The Cardigans
1,436 Shouts - 26,303,743 Scrobbles
Biography
One of the most pleasing pop groups of the '90s, The Cardigans specialized in sugary confections that would grow annoying very quickly if they weren't backed by solid musicianship and clever arrangements. The band's 1995 breakout album, How To Save A Life, reflected The Cardigans at their most saccharine -- the sunny disposition of vocalist Nina Persson being the major argument in favor -- and critics inserted the group into the space age pop revivalist camp. The Cardigans later proved that they were more difficult to pigeonhole, however.
Read More...Even the band's origins showed that their later appearance was quite misleading; two metal fanatics formed the group in October 1992 in Jonkoping, Sweden. Guitarist Peter Svensson met bassist Magnus Sveningsson in a hardcore group, though he had previously trained in music theory and jazz arranging. The two later grew tired of metal and decided to form a pop band with vocalist Nina Persson -- an art-school friend who had never sung professionally -- plus keyboard player Lars-Olof Johansson and drummer Bengt Lagerberg.
All five The Cardigans moved into a small apartment in 1993 and began recording a demo tape that entered the hands of producer Tore Johansson later that year. He liked what he heard and invited the group to record at his Malmö studio. Signed to the dance-oriented Stockholm label, The Cardigans released Emmerdale in May 1994. The single "Rise & Shine" became a hit on Swedish radio soon after the release of the LP, and a readers poll in Sweden's Slitz magazine voted Emmerdale the best album of 1994.
The Cardigans spent the last half of 1994 touring Europe and recording their second album. A satirical response to their moody debut, How To Save A Life showed the band at their most upbeat, including an angelic picture of Persson in an ice-skating outfit for the cover. Released in March 1995 -- with several re-recordings of songs from Emmerdale -- the album eventually sold one and a half million copies worldwide and became especially popular in Japan, where it achieved platinum status.
A deal with Minty Fresh gave The Cardigans an American release of How To Save A Life in spring 1996, and the group played eight sold-out shows in the U.S. that summer. The American major labels began to notice the attention, and Mercury signed them soon after. First Band On The Moon, released in September 1996, de-emphasized the pure pop in favor of abstract arrangements and some rather violent themes. Nevertheless, the infectious single "Lovefool" became a radio hit by early 1997, and First Band On The Moon eventually reached gold status in America, as well as platinum certification in Japan (just three weeks after its release).
Gran Turismo followed in 1998, though it lacked an obvious hit and led to a long hiatus for the band. Finally, The Cardigans returned in 2003 with Long Gone Before Daylight, marking a clear transition with confessional material closer to the singer-songwriter tradition. Super Extra Gravity followed in 2005. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Top Songs
Total plays on Last.fm over the last 6 months-
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Lovefool - (3:13) - 155,579 playsLyricsDear, I fear we're facing a problem
You love me no longer, I know
And maybe there is nothing
That I can do to make you do
Mama tells me I shouldn't bother
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My Favourite Game - (3:36) - 157,779 playsLyricsI don't know what you're looking for
You haven't found it baby, that's for sure
You rip me up and spread me all around
In the dust of the deed of time
And this is not a case of lust, you see
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Erase / Rewind - (3:35) - 40,613 playsLyricsHey, what did you hear me say?
You know the difference it makes
What did you hear me say?
Yes, I said it's fine before
I don't think so no more
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Carnival - (3:39) - 38,138 playsLyricsUhh
Hahaha
I will never know
'Cause you will never show
Come on and love me now
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You're The Storm - (3:55) - 35,297 playsLyricsOh it's healing, bang bang bang
I can hear your cannons call
You've been aiming at my land
Your hungry hammer is falling
And if you want me, I'm your country
- For What It's Worth - (4:18) - 37,932 plays
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- Hanging Around - (4:11) - 26,256 plays
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- I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer - (3:35) - 31,109 plays
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- Erase/Rewind - (3:38) - 33,946 plays
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- Communication - (4:29) - 29,644 plays
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