Article views were up by about 10% in 2025, a disappointing figure in view of the sizeable increases in previous years but realistically the growth curve was always going to flatten out in scenarios where the subject matter is so highly focused, if not quite ‘niche’.
The number of posts was slightly down on 2024 but still exceeded 300.
The ratio of industry ‘influencers’ amongst the readership remains comfortingly high although we are also very keen obviously to be viewed by any music fan, anywhere in the world, whether they are doing so to follow a favourite artist/band, because they just encountered a new one, or simply because they want to keep up to speed with what is going on in the Nordic countries.
As for ‘anywhere in the world’ I am pleased to announce that we have now been read in every country on Earth where the internet is available publicly.
NMC retains a listing in Feedspot, the popular global content reader and aggregator and during the year we were awarded a ‘TOP UK Music Blog’ badge.
In December we came to an agreement with Unsigned Only Music Awards, based in Nashville, USA, to promote its annual awards to artists that are unsigned or on a minor label, across multiple categories, to Nordic region artists.
An initial post coupled with a mailshot led to a high number of actual and potential applicants for the 2026 awards, which will be determined in September, so there is still plenty of time to enter and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. The post (there will probably be at least one more of them later) can be accessed here:
The NMC Songs of the Year 2024 post was made in mid December and can be accessed here:
We have had several contributors on and off over the years, some of whom do still occasionally submit articles, and latterly have been joined by Dominic Stevenson, who submitted his first review, of the Finnish band Valkea’s album ‘Vedenjakaja’ this month.
Dominic specialises in album reviews so readers can expect to see more of them in 2026.
There will be a few minor tweaks to the website shortly, including a facility that will enable readers to be aware of the (approximate) genre of an artist in the thumbnail description on each of the main pages. However, they will not be retroactive, only from when the facility is activated.
I have mentioned in several posts my desire to co-operate with the local council where I live in Greater Manchester, UK, to bring Nordic country artists to the area to perform when they are visiting this country, in a new venue.
The opening of the venue has been delayed into 2026 (it should have been open for six months already but that’s the UK for you). And there are some other issues to be overcome. However I hope that it will still be possible to go ahead this coming year.
I sense that after Brexit and the pandemic more Nordic artists are looking at the possibility of playing in the UK again and some of those that are mentioned in NMC already do so.
Finally, a quick reflection on Buy me a Coffee, which we joined in 2023 and which has provided us with the income I sought to cover the running costs of the publication. I never did, and still don’t expect to make money out of NMC, only to ensure I’m not out of pocket.
That wasn’t the case in 2025 and we’re on track to avoid that in 2026 too so many thanks again to those that have contributed.
I’ve always said that any surplus would be used towards the cost of watching and reviewing live shows either in the UK or the Nordic Countries themselves.
David Bentley
27th December 2025.
