Ensio Music

Ensio Music (Oy Ensio Music Ltd) is a Finnish record label and light-music publisher based in Turku, founded in 1980. The company describes itself as a traditional publisher and producer of light music, and it has released music both under the Ensio Music name and under the Selecta label. Its catalogue spans punk and new wave, schlager, dance-band music, and pop-rock, reflecting a long and varied history in the Finnish music industry. The label's publishing activity began in 1980 with the punk compilation Vaahtopäät, which featured acts loosely associated with the new wave scene, such as TV:n orjat, Korroosio, SIG and Popeda. A sequel, Vaahtopäät II, followed the next year. In its early advertising the company presented itself as a rock label, but as the 1980s progressed its release profile shifted increasingly toward schlager and iskelmä music. Ensio Music's first major commercial success was Tuula Amberla's album Lulu, which exceeded the platinum threshold with sales of more than 52,000 copies. The label's biggest successes came around the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. Rainer Friman, who recorded for Selecta, earned gold and platinum awards from eight albums and compilations published by Ensio Music. Anna Hanski collected five gold records between 1989 and 1993, three of which also went platinum and one double platinum. Other artists who passed the platinum threshold include Vilperin Perikunta with their 1992 album Vilperin Perikunta and Merja Raski with her 1993 self-titled album. Compilations such as Hittitusina and Hittitusina 2+3 also exceeded the gold threshold. The label is also associated with Janos Valmunen, whose song "Bussipysäkillä" has repeatedly been voted Finland's worst song. Following the death of owner Rauno Lepistö in the early 1990s and the subsequent changes of ownership, Ensio Music's release pace slowed and many of its prominent artists moved to other labels. The company nevertheless continues to publish music, though it has not matched the success of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the 2000s its reputation was shadowed by a court case with Tuomo Hämäläinen, in which Ensio Music was ordered to pay damages. In recent years the label has reissued past recordings, including Janos Valmunen's "Bussipysäkillä" at the end of 2008 and a compilation from Arto Nuotio in 2010. New music in the 2000s has been recorded by acts such as Tanssiorkesteri Sunset, Bohemio Latino, Pepe Le Moko, AP Karvonen and Antti Kuosmanen.

Ensio Music was founded in Turku in 1980 as a publisher and producer of light music. Its release activity began the same year with the punk compilation Vaahtopäät, which featured bands more or less closely associated with the new wave scene, including TV:n orjat, Korroosio, SIG and Popeda. The compilation was successful enough to warrant a sequel, Vaahtopäät II, in 1981. In its early advertisements the company marketed itself as a rock label, but during the 1980s its output increasingly focused on schlager and iskelmä music. The label's first major commercial success came with Tuula Amberla's album Lulu, which sold more than 52,000 copies and crossed the platinum threshold. The period around the turn of the 1980s and 1990s was the company's golden age. Rainer Friman, who recorded for the Selecta label, received gold and platinum awards from eight albums and compilations published by Ensio Music. Anna Hanski earned five gold records between 1989 and 1993, three of which also went platinum and one double platinum. Other platinum-selling releases included Vilperin Perikunta's 1992 album Vilperin Perikunta and Merja Raski's 1993 self-titled album. Compilations such as Hittitusina and Hittitusina 2+3 also passed the gold threshold. The label launched Janos Valmunen, whose song "Bussipysäkillä" became a kind of legend after being repeatedly voted Finland's worst song. In the early 1990s the owner Rauno Lepistö died, and the ownership changes that followed caused Ensio Music's release pace to slow. Many of its most prominent artists moved to other labels. The company continued to publish music, but it never regained the commercial heights of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the 2000s its reputation was affected by a court case with Tuomo Hämäläinen, in which Ensio Music was ordered to pay damages. During the 2000s Ensio Music has focused partly on reissues of its past catalogue. Janos Valmunen's "Bussipysäkillä" was re-released at the end of 2008, and a compilation from Arto Nuotio appeared in 2010. New music in the 2000s has been recorded by acts including Tanssiorkesteri Sunset, Bohemio Latino, Pepe Le Moko, AP Karvonen and Antti Kuosmanen. The company remains active as a publisher and producer based in Turku.

• 2010

  Compilation album from Arto Nuotio released.

• 2008

  Janos Valmunen's "Bussipysäkillä" re-released.

• 1993

  Merja Raski's self-titled album reaches platinum.

• 1992

  Vilperin Perikunta's self-titled album reaches platinum.

• 1989

  Anna Hanski begins a run of gold records (1989–1993).

• 1981

  Sequel compilation Vaahtopäät II released.

• 1980

  Ensio Music founded in Turku; releases punk compilation Vaahtopäät.

Traditional Finnish publisher and producer of light music, with a catalogue spanning punk, schlager and dance-band music.

• Vaahtopäät compilation

• Vaahtopäät II compilation

• Tuula Amberla – Lulu

• Rainer Friman albums and compilations

• Anna Hanski albums

• Vilperin Perikunta – Vilperin Perikunta

• Merja Raski – Merja Raski

• Hittitusina compilations

• Janos Valmunen – "Bussipysäkillä"

• Arto Nuotio compilation

1. 1Oy Ensio Music Ltd official websiteensiomusic.com
2. 2Ensio Music – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Ensio Music – Finnish Wikipediafi.wikipedia.org