By Norse

What By Norse does

By Norse (operating as By Norse Music) is a privately held independent record label and cultural platform founded in 2015–2016 and headquartered in Bergen, Norway. The company is co-founded by three established Norwegian music figures — Einar Selvik (Wardruna, Fimbulljod Productions), Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved, BardSpec, Peersen Production AS), and Simon Füllemann (AISA / All Access Agency) — and serves as a home for Norwegian and Norse-inspired art, music, literature, film, and heritage. Its roster of more than 20 artists spans Nordic folk, Sámi world music, progressive and Viking metal, including Wardruna, Enslaved, Mari Boine, Kalandra, Lindy-Fay Hella, Jonna Jinton, and Einherjer.

The business operates three integrated product lines: (1) the By Norse Music Label, releasing music digitally on Bandcamp and physically via vinyl, CD, and limited boxsets; (2) the By Norse Webstore (powered by MerchCare GmbH), which sells physical music and merchandise globally with worldwide shipping; and (3) the Nordic Night event series, a curated multi-day cultural event featuring concerts, workshops, and meet-and-greets at prestigious venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre (USA, 2019), Borgholm Castle Ruin (Sweden, 2023), the Acropolis / Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Athens, 2023), Scandinavia House (New York, 2024), and an upcoming Oslo 2026 event at Grefsenkollen with Riksscenen. The technology stack is entirely built on standard third-party platforms — Bandcamp for distribution, MerchCare for e-commerce, Mailchimp for newsletters, Ticketmaster and Bandsintown for ticketing, and YouTube/Vimeo for video — with no proprietary technology, patents, or AI/ML capabilities.

By Norse generates revenue through one-time purchases of physical and digital music releases, merchandise sales, and ticketed live events. The customer base is consumer-facing (B2C), targeting Nordic world music, folk, and Viking metal enthusiasts globally. The company has no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and is owned and operated by its three founders.

Name

By Norse

Legal name

By Norse Music

Website

https://bynorse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

By Norse Music is a Bergen, Norway-based independent record label and cultural platform founded by Einar Selvik, Ivar Bjørnson, and Simon Füllemann, releasing and touring Nordic folk, metal, and world music (Wardruna, Enslaved, Mari Boine, Kalandra) through Bandcamp, an owned webstore, and the Nordic Night event series worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Music Label

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225)

SIC

Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652)

akta.pro primary industry

Neighboring Rights (Master Performance Rights) Administration (MPAIAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural & Heritage Entertainment Booking (Traditional/Folk Acts) (HSACAHAG)

Keywords

• Independent record label
• Music merchandise sales
• Live music events
• Music distribution services
• Cultural event production

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Music Sales and Releases: Revenue from digital and physical music releases including vinyl records, CDs, and digital downloads across their roster of artists including Wardruna, Enslaved, Mari Boine, Kalandra, and others.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of artist merchandise including clothing, accessories, and specialty items through their webstore. Physical products include vinyl variants, CD digipacks, and apparel. Ships internationally to multiple countries.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from Nordic Night events including concert tickets, workshop fees, and meet-and-greet sessions. Events are held at prestigious venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Acropolis Athens, and Borgholm Castle in Sweden.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

By Norse Music operates as an independent record label and cultural platform releasing and distributing Nordic folk, metal, and world music by artists including Wardruna, Enslaved, Mari Boine, and Kalandra. The company sells physical music releases (vinyl, CD) and merchandise through its own webstore and digital catalog on Bandcamp, and curates the Nordic Night event series featuring concerts, workshops, and meet-and-greets at iconic international venues.

Product overview

By Norse Music operates as an integrated Norwegian music label and cultural platform combining digital music distribution, e-commerce, and live event curation. The core offering consists of the By Norse Music Label (home to Wardruna, Enslaved, Mari Boine, Lindy-Fay Hella, Jonna Jinton, Kalandra, and related artists), distributed through the By Norse Digital Catalogue on Bandcamp and the official By Norse Webstore for physical and digital merchandise. The subsidiary Nordic Night Events brand organizes cultural events featuring workshops and concerts at historic venues. Together, these products create a comprehensive ecosystem for Norwegian folk and metal music.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nordic Night: Event series celebrating Nordic music and culture, organized by By Norse. Features curated concerts, workshops, and meet & greet sessions at extraordinary venues worldwide.

Products and services

• By Norse Music Releases Physical and digital music releases (vinyl records, CD digipacks, digital downloads) from the By Norse roster of Nordic folk, metal, and world music artists including Wardruna, Enslaved, Mari Boine, Kalandra, Einherjer, and others, sold through the label's webstore and digital catalog.
• By Norse Artist Merchandise Artist-branded merchandise including clothing, accessories, and specialty items, alongside physical music formats (vinyl variants, CD digipacks, premium boxsets) distributed worldwide via the By Norse webstore powered by MerchCare GmbH.
• Nordic Night Events Curated multi-day cultural event series celebrating Nordic music and culture, featuring concerts, artist-led workshops on traditional Nordic instruments and vocals, and meet-and-greet sessions at iconic international venues. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and partner venue ticketing systems.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and operational.

• Over OslocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration partner for the Nordic Night Oslo 2026 event. Over Oslo worked with Wardruna to curate the concert evening at Grefsenkollen, hosting performances featuring Wardruna, Mari Boine, Gåte, Sara Parkman, and Ævestaden at the scenic amphitheatre overlooking the Oslo fjord.
• Scandinavia House (New York)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Long-term partner venue for By Norse events in the United States. Hosted New York By Norse workshops and continues to be a partner for Nordic cultural programming in North America.
• RiksscenencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue in Oslo hosting the Nordic Night workshops and meet-and-greet on June 14, 2026. Riksscenen is the venue for Wardruna member-led workshops on voice and traditional Nordic instruments.
• MerchCare GmbHoperationalTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce infrastructure provider powering the By Norse Music webstore (bynorsestore.com). Handles order processing, payment, and international shipping logistics for physical merchandise and music releases.
• DAWWWGoperationalTechnology or IntegrationDigital agency that designed and maintains the By Norse Music official website (bynorse.com). Created the visual design and branding for the label's web presence.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Prophecy Productions: German independent label focused on atmospheric, dark folk, and post-metal with strong cultural and Nordic-adjacent themes. Closest peer in catalog identity and independent boutique scale to By Norse.
• Svart Records: Finnish independent label with deep Nordic and Finnish heritage releases across rock, metal, and folk. Directly comparable on Nordic cultural positioning and physical-first release strategy.
• Real World Records: World music label founded by Peter Gabriel with a cultural-platform identity combining recordings, curated events, and artist development. Highly comparable to By Norse's hybrid label-plus-cultural-mission model.
• Indie Recordings: Norwegian independent label sharing By Norse's home market and roster of Nordic rock/metal/folk artists. Most direct geographic and genre peer.

Broad incumbents

• Metal Blade Records: Veteran US independent metal label with a similarly artist-friendly independent ethos. Comparable in operating model, but at much larger scale and broader genre remit.
• Season of Mist: French independent metal label with worldwide distribution and a roster spanning extreme metal and adjacent folk/atmospheric acts. Overlaps with By Norse's heavier end but operates at broader scale.
• Nuclear Blast Records: One of the largest independent metal labels globally, with deep catalog in progressive, melodic, and folk-tinged metal. Represents the scaled-up incumbent model By Norse operates adjacent to.
• Napalm Records: Austrian independent metal/rock label with a much larger roster and global distribution. Comparable business model and overlap in metal/folk-metal roster, but at significantly greater scale and broader genre focus.
• AFM Records: German independent rock/metal label with a roster spanning traditional metal, folk metal, and progressive rock — directly overlapping By Norse's Wardruna-adjacent and Enslaved-adjacent acts.
• Century Media Records: Long-established independent metal label (Sony Music subsidiary) covering progressive, extreme, and folk-tinged metal. Broader incumbent with significant genre overlap to By Norse's heavier artists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/bynorse
• Facebookfacebook.com/bynorse
• Instagraminstagram.com/bynorse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about By Norse