The Metal Stage showcase, curated by Heavy Music Estonia, brings the raw power and intensity of the Northern heavy music scene—a fierce blend of metal spanning traditional to modern, folk to industrial. It's a stage where seasoned performers meet bold newcomers, pushing the boundaries of sound and emotion.
Prepare to encounter the most exciting, bizarre, and formidable acts from Estonia and beyond—honest, unrelenting, and fiercely passionate music for those who demand nothing less.
At Tallinn Music Week, Finno-Ugric artists take to the stage: Estonians, Setos, Finns, Sámi, Udmurts, and Hungarians.
The spectrum of musical styles is broad and delightfully idiosyncratic: you'll hear traditional songs and modern folk music, experimental electronica, as well as music tinged with post-rock and ambient.
What unites these acts is a Finno-Ugric cultural background, expressed through singing in their native languages or through the distinctive world of their sonic world.
Roots Session is a concert series that digs deep into music from every corner of the globe, pulling at roots and plucking leaves from diverse cultural traditions, while sharing the ground of great musicianship.
Blues, americana, roots rock, country, gospel, folk and even jazz—these are the building blocks that keep showing up in the Roots Session sound. Expect rock'n'roll that moves your hips and gospel that rattles your soul—all coming together at TMW in the Club of Different Rooms. Don't you dare miss it!
Classical:NEXT, the global networking and exchange hub dedicated to classical and art music, presents a meticulously curated concert programme at Tallinn Music Week that pushes boundaries and extends horizons.
From masterful interpreters to contemporary innovators and canon-breakers – they're all united by the forward-looking keyword "NEXT".
WTF is Finland? Perhaps the happiest country in the world—or so they say. Despite the long winters, deep dark forests (read: alcohol), and Santa Claus, Finland has carved out a unique place in the global music scene. It's a country with the highest number of metal bands per capita, and it's home not only to some of the world's finest classical musicians but also to incredible pop artists, songwriters, and world-class producers.
WTF is also Welcome to Finland—a showcase event and an excellent opportunity to discover Finland's hottest new sounds! Hosted by Music Finland and Teosto.
Feel the pulse of the Baltic grassroots music scene with Cindy & Kate at Uus Laine! This showcase brings together a wildly diverse lineup from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—spotlighting the region's most forward-thinking pop, indie, electronic, and alternative sounds.
Expect raw creativity, unbridled passion, and genre-bending performances that capture the Baltics' uniquely modern identity. The atmosphere shifts from intimate, pin-drop listening moments to bold, high-energy performances, offering a vivid snapshot of the region's rising talent. Artists who've graced the TMW stage with Cindy & Kate have been snapped up for gigs as far-flung as Croatia, India, and Nepal—straight off the stage.
The Finnish record label Stupido Records, a name of real significance for Estonian music, brings its favourite acts to Von Krahl Bar from both sides of the Gulf of Finland and beyond. The night also celebrates the 40th anniversary of Estonian punk legend J.M.K.E.. The label, founded by Estonia and rock enthusiast Joose Berglund (back then known as Stupido Twins), released J.M.K.E.'s single 'Tere perestroika' as its very first record—a track that took the band into a foreign chart for the first time as an artist from Soviet Estonia. It's a night where punk, power pop, noise and performance art shake hands, and rebel history crashes into a bold present.
Paavli.LIVE is a concert series unbound by genre, taking its cues from experimental music, various shades of jazz, adventurous hip-hop, and so much more. Its distinguished guests have included Swans, William Basinski, Azymuth and John Maus—united by the singular nature of the artist and the exceptional quality of their music.
Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children is a music and human rights project addressing the ~20,000 Ukrainian children abducted from occupied regions in Eastern Ukraine and taken to Russia.These moving songs are based on testimonies from the few children who have been rescued from Russian filtration camps and made it back to Ukraine. The project is led by Ukrainian-Canadian singer Marichka, winner of the Amnesty International Prize and former lead singer with Balaklava Blues and Lemon Bucket Orkestra. She has been travelling between Canada and Ukraine, working as both an embedded war correspondent and lead singer-composer of Daughters of Donbas.Songs of Stolen Children have made headlines worldwide, including coverage on the BBC, NPR, German national radio, Polish national radio, CBC, and more.
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders (limited seats!) or separate ticket (includes exhibition entry). TMW festival pass does not grant access to this concert.
Special guests Ruslan Trochynskyi, Rute Trochynskyi, and string quartet from Estonia.
Tuulikki Bartosik and Sander Mölder create a sound where Nordic and Baltic influences meet modern innovation. Their music is both minimalistic and rich—emotionally resonant and sophisticated—inviting listeners into a space where tradition evolves and new ideas emerge. Traditional tones are particularly evident when the Estonian kannel (a string instrument) is played, adding a layer of mystery and elusiveness. The duo bridges the gap between acoustic and electronic expressions, delivering a highly captivating performance that concludes on an upbeat note, with a rhythm reminiscent of Kraftwerk's Trans-Europe Express.
Their collaborative album Playscapes (2023) has garnered widespread international acclaim, including being named Folktronica Album of the Year by Swedish music magazine Lira. In 2025, they performed at the ESNS festival. Currently, the duo are completing a new album exploring the theme of home—drawing from their own experiences of living between worlds, extensive travels, and broader questions of displacement, war, refugees, and belonging in a fractured world. The project brings together music and visual art in equal measure, with Belgian-born, US-based Estonian videographer and director Frank Raudsepp creating the visual dimension. After a year of collaboration on these themes, the result promises to be both compelling and deeply resonant.
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders (limited seats!) or separate ticket (includes exhibition entry). TMW festival pass does not grant access to this concert.
Jon Bon Jovi. Think about him for a moment. And then consider this: Estonia's most notorious record label, kurvad uudised, together with Playground Music, are landing at Tallinn Music Week—the music industry hotspot—in Club D-3 to throw a soirée. When powerhouses of this magnitude collide, certain circles call it "synergy".
kurvad uudised is an Estonian label and then some that regularly occupies at least a third of Estonia's Spotify Top 50, sometimes even the entire Top 10. Playground Music, meanwhile, is the Nordic region's largest independent record company. Both are paradoxes.
For TMW, they've hooked some rather intriguing acts. Who exactly remains a mystery for now, but what's certain is this: guitars will shred, drums will thump, some will sport nose rings, and you'd fancy being there. Just turn up in good faith, good spirits, and clean clothes.
And now, think about Jon Bon Jovi one more time.
The largest festival in the Baltics dedicated to folk music and adjacent genres, the Viljandi Folk Music Festival, brings the true essence of folk to the TMW stage for one night.
At Von Krahl, you can take a musical journey along the cultural paths of countries near and far. And of course, we'll also be showcasing our own powerful heritage, both from our roots and from the intersections with other styles.
Made in Canada night at the Telliskivi F-hoone’s Black Hall highlights the breaking acts from the land of the maple leaf!
The showcase is presented by the Women In Music Canada and Mundial Montreal in partnership with Estonian Music Week and VEMU, with the support of the Government of Canada and SODEC Quebec.
Milestones deserve a proper celebration! The party series Tier Kollektiv, launched last year, arrives at Tallinn Music Week in style to mark Tier Music's 10th anniversary.
We promise an evening pulsing with sounds born from years of friendship, spanning indie and pop to melodic electronica and UK garage.
We're leaving it to the artists performing at Fonoteek to decide what and whom they bring along. After all, since Tier's activities have always leaned towards collaboration and export, expect the Tier Kollektiv tradition to deliver not only the music of that night's artists and producers but also surprises and unheard gems.
At Tallinn Music Week, the most exciting boundary-pushing music and art festivals of the Baltic region—Üle Heli and Skaņu Mežs—meet again. Expect an evening where experimental soundscapes collide with bold artistic vision, where sonic exploration knows no genre limits, and where the unpredictable becomes the norm.
Üle Heli is an Estonian festival that, rather than focusing on genre, explores the variety of meanings in music and sound and the connections across different art forms. It’s also a platform for sound artists and experimental musicians to develop and present their ideas.
Skaņu Mežs, the Latvian event, brings together the most individual artists as they search for new sounds and sonic dimensions. These performances reveal a constantly shifting scene—unpredictable, defiantly outside the mainstream, and beyond comfort zones: in short, a pure “sound forest,” or Skaņu Mežs in Latvian.
ÅÄÖ…Sounds Swedish brings you the artists poised to break next. This is the hub for Swedish music's international reach—, so you will be right in the heart of the action!!
Catch the acts on the TMW ÅÄÖ…Sounds Swedish stage, and spot them before everyone else does. Expect a lineup that's pure genre-hopping smorgasbord, plus a masterclass in those infamous dotted vowels (Swedish and Estonian both). You don't want to miss this!
This event is presented in collaboration with Talentcoach, Icons Creating Evil Art, MTA Production, BD Pop & Sensus.
The beloved Blowup night returns to TMW, bringing its signature fusion of fearless sounds and boundary-pushing artistry to Paavli Kultuurivabrik.
Blowup is a leading independent underground festival, celebrated for its bold curation of international and Finnish artists across post-punk, psychedelic, avant-garde, noise, and metal. The company has earned its reputation through a diverse lineup that showcases both iconic acts and emerging talent—cementing Blowup's status as a purveyor of eclectic, uncompromising experiences.
With its experimental spirit, Blowup draws a passionate audience eager to explore new soundscapes. The TMW 2026 Blowup stage promises an impressive lineup ready to shake the foundations. Stay tuned!
Jazz Estonia welcomes all TMW jazz lovers to Fotografiska! Experience fresh, high-energy jazz from Estonia and across Europe—a rare and vibrant bouquet of sound where improvisation meets virtuosity!
Another jazz showcase takes place at Fotografiska on Saturday, 11th April.
The Sounds of the Cities night celebrates music as a force that connects communities across borders. This collaborative evening brings together artists from the UNESCO Cities of Music and the Music Cities Network—two global communities united by their passion for music and creative urban culture.
At TMW 2026, this night returns in an expanded form, offering a window into the sonic identities of music cities from around the world. The line-up spans a rich spectrum of styles, blending established names with emerging talent. From tradition-rooted sounds to bold experimental directions, you'll experience the unique sonic landscapes that have shaped these cities' global reputations. It's a reminder that cities themselves can become instruments in a global musical dialogue—connecting, inspiring, and building bridges through sound.
Since 2022, Tallinn has proudly held UNESCO City of Music status, recognised for its thriving music culture and innovative creative industries. This prestigious designation opens doors for international collaboration and brings global attention to Estonia's vibrant musical landscape.
Feel the pull of ancient energy meeting cutting-edge technology—where tradition breathes new life through electronic experimentation. Ancestral melodies, folk instruments, and rhythms weave together with modern production, creating something both timeless and utterly contemporary.
From different cultures and worlds, folktronic spirits take the stage—honouring heritage whilst fearlessly exploring new sonic territory. Expect performances where traditional soundscapes are reimagined through synthesizers, samplers, and digital innovation.
Curated by Mari Meentalo and Johannes Ahun from OOPUS, this marks the seventh year of this movement's growing momentum at TMW.
Garden of Eden: Heaven & Hell Rave
Step into a world where light and shadow move as one! On this night, the gates open to the Garden of Eden and the underworld, as heavenly light illuminates the dancefloors of sinners and saints alike.
Expect:
Dare to enter this garden?
Your host Reivile Minuga is a dance music collective and party series that brings timeless classics, bold new sounds, and an unbridled love for nightlife. "Burn, baby, burn," as the disco classic says. "My people, my tribe, my crew," as beloved Estonian trickster Chalice puts it.
Queer-friendly and community-driven, this series celebrates the diversity of dance music at TMW, highlighting different sounds, identities, and forms of expression.
TMW features two special concerts in collaboration with the Estonian Music Days festival.
On Saturday, 11 April, the beloved girls' choir Ellerhein will perform new works by Mariliis Valkonen and Kristo Matson at St John's Church. The programme also includes compositions by Veljo Tormis, Arvo Pärt and Urmas Sisask.
Founded in 1951 by Heino Kaljuste, The Ellerhein Girls' Choir is one of Estonia's most celebrated youth ensembles. The choir has won numerous international awards, including a Grammy (2004), and has performed in prestigious concert halls around the world. Since 2012, the choir has been conducted by Ingrid Kõrvits, who will also conduct the upcoming concert.
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders or separate ticket. TMW festival pass does not grant access to this concert.
Local movers and shakers – record stores, labels, artists and audiophiles from underground and above the ground – unite on the 11th of April to sell and exchange a wide selection of vinyl, CDs, DVDs, cassettes and memorabilia. The event is curated by Plaaditurg, the must-attend monthly gathering of local record collectors.
This year, the TMW 2026 record fair will be bigger and more diverse than ever! In addition to records, vendors are welcome to sell musical instruments, band merchandise, equipment, and more—in short, anything music-related.
The TMW 2026 Record Fair takes place at the traditional spot in front of the Baltic Station Market (Balti Jaama Turg) with a view of the old town and Balti Jaam train station.
Please note: In case of rain, it will be possible to move instruments under cover—though we recommend bringing a tarp or protective covering to keep your gear safe regardless.
Record Fair vendor bookings and further information:
Ahto-Lembit Lehtmets E-mail: ahtolembit@gmail.com Phone: +372 522 8801
Music Humble vendor bookings and further information:
Greta Raudsepp Email: raudseppgreta@gmail.com Phone: +372 5656 2438
Please send all booking enquiries by 4 April at the latest.
TMW features two special concerts in collaboration with the Estonian Music Days festival.
On Saturday, 11 April at Klubi HALL, the concert performance "Birth of Light" presents world premieres by Maria Rostovtseva, Astra Irene Susi, and Liis Jürgens. The music is performed by the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra under conductor Erle Kont-Vilson, featuring soloists Vambola Krigul (percussion), Joonas Mikk (vocals), and actor Richard Ester (Estonian Drama Theatre).
Staged by director Astra Irene Susi, the production is not born from a desire for quick harmony, but from the belief that true artistic truth lies in the friction between elements.
Founded in 1993 by conductor Tõnu Kaljuste, TKO is a chamber orchestra operating under the Tallinn Philharmonic Society. Over nearly three decades, the orchestra has become one of Estonia's leading ensembles, welcomed on concert stages across Europe and beyond.
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders or separate ticket. TMW festival pass does not grant access to this concert.
Made In Baltics offers a meticulously curated showcase of the most noteworthy artists from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania at D3 club.
From pop to more leftfield sounds, from rock stars to troubadours and unmistakable stage personalities with their own unique vision and presence—all of this becomes our celebration and a night of discovery. Made in Baltics!
Feel the pulse. Experience the vibrant heartbeat and boundless diversity of today's music from Africa and the Afrodiaspora at the Africa NOW! stage at Tallinn Music Week at Paavli Kultuurivabrik.
Africa NOW! shines a spotlight on the explosive new wave emerging from the continent and its diaspora. Afro-descendants worldwide have redefined "world music" clichés and ignited some of the most vital sonic trends planetwide. Expect high-energy performances, powerful voices, deep grooves, and hypnotic rhythms—spanning all that jazz, bold Black punk, adventurous avant-pop, hip-hop, and earth-shaking bass. The atmosphere shifts seamlessly: soulful and intimate one moment, explosively dance-ready the next. A night celebrating creativity, identity, and modern global African culture. Join us for a sonic journey as global as it is deeply rooted.
Africa is NOW!
Glitch Please is a night of experimental electronics exploring IDM, glitch, breakcore, and a dizzying array of hyper-specific subgenres we're too boomer to name. This isn't safe listening—it's brain-melting, genre-dissolving, sonic chaos that plunges deep into the rabbit hole of electronic experimentation. Expect to have your taste rewired and your neurons left shimmering for weeks.
Think you can handle it? Glitch Please. Come find out at TMW!
Every summer, the genre-rich festival Võnge appears in a new location—but come spring, it lets audiences catch a whiff of what's to come at Tallinn Music Week. This year, find it at the Club of Different Rooms (Erinevate Tubade Klubi). Expect the signature international and genre-spanning line-up—from indie to pop and beyond.
Jazz Estonia welcomes all TMW jazz lovers to Fotografiska! Experience fresh, high-energy jazz from Estonia and across Europe—a rare and vibrant bouquet of sound where improvisation meets virtuosity!
Another jazz showcase takes place at Fotografiska on Friday, 10th April.
Heavy Music Estonia unleashes the Heavy Music Band Battle under the TMW banner—a full-scale sonic assault where local bands go to war with serious intent!
The grand final brings together Estonia's finest heavier music bands who've fought their way through semi-finals. Joining the four best Estonian acts in this crucible are the winners of Latvia's and Lithuania's Battles—meaning the Baltic region's most formidable outfits will clash in an epic showdown where the audience vote carries weight! This is no joke—last year's victors Pridian and Intrepid are currently conquering stages across Europe and the US!
This combat fulfils three objectives: to storm the gates of major festivals on home turf and foreign ground; to arm bands with strategic intel from music industry officers in Estonia and across the lines; and, naturally, to let bands prove their mettle before the Battle's jury, stacked with field marshals of the music world.
The ultimate campaign? To rally our heavy music troops and mobilise the entire scene to fight harder! Victory earns deployment to one of Europe's most formidable strongholds—Poland's legendary Mystic Festival, where the conquering band claims their battle-won pass to the stage.
Legendaarne Raadio is more than a radio station—it's the beating heart and launchpad of Estonia's hip-hop scene, driving the culture both on air and on stage. At Tallinn Music Week, we handpick and unleash the best: those riding Estonia's notorious new wave, those crafting sounds from the old school, and those dwelling in the genre-bending in-between. Naturally, we spice it all up with some international movers.
Nomadic platform Yugofuturism specialises in booking and connecting adventurous acts from Europe's most vibrant scenes, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe.
In 2026, Yugofuturism storms back to TMW for the third time with the VIKENDICA showcase, unleashing a "convoi exceptionnel" of European acts at Telliskivi's F-Hoone. Come celebrate autonomous movers and shakers, rousing rebels, restless souls, and other musical dissidents blazing trails from the Baltics to the Balkans and beyond.
Anywhere else to go? Only other futures. Stay tuned!
Funk Embassy has been serving up the goods with one unshakeable formula: booties shaken, souls stirred—since 2016. It's a small miracle there's such a vibrant funk community flourishing in this temperate corner of the world.
One of TMW's most beloved showcases brings once again a meticulously curated palette of funk, soul, disco, R&B, and jazz from across the globe—plus a choice selection from Estonia's own thriving scene. As Funk Embassy celebrates a decade of grooving and moving throughout 2026, everyone's invited to join this special occasion!
“Tormis Variations” is a sonic conversation in which ancient depth and contemporary freedom listen to one another. Veljo Tormis’s folk song–based music enters into dialogue with modern jazz, improvisation, and electronic textures, shaped by spatial acoustics.
Veljo Tormis is one of Estonia’s most internationally influential choral composers, whose work introduced Finno-Ugric folk song to Western audiences as a living, ritualistic, and timeless musical language. His music is performed by choirs worldwide and continues to shape contemporary classical music.
On stage are Maarja Aarma (voice), Karl Madis Pennar (guitar, double bass), and Mikk Kaasik (keyboards), joined by the ETV Girls’ Choir conducted by Aarne Saluveer.
The programme marks the 95th anniversary of Veljo Tormis and was created in collaboration with MYM.EE and the Veljo Tormis Virtual Centre, with support from the Estonian Cultural Endowment.
The Estonian Choral Association unites singers and choirs nationwide, championing both heritage and experimentation in vocal arts.
The concert takes place at Fotografiska’s 2nd floor gallery. At 20:00–21:00, admission only with a ticket to the Estonian Choral Association Presents: TMW Choral Concert.
I Land Sound brings the sounds, humour and free spirit of Saaremaa straight to the heart of the capital. On the TMW showcase stage, layered electronic journeys meet visual magic and our unique islander vibe. Join an experience as wild and poetic as a sunny night on our home island.
The official TMW 2026 afterparty comes courtesy of KIKUMU — Estonia's pre-eminent festival of music, cinema and art, famously described as a "festival with no arseholes." With TMW 2026 drawing to a close, there's only one place left to be — Von Krahl.
Buckle up for a night where two titan duos tear through the past, present and future of dance music — a perfect collision of Frankfurt legacy and Tallinn's modern pulse. Three decades deep, German electronic icons Booka Shade — your first glimpse of the KIKUMU 2026 lineup — meet Estonian underground reverend and twilight samurai Ajukaja & Mart Avi. From mid-2000s anthems to sonic statues for the death of music, this is a masterclass in the deep and the playful. Slip inside this house!
This is a special event. Access for TMW 2026 PRO Pass holders or separate ticket. 25% discount with a TMW Festival Pass and KIKUMU Pass (The discount code will be sent to you via email. Discount on the door with a festival wristband.) TMW Festival Pass does not grant access to this event.
