Linn Jans has seen the future. Seated in a lecture hall at Sweden's brand-new Academy of Music and Business (AMB), the 16-year-old listened raptly as Jonah Nilsson sat at the piano, tossed back his bangs and broke into a song--part Stevie Wonder, part Michael Jackson--that sent chills down her spine. Jans had never heard of Nilsson until a few days before he appeared at her school, but as she learned what was in store for the 26-year-old performer's band--a contract with one of Sweden's most important producers, a record deal with Universal, a U.S. tour and all the fame and fortune she imagined coming with it--she had no problem understanding his newfound success. "He's going to be the next Justin Bieber," she gushed, then paused. "But I think I could be too."
That's not the outlandish claim it first appears to be. As one of the members of AMB's inaugural class, Jans--who sings, plays piano and writes her own songs--is getting a uniquely well-tailored education in the finer points of making it in the pop industry. And more to the point, she is part of a group, simply by virtue of her nationality, that is currently the music business's stealthiest success story. Consider the numbers. In 2011, Sweden had $135 million in foreign music sales, making it the world's largest exporter of pop music per capita and the third largest in absolute terms, after the U.S. and U.K.
Ever since Abba burst onto the global pop scene in 1974, with their go-go boots and intentions of becoming Scandinavia's Beach Boys, the country has periodically lobbed up notable pop acts: Ace of Base, Roxette, the Cardigans and the Hives all had moments at or near the top of the charts. But now seems to be something of a golden age. Two years ago Swedish House Mafia became the first electronic group to perform at--and sell out--Madison Square Garden. Coming off a summer-long gig at Ibiza's always jammed Ushuaia club, Avicii is currently ranked the third-best DJ in the world by DJ Magazine; he was also nominated for Best Dance Recording at this year's Grammy Awards. In 2012 that honor fell to Robyn, who was also nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album.
But the two young women of Icona Pop are perhaps having the biggest moment. Stockholm natives Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt play an infectious brand of electro-dance music with enough riot-grrrl backbone to make it a favorite among young women everywhere. A spot last year on the HBO series Girls juiced sales of their first single, "I Love It." By June it had gone double platinum and was ubiquitous at every dance club and frat party in the country. "A few weeks ago we were in New York and got to go out for the first time in a while," says Jawo. "And at every club we went to, they played 'I Love It.' That's when I thought, O.K., maybe we've made it."