The Swedes (Part 2)

So here we are with what I consider the greatest contributions to pop music . You may think these songs cheesy, silly, etc, but popularity and sales don’t lie. People like this music and buy it, even if it is just a guilty pleasure. I submit to you the jury, Exhibit C.

Max Martin:
If you were into the bubblegum pop and boyband scene in the late 90’s, early 2000’s, you may recognize this name. When he was just 25, he started writing and producing for a band called The Backstreet Boys. I think his discography speaks for itself:
Backstreet Boys: Quit Playing Games, We’ve Got It Goin On, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), As Long As You Love Me, Larger than Life, I Want It That Way, Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely, The One, The Call, Shape of My Heart, Just Want You to Know, I Still…, Climbing the Walls, Bigger (and many more, including solo albums)
Robyn (see yesterday): Do You Know (What It Takes), Show Me Love, Time Machine
NSync: I Want You Back, Tearin Up My Heart, It’s Gonna Be Me
Britney Spears: Baby One More Time, You Drive Me Crazy, Oops!..I Did It again, Stronger, Lucky, Overprotected, I’m Not a Girl Not Yet a Woman, If U Seek Amy, 3, Hold It Against Me, I Wanna Go, Till the World Ends (many more)
Celine Dion: That’s the Way It Is
Bon Jovi: It’s My Life
Kelly Clarkson: Since U Been Gone, Behind These Hazel Eyes, My Life Would Suck Without You
P!nk: Who Knew, U + Ur Hand, So What, I Don’t Believe You, Please Don’t Leave Me, Whataya Want From Me (also released by Adam Lambert), Raise You Glass, Perfect
Katy Perry: I Kissed a Girl, Hot n Cold, California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Last Friday Night (TGIF), The One That Got Away, ET (plus more)
Leona Lewis: I Got You
Taio Cruz: Dynamite
Usher: DJ Got Us Fallin in Love
Avril Lavigne: What the Hell, Smile, Wish You Were Here
Glee Cast: Loser Like Me, Light Up the World

In addition he has worked with: Bryan Adams, Westlife, A-ha, The Veronicas, Enrique Iglesias, James Blunt, Daughtry, Carolina Liar, Simple Plan, Cyndi Lauper, Sugababes, Carrie Underwood, Ke$ha, TI, Pitbull, and the newest pop sensation Jessie J. When reviewing the “original songs” he wrote for the TV show Glee, Rolling Stone said “For their first foray into original music, the producers of Glee didn't exactly go out on a limb: They hired Swedish songwriting genius Max Martin, the most reliable and prolific hitmaker of the last decade and a half.” And this Swede is still only 40 years old.

Abba:
In other words, the greatest pop band of all time. They have sold over 370 million records worldwide, making them the fourth best selling music artists in the history of recorded music, behind only The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson (woah-za). They still sell between two to three million albums a year (thank you Mamma Mia). Last year they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don’t know how to talk about them because they are so prolific, even after Abba disbanded. The two men of the group wrote other musicals, including Chess and obviously Mamma Mia, which was one of the biggest selling movies that year. I can only submit Exhibits D, E, F, G, etc etc as clips because hearing is believing when it comes to them.

So, I feel like I’ve proved my point, especially with the last two. I’m not going to even talk about other successes, such as Roxette, Ace of Base, and current boomers Swedish House Mafia. Every nation has its collection of hitmakers, in my opinion the UK and US reign supreme. But in pop music, the greatest contributions have come from the ol’ Blue and Yellow, as I call them. No need to argue, just enjoy.