Swedish music abroad

Sweden is one of the largest exporters of pop and rock music in the world fact|date=September 2008, and is often referred as the third largest one in the world after the US and the UK, though this is difficult to verify cite web
url=http://www.swedenabroad.com/Page____59218.aspx
title=Swedish Embassy
accessdate=2008-09-30 ] . Swedish music has made its way beyond the country's borders. Many artists from Sweden enjoy success in the charts of the English-speaking countries which is hard to achieve for an artist from mainland Europe.

1970s

In April 1974 Blue Swede went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with the B. J. Thomas cover "Hooked on a Feeling". The band renamed Blue Swede for the US.

In that same year, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton with Waterloo. It was a big success throughout Europe and even reached the #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.Over the next few years ABBA have had 18 consecutive Top 10 Hits in the UK; 9 of them reaching #1. Having sold an estimated 370 million units worldwide ABBA become the best-selling band of the 1970s. They were the first act from the European continent to enjoy consistent success in the charts of the anglophonic world fact|date=September 2008.In 1977 "Dancing Queen" became ABBA's only number on the Billboard Hot 100. ABBA and Led Zeppelin are the only acts to have had 8 consecutive UK #1 albums cite web
url=http://everyhit.com/recordalb.html
title=Charts Records UK
accessdate=2008-09-29 ] .

1980 - 1989

Shortly after the 1980s release "Super Trouper" Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad decided to end their marriage; just as Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog had done two years ago. This event didn't stop the foursome from working together. Their eighth album "The Visitors" was released at the end of 1981. Feeling that the energy was running out of the group they decided to take a break in 1982. They never reunited.Agnetha Fältskog and Ann-Frida Lyngstad both persued solo carreers. In 1982 Lyngstad released her first solo album in English. It was produced by Phil Collins. The song "I Know There's Something Going On" was a huge hit around the world in 1982 cite web
url=http://abbasite.com/people/bio.php?id=398&page=2
title=Frida Lyngstad Bio
accessdate=2008-09-29 ] .

Benny and Björn colloberated with Tim Rice on the musical Chess which premiered 1986 in the West End of London. The singles "One Night in Bangkok" and "I Know Him So Well" were both huge successes fact|date=September 2008.

A hardrock band called Europe hit number one in 1986 in 26 countries including the UK with the song The Final Countdown. It was also a success in the United States. The album of the same name hit also the charted around the world and sold over 3 million copies in the United States alone.The following year included successful tours through Europe and the USA. Their next album was Out of This World which produced "Superstitous" as the biggest hit. Between 1986-1992 Europe sold over 20 million records worldwide fact|date=September 2008.

1986 Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle formed the band Roxette. Their songs "The Look", "Listen To Your Heart" (both 1989), "It Must Have Been Love" (1990) and "Joyride" (1991) all reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 .

Roxette's Join The Joyride World Tour 91-92 was seen for 1,7 million people around the world, being this the biggest world tour by any Swedish band in music history cite web
url=http://roxette.se/
title=Roxette Biography
accessdate=2008-09-29 ] . In 1993 they became the first non-English speaking band ever to play at MTV Unplugged . In 1995 they became the first Western band to be allowed to perform in China since Wham! (1985) .

In 2003 the duo was honoured with achievement medals by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf "for appreciated achievements in Sweden and internationally" . To date their best selling albums are "Joyride" (11.5 million) and "Look Sharp!" (9 million) .

Most of Roxette's songs have been written by Per Gessle. He has also conposed for other artists, such as Frida Lyngstad of ABBA, Belinda Carlisle, Vanilla Ninja, Sugar Bee and Paris.

Artist like Thomas Anders of Modern Talking, Laura Branigan, DHT, Sanne Salomonsen, Journey South and The Chipmunks have covered Roxette music.

1990 - 1999

The '90s brought a new wave of international success for Swedish pop productions. Swedish pop was represented abroad by the likes of Ace of Base and The Cardigans. There are a number of popular music artists from Sweden from different genres who gained a name in the international music scene: Dr. Alban, Leila K, Army of Lovers,Stakka Bo, Rednex, Robyn, Eagle Eye Cherry, Emilia and Meja.

Dance music

Ace of Base had the world's biggest-selling debut album with a 23 millon album sales for 'Happy Nation' dubious|date=September 2008. They achieved major success in the 90s with popular songs like "All That She Wants" (1993), "The Sign", "Don't Turn Around" (both 1994) and "Cruel Summer" (1998). All four songs reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100; "The Sign" spent six weeks at number one.

In the early 90s the Swedish dance scene was very vivid. Denniz Pop was Sweden's most wanted producer of that time dubious|date=September 2008. In 1990 he produced Dr. Albans first record "Hello Africa" together with Leila K. The song became a hit in mainlaind Euope peaking at #5 in Germany. In 1992 Denniz Pop produced the second album by Dr. Alban, "One Love" which includes the worldwide hits 'It's My Life' and 'Sing Hallelujah' cite web
url=http://www.dralban.net/
title=Dr Alban Biography
accessdate=2008-09-29 ] . That same year Leila K released her hit single 'Open Sesame' (UK #23, Germany #5). 1993 followed a cover version of Plastic Bertrand's "Ça Plane Pour Moi" (#13 Germany).

1994 Dr. Albans third album "Look Who's Talking"; the title track was a big hit throughout Europe (Germany #3)cite web
url=http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php
title=Chart History Germany Dr Alban
accessdate=2008-09-29 ] .

Rednex had several hit songs with their music, mixing country music and eurodance. The song "Cotton Eye Joe" was an international hit in 1994 reaching number one in the UK. The ballad "Wish You Were Here" was released 1995.

Swedish pop tunes

1996 The Cardigans released their third album "First Band on the Moon". The song "Lovefool" from that album was included on the soundtrack of William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet by director Baz Luhrmann. It found international success peaking at #2 in the UK Singles Charts. The following album Gran Turismo in 1998 was more electronic in style and contained the hit singles "My Favourite Game" and "Erase/Rewind".

Robyn was 17 years old when her pop singles "Show Me Love" and "Do You Know (What It Takes)" were released in 1997. These singles both ended up in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100cite web
url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=185945&model.vnuAlbumId=1078374
title=Billboard Charts History Robyn
accessdate=2008-09-29 ] .

1998 Meja's second album 'Seven Sisters' were released. It contains the big radio hit 'All Abou The Money' which was also a minor hit in the UK peaking at #12.In spring 1999 she recorded the duet 'Private Emotion'with Ricky Martin. The song was very popular and reached number 9 in the UK singles chart.

Eagle-Eye Cherry released his debut album 'Desireless' 1998. Propelled by the hit single 'Save Tonight'(UK #5, US #6) , the album went platinum all over the world. It sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

Emilia is well known for her hit 'Big Big Girl' all over Europe. The song peaked at #5 in the UK.

Swedish Songwriter/Producer Denniz Pop and Max Martin have written worldwide hits for pop artists like Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and Celine Dion.

2000 - 2009

With 'Crying At The Dicoteque' the band Alcazar achieved success across Europe in 2000. It peaked #3 in Germany and #13 in the UK Singles Chart. The following singles failed to reach this success.

The A*Teens were formed in 1998 as an ABBA Tribute Band. The debut album 'The ABBA Generation' in 1999 consisted purely of ABBA covers and was a great success around the world. The album sold 3 million copies worldwide. Singles like 'Mamma Mia' (UK #12 1999) or 'Dancing Queen' (UK #21 1999) topped the charts in Sweden.Their second album 'Teen Spirit' (2001 contained new songs and was certified Gold in the United States. 'Upside Down' from that album became their biggest hit. After two international less successfull records the band broke up in 2004.

Indie pop and rock

In the '00s some indie bands from Sweden found their way to the international music scene.

A Camp, the solo project by front singer Nina Persson from The Cardigans, released her self-titled debut album in 2001. The lead single 'I Can Buy You' was a small hit in the UK peaking at #46. Two years later The Cardigans returned with their album 'Long Gone Before Daylight',a quieter, more ambient collection of songs. In Sweden it was certified 2x Platinum and they win 2 Swedish Grammy Awards.

José González is a Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter of Argentine descent. His cover 'Heartbeats' by his fellow Swedes The Knife was a hit in the UK singles chart where it peaked at #9 in 2003.

Indie band The Concretes they appeared first in 2004 in the UK Single Chart with 'You Can't Hurry Love' #55 and 'Seem Fine' #52. The lead singer Victoria Bergsman left the group in 2006 and recorded with Peter, Bjorn and John the single 'Young Folks' the same year. It reached #35 in the UK singles chart and was re-issued the following year making it #13.

The following indie artists are to mention: The Hives, Mando Diao, Eskobar, The Soundtrack of Our Lives.

New successful artists

Sweden has been something of a haven for chart topping music in the last year or so. A large number of Swedish acts have reached the upper echelons of the UK singles chart including the aforementioned Basshunter, Robyn, Axwell, Peter, Bjorn & John, September and Eric Prydz.

Swedish DJ and producer Eric Prydz have a hit 2004 with 'Call On Me' which reached No.1 for 5 weeks in the UK singles chartscite web
url=http://www.ericprydz.com/
title=Eric Prydz homepage
accessdate=2008-09-09 ] while its 2007 follow up Proper Education was a No.2 success. In 2008 he have a hit this as new single Pjanoo storms in at No.2 in the UK singles charts on download sales alone

Robyn reappeard in 2007 after an absence of 10 years from the international music scene with her #1 hit in UK singles chart 'With Every Heartbeat'. The self-titled Album was certified Platinum in Sweden and Gold in the UKcite web
url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/index.asp
title=BPI
accessdate=2008-09-09 ] .The following singles could reach the charts as well: 'Handle Me' (UK #17 2007), 'Be Mine' (UK #10 2008) and 'Who's That Girl (UK #26 2008)cite web
url=http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php
title=UK Singles Charts
accessdate=2008-09-09 ] .

Basshunter is a swedish DJ. 'Boten Anna' is a song with swedish lyrics he had some success in Continental Europe in 2006. 2007 it peaked #1 in the UK singles chart with lyrics performed in English the song is now called 'Now You're Gone'. 2008 the second single 'All I Ever Wanted' went #2 in the UK.

September is a swedish dance-singer whose song 'Cry for you' was an international hit (UK #5 2008).

Top 5 biggest selling Swedish acts

The sales figures are estimated and count together album and single sales.

US and UK Number One Singles

This is a list of songs who reached the top of the UK singles chart or the Billboard Hot 100.

References