Scandinavia has always been a hotbed of musical talent, not least within the melodic rock/AOR genre. From the mid-80s, the region has spawned countless acts that easily matched or beat their US counterparts.
When you consider that Sweden, Norway and Denmark boast a combined population of fewer than 20 million (even less back in the 80s), it makes the sheer number of acts to have sprung from the area even more staggering. It was then, and remains to this day, a vibrant scene that, even through the ‘grunge’ days, continued to produce many quality releases. Ask any melodic rock fan to name their favourite Scandinavian group and you’ll get countless names thrown at you in quick succession: Treat, Glory, Swedish Erotica, Madison, Spellbound, Talisman, Stage Dolls, TNT, Dalton, Skagarack, Da Vinci, Alien... The list is seemingly endless.
Although most of these bands never really broke through outside of their home countries, their impact is still felt throughout the melodic rock world to this day. Despite the inevitable shifts in musical culture and trends, there is an active and bustling melodic rock scene in Scandinavia. Bands such as H.E.A.T., Miss Behaviour, Poodles, Houston and Work Of Art who, alongside some truly memorable recent releases from the old guard, are all carrying the torch for the next generation of melodic rock fans.
