YTF

YTF, short for Yrkestrubadurernas förening (roughly "Association of Professional Troubadours"), is a Swedish non-profit membership association for professional singers, troubadours and singer-songwriters. According to its official website, it was founded in Stockholm in 1971 and remains an ideell förening — a non-profit association — dedicated to the interests of working vissångare (folk/troubadour singers) and singer-songwriters. The association is based in Stockholm and operates across Sweden, with member-organised events taking place around the country. Its website functions as a hub for news, member activities and association announcements. YTF is governed through an annual meeting (årsmöte), at which new members are admitted and honours are awarded. The site reports that at the annual meeting in May 2026 three new colleagues were elected into the association: Josefina Larsson (Vera Vinter), Bo Selinder and Simon Ståhlspets. The same meeting saw Billey Shamrock awarded the association's Hedersdiplom (diploma of honour) for decades of active work on the YTF board, and Pierre Ström awarded honorary membership together with the title Hedersordförande (honorary chairman). YTF should not be confused with commercial record labels or music companies that may share the abbreviation. Wikidata describes YTF as a "Swedish record label", but the primary evidence from the association's own website identifies it as a non-profit professional association rather than a commercial label. The association's activities centre on its members — professional performers and songwriters — rather than on releasing records as a business. Its public profile is maintained through its website, member events and news updates. As a membership body, YTF does not sell products in the conventional commercial sense; its "offerings" are membership, community, events and recognition for professional troubadours and singer-songwriters in Sweden. It is a small, culturally specific organisation rooted in the Swedish visa (folk song) tradition.

YTF — Yrkestrubadurernas förening — was founded in Stockholm in 1971 as a non-profit association for professional vissångare (troubadour/folk singers) and singer-songwriters. The association's own website states this founding directly: "YTF - Yrkestrubadurernas förening är en ideell förening för yrkesverksamma vissångare och singer-songwriters, stiftad i Stockholm 1971." From its base in Stockholm it has operated as a national membership body, with member-arranged events taking place around Sweden. The association is run through an annual meeting (årsmöte), which serves as its key governance moment. At these meetings new members are admitted and honours are conferred. The website's news section reports that at the annual meeting in May 2026, three new colleagues were elected into the association: Josefina Larsson (Vera Vinter), Bo Selinder and Simon Ståhlspets. The same meeting saw Billey Shamrock awarded the association's Hedersdiplom for decades of active work on the YTF board, described as an all-round responsibility covering finance, words, music and practical arrangements. Pierre Ström was also awarded honorary membership and the title Hedersordförande (honorary chairman) at the 2026 meeting. YTF maintains a public presence through its website, which carries news, member events and association announcements, and invites members to submit news tips to its webmaster. The organisation is culturally rooted in the Swedish visa tradition and exists to support and represent professional performers and songwriters rather than to operate as a commercial record label. Wikidata labels YTF as a "Swedish record label", but the association's own materials describe a non-profit professional association; the label description likely reflects the association's connection to recorded Swedish song rather than a commercial release business.

• 2026

  At the annual meeting in May, Josefina Larsson (Vera Vinter), Bo Selinder and Simon Ståhlspets were elected as new members.

• 2026

  Billey Shamrock awarded the Hedersdiplom for decades of board service; Pierre Ström awarded honorary membership and the title Hedersordförande.

• 1971

  YTF (Yrkestrubadurernas förening) founded in Stockholm as a non-profit association for professional singers and singer-songwriters.

Non-profit professional association for Swedish troubadours and singer-songwriters.

1. 1YTF official website – Hemytf.se
2. 2Wikidata – YTF (Q107094073)wikidata.org