Former and beloved Features Editor Gemma Cockrell glances at the importance of Swedish artists and their influence on our pop culture. These are her top ten, and I'm sure you'll recognise many names even if you didn't know they were Swedish!
1. Hennessy & Sailor Moon – Yung Lean and Bladee
The song that first got me into Swedish music was Hennessy & Sailor Moon, by members of the Sad Boys and Drain Gang collective Yung Lean and Bladee. The dreamy, atmospheric and mellow sound contrasted entirely with Yung Lean’s previous album Warlord, and Bladee’s magical verse in the latter half of the song sold it for me. It is still one of my favourite songs of all time.
2. Peroxide – Ecco2k
Growing up in Sweden with Nigerian heritage, Ecco2k never truly felt as if he fitted in due to the predominantly white nature of the country. Peroxide sees him exploring this theme, with lyrics about how he has embraced his mixed-race heritage despite feeling like an outsider. This is a theme he explored further throughout his discography, on tracks like Black Boy and Blue Eyes.
3. Dancing Queen – ABBA
The most famous band to ever come out of Sweden, ABBA, took the world by storm when they won the Eurovision Song Contest with their breakthrough hit Waterloo in 1974. Their fame expanded even further when Mamma Mia! the musical premiered in 1999, and with the recent addition of film versions, it is still just as popular to this day. Dancing Queen is one of their most famous songs, and even though we don’t stay 17 forever, Dancing Queen will never grow old.
4. Dancing On My Own – Robyn
Even though when you Google this song, Calum Scott’s 2016 cover comes up before the original (disgraceful, if you ask me), it was originally by Swedish artist Robyn, released back in 2010. It’s a heartbreak song, yes, but it is also a fun, energetic dance track, and these two opposites come together to form one of the best millennial anthems there ever was.
5. 24/7 – Namasenda
Swedish artist Namasenda pioneered the hyperpop movement, as part of the PC Music crew led by A.G. Cook. My personal favourite track of hers, 24/7, is a euphoric explosion of synths, complete with pitch-shifted vocals. The lyrics may be repetitive, but when a song sounds this good, that doesn’t even matter.
6. Wake Me Up – Avicii
This was Avicii’s breakout hit, and for good reason. This was the song that catapulted him to global stardom, but unfortunately, he was taken from us far too soon, and his tragic passing left a huge hole in the world of electronic music in 2018. Rest in peace, Avicii.
7. Lush Life – Zara Larsson
If anyone knows how to craft a summer pop anthem, it’s Zara Larsson, and this is the one that sticks in my head the most. Released back in 2015, when summer music was at its best (in my humble opinion), this song will forever remind me of being young and carefree.
8. Habits (Stay High) – Tove Lo
Recently, we all learnt how to pronounce Tove Lo’s name correctly in her native Swedish tongue, so now we know how to actually say it, let’s talk about her music. Habits (Stay High) was one of her first worldwide hits back in 2014, and it remains popular to this day, with it trending on TikTok eight years later in 2022.
9. Innocence – Yung Sherman
This is the only instrumental song on this list, but it is one of my favourite instrumentals of all time. Yung Sherman is best known for his work alongside Yung Lean and Bladee, but his solo Innocence EP is some of his best work and it is often overlooked. If you are looking for more cloudy, atmospheric vibes, check out Gud and Whitearmor as well, who are members of the same collective.
10. Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia
This Swedish House group are so proud to be Swedish, it’s in their name. They shocked the world when they split back in 2013, but they appear to be back for good now, so it’s the perfect time to revisit their discography and remind yourself of just how good they are. Don’t You Worry Child is a song that everyone knows, and it will forever be timeless.
Gemma Cockrell
Edited by: Roxann Yus
Cover image courtesy of ABBA via Facebook.
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