Music Finland granted the first ever Finnish Music Export Award for the company behind Sunrise Avenue’s success.

The Finnish Music Export Award, established by Music Finland this year, was awarded to the Helsinki-based Comusic Productions Ltd, whose major successes include the breakthrough of Sunrise Avenue in the central European music market. The award was handed by the Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn in Helsinki today.

The Finnish Music Export Award, established by Music Finland this year, is a recognition given to a Finnish music company that has successfully developed and expanded its international operations and has shown pioneering spirit in exporting Finnish music. The intent behind this award is to create attention to the important work done by music export companies, and also promote these active and growing enterprises. The award was initiated by Music Finland, who also gathered the jury together. The award winner receives their own signboard on the outer wall of the famed rock club Tavastia in Helsinki. 

The award-winning company, Comusic Productions was founded by Anne Laaksonen, Mikko Saukkonen and Samu Haber in 2010. Comusic has made Sunrise Avenue one of the largest-ever Finnish music success stories in Central Europe. Established in 2002, Sunrise Avenue has played more than a thousand shows and their albums have sold over two million copies. In German radio, their debut single ”Fairytale Gone Bad” was the most played song of the 2010s and Hollywood Hills was the most popular song of 2011. Sunrise Avenue frontman Samu Haber is one of the best-known foreign public figures in Germany, largely due to his TV appearances. 

Comusic Productions is a full service music company whose services include rights management, contract negotiation as well as designing and implementing operations together with the artists. In addition to Sunrise Avenue, Comusic’s roster currently includes My First Band and singer-songwriter Niila. Comusic aims to find new talent, to comprehensively bring Finnish know-how abroad, and also to find the best possible partners for each act. 

The jury’s arguments for the choice were, among others:

"Comusic has achieved long-term success in the demanding German music market. During recent years Comusic has had substantial growth in their net sales, and their export business has been highly profitable." 

"Samu Haber and Sunrise Avenue have gained a significant foothold in the German music market. This work will also help exporting other Finnish artists and show the diversity of our music culture. " 

The members of the jury were Arno Ahosniemi (Kauppalehti), Kimmo Aulake (Ministry of Education), Natalia Härkin (Ministry of Employment and the Economy), Lauri Kivinen (Finnish Broadcasting Company), Essi Kivitie (Rähinä Records), Juhani Merimaa (Tavastia Club), Markus Nordenstreng (musician and songwriter) and Tuomo Tähtinen (Music Finland).