Many hugely successful songs in the United States were written by Swedish songwriters. Surprised?  American record labels began tapping into Swedish pop songwriting in the late 1990s, and many attribute this success to Sweden's strong emphasis on socialized education.

Max Martin is one of the most prolific songwriters in American pop, but there are many others who have significantly shaped our musical landscape. Here’s a short list of hits penned by Swedish songwriters:

1) “…Baby One More Time” (Max Martin) – This track catapulted Britney Spears to stardom, becoming one of the best-selling singles in pop history.
2) “Bye Bye Bye” (Kristian Lundin, Andreas Carlsson) – *NSYNC's lead single from their multi-platinum album “No Strings Attached” solidified their status as pop icons.
3) “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (Jörgen Elofsson) – Kelly Clarkson’s empowering hit, following her debut success with Elofsson's “A Moment Like This.”
4) “So What” (Max Martin, Shellback) – Pink’s best-selling single and first number one hit, outperforming her previous success with “Raise Your Glass.”
5) “Toxic” (Henrik Jonback) – Britney Spears’ best-selling single of 2004, reaching number one in six countries.
6) “Poker Face” (RedOne) – Lady Gaga's iconic hit, co-written by RedOne, one of the best-selling singles of all time.
7) “Inside Your Heaven” (Andreas Carlsson, Pelle Nylen) – Carrie Underwood’s chart-topping country hit, showcasing the versatility of Swedish songwriters.
8) “Rain Over Me” (Bilal Hajji, AJ Junior) – Pitbull’s unexpected hit, selling over 5 million copies in Norway.

Other notable songs written by Swedish songwriters include "Starships" by Nicki Minaj, "On the Floor" by Jennifer Lopez, "Because of You" by 98 Degrees, "Waking Up in Vegas" by Katy Perry, and "Shape of My Heart" by Backstreet Boys.

Max Martin remains the standout figure, consistently producing hits for a wide range of artists including Bon Jovi, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Bryan Adams, Ace of Base, Celine Dion, Usher, Christina Aguilera, Coldplay, Ariana Grande, Adele, Ed Sheeran, and Maroon 5.  At 53, Martin continues to make waves in the music industry.  His song catalog even inspired the popular Broadway show “& Juliet,” earning him a Tony nomination among his many accolades.

However they do it, let’s hope the Swedish songwriters keep the hits coming!  

I hope you don’t mind my defour into pop culture as influenced by Scandinavia.  Share your thoughts in the comments.