1. Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop The Feeling
Max Martin and Shellback (both Swedes, natch) have written the summer hit of 2016 for Justin Timberlake – feelgood pop doesn’t get any better than this.
2. Lucas Nord – I Don’t Need Your Love
Lucas Nord is slowly garnering a following outside Scandinavia for his lush, dreamy pop. This gently scuffed chunk of midtempo melancholy will do his cause no harm.
3. Peg Parnevik – Ain’t No Saint
The Swedish soul scene is in rude health. Seinabo Sey’s Younger and Elias’s Revolution are two of the best recent soul songs from anywhere. This doesn’t quite reach those heights but there’s still much to love here.
4. Flume feat. Tove Lo – Say It
One of the many things to love about Tove Lo is her willingness to work with other artists. This grinding, soulful electronica may not her most commercial release to date but it’s compelling, addictive stuff.
5. Marlene Oak – How Long
More Swedish soul, this time with a grittier, bluesier feel. Brooding and intense.
6. Violet Days – Your Girl
This Stockholm band have been making complex, vivid pop music for three years without ever really breaking through. Your Girl is ace, however.
7. Hanna Järver – Alabamatröjan
Another sweetly melodic, musically adventurous song from Järver. It’s as if Steely Dan had been reincarnated in a Stockholm twentysomething’s body.
8. Goat – I Sing In Silence
Goat, from way, way up north (Korpilombolo) have become global alt-rock stars and have even signed with Nirvana’s first label, SubPop. This swampy, mystical guitar and flute haze is quite lovely.
9. The Fooo Conspiracy – Summer Love
Everything about this Swedish boy band – from the extra ‘o’ in their name to the Princess Diana-like frosted hair – is designed to annoy the hell out of anyone over 25. And yet, this is a quite fantastic pop song.
10. Sophia Somajo – Sapphire
Swedish electronica pioneers, The Knife, have left a deep bruise on Swedish pop, and this is nowhere more obvious than on the distorted, fairground mirror synths of this fantastic debut single.
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11. Veronica Maggio – Vi mot världen
A spine-tingling live rendition of a beautiful song.
For all the videos see our YouTube playlist here and to listen to the songs on Spotify go here.