band has received kind of a bad reputation because it is probably bigger than any other band in Finland, or at least was at some point. I would still say that some of their songs are still very beautiful. They started their career playing punk, but later on they evolved into a band that uses beautiful and clear electric guitars.
Jani Matti Juhani & Mustat käärmeet
This combo plays excellent indie rock with musical influences from old-school rockabilly. The sounds are more modern though. The lyrics are quite political and funny and it's a shame if you can't understand them.
Wiidakko
Wiidakko makes guitar-driven indie rock that sounds very mid-00's. They like to play with rhythm changes and for this reason it reminds me of the band Mew. They have some melancholic melodies and they know their sense of drama.
Tehosekoitin
This is one of the greatest rock bands in the history of Finnish music. They drew their influences from traditional rockabilly scene, but the results were much more original. All the members really know how to play their instruments and the result is sometimes beautifully skilful.
Apulanta
This is one of the few grunge bands that Finland has ever seen. Back in the day they got a reputation as a band for teenagers, but later on they have shifted towards more adult sounds and the sounds are absolutely fantastic. Huge guitar walls combined with skilful vocals. Expect melancholy.
Karkkiautomaatti
Karkkiautomaatti plays 90's style punk-pop. The melodies are often quite melancholic and the sounds can be compared to bands such as The Lemonheads. It sounds quite lo-fi, but at least I still love that sound.
Ratsia
Ratsia was one of the proper first wave punk bands in Finland. They drew their influences from UK's best punk bands and their most well-known songs actually refers to the kids in London. Only few chords, but the attitude is great.
Kari Peitsamo ja Ankkuli
This is another punk band from Finland. The lead of the band, Kari Peitsamo, is a true phenomenon in Finland. He has made hundreds of songs, which are usually very lo-fi and they're also very political. With Ankkuli, he made probably his most well-produced songs.
Popeda
This band has often been named the most redneck band from Finland (or at least among some of them). There are good reasons for this reputation and some of their songs are truly awful. I'd still like to direct your attention to first couple of albums that were closer to Ramones kind of punk.
Kontra
Kontra is almost like a humour band that can't be taken too seriously. The music is a mix of punk and rockabilly. They have a great attitude though. I don't know what to think about this band if you can't understand the lyrics.
Virtanen
This guy later on became a member of parliament for the notorious Finns party. In the 70's, however, he used to make punk music with strange lo-fi sounds. There are also some noise rock influences that seem a bit modern considering the time when this music was made.
Alwari Tuohitorvi
This band makes completely retro music. Their songs sound like the glam rock of the 70's. Especially T-Rex must be their main reference point. The guitars are skilfully played and the vocals are authentically old-school.
Donna
Donna played soulful rock n' roll for a legendary Love Records label. The bass lines are inventive and the rhythms resemble ska or reggae. I don't really know that much about the history of this band so it's difficult to describe their music.
Kari Peitsamo
I already mentioned this guy above, but i think it's worth mentioning his solo career as a separate post. His solo career is vast. The songs are very political (very left-wing) and the sounds are lo-fi rock n' roll.
Ahkerat Simpanssit
This band is probably the strangest band I have ever put on any of these lists. Their lyrics are outrightly weird and their songs have been played with extremely lo-fi sounds. The lyrics are kind of naughty teenage stuff referring to sex.
Jake's Blues Band
This band plays rock music with quite heavy guitar sounds. It can be called blues, but not in the old sense of the word. The electric guitars resemble Jimi Hendrix and the raspy vocals are loud and simple.
Heikki Silvennoinen
this guy has played guitar in various bands I have mentioned on this list. He's known as Tampere's official guitar virtuoso. He got more famous though from the comedy series Kummeli, which he co-headlined for years in the 90's. The music has some similarities to Eric Clapton and Dire Straits.
Kimmo Pohjonen
Kimmo Pohjonen is one of the most original musicians in Finland. He plays the accordion like a virtuoso and his songs are full of shamanistic mystique. It's quite impossible to describe his music fully, but it has some elements of jazz, folk and traditional shamanism.
Jahnukaiset
Finland is an excellent jazz country, but most of the best jazz bands come from Helsinki. Jahnukaiset plays quite impressively played, yet I think they lack something in the innovation department. It's still good jazz.
Black Motor
Black Motor plays very original sounding jazz music with saxophone taking most of the space. Bass lines are also very interesting. Their music is very experimental from time to time and not always easy to listen to, but it can also be very rewarding.
Ewa Kaarela
This jazz singer has a beautiful and authentic jazz voice, but I think she really should stick to singing in Finnish because she really can't pronounce English properly. This is a bit distracting, but otherwise the kind of easy-listening saloon jazz is quite enjoyable.
Kvalda
Kvalda plays quiet and innovative jazz music. Here the vocals are a bit better in singing English as mentioned above, but still I think the accent is pretty strong. The instrumentation is quite minimalistic and instruments are as much quiet as they play something.
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