Icebreakers and clusters within the Swedish music wonder

• In our ongoing project Searching for Sophia in Music Production, we explore factors that have been of great significance for the Swedish music wonder. In this paper, the aim is to identify important individuals in various genres that have paved the way for Sweden’s international success in music. One hypothesis we are working with is that a few innovative individuals who acted as "icebreakers" created smaller "clusters" centered around record companies that were highly influential. We present a selection of musical icebreakers and clusters that have successfully contributed to the Swedish music wonder: Stig "Stikkan" Anderson and Polar Music International AB, Bert Karlsson and Mariann Records, Ola H.kansson with Sonet and Ten Music Group, Robert von Bahr with BIS Records, Per-Olof "Pelle" Karlsson with Prim Records and Dag Volle "Denniz PoP" with Cheiron Studios. The study is methodologically based on literature studies and an inventory of source material as well as interviews with key people in Swedish music life. Theoretical perspectives include Jennifer Lena’s and Richard Peterson's (2008) model for the life cycles of genres, with stages of creation, development, conservation and stagnation, Paul Thompson's model for creativity in record production (2019) and Mats Trondman's theories of folk musical expression (1999). In addition, the analysis also uses theories in motivational research (Deci & Ryan, 2000) and entrepreneurial research with relevance to music and music industry development (Tschmuck, 2006; Östman 2018). Our analysis clearly shows that single theories cannot explain all essential parts of the Swedish music wonder. A combination of several theories and explanatory models is therefore needed. In our presentation, core issues around this are discussed.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Musik (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Music (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Musikvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Musicology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

The Swedish music wonder

det svenska musikundret

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)