Iskelmä is Finnish popular song derived from German-language schlager. It is marked by melancholic minor-key melodies, mellow singing, and danceable rhythms, and is especially famous for its distinctively developed 'Finnish tango.' More introspective and mournful than Argentine tango, paired with lyrics about northern nature, parting, and nostalgia, it carries a dark, sweet sentiment.

In the early 20th century, European schlager and tango entered Finland and merged with the local sense of minor-key folk melody to take root as a distinctive song form. From the 1940s to the 60s it was performed live at dance pavilions (open-air summer dance venues) across the country and, via records and radio, became a national pastime.

Notice how it differs from Argentine tango, namely its heavier reliance on the minor key and its melancholy. The mournful ring of accordion and strings and the restrained singing weave the 'northern sorrow' that is the heart of iskelmä.

'Tango king' Olavi Virta's 'Hopeinen Kuu' conveys both the melancholy of the Finnish tango and his rich voice at once, and is an easy standard entry point.

Every summer in Seinäjoki, Finland holds the 'Tangomarkkinat' tango festival, where that year's 'tango king and queen' are crowned. Tango has become part of the national identity.