JL, a Longtime Loyal Follower of These Musings, asks the question:
“I know Taylor Swift isn’t your fav but wondered if you’ve listened and had thoughts on her new album that’s all songs collaborating with Max Martin and Shellback. I’ve heard people say it’s very pop Sweden..which means little to me but made me think of asking you if it’s “pop Sweden” to you. 😆”
Here is my response, edited for the blog.
First, I’d say that “Swedish pop” and Max Martin are related but separate. I’d argue that The Life of a Showgirl is more a Max Martin album than a Swedish pop album. Max is a genius who is rooted in, has transcended, and still influences Swedish pop. In any case, the opening track, The Fate of Ophelia, is an excellent example of it.
Here are the hallmarks of Swedish Pop. You will hear them on The Fate of Ophelia:
Vocals are very, very forward. You get the physical sense of a singer standing in front of music playing behind them.
The songs are beat-centric and usually propelled by a “drum” or “bass”— both are programmed, synthesized, computerized sounds.
That combo of a BIG BEAT and forward vocal forms the foundation of the Swedish Pop sound.
On top of that foundation, you get a simple, “re-memberable” melody.
For American pop/rock music, the focus is typically lyrics first, production second, and melody last. Swedish pop reverses those priorities: melody first, production second, and lyrics last.
Regarding production, the overall sound is very clean, shiny, and bright, no matter the song’s tempo or lyrical content. Compare The Fate of Ophelia to the next track Elizabeth Taylor: different vibes, same clean sound.
The songs are TIGHT. Not a single note or sound is out of place. The “instruments” are primarily programmed, computerized sounds, so there is no variation, no glitches, no human tendencies. Even the vocals are scrupulously edited with surgical precision.
The early creators of modern Swedish Pop were DJs who understood that you needed to get people’s attention EARLY to get them on the floor, a simple melody to keep them moving, a big chorus to take the energy higher, and final choruses that take the energy even HIGHER. Swedish Pop songs tend to have that structure—a simple but noticeable sound, drum beat, or synth pattern to introduce the music and grab your attention instantly, followed by an early hook to further draw you in, a memorable melody, and a BIG chorus. Max mastered this early on (listen to Backstreet Boys Larger Than Life and/or My Girl Britney’s Oops I Did It Again). Just listen to the first minute of each.
Genre agnosticism – Swedes grow up immersed in government-sponsored music education, and the ears of their musicians/songwriters/producers have a broader palette than artists in the US or UK. Their love of R&B is reflected in the general beat-driven nature of their songs, but you’ll hear them draw bits from all kinds of music. Consider this song, which won Eurovision in 2015 for Sweden, that starts as a country song before transitioning into a dance banger.
I’ll hit you baby one more time, with more on Max Martin later (see what I did there?).
Ray's Musings 
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