2021 in European music explained

This article covers events in 2021 in continental European music, arranged in geographical order.

Events

• 1 January – The Vienna Philharmonic's annual Neujahrskonzert, conducted by Riccardo Muti, takes place without a live audience for the first time in the history of the concert, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1]
• 4 January – Dutch National Opera and Ballet announces that Stijn Schoonderwoerd will be its new general director (algemeen directeur), effective from 1 February.^[2]
• 22 February – Daft Punk, the French electronic music duo, breaks up after nearly 30 years together.^[3]

Scandinavia

See main article: 2021 in Scandinavian music.

Top hits

• Danish number-one hits of 2021
• Finnish number-one singles of 2021, Finnish number-one albums of 2021
• Norwegian number-one songs in 2020
• Swedish number-one singles and albums in 2021

Netherlands

• Dutch number-one singles of 2021

UK

See main article: 2021 in British music.

Germany

• German number-one hits of 2021

Switzerland and Austria

• Swiss number-one hits of 2021

France

• French number-one hits of 2021

Italy

• Italian number-one hits of 2021

Eastern Europe/ Balkans

• List of Polish number-one singles of 2021
• Czech number-one songs of the 2020s
• Hungarian number-one singles of the 2020s

Deaths

• • • 1 January Carlos do Carmo, 81, Portuguese fado singer^[4]
  • Jan Vering, 65, German gospel singer^[5]
• 3 January – Tasso Adamopoulos, 76, Greek-French violist and pedagogue (from COVID-19)^[6]
• 4 January – Alexi Laiho, 41, Finnish death metal singer and guitarist (Children of Bodom) (death announced on this date)^[7]
• 10 January – Thorleif Torstensson, 71, Swedish dansband singer, guitarist and saxophonist (Thorleifs) (COVID-19)^[8]
• 16 January – Pave Maijanen, 70, Finnish rock keyboardist (Hurriganes, Dingo)^[9]

Notes and References

1. News: Neujahrskonzert 2021 ohne Publikum, 2022 mit Barenboim . Der Standard . 2021-01-01 . 2021-01-08.
2. Stijn Schoonderwoerd nieuwe algemeen directeur Nationale Opera & Ballet . Dutch National Opera . 2021-01-04 . 2021-01-08.
3. Web site: Blistein . Jon . 2021-02-22 . Daft Punk Break Up . 2024-02-01 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
4. Web site: Carlos do Carmo, o embaixador do fado . IOL.PT . Manuela . Micael . 1 January 2021 . pt . 1 January 2021 . 3 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210103164201/https://tvi24.iol.pt/musica/fadista/carlos-do-carmo-o-embaixador-do-fado . live .
5. Web site: In der Silvesternacht verstorben: Ex-Apollo-Dramaturg Jan Vering ist tot. 3 January 2021. Siegener Zeitung. de.
6. News: Disparition de l'altiste et éminent pédagogue Tasso Adamopoulos . France Musique . Suzana Kubik . 2021-01-04 . 2021-01-08.
7. Web site: Alexi Laiho, frontman of metal band Children of Bodom, dies aged 41. 4 January 2021. Ben Beaumont-Thomas. The Guardian. 7 January 2021.
8. Web site: Thorleifs sångare Thorleif Torstensson död i covid-19. Expressen. 10 January 2021.
9. Web site: Vedenpää . Ville . Muusikko Pave Maijanen on kuollut . Yle Uutiset . Yleisradio Oy . 16 January 2021 . Helsinki . fi . 16 January 2021.