Songs from Sweden

Ola Johansson is a professor of geography at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, and has also researched music as a guest scholar at Linnaeus University in Sweden. Johansson is co-author of the books Sound, Society, and the Geography of Popular Music and World Regional Geography.

“Johansson’s study will still be of interest to scholars and students in Popular Music Studies and Scandinavian Studies. In particular, Songs from Sweden casts a welcome light on an otherwise enigmatic corner of the global popular music industry and is a welcome contribution to ongoing conversations about Sweden’s role as a producer and broker of transnational culture.” (Ryan Thomas Skinner, Scandinavian Studies, Vol. 93 (2), 2021)

• 1. Introduction: The Swedish Music Miracle, from 1.0 to 2.0.- 2. Local Music in a Global Network: Circulation, Reputation, and Hybridity.- 3. The Main Players.- 4. An Analysis of Swedish Pop Music.- 5. Concluding Thoughts.