Icelandic pop/rock band Menn Ársins (en.: Men of the Year) was founded on 2005 in Reykjavík, Iceland by singer/guitarist Sváfnir and keyboard player/singer Halli (Haraldur Vignir). Their main goal in the beginning was to work on a few songs that Sváfnir had up his sleeve and wanted to work on.
Recordings were made and few of the songs got some considerable airplay on the national radio station. The band went through some personal changes (mostly changing bass players) until electric bassist Sigurdór Guðmundsson joined them in late 2006. Drummer Diddi (Kjartan Guðnason) has been on board from the early days of the band.

In 2007 the band started to work on some more songs with all the members chipping in on the songwriting. After an intensive rehearsal period in the fall of 2007 they locked themselves away at Lundgaard Studios in Denmark and recorded 12 tracks for their debut album (released on their own label in September 2008).

The music of Menn Ársins does not easily fall into one category. All members are active musicians and have played in most styles of music. Haraldur has been with (grunge) rockers Dead Sea Apple for over a decade and is also composing and arranging in classical settings as well as composing for commercials. Drummer Diddi has played, for instance, with (Balkan folk sensation) Rússíbanar, rockers Ske and modern classical ensembles Ísafold Chamber Orchestra and Caput. Bassist Sigurdór comes from a funk and jazz background but with strong roots in rock and pop music. Sváfnir is firmly rooted in the singer/songwriter (troubadour) tradition with some punk and new wave as an early influence as well.

So it’s easy to say that Menn Ársins have a big palette of influences and experiences to choose from and add to their musical musings. But at the core their music is melodic pop/rock with arrangements ranging from string laden ballads and horn driven grooves to stripped down up-tempo rocking out!

Menn Ársins are:

Haraldur Vignir Sveinbjörnsson - keyboard, guitar, vocals
Kjartan “Diddi” Guðnason – drums and percussion, background vocals
Sigurdór Guðmundsson – electric bass
Sváfnir Sigurðarson – vocals, guitar