Nordic popular music

Music scene

Nordic popular music, also referred to as Scandinavian popular music, includes pop and rock music of the Nordic countries. The musical scene is known for its biggest bands like ABBA, Roxette, A-ha, Michael Learns to Rock, Ace of Base, and Aqua. These are by far the biggest non-metal acts to come out of Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

The popular music of the Nordic countries exhibits great diversity. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden[1] have all had successful domestic record industries for many years. Because the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were under Soviet control for much of the 20th century, when recording technology and popular music spread around the world, those three countries have a more tenuous connection with the popular industries of Finland, Sweden and the rest. However, since the fall of the Soviet Union, Western popular music in general has gained audiences in the Baltic states; this includes popular music from the other Nordic nations, as well as the United Kingdom, United States and elsewhere.

The Nordic metal scene is highly visible compared to other genres from the region. Many big names such as Dimmu Borgir, Lordi, Mercyful Fate, Blind Channel, Skálmöld, Hamferð, Mnemic, Opeth, Meshuggah, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, Lamori from Åland and to an extent Estonia's Metsatöll—if considering Estonia as Nordic, hail from Nordic nations. Nordic or Scandinavian metal bands have had a long and lasting influence on the metal subculture alongside their counterparts in Great Britain and The United States.

## Nordic number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100

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Year  | Artist  | Song  | Country

|
|
|

1974  | Blue Swede | "Hooked on a Feeling"  | Sweden
1977  | ABBA | "Dancing Queen"
1985  | A-ha | "Take On Me"  | Norway
1989  | Roxette | "The Look"  | Sweden
"Listen to Your Heart"
1990  | "It Must Have Been Love"
1991  | "Joyride"
1994  | Ace of Base | "The Sign"

## Nordic number-one singles in the UK

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Year  | Artist  | Song  | Country

|
|
|

1974  | ABBA  | "Waterloo"  | Sweden
1976  | "Mamma Mia"
"Fernando"
"Dancing Queen"
1977  | "Knowing Me, Knowing You"
"The Name of the Game"
1978  | "Take a Chance on Me"
1980  | "The Winner Takes It All"
"Super Trouper"
1986  | A-ha  | "The Sun Always Shines on TV"  | Norway
Europe | "The Final Countdown"  | Sweden
1993  | Ace of Base  | "All That She Wants"
1994  | Whigfield | "Saturday Night"  | Denmark
1995  | Rednex | "Cotton Eye Joe"  | Sweden
Cher, Chrissie Hynde and Neneh Cherry with Eric Clapton | "Love Can Build a Bridge"  | United States, Sweden and United Kingdom
1997  | Aqua | "Barbie Girl"  | Denmark / Norway
1998  | "Doctor Jones"
"Turn Back Time"
2000  | A1 | "Take on Me"  | United Kingdom / Norway
"Same Old Brand New You"
2004  | Eric Prydz | "Call On Me"  | Sweden
2005  | Crazy Frog | "Axel F"
2007  | Robyn with Kleerup | "With Every Heartbeat"
2008  | Basshunter | "Now You're Gone"
2012  | Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin | "Don't You Worry Child"
2013  | Avicii with Nicky Romero | "I Could Be the One"  | Sweden and The Netherlands
Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | "I Love It"  | Sweden and United Kingdom
Avicii  | "Wake Me Up"  | Sweden
2014  | Nico & Vinz | "Am I Wrong"  | Norway
2016  | Lukas Graham | "7 Years"  | Denmark
Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ | "Cold Water"  | USA, Canada and Denmark
2017  | Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson | "Symphony"  | United Kingdom and Sweden

## Some notable artists by country

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### Denmark

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Main pages: Category:Danish singers, Category:Danish record producers, and Category:Danish songwriters

* Alphabeat
* Aqua
* Aura Dione
* Barcode Brothers
* Christopher Nissen
* Drew Sycamore
* Emmelie de Forest
* Infernal
* Junior Senior
* Kato
* Lukas Graham
* Martin Jensen
* Medina
* Michael Learns to Rock
* MØ
* Mercyful Fate
* Safri Duo
* Volbeat
* Whigfield

### Faroe Islands

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Main pages: Category:Faroese singers, Category:Fareose record producers, and Category:Faroese songwriters

* Eivør
* Synarchy
* Týr

### Finland

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Main pages: Category:Finnish singers, Category:Finnish record producers, and Category:Finnish songwriters

* Alma
* Anna Abreu
* Apocalyptica
* Benjamin Peltonen
* Blind Channel
* Bomfunk MC's
* Darude
* Hanoi Rocks
* HIM
* Isac Elliot
* Krista Siegfrieds
* Lordi
* Nightwish
* The Rasmus
* Sara Forsberg
* Sunrise Avenue
* LAMORI - from Åland

### Iceland

[edit]

Main pages: Category:Icelandic singers, Category:Icelandic record producers, and Category:Icelandic songwriters

* Björk
* Emilíana Torrini
* GusGus
* Kaleo
* Laufey
* Of Monsters and Men
* Sigur Rós
* Skalmold
* Svala

### Norway

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Main pages: Category:Norwegian singers, Category:Norwegian record producers, and Category:Norwegian songwriters

* A1
* A-ha
* Alan Walker
* Ane Brun
* Annie (singer)
* Astrid S
* Aurora
* Bel Canto
* Broiler
* Cashmere Cat
* Christine Guldbrandsen
* Dagny
* Dance with a Stranger
* Dimmu Borgir
* Donkeyboy
* D'Sound
* Espen Lind
* Fra Lippo Lippi
* Flunk
* Highasakite
* Ida Maria
* Ina Wroldsen
* Jarle Bernhoft
* Jenny Hval
* Katzenjammer
* Kaizers Orchestra
* Kate Havnevik
* KEiiNO
* Kings of Convenience
* Kygo
* Leaves' Eyes
* Lene Marlin
* Lemaitre
* Lido
* Madcon
* Mayhem
* Marcus & Martinus
* Maria Mena
* Marit Larsen
* Matoma
* M2M
* Moyka
* Nico & Vinz
* Röyksopp
* Sandra Lyng
* SeeB
* Secret Garden
* Sigrid
* Sirenia
* Sissel
* Susanne Sundfør
* Stargate
* Theatre of Tragedy
* Thomas Bergersen
* TNT
* Tungevaag & Raaban
* Turbonegro
* Tristania
* Wardruna
* Ylvis

By 2016, Norway had the 20th largest global music market.[2][3] Currently four Norwegian artists have achieved a Top 10 placement on the Billboard Hot 100, including A-ha's "Take On Me" which went to 1st place in 1985, Ylvis' "The Fox" which went to 6th place in 2013, Nico & Vinz's "Am I Wrong" which went to 4th place in 2014, and Kygo's "It Ain't Me" which went to 10th place in 2017.

### Sweden

[edit]

Main pages: Category:Swedish singers, Category:Swedish record producers, and Category:Swedish songwriters

* A*Teens
* ABBA
* Ace of Base
* A.C.T
* Agnes Carlsson
* Alesso
* Amon Amarth
* Army of Lovers
* Aronchupa
* Avicii
* Basshunter
* Benjamin Ingrosso
* Bladee
* Blue Swede
* Bosson
* Boy In Space
* Crazy Frog
* Da Buzz
* Darin
* Dr. Alban
* Eagle-Eye Cherry
* Elliphant
* Eric Prydz
* E-Type
* Europe
* First Aid Kit
* Felix Sandman
* Galantis
* Garmarna
* Ghost
* Hives
* Icona Pop
* John Martin
* Little Dragon
* Leila K
* Loreen
* Lykke Li
* Meja
* Mohombi
* Miike Snow
* Miss Li
* Neneh Cherry
* Opeth
* Otto Knows
* Play
* Rednex
* Roxette
* Robyn
* Sabaton
* Seinabo Sey
* September
* Sahara Hotnights
* Swedish House Mafia
* Teddybears
* The Cardigans
* Therion
* Tove Lo
* Tove Styrke
* Yung Lean
* Zara Larsson

## Further reading

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* White, John David; Christensen, Jean, eds. (2002). New Music of the Nordic Countries. Pendragon Press. ISBN 1-57647-019-9.
* Holt, Fabian; Kärjä, Antti-Ville, eds. (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Popular Music in the Nordic Countries. New York: Oxford University Press.

## References

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1. ^ RAMBARRAN, SHARA (2022-07-06). "Alexander Bard: The "King Midas" of Scandipop?". Medium. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
2. ^ The Norwegian music market: a global comparison
3. ^ Musikkåret 2017 (årsrapport)

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Nordic folk music • Nordic popular music

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