12 Tónar (ˈtʰoulv ˈtʰoːunar̥, twelve tones) is a small record shop in Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...

, Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

, and also a record label

Record label

In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...

 for Icelandic indie bands

Indie (music)

In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....

. It is located on Skólavörðustígur 15, in downtown Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...

.

Founded in 1998

1998 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...

 in Reykjavík, 12 Tónar has been well received by music lovers from the start. The store quickly became a meeting point for musicians such as Björk

Björk

Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...

, Sigur Rós

Sigur Rós

Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...

, múm

Múm

múm are an experimental Icelandic musical group whose music is characterized by soft vocals, electronic glitch beats and effects, and a variety of traditional and unconventional instruments.- History :...

, and the core of classical composers and performers.

12 Tónar is a distributor for Icelandic music and an importer and distributor for many foreign record labels. 12 Tónar is also a fast growing independent record label. Artists such as Mugison

Mugison

Mugison is an Icelandic musician and singer who originally performed as a one-man band using a guitar and computer, but now often performs with a band. He studied in London to become a record producer....

, Trabant

Trabant

The Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...

 and Singapore Sling

Singapore Sling (band)

Singapore Sling is an indie band from Reykjavík, Iceland.As of 2011 they have released five albums and a best of compilation. Singapore Sling have supported The Brian Jonestown Massacre on their North American tours and covered Dirty Water a 1966 garage rock hit by The Standells in their debut album...

, Apparat Organ Quartet

Apparat Organ Quartet

The Apparat Organ Quartet is an Icelandic band founded in 1999 by Jóhann Jóhannsson, Hörður Bragason, Músikvatur and Úlfur Eldjárn.Apparat Organ Quartet's debut album, simply entitled "Apparat Organ Quartet" was almost 3 years in the making. The Quartet's members say it took so long because they...

, Pétur Ben, Eivør Pálsdóttir

Eivør Pálsdóttir

Eivør Pálsdóttir is a Faroese singer/songwriter with a distinct voice and a wide range of interests in many kinds of music from rock, jazz, folk, pop, to European classical music. Her roots are in the Faroese ballads....

, Ragnheiður Gröndal

Ragnheiður Gröndal

Ragnheiður Gröndal is an Icelandic singer. She was in 2006 described as Iceland's best-selling artist, and was named Icelandic Singer of the Year the same year. She was in 2008 a finalist to represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest...

, Jóhann Jóhannsson

Jóhann Jóhannsson

Jóhann Jóhannsson is an Icelandic musician, composer and producer. He is a co-founder of Kitchen Motors in Reykjavík, the art organization/think tank/record label which specializes in initiating collaborations, promoting concerts and exhibitions, performances, chamber operas, producing films,...

, Hildur Guðnadóttir

Hildur Guðnadóttir

Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir is a classically trained Icelandic Cellist who has played and recorded with the bands Pan Sonic, Throbbing Gristle and Múm, as well as her solo project Lost in Hildurness...

, Skúli Sverrisson

Skúli Sverrisson

Skúli Sverrisson is an Icelandic composer and bassist residing in New York City.Over the past two decades, bass guitarist-composer Skuli Sverrisson has worked with a veritable who’s who of the experimental world, from free jazz legends to music icons Skúli Sverrisson (born 23 October 1966) is an...

, Ólöf Arnalds

Ólöf Arnalds

Ólöf Arnalds is an Icelandic singer/songwriter and indie musician who has been active within the Icelandic music scene for quite some time. Apart from her own music and being a touring member of Múm since 2003, she has cooperated with bands and artists such as Stórsveit Nix Noltes, Mugison,...

 and Jakobínarína

Jakobínarína

Jakobínarína were an Icelandic six-piece indie-punk band, signed to record label Regal Recordings, through Parlophone Records. All members of the band are aged between 17 and 21 years old and originate from the town of Hafnarfjörður...

among many others, are signed to the label.

In May 2006 12 Tónar opened a record store in Copenhagen, Denmark selling music from their own catalogue of artists as well as other Icelandic music. The store was situated on Fiolstraede 26, 1171 CPH K. The store followed the good example from Iceland, with its friendly atmosphere and freshly brewed espresso for the customers while the music was spinning. It became a tradition with live in-store concerts taking place on Friday afternoons. On January 26th 2008 the Copenhagen store celebrated its closing with a live performance by the Danish band Tremolo Beer Gut.

Immediately succeeding the closing of 12 Tónars record store in Copenhagen a brand new webshop was introduced, allowing continued access to their family of artists.