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Bjorn Thoroddsen was born in 1958 and began his career as a rock guitarist. He studied at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, graduating in 1982. That same year he released his debut solo album, Svif — the first Icelandic jazz-fusion record.

Through the eighties and nineties he led the fusion group Gammar and co-founded Kuran Swing with Polish violinist Szymon Kuran, a Django Reinhardt-inspired band that played together for thirteen years. In 1997 he recorded BT Jazz Guitar with European guitarists including Philip Catherine and Doug Raney.

In 1999 Bjorn founded the trio Guitar Islancio with Gunnar Þórðarson and Jón Rafnsson. The trio recast Icelandic folk songs as jazz, became the first Icelandic jazz act to earn a gold record, and was named City Artist of Reykjavík in 2000.

Internationally, Bjorn has performed with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Tommy Emmanuel, Al Di Meola, Robben Ford, and many others. With Canadian trumpeter Richard Gillis and bassist Steve Kirby he formed the trio Cold Front, and the album Bjössi was recorded in Nashville in 2016 with Robben Ford producing.

Bjorn founded the Icelandic Guitar Festival in 2007 and the international guitar festival Guitarama in Canada in 2013. He received the Icelandic Music Awards for Jazz Performer of the Year in 2003 and Jazz Composer of the Year in 2005.

Soon after returning, Bjorn released his first solo album, Svif, under the direction of Jónas R. Jónsson. The record was warmly received and established him among Iceland's leading musicians. He then worked with many major names in Icelandic music, including Björgvin Halldórsson, Gunnar Þórðarson, Ríó Tríó, Þórir Baldursson, and the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service Big Band. Alongside these varied projects, he pursued jazz with dedication, released further solo albums, and made several records with Gammarnir.

In 1998, Bjorn and Gunnar Þórðarson formed Guitar Islancio with bassist Jón Rafnsson. The group reached audiences around the world and sold a large number of records, particularly in Canada, China, and Japan. Major international projects followed. Bjorn represented Iceland in cities including New York, Saint Petersburg, Nuuk, and Helsinki alongside Egill Ólafsson, Gunnar Hrafnsson, and Ásgeir Óskarsson. This period established important international connections that continue today.

After the turn of the millennium, Bjorn introduced a new idea in Iceland: Guitar Feasts, where guitarists of different styles meet in concert, inspired by similar events abroad. The first public festival was held in 2006 as part of Reykjavík Jazz Festival. The Guitar Feasts quickly became popular and grew into an independent annual event. Since 2000, Bjorn has also toured abroad almost continuously, both as a solo artist and with his band, with North America, especially Canada and the United States, a particular focus.