Svensk rockmusik

en hybrid i världen

Abstract

Cultural hybridity can be understood as the mixing of cultures in an increasingly globalized world. The concept has been used to explore different forms of music in multiple locations, but never contemporary popular music from a small, western society. Therefore, this article investigates what forms of hybridity may be evident in Swedish music today using content analysis of more than 400 articles, covering 24 selected Swedish artists, from the Swedish music press. I argue that musical influences are transmitted through the personal trajectories of the artists, the culture they are rooted in, and the locales where they have lived. Influences are mostly derived from the global popular music canon, but shaped by local circumstances. Many artists also use extra-musical societal associations to emphasize local connectedness. Whether or not an artist’s music is considered distinctly Swedish is contingent upon listeners’ understanding on what constitute Swedishness and hybridity, including mixing of musical styles, lyrics, and ideological contents in the music that may signal national belonging. Ultimately, contemporary Swedish music exists as a hybrid in a continuously changing and circular global network of influences.