ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the early years of Svensktoppen and how this radio chart played a central role for the future of Swedish music. It argues that Svensktoppen served as the primary platform for launching Swedish popular music in a period of crisis. The Anglophone dominance in the Swedish music charts by fall 1962 was the result of a long process going back to at least the introduction of jazz in the early 1920s, but definitely gaining pace after the ending of WWII. Initially English was only one of many languages, and not surprisingly, given the geographical position of Sweden, especially German culture and music had had its influence for years, decades, and centuries. However, after WWII hits performed in German were rare in Sweden, compared to neighbor country Denmark, and in general German songs needed translation to make it big in Sweden.
