Året Var releases double single and announces debut album – in the midst of festival performances

Året Var, born from the creative collaboration between Tove Styrke and Sanna Sikborn Erixon, has quickly carved out a unique spot on the Swedish music scene. With roots in the 1970s prog movement combined with contemporary indie pop and poetic lyrics in Swedish, the band offers both social reflection and warmth in a modern setting.

After their debut with the EP “Är du nöjd nu?” in May 2026, the duo now broadens their expression with the double single “Nämndeman - om medelklassens dilemma” and “Ljudet i mitt <3”. The songs showcase two sides of the band’s musical palette and their world of ideas, with each track opening up to different themes and moods.

“Nämndeman - om medelklassens dilemma” is, according to the band themselves, a story about the passive but aware middle class. The song questions whether engagement really makes a difference and challenges the notion of the passive activist’s role in society. With an epic narrative structure, listeners follow the protagonist through ideals, fatigue, and a constant quest for real change – a highly topical theme in today’s social climate.

The second single, “Ljudet i mitt <3”, is a stripped-down love song about finding what you've long searched for and only realizing its value when you finally have it. Here, simplicity meets sincerity, and the band highlights how love can be seen in life’s red, white, and black days. Together, the singles form a whole that moves seamlessly between social criticism and personal intimacy.

The double single is released during a crucial period for the band, as Året Var makes their live debut at Slakthuset Block Party in Gothenburg on July 18, 2026. More performances follow, including as an opening act for Valter Nilsson at Trädgården in Stockholm on August 18, and as guests of Lisa Ekdahl at Mosebacketerrassen in Stockholm on September 1. The band thus marks its growing presence on Sweden’s live scene.

Soon it is also time for Året Var’s first full-length album. “Året var 2026” will be released on September 4, 2026 – strategically placed a week before the parliamentary elections. The album promises a mix of political observations, personal reflections, and dry humor, as well as guest appearances from, among others, Lotta Lundgren and Ulla Skoog, further enhancing the collective expression.

The band draws influences from Nationalteatern and Broder Daniel to Kjell Höglund and Adrienne Lenker, and this range is reflected in the ambition to create unifying music; something healing and humorous that combines reflection with resolve in a polarized time.

As Året Var themselves put it: “The ambition is to create something that unites when everything so often divides, something healing when dreams have shattered, and something that urges change – or brings a laugh – when needed.”

• Live performances:
• July 18, 2026 – Slakthuset Block Party, Gothenburg
• August 18, 2026 – Opening for Valter Nilsson, Trädgården, Stockholm
• September 1, 2026 – Guest performance with Lisa Ekdahl, Mosebacketerrassen, Stockholm