And speaking of Startracks-related stuff, label head honcho Fredrik Holmgren says that Christian Kjellvander will be coming to the States sometime around July. He's yet to give up any details, but I'll see what I can pry out of him. He also reports that Kristofer Åström recorded a song written by Mattias Friberg of Logh. I think that's one of the tracks set for the new album with Hidden Truck, but I'm not sure. I figure we'll get more details on that as it gets closer to the release date.

Streaming playlist: Singer/Songwriters, pt. 1

Here are some of the nominees for the Swedish Grammies:

Best Pop Female:
Jill Johnson - Roots and Wings
Lisa Miskovsky - Fallingwater
Miss Universum - Selfelected
Pauline - Candy Rain
Elin Sigvardsson - Saturday Light Naive

Best Pop Male:
Magnus Carlson - Ett Kungarike För En Kram
Per Gessle - Mazarin
José González - Veneer
Peter LeMarc - Det Som Håller Oss Vid Liv
Mauro Scocco - Beat Hotel

Best Pop Group:
Alcazar - Alcazarized
Bo Kaspers Orkester - Vilka Tror Vi Att Vi Är
Da Buzz - More Than Alive
David & The Citizens - Until The Sadness Is Gone
The Knife - Deep Cuts

Best Rock Album (solo):
Eagle-Eye - Cherry Sub Rosa
Christian Kjellvander - Introducing The Past
Lars Winnerbäck och Hovet - Söndermarken
Moneybrother - Blood Panic
Thomas Rusiak - In The Sun

Best Rock Group:
Bad Cash Quartet - Midnight Prayer
Broder Daniel - Cruel Town
The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight
Fireside - Get Shot
Randy - Welfare Problems

Best Songwriter:
Karin & Olof Dreijer
Per Gessle
Lisa Miskovsky & Joakim Berg
Peter Svensson
Moneybrother (Anders Wendin)

Best Lyrics:
Timbuktu (Jason Diakté)
Per Gessle
Peter LeMarc
Nina Persson
Lars Winnerbäck

Best Producer:
Joakim Berg/Simon Norberg
Karin & Olof Dreijer
Pelle Gunnerfeldt
Jari Haapalainen
C. Öfwerman, C. Lundquist & P. Gessle

Best Hip-hop/Soul:
Advance Patrol - Utskrivna
Kaah - Jideblasko
Ken Det - Bortglömda
The Latin Kings - Omerta
Timbuktu - The Botten Is Nådd!

Best Hard Rock:
Backyard Babies - Stockholm Syndrome
Evergrey - Recreation Day
The Haunted - One Kill Wonder
Mustasch - Ratsafari
Opeth - Damnation

Best Jazz:
E.S.T. - Seven Days Of Falling
Rigmor Gustavsson - with I Will Wait For You
Nils Landgren and The Fleshquartet
Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - Plays Loud For The People
Oddjob - Koyo
Bobo Stenson/Lennart Åberg

Best Club/Dance Song:
Hundarna Från Söder - Hundarna Från Söder BAM
Koop - Waltz For Koop - Alternative Takes
Physics - First Flight NSD
Plej - Electronic Music From The Westcoast
Sophie Rimheden - Hi-Fi Mitek

Best Pop/Dance Band:
Barbados - Hela Himlen
Fame - Give Me Your Love
Jan Johansen - X My Heart
Jill Johnson - Discography
Lasse Stefanz - Det Här Är Bara Början

Go here for the full list: http://www.ifpi.se/02.images/01.top/02.subnav_pdf/08.grammis/pdf/Grammisnomineringar_2003.pdf

Here's the nominees for the Swedish Manifest awards:

Pop/Rock:
Hell on Wheels - Oh my God What have I done
Radio Dept. - Lesser matters
Concretes - Concretes
Franke - Optimismens hån
The Knife - Deep cuts

Hardrock/Punk:
Arch Enemy - Anthems of rebellion
Burst - Prey on life
Cult of Luna - The beyond
Katationa - Viva emptiness
Nasum - Helvete

Hip hop/R&B/Soul:
Chords - The garden around the mansion
Speech Defect - Freshcoast gettin' rowdy
Soul Supreme - The Saturday nite agenda
Advance Patrol - Utskrivna
Kaah - Jideblasko international

Postrock/electronica:
Namur - Conquer me
Sagor & Swing - Allt hänger samman
Sophie Rimheden - Hi-fi
Slagsmålsklubben - Den svenske disco
Tape - Milieu

Dance/house/techno:
Hundarna från Söder - Hundarna från Söder
Forss - Soulhack
Plej - Electronic music from the Swedish leftcoast
Stateless - Art of no state
Steve Angello - ...presents tracks

Folk/World music:
Lisa Rydberg - Östbjörka
Frifot - Sluring
Anders Nygårds & Magnus Stinnerbom - Dalahyl
Anders Norrudde, Leo Svensson and Göran Fredriksson - Med hull och hår
Cerro Esperanza Band - Nubes del alma

Singer/Songwriter:
Ane Brun - Spending time with Morgan
Ulf Stureson - Allt jag ville säga
Christian Kjellvander - Introducing the past
Johan Borgert - Johan Borgert
José Gonzàlez - Veneer

Best live artist:
Looptroop
Moneybrother
Randy
Timbuktu med Damn
Killers

Best newcomer:
Miss Universum
José Gonzàlez
Shout Out Louds
Radio Dept.
Paris

Winners are chosen by the SOM (Svenska Oberoende Musikproducenter) (Swedish Independent Musicproducers) and will be announced at an awards ceremony on January 29 at Debaser in Stockholm.

Here's this week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart. The top 20 remains the same as last time, but at least there's new challengers to vote for.

01. The Rasmus - First Day Of My Life
02. Backyard Babies - Minus Celsius
03. Tim Christensen - Whispering At The Top Of My Lungs
04. Moneybrother - It's Been Hurting All The Way With You Joanna
05. Redrama - Hang It Up
06. Eskobar - Love Strikes
07. Erik Faber - Century
08. Outlandish - Aicha
09. Lisa Miskovsky - Lady Stardust
10. Fattaru feat. Masayah - Ton för ton
11. Paperboys - Hey Man
12. Beats & Styles - Dynamite
13. C21 - One Night In Bangkok
14. Christian Kjellvander - Portugal
15. The Latin Kings - Cashen Dom Tas
16. Negative - The Moment Of Our Love
17. Carpark North - Wild Wonders
18. Slow Train Soul - In The Black Of Night
19. Fintelligens - Vaan Sil On Väliä
20. Hardcore Superstar - Still I´m Glad

Challengers:
01. Eagle Eye Cherry - Don´t Give Up
02. Junior Senior - Shake Your Coconuts
03. Safri Duo feat. Clark Anderson - All The People In The World
04. Briskeby - Halleluja
05. Christine Milton - Superstar
06. Majid - Boys And Girls
07. September - We Can Do It
08. L.O.C. - Undskyld

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - First Day Of My Life
02. Backyard Babies - Minus Celsius
03. Tim Christensen - Whispering At The Top Of My Lungs
04. Moneybrother - It's Been Hurting All The Way With You Joanna
05. Redrama - Hang It Up
06. Eskobar - Love Strikes
07. Erik Faber - Century
08. Outlandish - Aicha
09. Lisa Miskovsky - Lady Stardust
10. Fattaru feat. Masayah - Ton för ton
11. Paperboys - Hey Man
12. Beats & Styles - Dynamite
13. C21 - One Night In Bangkok
14. Christian Kjellvander - Portugal
15. The Latin Kings - Cashen Dom Tas
16. Negative - The Moment Of Our Love
17. Carpark North - Wild Wonders
18. Slow Train Soul - In The Black Of Night
19. Fintelligens - Vaan Sil On Väliä
20. Hardcore Superstar - Still I´m Glad

Challengers:
01. Eagle Eye Cherry - Don´t Give Up
02. Junior Senior - Shake Your Coconuts
03. Safri Duo feat. Clark Anderson - All The People In The World
04. Briskeby - Halleluja
05. Christine Milton - Superstar
06. Majid - Boys And Girls
07. September - We Can Do It
08. L.O.C. - Undskyld

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

The Swedish Kulturradet Minstry for Culture has announced their bi-annual budget awards (via MI):

Production:
Sandkvie Studio, Patrik Silvereke Barnlåtar, 80 000
Holmen Music, Anders Kråkan Ågren Lille Fille går vidare, 65 000
Holmen Music, J Bölja, K Hallberg, E Härdelin, K Stål Sånger från Hälsingland, 60 000
Giga Folkmusik, Kalle Almlöf & Jonny Soling Hopspelt 2, 60 000
Giga Folkmusik, Anders Svensson Smålandslåtar, 55 000
MNW, Bazar Blå, 60 000
Home Records AB, Jens Comén & Niklas Roswall Comén/Roswall, 50 000
Giga Folkmusik, Orust Nyktert kaffe, 80 000
Imogena AB, Peter Nylander Quartet Nylander, 75 000
Imogena AB, Tommy Kotter Kotter, 85 000
Imogena AB, Björn Samuelsson Memories Of Åke Persson, 70 000
Ayler Records, Bernt Rosengren Quartet B.R.Q. feat. M Feza Live, 90 000
Imperial Recordings, José Gonzalez, 50 000
Service, Rocky Dennis, 75 000
National, Pugh Rogefeldt Pugh, 40 000
Morphine Lane Records, Soak The Sin, 70 000
Gravitation, Spring In Paris Spring In Paris, 70 000
Startracks, Kristoffer Åström & Hidden Truck The Last Bonanza, 45 000
Startracks, Tiger Lou, 45 000
Startracks, Christian Kjellvander Songs From A Two-Room Chapel, 25 000
Footprint Records, Martin Bagge Lasse Lucidor, 65 000
Content, Aldo Clementi Fragments And Variations, 110 000
Intim Musik, Hilding Hallnäs Pianomusik i urval, 25 000
Nosag Records, Steve Dobrogosz Requiem, 100 000
Nosag Records, Bo Hansson Sic Rerum - Här är jag, 90 000
Stran Music, Adnan, Karim Targai Esiq, 65 000
Footprint Records, Turbulens Turbulens, 95 000

Artist and songwriters:
Soil Soil, 65 000
Filip Augustson Kvartett, 65 000
Love Suprette Love Suprette, 65 000
Jimmy Ågren Close Enough For Jazz, 65 000
Karin Rehnqvist Arktis, 65 000
Erik Steen Flamenco Fusion Misa Flamenca, 65 000

As you can see, that also means we know what the working title of Kristofer Åström's next album is.

Christian Kjellvander will be releasing his last album "Songs from a Two Room Chapel" on vinyl in February. The first 500 copies will include a bonus single with the cover songs "Over and Over" by Neil Young and "Waiting Around to Die" by Townes van Zandt.

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - First Day Of My Life
02. Lisa Miskovsky - Lady Stardust
03. Tim Christensen - Whispering At The Top Of My Lungs
04. Redrama - Hang It Up
05. Erik Faber - Century
06. Backyard Babies - Minus Celsius
07. Outlandish - Aicha
08. Fintelligens - Vaan Sil On Väliä
09. Moneybrother - It's Been Hurting All The Way With You Joanna
10. Paperboys - Hey Man
11. Beats & Styles - Dynamite
12. Christian Kjellvander - Portugal
13. The Fashion - Let´s Go Dancing
14. The Knife - Pass This On
15. C21 - One Night In Bangkok
16. Negative - The Moment Of Our Love
17. The Latin Kings - Cashen Dom Tas
18. Hardcore Superstar - Still I´m Glad
19. Nina Rochelle - (Happy) Jag hatar att det e så
20. Nicolai Dunger - Hunger

Challengers:
01. Slow Train Soul - In The Black Of Night
02. Koop - Baby
03. Eskobar - Love Strikes
04. Carpark North - Wild Wonders
05. Fattaru feat. Masayah - Ton för ton

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - First Day Of My Life
02. Redrama - Hang It Up
03. Lisa Miskovsky - Lady Stardust
04. Backyard Babies - Minus Celsius
05. Moneybrother - It's Been Hurting All The Way With You Joanna
06. Outlandish - Aicha
07. C21 - One Night In Bangkok
08. Paperboys - Hey Man
09. Erik Faber - Century
10. Negative - The Moment Of Our Love
11. The Knife - Pass This On
12. Fintelligens - Vaan Sil On Väliä
13. Christian Kjellvander - Portugal
14. Beats & Styles - Dynamite
15. The Latin Kings - Cashen Dom Tas
16. Lene Marlin - You Weren´t There
17. I'Dees - Brave And Optimistic Girl
18. The Fashion - Let´s Go Dancing
19. Blackstrap - In Colored Ways
20. Captain Murphy - I´m A What

Challengers:
01. Nina Rochelle - (Happy) Jag hatar att det e så
02. Hardcore Superstar - Still I´m Glad
03. Magnet ft. Gemma Hayes - Lay Lady Lay
04. Nicolai Dunger - Hunger
05. Tim Christensen - Whispering At The Top Of My Lungs

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Peter LeMarc - Det som håller oss vid liv
02. Lisa Miskovsky - Fallingwater
03. Backyard Babies - Stockholm Syndrome
04. José González - Veneer
05. Lasse Stefanz - Det här är bara början
06. Per Gessle - Mazarin
07. Bo Kaspers orkester - Vilka tror vi att vi är
08. Mauro Scocco - La Dolce Vita
09. Carola - Guld platina & passion - det bästa
10. Christer Sjögren - För kärlekens skull 14 visklassiker
11. Mats Ronander - Bästa
12. Peter Jöback - Jag kommer hem igen till jul
13. Bamse - Bamses dunder-hits
14. Broder Daniel - Cruel town
15. Helen Sjöholm / Anders Widmark - Genom varje andetag
16. Lars Roos - För de som älskar
17. The Latin Kings - Omertá
18. Lisa Ekdahl - En samling sånger
19. Christian Kjellvander - Introducing the past
20. Anna-Lotta Larson - Tidlöst

It's that time of year again - the time when they start handing out those year-end accolades and up first is the 25th annual Aftonbladet Rockbjörnen. Write in your suggestions for nominees here: http://www.aftonbladet.se/rockbjornen. And if you're feeling uninspired, maybe this will give you some good ideas on who to suggest. (in Swedish)

By way of Dagensskiva, here is thist week's Swedish student radio top 20:

01. (07) The Coral "Bill Mc Cai" 02. (NY) The White Stripes "The Hardest Button To Button" 03. (11) Moneybrother "It's Been Hurting All The Way With You, Joanna" 04. (NY) The Chemical Brothers "Get Yourself High" 05. (NY) Niccokick "Turn 27 EP" 06. (01) Paris "Rainy Day In London" 07. (17) Daft Punk "Something About Us" 08. (08) Timbuktu med Peps "Dynamit" 09. (ÅT) Rocky Dennis "Maple Leaves EP" 10. (09) Laakso "Demon"

11. (12) Monastir "The Shape Up EP" 12. (NY) The Cardigans "Live And Learn" 13. (13) Bring Me The Fucking Riot...Man "Lolita Riotta" 14. (14) The Legends "There And Back Again" 15. (NY) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "We're All in Love" 16. (05) Guided By Voices "The Best Of Jill Hives" 17. (18) Slow Train Soul "In The Black Of Night" 18. (NY) Travis "The Beautiful Occupation" 19. (03) Primal Scream Ft. (Kate Moss "Some Velvet Morning" 20. (04) The Bear Quartet "Ask Me, Don't Axe Me"

Leaving the chart:
02. Christian Kjellvander "Portugal"
06. The Latin Kings "Cashen dom tas"
10. The Kid "Baton Rouge"
15. The Strokes "12:51"
16. Björns Vänner "Vad ska jag med ett foto på dig? "
19. José Gonzales "Crosses EP"
20. The Warlocks "Baby Blue"

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - First Day Of My Life
02. Redrama - Hang It Up
03. Lisa Miskovsky - Lady Stardust
04. Outlandish - Aicha
05. Beats & Styles - Dynamite
06. Backyard Babies - Minus Celsius
07. C21 - One Night In Bangkok
08. Da D.o.n.s - She Don´t Know My Game
09. Turbonegro - Sell Your Body (To The Night)
10. Mew - 156
11. Lene Marlin - You Weren´t There
12. Paperboys - On The Low
13. Negative - The Moment Of Our Love
14. Equicez - Barnslig
15. Erik Faber - Century
16. Fu:el - Next Summer
17. Broder Daniel - When We Were Winning
18. Blackstrap - In Colored Ways
19. The Latin Kings - Cashen Dom Tas
20. The Fashion - Let´s Go Dancing

Challengers:
01. The Knife - Pass This On
02. I´Dees - Brave And Optimistic Girl
03. Christian Kjellvander - Portugal
04. Paperboys - Hey Man
05. Funkstar De Luxe - Saturday

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

Here's the top 20 Swedish albums of the week, as reported by Aftonbladet:

01. Backyard Babies - Stockholm Syndrome
02. Lisa Miskovsky - Fallingwater
03. Lasse Stefanz - Det här är bara början
04. José González - Veneer
05. Bo Kaspers orkester - Vilka tror vi att vi är
06. Christer Sjögren - För kärlekens skull 14 visklassiker
07. Per Gessle - Mazarin
08. Lisa Ekdahl - En samling sånger
09. Helen Sjöholm / Anders Widmark - Genom varje andetag
10. Bamse - Bamses dunder-hits
11. Broder Daniel - Cruel town
12. The Latin Kings - Omertá
13. Hammerfall - One Crimson Night
14. Carola - Guld platina & passion - det bästa
15. Anna-Lotta Larson - Tidlöst
16. Fred Åkerström - Freds bästa
17. Christian Kjellvander - Introducing the past
18. Bosson - Rockstar
19. User - User
20. Pauline - Candy rain

By way of Dagensskiva, here is thist week's Swedish student radio top 20:

01. (01) Paris "Rainy Day In London" 02. (07) Christian Kjellvander "Portugal" 03. (02) Primal Scream Ft. (Kate Moss "Some Velvet Morning" 04. (03) The Bear Quartet "Ask Me, Don't Axe Me" 05. (09) Guided By Voices "The Best Of Jill Hives" 06. (04) The Latin Kings "Cashen fom tas" 07. (NY) The Coral "Bill Mc Cai" 08. (NY) Timbuktu Med Peps "Dynamit" 09. (17) Laakso "Demon" 10. (08) The Kid "Baton Rouge"

11. (11) Moneybrother "It's Been Hurting All The Way With You, Joanna" 12. (NY) Monastir "The Shape Up EP" 13. (13) Bring Me The Fucking Riot...Man "Lolita Riotta" 14. (10) The Legends "There And Back Again" 15. (12) The Strokes "12:51" 16. (05) Björns Vänner "Vad ska jag med ett foto på dig?" 17. (NY) Daft Punk "Something About Us" 18. (NY) Slow Train Soul "In The Black Of Night" 19. (NY) José Gonzales "Crosses EP" 20. (16) The Warlocks "Baby Blue"

Leaving the chart:
06. Nicolai Dunger "Hunger"
14. Rocky Dennis "Maple Leaves EP"
15. Captain Murphy "I'm A What"
18. Franz Ferdinand "Darts Of Pleasure"
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Fortune Faded"
20. Broder Daniel "When We Were Winning"