Sweden's 2nd Largest Export-Music

I was listening to our national radio station Triple J the other day when I heard the comment about what are the main exports Sweden gives to the world. Their largest export strangely enough for a neutral country is weapons. But also strangely enough Sweden’s 2nd largest export is music. Can you believe that? A country making large amounts of money on music. They don’t have the largest population, but to make it the 2nd biggest part of your GDP, there must be some talent in the music scene in Sweden.

English: Swedish House Mafia @ WMC 2009, Miami. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Back in the early 70’s Sweden hit the international music stage with the very popular group ABBA ( Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Frida starting with an A). Ever since then there has been a steady stream of English language popular music coming out of this non English speaking country.

Following on this success came Roxette and in the independent scene came Millencollin. More recently the Hives have been bringing us some good music, described once by Andre 2000 of Outkast as the best band in the world in the mid 00’s (naughties)

So let’s go through the decades and bring you the best of those 10 years before we bring you our best picks of previous Swedish music and our picks of the last year/s.

Also Swedish are big on their heavy metal music scene

Lapp-Lisa sings “Glöm aldrig bort de kära” (Photo credit: Barrie Sutcliffe)

The Seventies 70’s

Blue Swede- Hooked On A Feeling-, and ABBA who have Sound of Musicesque list of music to the Generation Y

The Eighties 80’s

Roxette dominated the 80’s in Sweden with songs like The Look, and musically have been the 2nd biggest success in Sweden. Aha had a big hit with “Take On Me”

Heavy metal band Europe had a hit with “the Final Countdown”.

The Nineties 90’s

The Cardigans were popular with their song Love Fool. While in the independent scene Millencollin were very popular. Eagle Eye Cherry. Ace of Base had a few dance music hits with songs like “All That She Wants”

The Naughties 00’s

Acoustic guitarist Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats and Crosses are great acoustic songs, and the Hives became the biggest Swedish act of the time, Robyn– Dancing On My Own, and Peter, Bjorn and John with the catchy song Young Folks

The Tens 10’s

Currently these bands or DJ’s are whats hot in the Swedish music scene

The Hives– they have put out a new album this year with the song Tick Tick Boom

Miike Snow– Paddling Out

First Aid Kit– Emmylou

Icona Pop– I Love It

Adrian Lux– Teenage Crime

Basshunter– All I Ever Wanted

The Tallest Man on Earth– The Gardener

Mando Diao– Dance With Somebody

Lykke Li– I Follow Rivers

The Tough Alliance (TTA)- Koka Kola Veins

Studio– West Side

The Embassy– It Pays To Belong

Jens Lekman– I Know What Love Isn’t

Niki and the Dove has achieved some good success- DJ Ease My Mind

The Radio Dept– Heavens on Fire

Swedish House Mafia– Seek Bromance

Kent– 999

Loreen– Euphoria

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/Sweden+and+number+x27+s+2nd+Largest+Export/81302531

Our 5 choices from the past

1 Eagle Eye Cherry– Save Tonight

2 The Cardigans– Love Fool

3 The Hives– Hate To Say I told You So

4. Roxette– The Look

5. Millencollin– Use Your Nose

Current Goodies

1 Adrian Lux– Teenage Crime

2 Swedish House Mafia– Seeking Bromance

3 Peter, Bjorn and John– Young Folks

4 Miike Snow– Paddling Out

5 The Embassy– It Pays To Belong

It’s possible that we’ve just scratched the surface of this great music scene. And we’d like to hear from you to let us know your favourites and bands that have flown under our radar. So don’t be shy let us know. Anything else related to Swedish you can also visit our Swedish Slang files