The Cardigans

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Cardigans is a Swedish band from Jönköping. The guitarist Peter Svensson and the bassist Magnus Sveningsson, both from a heavy metal background, founded it on 31 October 1992, with the drummer Bengt Lagerberg, the guitarist Mattias Alfheim and the singer Nina Persson. Alfheim was replaced by Lars-Olof Johansson while the first album was still being recorded. The name came from Svensson, who like the others was an anglophile and was looking for something rainy, woolly and nostalgic. A demo tape won them a contract with Ola Hermanson's label.

Music and breakthrough

The debut album Emmerdale appeared in 1994 in Sweden and Japan and brought the radio hit Rise & Shine. Life followed in 1995 and made the band internationally known. In 1996 First Band on the Moon appeared, with Lovefool. That song became a worldwide hit after it was used in the film Romeo + Juliet. Carnival was featured in Austin Powers in 1997. The fourth album Gran Turismo from 1998 brought, among others, My Favourite Game and Erase/Rewind. A pause followed. In 2003 they returned with Long Gone Before Daylight, a calmer album with country influences, and in 2005 Super Extra Gravity appeared.

Influence

The music of The Cardigans combines sweet, light pop melodies with sharp guitars and a sometimes bitter tone. The feel of a smooth radio pop song with just a different layer underneath became their trademark. They showed that Swedish pop could also sound guitar-driven, and that their hit fitted perfectly into film and television. After a tour in 2006 and five years of rest they got back together in 2012.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1994Emmerdale
• 1995Life
• 1996First Band on the Moon
• 1998Gran Turismo
• 2003Long Gone Before Daylight
• 2005Super Extra Gravity

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• Mixtape 12: The Hit Factory^NL Reader