According to Helsingin Sanomat, Finnish music exports achieved their all-time best result in 2009, indicates a study commissioned by Music Export Finland (Musex).

For 2009 the overall market value of music exports was estimated at EUR 32 million, which indicated a growth rate of 38 per cent (EUR 9 million) from the year before.

The 2009 figure also eclipsed that of the previous peak year of 2005. Back then the music exports industry was estimated as having amassed nearly EUR 29 million in sales revenue.

From the national economy point of view the sums are still miniscule, but within the music industry such export figures would have been a sensation ten years ago. In 1999 the value of Finnish music exports was estimated at no higher than EUR 3.8 million.

Most clearly the new study speaks of the growing number of new entrepreneurs within the music exports sector.

At the turn of the millennium, when the Finnish music industry was enjoying its first-ever international chart successes, there were only a couple of dozen operators in the field.

“When Musex was launched in 2002, only 15-20 businesses were involved in the effort”, reminisces Pauliina Ahokas, the director of the organisation which promotes Finnish music industry exports.

“Last year 296 Finnish companies were actively involved in our export projects. Not all of them earn millions from overseas sales, but even sums that are in hundreds of thousands will form larger streams when the number of companies earning such figures is great enough.”

This is largely a question of the recent Finnish international success stories - bands such as CHILDREN OF BODOM, APOCALYPTICA, NIGHTWISH, H.I.M. or THE RASMUS - having encouraged other bands and even the backing operators to invest in going international.

Read more of the report here.