Not Your Mamma's ABBA.

It seems I've succumbed to the marketing machinery that is Swedish music. I remember reading a New York Times article last year about musicians getting government subsidies and support in an effort to market the country, raise its visibility, and spread its cultural exports. Sweden is one of these countries. They've got a music industry consortium devoted to exporting Swedish Music.

So it's no accident that all these great bands are coming out of Sweden right now. All the better for me! And I'm not the only one. Swedes Please is a blog devoted to the country, which Ian found. I government guess the tactic worked because next month I'm going to Stockholm! Woohoo!

So, in honor of my coming sojourn, here's a handful of my favorites, including a cover, in true Songkick fashion. There are a kabillion more where these came from.

Jens Lekman - Black Cab
Peter Bjorn & John - Let's Call It Off (no I did not post the whistling song)
Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have to Leave It
Concretes - You Can't Hurry Love
The Knife - Heartbeats
Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats (cover)