Nordman

by Jason Birchmeier
Nordman is a Swedish folk-pop/rock group led by singer Håkan Hemlin who experienced tremendous success from 1994-1998 before breaking up. Upon reuniting in 2004, the group experienced renewed success in their homeland. Formed in 1991 by Hemlin and Mats Wester, Nordman made their recording debut in 1994 with the single "Förlist" followed by a self-titled album that became perhaps the group's greatest success. Featuring the Top Five hit "Förlist," the Top Ten hit "Vandraren," and the Top 40 hit "Laglöst Land," Nordman topped the Swedish albums chart for 16 straight weeks and was lodged on the chart for 99 weeks overall; it also charted in neighboring Finland and Norway, at number 17 and 24, respectively. The band's follow-up album, Ingenmansland (1995), was also a chart-topper in Sweden, though it wasn't quite the sensation its predecessor had been, spawning only one major hit, "Be Mig." Nordman's third album, Här Och Nu (1997), performed similarly, charting well at number five but once again failing to rival the success of its predecessor. In 1998 Nordman broke up, and a couple best-of compilations (Nordmans Bästa: I Vandrarens Fotspår, 2001; Bästa, 2004) were released during the six-year gap leading up to the group's eventual reunion in 2004. The first post-reunion album, Anno 2005 (2005), proved popular, charting Top Ten on the Swedish albums chart and spawning a Top Ten hit single, "Ödet Var Min Väg." The follow-up album, Djävul Eller Gud (2008), became an even greater success, charting Top Three and spawning a pair of Top Ten hits: "Du Behöver" and "I Lågornas Sken."