The Playtones

Emerging victorious from the 2009 season of the reality competition Dansbandskampen, the Playtones established themselves as a Swedish dansband steeped in rockabilly tradition and entered the album charts at the summit with their opening release, Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party. The ensemble came together in Kallinge in 2008 and centers on Stefan Jonasson (vocals, piano), Andreas Carlsson (guitar), Peter Andersson (steel guitar), Mattias Schertell (bass), and Per Sennerhall (drums). Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Price, and Johnny Cash number among the primary influences that shape their approach. Jonasson had previously directed the rockabilly cover group Boppin' Steve & the Playtones, which issued a pair of independent albums in the mid-2000s—I'm on Fire (2002) and Mr. Big (2004)—both of which later received reissues. National recognition arrived via Dansbandskampen 2009, where the band captured first place with 39 percent of the vote and left second-place finishers Titanix well behind. In partnership with Universal Music, the Playtones delivered their first full-length project, Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party, in 2010. Blending Swedish- and English-language material, the album remained at the top of the Swedish albums chart for four weeks.