The Cardigans are often pigeonholed as descendants of ABBA's lightweight Swede-pop lineage
by listeners familiar only with the band's 1996 hit "Lovefool." Actually, the Cardigans' body of work
-- four albums' worth, to date -- includes everything from jazzy lounge pop to mopey trip-hop to
Black Sabbath covers. The band could even make a case for out-Sweding ABBA -- four out of the
five Cardigans' last names end in "sson." Guitarist Peter Svensson and bassist Magnus
Sveningsson formed the Cardigans in October 1992 in Jonkoping, a small city in the south of
Sweden. The two had played together in various metal bands for several years, though Svensson
also had jazz leanings. The Cardigans, however, was a more pop-oriented project in its
conception. The lineup was rounded out with drummer Bengt Lagerberg, guitarist/keyboardist
Lasse Johansson and vocalist Nina Persson. The Cardigans released their first album,
Emmerdale, in May 1994. The album, not released in America, was a success in Sweden, where
it was named the year's best album by the readers of the music magazine Slitz. The Cardigans
1995 album Life was licensed for U.S. distribution to Minty Fresh Records, a Chicago label. Solid
sales led to a contract with Mercury Records for future U.S. releases. The album also created a
nation of rabid Cardigans fans in Japan. All in all, Life sold 1.5 million copies internationally and
began the process of extending the Cardigans' Swedish success worldwide. That process was
completed the next year in one fell swoop: "Lovefool." Released internationally on the Cardigans
album First Band on the Moon as well as in the U.S. on the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, the
song hit the upper reaches of the charts in America, England, Europe and Japan. First Band on
the Moon achieved gold sales in the U.S. alone, with multiple millions in worldwide sales.
"Lovefool" proved to be a double-edged sword, however, as its success shifted focus from the
band's other material. After touring in support of First Band on the Moon, the Cardigans took
several months off before recording their follow-up, Gran Turismo. The album, named after the
band's favorite video game, was released in November 1998. Andrew Fraker
The Cardigans are often pigeonholed as descendants of ABBA's lightweight Swede-pop lineage
by listeners familiar only with the band's 1996 hit "Lovefool." Actually, the Cardigans' body of work
-- four albums' worth, to date -- includes everything from jazzy lounge pop to mopey trip-hop to
Black Sabbath covers. The band could even make a case for out-Sweding ABBA -- four out of the
five Cardigans' last names end in "sson." Guitarist Peter Svensson and bassist Magnus
Sveningsson formed the Cardigans in October 1992 in Jonkoping, a small city in the south of
Sweden. The two had played together in various metal bands for several years, though Svensson
also had jazz leanings. The Cardigans, however, was a more pop-oriented project in its
conception. The lineup was rounded out with drummer Bengt Lagerberg, guitarist/keyboardist
Lasse Johansson and vocalist Nina Persson. The Cardigans released their first album,
Emmerdale, in May 1994. The album, not released in America, was a success in Sweden, where
it was named the year's best album by the readers of the music magazine Slitz. The Cardigans
1995 album Life was licensed for U.S. distribution to Minty Fresh Records, a Chicago label. Solid
sales led to a contract with Mercury Records for future U.S. releases. The album also created a
nation of rabid Cardigans fans in Japan. All in all, Life sold 1.5 million copies internationally and
began the process of extending the Cardigans' Swedish success worldwide. That process was
completed the next year in one fell swoop: "Lovefool." Released internationally on the Cardigans
album First Band on the Moon as well as in the U.S. on the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, the
song hit the upper reaches of the charts in America, England, Europe and Japan. First Band on
the Moon achieved gold sales in the U.S. alone, with multiple millions in worldwide sales.
"Lovefool" proved to be a double-edged sword, however, as its success shifted focus from the
band's other material. After touring in support of First Band on the Moon, the Cardigans took
several months off before recording their follow-up, Gran Turismo. The album, named after the
band's favorite video game, was released in November 1998. Andrew Fraker
