It’s the tenth birthday of the bashfully youthful but already very legendary TEN Music Group. The almighty independent with a major roster of artists, and an unrivaled knack for producing a top notch pop song. Founded by Ola Håkansson (who had previously founded Stockholm Records – and thus launched both A*Teens and The Cardigans), the company isn’t just a record label. Its duties cover publishing, recording, and production as well. And all this takes place between their seven studios in Stockholm, and four studios in LA.
The tunes they’ve released over the past decade are many. Book-ended by Erik Hassle’s ‘Hurtful’ and Zara Larsson’s latest hit ‘Only You’. And in between all of that there was a massive UK number 1 single in Icona Pop’s ‘I Love It’. In total, they’ve amassed 3 billion Spotify streams.
3 billion.
BILLION!!!!
We make a point of only featuring songs that we like on this site. And it’s been that way since the start. So it speaks high volumes that we’ve given TEN’s releases plenty of coverage on here over the years. They nearly always hit the mark. And therefore it’s always been a pleasure to share them on here.
So we offer up a huge congrats to TEN as they celebrate their big milestone. In the only way we know how really – via pop music.
Here’s to ten more years, and HERE are ten of the best from the first ten years of TEN;
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
ONE: MARIA HAZELL – KILLING ALL MY DARLINGS
She’s released four songs in the three years she’s been around, and each one of them has featured a gargantuan chorus. So she’s our kind of popstar for sure. She’s currently over in TEN’s LA studios working on new music. Hopefully as incredible as this track.
TWO: NIKI & THE DOVE – PLAY IT ON MY RADIO
These two have gone on to international critical acclaim, culminating in them being listed in the BBC’s annual Sound Of honours a few years back. This track from their most recent album is Niki & The Dove at their most sublime.
THREE: HANNA & ANDREA – ALWAYS ON MY MIND
Launched in the summer of last year, Hanna (Zara Larsson’s sister) and her best mate Andrea have yet to follow up their debut single. But we’re promised that new stuff is on its way soon. Though fair enough really – this beauty was always gonna be a tough one to follow!
FOUR: ERIK HASSLE – HURTFUL
This song was the first time TEN got to flex their international muscle. And their first big success story. He’s released many a tune since this, but ‘Hurtful’ remains Erik Hassle’s signature song.
FIVE: BENJAMIN INGROSSO – DO YOU THINK ABOUT ME
TEN signed and launched this familiar name a couple of years back. And they’ve since assisted him in shaking off any sonic connotations to his family members, and becoming a great popstar in his own right. It’s hard to pick our fave of his hits so far, but this song basically WAS the sound of summer 2017, so here we are.
SIX: STRANDELS – IF GOD HAS A PLAN
TEN’s contribution to the folk-pop scene. This brother and sister duo released their debut EP last year, and this super catchy single followed this summer. For their tunes, they’ve collaborated with one of our favourite Swedish writers and producers of all time – the great Jonas von der Burg.
SEVEN: FO&O – BUZZKILL
The boys recently announced they were having a bit of a break, and you can re-live their bestest moments right here. TEN released their first international album this year, with this song being the bombastic highlight.
EIGHT: ICONA POP – EMERGENCY
Icona Pop’s pop can be sorted into three types. The early masterpieces, the various attempts to recreate the magic of ‘I Love It’, and those times they’ve just gone and made something completely out there. That last one is most definitely them at their best, and this song is most certainly their most out there.
NINE: ELLIPHANT – LOVE ME BADDER
One of the coolest popstars in the world right now (and for the past five years she’s been around). This single from her most recent album is her at her – well, baddest.
TEN: ZARA LARSSON – MAKE THAT MONEY GIRL
Their biggest success story. Or at least so far. She’s had her Global hits, and this year she released her first international album. This track is our favourite Zara Larsson deep cut (by far her least streamed, we might add – ever the tastemakers we are!).
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
The Playlist;
