The Icelandic hip-hop scene swept the board at The Reykjavík Grapevine Music Awards, held at Lemmy yesterday evening, Thursday, February 5th. Alaska 1867, digital ísland, and Birnir all received awards, with the group also appearing on the cover of the magazine’s current issue.

The Reykjavík Grapevine Music Awards have been held annually since 2013, marking their 14th edition this year. For the 2026 awards, 36 acts were nominated across nine categories by a jury selected by the magazine’s editorial team.

The jury this year consisted of Alexander Le Sage de Fontenay, graphic designer and music writer; Ish Sveinsson Houle and Jóhannes Bjarkason, journalists at Reykjavík Grapevine; Kristján Guðjónsson, programmer at Rás 1; and Maria-Carmela Raso, musician and event manager.

María Rut Reynisdóttir, Director of Iceland Music, was among the presenters. She took the opportunity to commend the magazine for its long-standing commitment to ambitious cultural coverage.

We echo María’s sentiments and congratulate all the winners.

📸 Art Bicnick

‍

Artist of the year

‍

• Alaska 1867 – Winner
• Knackered
• Múm
• Páll Óskar and Benni Hemm Hemm

Album of the year

• Birnir – Dyrnar –Winner
• RAKEL – a place to be
• Spacestation – Reykjavik Syndrome
• Múm – History of Silence

Song of the year

• digital ísland – eh plan – Winner
• Alaska 1867 – SMS
• Páll Óskar og Benni Hemm Hemm – Eitt af blómunum
• Kusk & Óviti – HJÁ ÞÉR

Best Visual Representation

‍

• Flesh Machine – Taking My Time (dir: Snæfríður Sól Gunnarsdóttir) – Winner
• Birnir, Doddi digital og Ragnhildur Stefánsdóttir – Dyrnar (Album cover)
• Ólafur Arnalds & Loreen – SAGES (dir: Thora Hilmarsdottir)
• Kári Egils – Midnight Sky (dir: Didda Flygenring)

Best Music Event

‍

• quean : kven : queen (Sóley Stefánsdóttir og Samantha Shay) – Winner
• Norðanpaunk
• Sátan
• Kárahátíð með Spider Network

Best Live Act

• Knackered – Winner
• Flesh Machine
• symfaux
• Unfiled

Best Kept Secret

• Emma – Halidome – Winner
• Godchilla – Psionic Dreams
• Oh Mama – Dagskrá
• Woolly Kind – Í hringi

Ones To Watch

• BKPM –Winner
• digital ísland
• Fríd
• Julian Civilian

Shout Out

• Ólátagarður (útvarpsþáttur) – Winner
• marvaða
• Óli Dóri
• Reykjavík Record Shop

‍