The band the Knife was one of my favourite bands growing up. When I was in high school in the 2000s (in smaller town in another EU country) they were quite popular with a specific group of people, but not really known by most.

I'm so curious to know how popular they were in Sweden. Did most people know their songs in the 2000s? Were they played on the radio? And how about nowadays – would most Swedes in their 30s know about them?

by evdk1991

31 comments

  2. Relatively well known, but I think a lot of people know their songs but don’t know the band. Heard them a lot on radio and TV during the 2000s.

  3. Fairly small part of the population love them very hard. I still regret not going to their live concerts. Been to Fever Ray, who is great, but just makes me wish i saw The Knife.

  4. I think a big chunk of people in their late 30’s and 40’s would know them.

  5. I remember them with trentemoller if I am not wrong

  6. In my social group they were (rightfully) huge, but you could still go to a 200-ish capacity club to dance to Olof dj-ing and it was mostly chill.

  7. You can just listen to one song from this band, on the other hand you can listen to this specific song many, many times.

  9. Loved them. But I feel they are somewhat of an outsider group, althought certain songs like “Heartbeats” and “Pass this on” are famous.

  11. Most 30-40 year olds have probably heard Heartbeats but otherwise I think they’re not well known outside their niche genre.

  12. Har du glömt Drejer?

    It’s a song by the band Olof used to play with before the Knife. Actually think I’ve listened more to his previous band than the Knife.

  13. Most of the people I know who like them started listening to them while living outside of Sweden.

  14. Deep Cuts was pretty big, but I guess for a lot of people, including me, they got a little too artsy after that.  

    Heartbeats is one of the greatest songs ever in my opinion.

  15. I’m 29 and I’ve never heard about them in my entire life lol.
    After looking them up I kinda understand why though, definitely not my kind of music as a metalhead hehe

  16. Their song Bird from 2001 is still a favorite of mine.

  17. The Knife has legendary status. No doubt.
    Youngsters listen to remixes and don’t realise.

  18. For some reason I recognize this image, but I can confidently say – after listening to their top two songs on Spotify – that I have never heard this group before.

    I have heard Heartbeats through [Daniela Andrade and Dabin](https://youtu.be/7UOIo7URdZo) though, and also José Gonzales’s version.

    I am 35 and I avoid as best I can to listen to the radio.

  19. Bought both Deep Cuts and Silent Shout on release. Probably 2003 and 2006? Today I’m a proud owner of both albums on vinyl.

  22. Love them, Honey is cool as well. Drinking stout and reading Darling, good times.

  23. The song “Bird”, does anyone remember that song being on TV and having like a music video to it with a person dressed like a big yellow bird (like the one in sesame street), probably running around the streets of Stockholm?

  25. Very talented siblings. Some great songs. Some not so great.

    Their grandma loves them a lot, but she really doesn’t understand why their music has to be so strange. 

    Ive heard the teachers at Schillerska (arts high school in Gothenburg) rave about how talented they were to the younger generations. 

  26. Reindeer, reindeer, reindeer
    I caught one of your horns
    And even if it rains here
    It’s much worse in the north

    Big fan back in the day. But I’m born in the early 80’s, went to school with Olof, and hung out in indie circles. So I would echo what many have written: they were very big in select circles.

  28. People who say they weren’t popular are probably ignorant of music outside of their personal niche or are too young to remember.

    Silent shout reached #1 on the Swedish album charts.

    The Knife won Group of the year at P3 guld twice, won Swedish Grammy for best pop group of the year twice, won group of the year and pop album of the year once. + numerous other awards.

    Also consider that they for instance won Album of the year from Pitchfork (ie globally)

  31. All the parties back at 2003-2006 etc you could always hear The Knife playing. For me The Knife was something you listen to while drinking beer at festival camps.

Comments are closed.