Best selling Swedish music artists: top 10 most successful

Best selling Swedish music artists: top 10 most successful

Sweden is among the least populous countries in Europe but has some of the best sceneries in the world. The culture, music, food and art are also some of the highlights of the Swedish people. Music is a big part of Swedish culture, and some of the best-selling Swedish artists have taken the world by storm. But who is the best-selling Swedish music artist?

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

best-selling Swedish music artists
Swedish pop group ABBA (L-R) Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Bjorn Ulvaeus, play roulette during a visit to London in 1974 in London, England. Photo: Anwar Hussein
Source: Getty Images

Many people have heard music from Sweden, even if they can't name the artist. Some of the world's biggest hits can trace their origin to Sweden. In addition, many Swedish hit songs are very popular in Europe, Africa, and the US. Some bestselling Swedish artists that have topped the global charts include ABBA, Roxette, Ace and Avicii.

Read also

10 awesome Christian metal bands you should listen to

Top 10 best-selling Swedish music artists

Swedish musicians have made significant advances on the music charts in the United States and Europe. These Swedish artists have made a lot of money from their music. Get to know the successful Swedish artists from the list below. The list is mainly based on music record sales.

10. Vikingarna

PAY ATTENTION: Subscribe to Digital Talk newsletter to receive must-know business stories and succeed BIG!

Vikingarna is one of the names that come up when the best-selling Swedish music artist is mentioned. They are popular for the dansband type of music influenced by pop, rock, and country, often danced to in pairs.

The band was formed in 1958 in Karlstad and sold more than 11 million records worldwide. The group members were Jorgen Arnemar, Stefan Borsch, Borje Gunnarson, Tord Sjoman, Christer Linde, Per-Anders Carlsson and Tony Eriksson.

Read also

Who are the most handsome men on earth?

9. Alcazar

Best selling Swedish artists of all time
Andreas Lundstedt, Tess Merkel Solomons and Lina Hedlund of Swedish band Alcazar arrive for the Life Ball City Hall in 2018 in Vienna, Austria. Photo: Andreas Rentz
Source: Getty Images

Alcazar is among the best-selling Swedish music artists and most successful nu-disco groups ever. Nu-disco is a mix of disco, dance, and electronic music from the 1970s to the 1990s.

They have sold more than 12 million records globally since their first single in 1999. Their song Crying at the Discoteque was a hit topping the charts in the US, Europe, Australia and Japan.

Andreas Lundstedt, Tess Merkel and Annika Kjaergaard are the group members. Although Alcazar disbanded in 2011, they reunited in 2013 to perform at Melodifestivalen 2014.

8. The Cardigans

Best selling Swedish musicians
CANNES, FRANCE - JANUARY 21: Swedish musical group The Cardigans attends MIDEM 2003, the 37th International Music Market 2003, in Cannes, France. Photo: Scott Barbour
Source: Getty Images

The Cardigans is a rock music band created in Jonkoping, Sweden, in 1992. Its members are Peter Svensson, Lars-Olof Johansson, Magnus Sveningsson, Nina Persson and Bengt Lagerberg.

Their debut album, Emmerdale, was released in 1994. Their follow-up studio album Life in 1995 took them to stardom in Sweden and abroad.

Read also

Top 10 Nigerian songs to include in your playlist

The Cardigans have a total of six studio albums and have sold more than 15 million records. Their single Lovefool, from the collection First Band on the Moon (1996), was the soundtrack to the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet. They went on a break in 2006 and reunited again in 2012.

7. Dr Alban

Top Swedish artists
Dr Alban sings a song as models walk on a runway during the 19th Dosso Dossi Fashion Show in 2015 in Antalya, Turkey. Photo: Suleyman Elcin
Source: Getty Images

Dr Alban, born Alban Uzoma Nwapa, is a Nigerian-Swedish recording artist and producer. He owns a recording studio called Dr Records and has sold over 16 million records.

He has a unique type of music which mixes Eurodance, hip-hop, reggae and dancehall styles. His 1992 hit, It's My Life, from the collection One Love, was a hit, and it shot him to the limelight.

Alban moved to Sweden from Nigeria to study dentistry when he was 23. He became a DJ to fund his studies and later became a musician and recording artist.

Read also

Top facts about Beyond The Valley 2019 lineup, tickets, dates, camping

6. The Spotnicks

Best selling Swedish musicians.
Photo of Sponicks; performing live on stage. Photo: GAB Archive
Source: Getty Images

The Spotnicks started their music career in 1961 and continued until 2019. They released 43 albums and sold more than 18 million records.

The band is known for wearing space suit costumes when performing on the stage. They also revolutionized guitar-playing by coming up with an authentic electronic guitar sound.

The band comprises Bo Starander, Bo Winberg, Ove Johansson and Bjorn. They became famous after releasing their hit single, Amapola, in 1963. Other hits include Sealed With a Kiss, Orange Blossom Special, The Spotnicks Theme, and I Remember You.

5. Europe

Europe is one of the top Swedish bands that was formed in 1979. It has sold over 23 million album copies globally. The band members are Peter Olsson, Joey Tempest, Tony Reno and John Norum. They won the Swedish Rock Championships in 1982.

Read also

Patoranking new album is finally out and is worth your attention

Their third album earned them international recognition, with more than 11 studio albums. In addition, two of their albums were in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The Final Countdown, Carrie and Rock the Night are some of their biggest hits. The group took a break in the 1990s and reunited in the 2000s.

4. Avicii

Top Swedish artists
DJ Avicii performs at Wynn Las Vegas @ Park City Live! during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris
Source: Getty Images

Avicii, whose real name was Tim Bergling, is among the top Swedish artists. He was a DJ and music producer credited for bringing electronic music into the mainstream in the early 2010s.

At 16, he began posting his DJ remixes on various electronic music forums. He later rose to the top in the music industry to become a global pop music icon. He is also credited for helping other artists take their songs to the next level as a DJ.

Avicii had several hits, which made him very popular, selling over 30 million records. His hits include Levels, Hey Brother, Wake Me Up and The Nights. Sadly, Avicii took his life dues to stress in April 2018 in Oman at only 27 years old.

Read also

Top 50 best rappers right now in 2024: profiles, popular songs, facts

3. Ace of Base

Top Swedish bands
Kelly Rowland (R) performs onstage with Ace of Base at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS held at The Carlu during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010 in Toronto, Canada. Photo: Joe Scarnici
Source: Getty Images

Ace of Base is among the most popular Swedish music artists, selling over 50 million CD copies worldwide. The band members are Jonas, Linn, Jenny and Ulf.

They rose to fame in 1992 when they released their debut album, which was certified nine times platinum in the US. This made it the single best-selling studio album in 1994.

Some of their biggest hits include The Sign, All That She Wants and Don't Turn Around. The group never disbanded, although it has been inactive since 2010.

2. Roxette

Best selling Swedish musicians
Marie Fredriksson (L) and Per Gessle of Roxette performs at The O2 Arena in 2015 in London, England. Photo: Brian Rasic
Source: Getty Images

Roxette is a duo Swedish pop-rock band comprising Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle. They are the second best-selling Swedish musicians with over 75 million records sold. The group was formed in 1986 and became popular internationally in the late 1980s.

Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle had established themselves as performers in their own country before coming together. Roxette's song It Must Have Been Love was featured in Julia Roberts's 1990 film Pretty Woman.

Read also

Meet top 20 best Nigerian rappers in one post

Roxette was active on and off between 2002 and 2019. This is because Fredriksson got cancer in 2002, passing on in 2019. They, however, managed to release three studio albums during that period.

1. ABBA

Best selling Swedish artists of all time
Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA attend the first performance of ABBA "Voyage" at ABBA Arena in May 2022 in London, England. Photo: Dave J Hogan
Source: Getty Images

ABBA tops the list of the best-selling Swedish artists of all time. The group's name is taken from the initial letter of each member's name. Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad are the members of the band from Stockholm.

To date, ABBA has sold more than 375 million albums and songs worldwide. They topped the global charts from 1974 to 1982 and recently in 2021.

Their feel-good music is a phenomenon that has thrilled fans across the globe, making them the most popular band. Their songs were featured in the movie Mamma Mia starring Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried.

ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. In addition, they have won several awards, such as the American Guild of Variety Artists award, Carl-Alan Awards and Bravo Otto Awards.

Read also

Most popular Nigerian musicians and their states of origin

FAQs

  1. Who is the most famous Swedish singer? Agnetha Faltskog from ABBA is the most famous Swedish singer.
  2. Who is the number 1 best-selling music artist? The number 1 best-selling music artist in Sweden is ABBA.
  3. Who are the biggest band in Sweden? ABBA is the biggest band in Sweden. They have sold more than 375 million records worldwide.
  4. What music do Swedish people like? Sweden is known for schottische, polka, waltz, schottische, polka, mazurka and polska music.
  5. What is Sweden known for? Sweden is known for its green landscape, abundant forests and lakes. Its also known for its Pop Music Capital of the World and brands such as IKEA, Spotify, and Volvo.

Swedish music has been popular around the globe for decades and is unquestionably enjoyed by many. The best-selling Swedish music artist is ABBA. Their music continues to inspire many people across the world.

Read also

Learn more about King Sunny Ade's life and career here

READ ALSO: Top 30 richest musicians in the world in 2022: Who are they?

Legit.ng published an interesting article about the richest musicians. Music is one of the highest-paying careers around the world. Musicians make money from royalties, licensing fees for their work, playing live, selling merchandise, brand endorsements, and advances.

The richest musicians in the world have made millions of dollars from their songs and have fans across the globe. In addition, the richest musicians in the world have multiple revenue streams, such as writing, recording, and releasing hit tunes.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Naomi Karina avatar

Naomi Karina (Lifestyle writer) Naomi Karina has been a digital content writer for more than two years. She joined the Legit team in August 2022. She graduated Bachelor of Commerce from KCA University in 2012. She also holds a Higher Diploma in Human Resources from the IHRM and a Diploma in Marketing from Kenyatta University. She is a content creator who enjoys writing about various topics such as biographies, entertainment and business. In 2023, Naomi finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She expanded her skills in 2024 by undertaking the Google News Initiative course.