Kent (band)
Encyclopedia
Kent is a Swedish alternative rock
band
founded in Eskilstuna
in 1990, with the name Coca-Cola Kids, later Jones & Giftet (Jones & the Poison), and Havsänglar (Angel shark
s, literally Sea angels). The band's logo is distinctive, using a lowercase "k" and the ITC Avant Garde
Gothic Book typeface
.
The band has had several big Swedish radio
hits since the breakthrough single "Kräm (så nära får ingen gå)
", from their second studio album
. They are one of the most popular rock
groups in Sweden
, and describe themselves as "Sweden's biggest rock band", but are more or less unknown outside Scandinavia
. Kent briefly attempted an international career with English
versions of the albums Isola and Hagnesta Hill and an accompanying American
tour for the former, but they gave up after failing to achieve the breakthrough they had hoped for.
Kent has released nine studio albums, sold over two million records and has won 20 Swedish Grammy Awards
. "VinterNoll2
" is an unlockable track in Career Mode on Guitar Hero World Tour
. Kent recently got their own Singstar called SingStar Kent released on Play Station 2 and 3.
Two of the band's four members (Markus Mustonen
and Sami Sirviö
) are Sweden Finns
.
. Whilst drunk, he promises to join the band and play the drums. Thomas Bergqvist, a friend of Martin Sköld, was invited to come along and play the synth. The first gig was played in Lindesberg in Västmanland
. The second gig at Knegoffs in Eskilstuna...
In 1991, Jones & Giftet wins the contest Cult 91 at the Skylight in Eskilstuna. Magnus Nygren from EMI
was taken by Jones & Giftet's demo got them a gig at Stockholm
venues Daily News and Universitet. Today Kent is very pleased that Magnus chose to pass on the band.
1992 is the year that Martin Roos plays with Jones & Giftet for the first time at Cult 92. Soon thereafter Thomas Bergqvist got sacked and was replaced by Martin Roos. September the 30th, 1991—Jones & Giftet changes their name to Havsänglar (Angelshark lit. Sea angels). Gigs at the "Spaghetti Companiet", Hannas Krog and the Pet Sounds Bar followed.
In 1993 Martin Roos moves up to Stockholm, and soon the rest follow. Jockes brother Adam Berg comes up with the new name Kent. Kent plays at Stockholm venues Tanto, Hyndans Hörna and Uppsala venue Kalmar Nation.
In march of 1994 Kent records a 10-track demo under very simple conditions in an 8-track studio at Nytorpsskolan near Blåsut in Stockholm.
The demo was given to Peter Ejheden at pet Sounds who back then was working as a booker for a club (Pet Sounds Bar). In the same chain of events where he got the tape, Peter quit Pet Sounds and started working at BMG. In April Per Lindholm, A&R
at RCA/BMG hears Kent for the first time and ignites instantly. On the 26th of June, Kent's first contract is signed. Kent went up to Silence Studios in Koppom, Värmland, to record the debut-album.
ous debut Kent
. It was distorted and not much reminiscent of what Kent would release in later years. It got almost no commercial reputation at all. Four singles were released, with "Frank" closest to being a hit.
Just one year later, in 1996, Kent released Verkligen
(Really). Guitarist Martin Roos had left the band for his career at Kent's record company BMG, but has since become the band's manager
. The pre-release single "Kräm (Så nära får ingen gå)" immediately became a radio hit and gained Kent some serious fame for the first time. Two more singles were issued, "Gravitation" and "Halka" - The latter one later to be hated with a passion by the group. Musically, the album was slower with less distortion and more emotion. A Japanese release of "Verkligen" featured the group's first English-language song, an altered version of "Kräm (Så nära får ingen gå)" entitled "What It Feels Like".
. Guitarist Harri Mänty had joined the group since Verkligen. Verkligen had been heavily toured, gaining some reputation for Kent. The pre-release single, "Om du var här" (If You Were Here), became a hit as would the second single, "Saker man ser" (Things You See). Musically the album changed a lot from Verkligen, going a lot in the direction of slower, more thoughtful songs with more emotion. The last song on the album, the 7 minute, 47 second-long "747
", with a characteristic keyboard riff and a long instrumental outro, became the band's closer for every show for the next 8 years, and won numerous best-song polls on Kent's website. It was also released as a single, cut down to four minutes and with an added short chorus.
In 1998, what many in Sweden had been asking for became reality when Kent released an English version of Isola, featuring an extra song only available on the English version, "Velvet". Kent embarked on two accompanying US tours to promote the album. The first was in support of fellow Swedes, The Cardigans
, during which they highlighted new song, "Protection", and the second was a double-bill with American band, Papa Vegas
. The band would close the shows for the second leg of the tour with what they described as their "only cover song", a version of Depeche Mode
's classic single, "Stripped". Singles were released in various territories for three of the album's songs, "If You Were Here", "Things She Said" and "747" (featuring the English version of "Kräm", entitled "What It Feels Like"). The English version of the album was initially not meant to be released in Sweden, but public demand was too great. The English version sold poorly outside of Scandinavia
.
, named after Hagnestahill, a part of Eskilstuna
where the band had had their first studio. The first, pre-release single, "Musik non stop" (Music Non Stop), a disco-rock song, became a huge radio hit and helped bring recognition for this album. The album was, for the most part, faster and less ballad-focused than Isola, and also mildly experimental with drum-machines and electronics. The singer and songwriter of Kent, Jocke Berg, later complained that he thought the album was too long (thirteen songs spread over one hour). Two more singles were released, the industrial
-esque "En himmelsk drog" (Heavenly Junkies) and the power-poppy "Kevlarsjäl" (Kevlar Soul).
In 2000, an English version of Hagnesta Hill was released, featuring two songs from the Swedish version replaced with two new English tracks ("Just Like Money" and "Quiet Heart"). The album was also released in a limited digipack with one of the excluded songs, "A Timekill to Die For", included as a hidden bonus track
. The album was accompanied by the release of the single, "Music Non Stop", featuring the other omitted song, "Insects", as a b-side
. A single show, played in front of a tiny crowd at London's Scala Club
, was recorded for Japanese TV and has been widely bootlegged. A Japanese edition was released, featuring fourteen songs, one of them being the bonus track "Time Kill To Die For". A planned US release of the album was shelved, resulting in only "cut-out" promo copies floating around. Likewise, a US tour never materialized, as there was officially no album to promote.
Since their debut, Kent had recorded a large number of b-sides, usually exceptional in quality. Since most of these singles had long gone out of print, it was very hard to get these legally, so in 2000, Kent released the 2CD B-side collection B-sidor 95–00
(B-Sides 95–00). It featured 21 b-sides, re-recorded versions of two of these and two totally new songs. One of them, "Chans" (Chance), was also released as a single. A hidden bonus track, featuring Finnish vocals, was also featured.
" ("The Others") became a huge hit on Swedish radio. When the album Vapen & ammunition
(Weapon(s) & Ammunition) came out, the next two singles "Kärleken väntar
" ("Love Awaits") and "FF" (from the double A-side FF / VinterNoll2
), plus the album track "Pärlor" ("Pearls") became huge radio hits, resulting in album sales over 600,000, more than twice as many as any other Kent album to date. The definite proof of the album's success was evident when the band received seven Swedish Grammy Awards
in 2003.
An English version of the album was planned—as can be seen on the tape titled "Guns & Ammunition" in the "Dom andra" music video—but was cancelled, according to lead singer Joakim Berg: "We decided it was not worth it (releasing the album in English) when we realized we had sat in a tour bus for two long US-tours, and nothing had happened."
Kent hadn't toured for several months when it was announced that they would only do one single performance in Sweden in 2003, on June 6, the Swedish national day, in Stockholms Stadion
which holds a crowd of 30,000. As the band told the crowd to come there dressed in white, it was nicknamed "The White Concert". The concert received mixed reviews and critics claimed that the band should have done something extraordinary at the concert, instead of playing more or less the same setlist as in the 2002 tour.
The band also played at the less known Parkfestivalen in Moss, Norway
on June 14, 2003.
(You & me, Death) was released, it was very well received and was considered by most fans to be one of their best albums. Two more singles were released, "Palace & Main
" and "Den döda vinkeln" (The blind spot) – the last one stirring up some controversy among Kent fans because Kent didn't release any b-sides along with it (but still the single has a shorter version of the song). The last track on the album, "Mannen i den vita hatten (16 år senare)" (The Man in the White Hat (16 Years Later)) was very well received and is seen by many fans as Kent's best effort. It also became the first song ever to replace "747
" as the finale of a Kent concert.
During 2005 they embarked on "Turné 19" (Tour 19), doing 12 gigs in Sweden, one in Norway and one in Finland. The concerts took place in huge tents with a capacity of up to 18,000. This was the only tour that followed the release of "Du & jag döden".
There were rumours about Kent releasing an EP, as they had been spotted in studio and guitarist Sami had said, "We might release an EP, but if we do it will only be digitally released." Just one month before the November 2005 release, the The Hjärta & Smärta EP
(The Heart & Pain EP) was confirmed, as a CD as well as a digital release. It was well received and contained five tracks, "Dom som försvann" (Those Who Disappeared) becoming the radio single and having a video recorded. The single EP made #1 in Sweden.
During 2006, the band has played only once in Sweden
on the Hultsfred Festival
and on two festivals in Norway
. They've also released the single “Nålens öga” for Swedish Save the children
. It is their longest single to date, at a time of over six minutes.
ist Harri Mänty had decided to leave the band.
On July 18, 2007, the band announced the title and release date of their new album, Tillbaka till samtiden
(Swedish for "Back to the Present"). Its official release was on October 17, 2007, but many stores began selling it five days in advance due to an internet leak of the album. The album was met with mixed, but mostly positive, reviews. The first single of the album was released on September 17, 2007 with the title "Ingenting" (Swedish for "Nothing"). The band played four songs at a private gig in Denmark
where their new album premiered. The sound of the album has been described as more electro based rock similar to Depeche Mode
. Due to the speed in which the tour's concerts were sold out, the band have added seven extra concerts to their Scandinavian tour.
As well, lead singer Joakim Berg has remarked that Tillbaka till Samtiden contains some of his favourite material he has recorded. They were also presented with Album of the Year and Group of the Year at the 2008 Swedish Grammy Awards
. They went on to win a Rockbjörnen
(Swedish for "The rock bear") award for Swedish Album of the Year and a P3 Guld award for Swedish Group of the Year. Kent released the compilation Box 1991–2008
, featuring all their previous studio albums and previously unreleased material, in all Nordic
countries on October 29, 2008.
On October 4, 2009 Kent announced their eighth studio album
Röd
and the first single Töntarna
was released on October 5 as digital download.
On November 2, 2009 Kent auctioned off 100 limited physical copies of the song "2000
" for charity. The song was also released as digital download. "2000" was used as the theme song to the Swedish documentary
Hemlösa, covering the homeless problem in Stockholm
. On the same date the song "Tuna 350" was released. It was written by Martin Sköld
and Markus Mustonen
to celebrate the 350 year jubilee of the Swedish city Eskilstuna where Kent was founded.
(Swedish for "A Place in the Sun") due for release on June 30, only seven months after the release of their previous studio album, Röd. Unlike the two previous albums, which were produced with Danish producer Joshua, En plats i solen is produced with Swedish producer Stefan Boman who worked with the band on Du & jag döden
(2005). The band also released the first single from the forthcoming album, featuring the two A-sides "Gamla Ullevi
" and "Skisser för sommaren
".
Kent will embark on a summer tour in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, starting on July 1 at the Peace & Love festival in Borlänge
and finishing on August 8 at the Skanderborg Festival
in Denmark.
On June 22, 2011 Kent signed a recording contract with Universal Music
in Sweden, after sixteen years with BMG and later Sony Music
. The band's manager, Martin Roos, said in a press release: "After sixteen years with BMG/Sony Music it feels great with a new beginning, and Universal Music gave us the best offer."
Former members
for "Best Pop/rock Group of the Year" in 1995, and have won 19 in total since, which makes Kent the most Swedish Grammy Award-winning artist or band in Sweden
. These include seven awards for, or in relation to, the six times platinum
-selling fourth album Vapen & ammunition from 2002. The Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet
has awarded Kent with 11 Rockbjörnen
awards, including the prestigious "Award for best effort in Sweden for Swedish music" in 1997.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
founded in Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 60,185 inhabitants in 2005. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population....
in 1990, with the name Coca-Cola Kids, later Jones & Giftet (Jones & the Poison), and Havsänglar (Angel shark
Angel shark
The angel sharks are an unusual genus of sharks with flattened bodies and broad pectoral fins that give them a strong resemblance to rays. The more than 16 known species are in the genus Squatina, the only genus in its family, Squatinidae, and order Squatiniformes. They occur worldwide in temperate...
s, literally Sea angels). The band's logo is distinctive, using a lowercase "k" and the ITC Avant Garde
ITC Avant Garde
ITC Avant Garde Gothic is a font family based on the logo font used in the Avant Garde magazine. Herb Lubalin devised the logo concept and its companion headline typeface, then he and Tom Carnase, a partner in Lubalin's design firm, worked together to transform the idea into a full-fledged...
Gothic Book typeface
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
.
The band has had several big Swedish radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
hits since the breakthrough single "Kräm (så nära får ingen gå)
Kräm (så nära får ingen gå)
"Kräm " is a song by Swedish alternative rock band Kent, released on February 9, 1996 as the lead single from their second studio album, Verkligen. The CD single contains the two b-sides, "Rödljus" and "En helt ny karriär"...
", from their second studio album
Verkligen
Verkligen by the Swedish band Kent is their second album released in 1996. It was released exactly one year after their debut album.-Track listing:#"Avtryck"...
. They are one of the most popular rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
groups in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and describe themselves as "Sweden's biggest rock band", but are more or less unknown outside Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Kent briefly attempted an international career with English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
versions of the albums Isola and Hagnesta Hill and an accompanying American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tour for the former, but they gave up after failing to achieve the breakthrough they had hoped for.
Kent has released nine studio albums, sold over two million records and has won 20 Swedish Grammy Awards
Grammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
. "VinterNoll2
FF / VinterNoll2
"FF / VinterNoll2" is a single CD by the Swedish band Kent released in 2002.The single actually comes with two CDs. The CD is a double A-side in gatefold cardboard picture sleeve. There are technically two covers of the album, and they're connected. The only difference being that one says FF and...
" is an unlockable track in Career Mode on Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
. Kent recently got their own Singstar called SingStar Kent released on Play Station 2 and 3.
Two of the band's four members (Markus Mustonen
Markus Mustonen
Markus Mustonen is a Sweden-Finnish musician who plays drums, keyboards, piano and sings backing vocals in the Swedish alternative rock band Kent.- References :...
and Sami Sirviö
Sami Sirviö
Sami Sirviö is the lead guitarist of the Swedish rock band Kent.-Biography:Sirviö formed Kent in 1990 along with vocalist Joakim Berg, bassist Martin Sköld, drummer Markus Mustonen and keyboardist Thomas Bergqvist. The band originally called themselfes Jones & Giftet before changing their name...
) are Sweden Finns
Sweden Finns
Sweden Finns are a Finnish speaking minority in Sweden. The Finnish-speaking Swedes are not to be confused with the Swedish speaking Finland-Swedes in Finland . In 2008 there were over 675 000 people in Sweden who were either born in Finland or have at least one parent or grandparent who was born...
.
Jones & Giftet and Havsänglar (1990–1994)
The band Jones & Giftet (Jones & the Poison) is formed. The members are Joakim Berg, Martin Sköld, Markus Mustonen, Sami Sirviö and Thomas Bergqvist (synthesizers). It all started with Jocke going to London and buying two guitars, one for Sami and one for himself. Sami and Jocke had a band that rehearsed at Balsta Musikslott which consisted of three people. To the tones of My Bloody Valentine, Martin and Jocke decided they were going to start a new band. This happened at the school S:t Eskils cafeteria Grönan. Jocke and Martin meet up with a very drunk Markus outside of the Restaurant Vildsvinet in EskilstunaEskilstuna
Eskilstuna is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 60,185 inhabitants in 2005. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population....
. Whilst drunk, he promises to join the band and play the drums. Thomas Bergqvist, a friend of Martin Sköld, was invited to come along and play the synth. The first gig was played in Lindesberg in Västmanland
Lindesberg
Lindesberg is a locality and the seat of Lindesberg Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 8,752 inhabitants in 2005.- History :Lindesberg has centuries old history, being the center of an old mining district. The earliest known traces of a town are in the foundations of the 14th century stone...
. The second gig at Knegoffs in Eskilstuna...
In 1991, Jones & Giftet wins the contest Cult 91 at the Skylight in Eskilstuna. Magnus Nygren from EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
was taken by Jones & Giftet's demo got them a gig at Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
venues Daily News and Universitet. Today Kent is very pleased that Magnus chose to pass on the band.
1992 is the year that Martin Roos plays with Jones & Giftet for the first time at Cult 92. Soon thereafter Thomas Bergqvist got sacked and was replaced by Martin Roos. September the 30th, 1991—Jones & Giftet changes their name to Havsänglar (Angelshark lit. Sea angels). Gigs at the "Spaghetti Companiet", Hannas Krog and the Pet Sounds Bar followed.
In 1993 Martin Roos moves up to Stockholm, and soon the rest follow. Jockes brother Adam Berg comes up with the new name Kent. Kent plays at Stockholm venues Tanto, Hyndans Hörna and Uppsala venue Kalmar Nation.
In march of 1994 Kent records a 10-track demo under very simple conditions in an 8-track studio at Nytorpsskolan near Blåsut in Stockholm.
The demo was given to Peter Ejheden at pet Sounds who back then was working as a booker for a club (Pet Sounds Bar). In the same chain of events where he got the tape, Peter quit Pet Sounds and started working at BMG. In April Per Lindholm, A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
at RCA/BMG hears Kent for the first time and ignites instantly. On the 26th of June, Kent's first contract is signed. Kent went up to Silence Studios in Koppom, Värmland, to record the debut-album.
Kent and Verkligen (1995–1996)
In 1995 Kent released their eponymEponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous debut Kent
Kent (album)
Kent is the debut album by the Swedish band Kent, released in 1995.-Track listing:#"Blåjeans" – 2:58#"Som vatten" – 2:54#"Ingenting någonsin" – 4:02...
. It was distorted and not much reminiscent of what Kent would release in later years. It got almost no commercial reputation at all. Four singles were released, with "Frank" closest to being a hit.
Just one year later, in 1996, Kent released Verkligen
Verkligen
Verkligen by the Swedish band Kent is their second album released in 1996. It was released exactly one year after their debut album.-Track listing:#"Avtryck"...
(Really). Guitarist Martin Roos had left the band for his career at Kent's record company BMG, but has since become the band's manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
. The pre-release single "Kräm (Så nära får ingen gå)" immediately became a radio hit and gained Kent some serious fame for the first time. Two more singles were issued, "Gravitation" and "Halka" - The latter one later to be hated with a passion by the group. Musically, the album was slower with less distortion and more emotion. A Japanese release of "Verkligen" featured the group's first English-language song, an altered version of "Kräm (Så nära får ingen gå)" entitled "What It Feels Like".
Isola (1997–1998)
In 1997 Kent released IsolaIsola (album)
Isola is an album released in 1997 by the Swedish band Kent. It was followed in 1998 by an English version, for which a new song, "Velvet", was recorded. The album name comes from Ed McBains books about the 87:th police district and is a paraphrase for New York city, and Isola is mentioned in the...
. Guitarist Harri Mänty had joined the group since Verkligen. Verkligen had been heavily toured, gaining some reputation for Kent. The pre-release single, "Om du var här" (If You Were Here), became a hit as would the second single, "Saker man ser" (Things You See). Musically the album changed a lot from Verkligen, going a lot in the direction of slower, more thoughtful songs with more emotion. The last song on the album, the 7 minute, 47 second-long "747
747 (song)
"747" is a song by Swedish rock band Kent, written by Joakim Berg. It's the final song on their album Isola and was released as third single in 1998 with B-sides "Din skugga" and "Elever". It's been recorded both with Swedish and English lyrics...
", with a characteristic keyboard riff and a long instrumental outro, became the band's closer for every show for the next 8 years, and won numerous best-song polls on Kent's website. It was also released as a single, cut down to four minutes and with an added short chorus.
In 1998, what many in Sweden had been asking for became reality when Kent released an English version of Isola, featuring an extra song only available on the English version, "Velvet". Kent embarked on two accompanying US tours to promote the album. The first was in support of fellow Swedes, The Cardigans
The Cardigans
The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured...
, during which they highlighted new song, "Protection", and the second was a double-bill with American band, Papa Vegas
Papa Vegas
Papa Vegas is a rock band from the 1990s. They released two studio albums and were signed to RCA Records.Papa Vegas was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where vocalist Joel Ferguson and guitarist Pete Dunning first began playing together...
. The band would close the shows for the second leg of the tour with what they described as their "only cover song", a version of Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
's classic single, "Stripped". Singles were released in various territories for three of the album's songs, "If You Were Here", "Things She Said" and "747" (featuring the English version of "Kräm", entitled "What It Feels Like"). The English version of the album was initially not meant to be released in Sweden, but public demand was too great. The English version sold poorly outside of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Hagnesta Hill and B-sidor 95-00 (1999–2000)
In 1999, Kent released Hagnesta HillHagnesta Hill
Hagnesta Hill is an album by the Swedish band Kent, released in 1999 and 2000 . For the English version two new songs, "Quiet Heart" and "Just Like Money" were recorded, and "Ett tidsfördriv att dö för" and "Insekter" were left out...
, named after Hagnestahill, a part of Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna is a city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 60,185 inhabitants in 2005. Eskilstuna has a large Sweden Finn population....
where the band had had their first studio. The first, pre-release single, "Musik non stop" (Music Non Stop), a disco-rock song, became a huge radio hit and helped bring recognition for this album. The album was, for the most part, faster and less ballad-focused than Isola, and also mildly experimental with drum-machines and electronics. The singer and songwriter of Kent, Jocke Berg, later complained that he thought the album was too long (thirteen songs spread over one hour). Two more singles were released, the industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
-esque "En himmelsk drog" (Heavenly Junkies) and the power-poppy "Kevlarsjäl" (Kevlar Soul).
In 2000, an English version of Hagnesta Hill was released, featuring two songs from the Swedish version replaced with two new English tracks ("Just Like Money" and "Quiet Heart"). The album was also released in a limited digipack with one of the excluded songs, "A Timekill to Die For", included as a hidden bonus track
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
. The album was accompanied by the release of the single, "Music Non Stop", featuring the other omitted song, "Insects", as a b-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. A single show, played in front of a tiny crowd at London's Scala Club
Scala (club)
Scala is a nightclub in London, England, near King's Cross railway station.-History:The Scala was originally built as a cinema to the designs of H Courtney Constantine, but construction was interrupted by the First World War and it spent some time being used to manufacture aircraft parts, and as a...
, was recorded for Japanese TV and has been widely bootlegged. A Japanese edition was released, featuring fourteen songs, one of them being the bonus track "Time Kill To Die For". A planned US release of the album was shelved, resulting in only "cut-out" promo copies floating around. Likewise, a US tour never materialized, as there was officially no album to promote.
Since their debut, Kent had recorded a large number of b-sides, usually exceptional in quality. Since most of these singles had long gone out of print, it was very hard to get these legally, so in 2000, Kent released the 2CD B-side collection B-sidor 95–00
B-sidor 95–00
B-Sidor 95–00 is a B-side collection by the Swedish rock band Kent.It was released in 2000 and features two new songs, "Chans" and "Spökstad". The former was also released as a single. "Rödljus II" and "En helt ny karriär II" are new recordings of the original ones...
(B-Sides 95–00). It featured 21 b-sides, re-recorded versions of two of these and two totally new songs. One of them, "Chans" (Chance), was also released as a single. A hidden bonus track, featuring Finnish vocals, was also featured.
Vapen & ammunition and the White Concert (2002–2003)
After a long break, Kent started to work on their next full-length album in 2002. They reported from the studio that they tried to make an album consisting of ten singles. The first single "Dom andraDom andra
"Dom andra" is a CD by the band Kent. It was released in 2002.This is the first CD single released from Kent's album Vapen & Ammunition. It includes the b-side Vintervila that is a remake of a song composed before Kent had formed and the band used the name Havsänglar . On the sleeve is a photo of...
" ("The Others") became a huge hit on Swedish radio. When the album Vapen & ammunition
Vapen & ammunition
Vapen & ammunition is a 2002 album by the Swedish band Kent. Absent from this record is a long, mostly-instrumental song, rounding the album off, as had been a characteristic of the band ever since their second record Verkligen...
(Weapon(s) & Ammunition) came out, the next two singles "Kärleken väntar
Kärleken väntar
"Kärleken väntar" is a single by the band Kent in 2002. The song is the second single from the album Vapen & Ammunition. It includes the b-side Lämnar. The tiger theme continues on the sleeve with more photos taken by Jonas Linell.-Chart performance:...
" ("Love Awaits") and "FF" (from the double A-side FF / VinterNoll2
FF / VinterNoll2
"FF / VinterNoll2" is a single CD by the Swedish band Kent released in 2002.The single actually comes with two CDs. The CD is a double A-side in gatefold cardboard picture sleeve. There are technically two covers of the album, and they're connected. The only difference being that one says FF and...
), plus the album track "Pärlor" ("Pearls") became huge radio hits, resulting in album sales over 600,000, more than twice as many as any other Kent album to date. The definite proof of the album's success was evident when the band received seven Swedish Grammy Awards
Grammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
in 2003.
An English version of the album was planned—as can be seen on the tape titled "Guns & Ammunition" in the "Dom andra" music video—but was cancelled, according to lead singer Joakim Berg: "We decided it was not worth it (releasing the album in English) when we realized we had sat in a tour bus for two long US-tours, and nothing had happened."
Kent hadn't toured for several months when it was announced that they would only do one single performance in Sweden in 2003, on June 6, the Swedish national day, in Stockholms Stadion
Stockholms Olympiastadion
Stockholms Olympiastadion, most often called Stockholms Stadion or just Stadion, is a stadium in Stockholm, Sweden. Designed by architect Torben Grut, it was opened in 1912, its original use was as a venue for the 1912 Olympic Games...
which holds a crowd of 30,000. As the band told the crowd to come there dressed in white, it was nicknamed "The White Concert". The concert received mixed reviews and critics claimed that the band should have done something extraordinary at the concert, instead of playing more or less the same setlist as in the 2002 tour.
The band also played at the less known Parkfestivalen in Moss, Norway
Moss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
on June 14, 2003.
Du & jag döden and The Hjärta & Smärta EP (2005)
After taking a one-year timeout, Kent returned to the studio to record their sixth album in 2005. Studio reports said it would be "a very dark album". The first single released, Max 500, was well-received by both fans and critics and became, as the last three singles had, a radio hit. When the album Du & jag dödenDu & jag döden
Du & jag döden is the 2005 album by the Swedish band Kent. As the title implies, death is a major theme of the album which, before its release, was described by the band as dark and depressing; in keeping with this, the plastic album cover and the playable side of the CD are both black.The album...
(You & me, Death) was released, it was very well received and was considered by most fans to be one of their best albums. Two more singles were released, "Palace & Main
Palace & Main
"Palace & Main" is a song by Swedish rock band Kent, written by Joakim Berg and Martin Sköld. It was released on May 4, 2005, as the second single from their album Du & Jag Döden, immediately reaching the top of the Swedish chart. The song title refers to an intersection in Portland, Oregon. The...
" and "Den döda vinkeln" (The blind spot) – the last one stirring up some controversy among Kent fans because Kent didn't release any b-sides along with it (but still the single has a shorter version of the song). The last track on the album, "Mannen i den vita hatten (16 år senare)" (The Man in the White Hat (16 Years Later)) was very well received and is seen by many fans as Kent's best effort. It also became the first song ever to replace "747
747 (song)
"747" is a song by Swedish rock band Kent, written by Joakim Berg. It's the final song on their album Isola and was released as third single in 1998 with B-sides "Din skugga" and "Elever". It's been recorded both with Swedish and English lyrics...
" as the finale of a Kent concert.
During 2005 they embarked on "Turné 19" (Tour 19), doing 12 gigs in Sweden, one in Norway and one in Finland. The concerts took place in huge tents with a capacity of up to 18,000. This was the only tour that followed the release of "Du & jag döden".
There were rumours about Kent releasing an EP, as they had been spotted in studio and guitarist Sami had said, "We might release an EP, but if we do it will only be digitally released." Just one month before the November 2005 release, the The Hjärta & Smärta EP
The hjärta & smärta EP
The hjärta & smärta EP is an EP made by Swedish rock band Kent, released in 2005. The production of the EP was kept secret and it was announced just one month before its release...
(The Heart & Pain EP) was confirmed, as a CD as well as a digital release. It was well received and contained five tracks, "Dom som försvann" (Those Who Disappeared) becoming the radio single and having a video recorded. The single EP made #1 in Sweden.
During 2006, the band has played only once in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on the Hultsfred Festival
Hultsfred Festival
The Hultsfred Festival is an annual music festival held in Hultsfred, Sweden. It takes place at the lake Hulingen during three days in the June or July, from Thursday to Saturday. Since the first festival in 1986, its attendance has increased from 7,500 visitors to approximately 32,000 people in...
and on two festivals in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. They've also released the single “Nålens öga” for Swedish Save the children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
. It is their longest single to date, at a time of over six minutes.
Tillbaka till samtiden, Box 1991–2008 and Röd (2007-2009)
During December 2006–2007 the band announced—on two different occasions—that they had started recording their seventh Swedish studio album, and that guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Harri Mänty had decided to leave the band.
On July 18, 2007, the band announced the title and release date of their new album, Tillbaka till samtiden
Tillbaka till samtiden
Tillbaka till samtiden is the seventh studio album by Swedish alternative rock band Kent. It was released on 17 October 2007. The album is produced with Danish producer Joshua. The title means "Back to the Present", a pun on the Swedish translated title of Back to the Future...
(Swedish for "Back to the Present"). Its official release was on October 17, 2007, but many stores began selling it five days in advance due to an internet leak of the album. The album was met with mixed, but mostly positive, reviews. The first single of the album was released on September 17, 2007 with the title "Ingenting" (Swedish for "Nothing"). The band played four songs at a private gig in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
where their new album premiered. The sound of the album has been described as more electro based rock similar to Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
. Due to the speed in which the tour's concerts were sold out, the band have added seven extra concerts to their Scandinavian tour.
As well, lead singer Joakim Berg has remarked that Tillbaka till Samtiden contains some of his favourite material he has recorded. They were also presented with Album of the Year and Group of the Year at the 2008 Swedish Grammy Awards
Grammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
. They went on to win a Rockbjörnen
Rockbjörnen
Rockbjörnen is a Swedish popular music award established by the Stockholm evening newspaper Aftonbladet in 1979. The award, which is awarded annually, is divided into several categories and is mostly concentrated around the genres Pop and Rock. The first award was however given to the Swedish...
(Swedish for "The rock bear") award for Swedish Album of the Year and a P3 Guld award for Swedish Group of the Year. Kent released the compilation Box 1991–2008
Box 1991–2008
Box 1991–2008 is a summary of the Swedish rock group Kent's career. The Box contains almost everything the group has ever recorded between 1991 and 2008. It contains every B-side, many demo recordings and every studio album...
, featuring all their previous studio albums and previously unreleased material, in all Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
countries on October 29, 2008.
On October 4, 2009 Kent announced their eighth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Röd
Röd
- Personnel :*Produced by Kent & Joshua*Recorded in Meistersaal, Berlin; Psykbunkern/Park Studio, Stockholm; The Bowery Hotel, New York; Hyltinge Church, Sparreholm and different living rooms*Track 4, 7, 8, 11: Mixed by Simon Nordberg...
and the first single Töntarna
Töntarna
"Töntarna" is a song by the Swedish alternative rock band Kent. It was released as the lead single from their eighth studio album Röd on October 5, 2009 as digital download...
was released on October 5 as digital download.
On November 2, 2009 Kent auctioned off 100 limited physical copies of the song "2000
2000 (Kent song)
2000 is a song by Kent, a famous Swedish alternative rock band. It is the theme song for the Swedish TV-series Hemlös , and all proceeds were donated to the Foundation for the Homeless of Stockholm, Stockholms hemlösa. The song topped the Swedish Singles Chart for 1 week on the week ending 13...
" for charity. The song was also released as digital download. "2000" was used as the theme song to the Swedish documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
Hemlösa, covering the homeless problem in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. On the same date the song "Tuna 350" was released. It was written by Martin Sköld
Martin Sköld
Martin Sköld is a Swedish musician who plays bass and keyboards in the Swedish alternative rock band Kent. Alongside lead singer Joakim Berg he is responsible for writing the band's music.- References :...
and Markus Mustonen
Markus Mustonen
Markus Mustonen is a Sweden-Finnish musician who plays drums, keyboards, piano and sings backing vocals in the Swedish alternative rock band Kent.- References :...
to celebrate the 350 year jubilee of the Swedish city Eskilstuna where Kent was founded.
En plats i solen and signing with Universal (2010-present)
On June 14, 2010 Kent announced their ninth studio album, En plats i solenEn plats i solen
- Personnel :*Joakim Berg – lyrics and music*Martin Sköld – music on track 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9*Kent – production*Stefan Boman – production and mixing*Joshua – production on track 2, 3, 5*Hoffe Stannow – mastering*Martin Brengesjö – instrument technician...
(Swedish for "A Place in the Sun") due for release on June 30, only seven months after the release of their previous studio album, Röd. Unlike the two previous albums, which were produced with Danish producer Joshua, En plats i solen is produced with Swedish producer Stefan Boman who worked with the band on Du & jag döden
Du & jag döden
Du & jag döden is the 2005 album by the Swedish band Kent. As the title implies, death is a major theme of the album which, before its release, was described by the band as dark and depressing; in keeping with this, the plastic album cover and the playable side of the CD are both black.The album...
(2005). The band also released the first single from the forthcoming album, featuring the two A-sides "Gamla Ullevi
Gamla Ullevi / Skisser för sommaren
-Charts:...
" and "Skisser för sommaren
Gamla Ullevi / Skisser för sommaren
-Charts:...
".
Kent will embark on a summer tour in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, starting on July 1 at the Peace & Love festival in Borlänge
Borlänge
Borlänge is a locality and the seat of Borlänge Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 49200 inhabitants in 2011.- History :Originally Borlänge was the name of a tiny village, and the first historical information about it is from 1390. The village was insignificant up until about 1870...
and finishing on August 8 at the Skanderborg Festival
Skanderborg Festival
The Skanderborg festival is an annual music festival held during the second weekend of August. Its scenic location, in a beech forest in the vicinity of Skanderborg, has given it the name Danmarks Smukkeste Festival ....
in Denmark.
On June 22, 2011 Kent signed a recording contract with Universal Music
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
in Sweden, after sixteen years with BMG and later Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
. The band's manager, Martin Roos, said in a press release: "After sixteen years with BMG/Sony Music it feels great with a new beginning, and Universal Music gave us the best offer."
Band members
Current members- Joakim BergJoakim BergHerbert Joakim "Jocke" Berg is a Swedish singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of Swedish alternative rock band Kent, which was founded in 1990.-Biography:...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
(1990–present) - Martin SköldMartin SköldMartin Sköld is a Swedish musician who plays bass and keyboards in the Swedish alternative rock band Kent. Alongside lead singer Joakim Berg he is responsible for writing the band's music.- References :...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1990–present) - Sami SirviöSami SirviöSami Sirviö is the lead guitarist of the Swedish rock band Kent.-Biography:Sirviö formed Kent in 1990 along with vocalist Joakim Berg, bassist Martin Sköld, drummer Markus Mustonen and keyboardist Thomas Bergqvist. The band originally called themselfes Jones & Giftet before changing their name...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, keyboards (1990–present) - Markus MustonenMarkus MustonenMarkus Mustonen is a Sweden-Finnish musician who plays drums, keyboards, piano and sings backing vocals in the Swedish alternative rock band Kent.- References :...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, keyboards, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, backing vocals (1990–present)
Former members
- Harri MäntyHarri MäntyHarri Mänty is a Swedish musician, brought up in Finland, who was a member of the Swedish pop-rock band Kent between 1996 and 2006. He joined the band after Martin Roos left. In the band, he played guitar and percussion. Harri Mänty is a music graduate.Before he joined Kent, he was the vocalist...
– rhythm guitar, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1996–2006) - Martin Roos – rhythm guitar (1992–1995)
- Thomas Bergqvist – keyboards (1990–1992)
Live members
- Andreas Bovin – keyboards, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, samplingSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
, live programming, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Max Brandt – guitar
Discography
- KentKent (album)Kent is the debut album by the Swedish band Kent, released in 1995.-Track listing:#"Blåjeans" – 2:58#"Som vatten" – 2:54#"Ingenting någonsin" – 4:02...
(1995) - VerkligenVerkligenVerkligen by the Swedish band Kent is their second album released in 1996. It was released exactly one year after their debut album.-Track listing:#"Avtryck"...
(1996) - IsolaIsola (album)Isola is an album released in 1997 by the Swedish band Kent. It was followed in 1998 by an English version, for which a new song, "Velvet", was recorded. The album name comes from Ed McBains books about the 87:th police district and is a paraphrase for New York city, and Isola is mentioned in the...
(1997) - Hagnesta HillHagnesta HillHagnesta Hill is an album by the Swedish band Kent, released in 1999 and 2000 . For the English version two new songs, "Quiet Heart" and "Just Like Money" were recorded, and "Ett tidsfördriv att dö för" and "Insekter" were left out...
(1999) - Vapen & ammunitionVapen & ammunitionVapen & ammunition is a 2002 album by the Swedish band Kent. Absent from this record is a long, mostly-instrumental song, rounding the album off, as had been a characteristic of the band ever since their second record Verkligen...
(2002) - Du & jag dödenDu & jag dödenDu & jag döden is the 2005 album by the Swedish band Kent. As the title implies, death is a major theme of the album which, before its release, was described by the band as dark and depressing; in keeping with this, the plastic album cover and the playable side of the CD are both black.The album...
(2005) - Tillbaka till samtidenTillbaka till samtidenTillbaka till samtiden is the seventh studio album by Swedish alternative rock band Kent. It was released on 17 October 2007. The album is produced with Danish producer Joshua. The title means "Back to the Present", a pun on the Swedish translated title of Back to the Future...
(2007) - RödRöd- Personnel :*Produced by Kent & Joshua*Recorded in Meistersaal, Berlin; Psykbunkern/Park Studio, Stockholm; The Bowery Hotel, New York; Hyltinge Church, Sparreholm and different living rooms*Track 4, 7, 8, 11: Mixed by Simon Nordberg...
(2009) - En plats i solenEn plats i solen- Personnel :*Joakim Berg – lyrics and music*Martin Sköld – music on track 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9*Kent – production*Stefan Boman – production and mixing*Joshua – production on track 2, 3, 5*Hoffe Stannow – mastering*Martin Brengesjö – instrument technician...
(2010)
Awards
Kent first received a Swedish Grammy AwardGrammis
The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled....
for "Best Pop/rock Group of the Year" in 1995, and have won 19 in total since, which makes Kent the most Swedish Grammy Award-winning artist or band in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. These include seven awards for, or in relation to, the six times platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
-selling fourth album Vapen & ammunition from 2002. The Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet
Aftonbladet
Aftonbladet is a Swedish tabloid founded by Lars Johan Hierta in 1830 during the modernization of Sweden. It is one of the larger daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. Aftonbladet is owned by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and Norwegian media group Schibsted, and its editorial page...
has awarded Kent with 11 Rockbjörnen
Rockbjörnen
Rockbjörnen is a Swedish popular music award established by the Stockholm evening newspaper Aftonbladet in 1979. The award, which is awarded annually, is divided into several categories and is mostly concentrated around the genres Pop and Rock. The first award was however given to the Swedish...
awards, including the prestigious "Award for best effort in Sweden for Swedish music" in 1997.
| Year | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Eskilstunas Musikpris (Music Award of Eskilstuna) |
|
| 1998 | Expressen Expressen Expressen is one of two nationwide evening tabloid newspapers in Sweden, the other being Aftonbladet. Expressen was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and slogans "it stings" or "Expressen to your rescue", always on the reader's side.... Guldgadden (The Expressen Golden Stinger) |
Best Live Act |
| 2002 | MTG Radio | Airplay Award (Most played Swedish artist on RiX FM (1800 times)) |
| 2002 | MTV Europe Music Award MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider... |
Best Nordic Act |
| 2005 | Nordic Music Award | Best Nordic Artist |
| 2003 | NRJ Radio Award | Best Swedish Group |
| Best Swedish Song – "Dom andra Dom andra "Dom andra" is a CD by the band Kent. It was released in 2002.This is the first CD single released from Kent's album Vapen & Ammunition. It includes the b-side Vintervila that is a remake of a song composed before Kent had formed and the band used the name Havsänglar . On the sleeve is a photo of... " |
||
| 1996 | Nöjesguiden Nöjesguiden Nöjesguiden is a Nordic free-of-charge young adult monthly magazine, available in the major cities in Sweden, which was established in 1982. In Finland, the equivalent magazine is City-lehti and in Norway Natt og Dag.... (The Entertainment Guide) |
Best Band |
| 2003 | P3 Guld | Group of the Year |
| Song of the Year – "Dom andra" | ||
| 2006 | Group of the Year | |
| 2008 | Group of the Year | |
| 2010 | Group of the Year | |
| 2007 | P3 Populär Svenska Popcupen (The P3 Popular Swedish Pop Cup) |
Best Swedish Artist/group |
| 2003 | P5 Radio Stockholm Stockholmsmärket (The P5 Radio Stockholm Award) |
Stockholm Group of the Year |
| Stockholm Song of the Year – "Dom andra" | ||
| 1996 | Rockbjörnen Rockbjörnen Rockbjörnen is a Swedish popular music award established by the Stockholm evening newspaper Aftonbladet in 1979. The award, which is awarded annually, is divided into several categories and is mostly concentrated around the genres Pop and Rock. The first award was however given to the Swedish... (The rock bear) |
Swedish Album of the Year – Verkligen Verkligen Verkligen by the Swedish band Kent is their second album released in 1996. It was released exactly one year after their debut album.-Track listing:#"Avtryck"... |
| 1997 | Swedish Group of the Year | |
| Swedish Album of the Year – Isola Isola (album) Isola is an album released in 1997 by the Swedish band Kent. It was followed in 1998 by an English version, for which a new song, "Velvet", was recorded. The album name comes from Ed McBains books about the 87:th police district and is a paraphrase for New York city, and Isola is mentioned in the... |
||
| Award for best effort in Sweden for Swedish music | ||
| 1999 | Swedish Group of the Year | |
| Swedish Song of the Year – "Musik non stop Musik non stop "Musik Non Stop" is a single CD by the Swedish band Kent, released in 1999.It is the first single from the Swedish version of Hagnesta Hill. This CD maxi single was limited to 5000 copies and the CD is partly transparent.... " |
||
| 2002 | Swedish Group of the Year | |
| Swedish Album of the Year – Vapen & ammunition Vapen & ammunition Vapen & ammunition is a 2002 album by the Swedish band Kent. Absent from this record is a long, mostly-instrumental song, rounding the album off, as had been a characteristic of the band ever since their second record Verkligen... |
||
| 2003 | Swedish Group of the Year | |
| 2005 | Swedish Album of the Year – Du & jag döden Du & jag döden Du & jag döden is the 2005 album by the Swedish band Kent. As the title implies, death is a major theme of the album which, before its release, was described by the band as dark and depressing; in keeping with this, the plastic album cover and the playable side of the CD are both black.The album... |
|
| 2007 | Swedish Album of the Year – Tillbaka till samtiden Tillbaka till samtiden Tillbaka till samtiden is the seventh studio album by Swedish alternative rock band Kent. It was released on 17 October 2007. The album is produced with Danish producer Joshua. The title means "Back to the Present", a pun on the Swedish translated title of Back to the Future... |
|
| 2003 | Svenska Musikförläggarnas Pris (The Swedish Music Publisher's Award) |
Composer/songwriter of the Year (awarded to Joakim Berg) |
| 2003 | Sweden's best websites | Best Fansite – kent.nu |
| 1995 | Grammis Grammis The Grammis Awards are the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards. The awards ceremony is generally held each year in February in Stockholm.The awards were established in 1969 and awarded until 1972 when they were cancelled.... (Swedish Grammy Award) |
Best Pop/rock Group of the Year |
| 1996 | Music Video of the Year – "Gravitation Gravitation (song) "Gravitation" is a single CD by the Swedish band Kent released in 1996.It has two B-sides; Verkligen that despite of the title isn't on the album and Livrädd med stil. These two tracks were recorded, produced and mixed by kent and Heikki Kiviaho and was later released on the album B-Sidor 95-00... " |
|
| Producer of the Year (awarded to Nille Perned) | ||
| 1997 | Album of the Year – Isola | |
| Pop/rock Group of the Year | ||
| 1999 | Pop/rock Group of the Year | |
| 2002 | Song of the Year – "Dom andra" | |
| Artist of the Year | ||
| Group of the Year | ||
| Album of the Year – Vapen & ammunition | ||
| Songwriter of the Year (awarded to Joakim Berg Joakim Berg Herbert Joakim "Jocke" Berg is a Swedish singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of Swedish alternative rock band Kent, which was founded in 1990.-Biography:... ) |
||
| Composer of the Year (awarded to Joakim Berg) | ||
| Producer of the Year (awarded to Kent, Martin von Schmalensee and Zed) | ||
| 2005 | Rock Group of the Year | |
| Music Video of the Year – "Dom som försvann Dom som försvann "Dom som försvann" is a song by Kent that was released on The Hjärta & Smärta EP in 2005.In Norway the song entered the official single chart on week 9 in 2006. Previously it was credited on the chart under the EP, but during four weeks in 2006 Dom som försvann was given an entry on the chart.The... " (awarded to Adam Berg Adam Berg (director) Adam Berg is a Swedish music video-director and brother to Joakim Berg of the music group Kent. He has also directed a number of television and cinema commercials... ) |
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| 2007 | Group of the Year | |
| Album of the Year – Tillbaka till samtiden | ||
| 2009 | Rock Group of the Year | |
| Producer of the Year (awarded to Kent and Joshua Joshua (record producer) Joshua is a Danish and Swedish Grammy-awarded music producer and mixing engineer from Denmark. He has produced for bands such as Kent, Kashmir, Mew, D-A-D and Carpark North.... ) |
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| 2002 | ZTV ZTV -History:The channel started in Sweden as a daily afternoon show in TV3 and TV4 in February 1991. The channel got its name as it was a simulcast version of the radio station Z Radio. There was also a Z magazine available for some time.... Swedish Hit Music Award |
Swedish Artist/group of the Year |
| Swedish Song of the Year – "Dom andra" | ||
| Swedish Rock Act of the Year |