Top Ten (+15) - Albums by Swedish Bands

I rated 104 albums by 39 Swedish bands, but six bands (Hammerfall, Krokus, Morgana Lefay, Nostradameus, Tad Morose and Yngwie Malmsteen) are responsible for half of the releases. As always, there are a few items of interest here. Although newer music dominates the list (16 of the 25 albums were released in 2000 or later), Krokus placed four albums in the top 25. No other band has more than two. And Sweden's (arguably) most popular musical export, Yngwie Malmsteen, has only one album in my top 25, but that may change after I rate the rest of his discography.



Top 25 Albums:

90.12 -- Krokus - Headhunter (1983)
90.18 -- Wolf - Black Wings (2002)
90.00 -- Trettioåriga Kriget - Trettioåriga Kriget (1974)
89.36 -- Grand Magus - Iron Will (2008)
89.28 -- Silver Mountain - Shakin' Brains (1983)
88.96 -- Lefay - Symphony Of the Damned (1999)
88.56 -- Tad Morose - Modus Vivendi (2004)
88.14 -- Wolf - The Black Flame (2006)
87.36 -- Overdrive - Let the Metal Do the Talking (2008)
87.35 -- Lion’s Share - Dark Hours (2009)
86.47 -- Silver Mountain - Breakin' Chains (2001)
86.39 -- Tad Morose - Undead (2000)
86.39 -- Hammerfall - Glory to the Brave (1997)
86.04 -- Krokus - Metal Rendez-vous (1980)
85.97 -- Morgana Lefay - Sanctified (1995)
85.65 -- Persuader - The Hunter (2000)
85.28 -- Hammerfall - No Sacrifice, No Victory (2009)
85.22 -- Dogface - In Control (2002)
85.07 -- Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force (1984)
85.04 -- Lost Horizon - A Flame from the Ground Beneath (2003)
84.96 -- Krokus - Hellraiser (2006)
84.65 -- Dream Evil - Dragon Slayer (2002)
84.52 -- Krokus - Heart Attack (1987)
84.47 -- Persuader - Evolution Purgatory (2004)
84.29 -- Nostradameus - The Third Prophecy (2003)

Top Ten (+15) - Power Metal Albums

I categorized 290 Power Metal albums. Germany was easily the most well-represented country with 108 albums, followed by the U.S. (55 albums), Sweden (48 albums), and Finland (25 albums). The remainder included ten other countries. Not surprisingly, 13 of the top 25 albums were by German bands, with U.S. bands second with seven albums. Oddly, only one Swedish album is included here.

Top 25 Albums:
91.64 -- Savatage - The Dungeons are Calling (1984)
91.28 -- Domine - Stormbringer Ruler (2000)
91.18 -- Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
90.73 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2 (1988)
90.51 -- Gamma Ray - Majestic (2005)
90.29 -- Seven Witches - Xiled to Infinity and One (2002)
90.28 -- Rage - The Missing Link (1993)
90.25 -- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free II (2007)
90.00 -- Attacker - Second Coming (1988)
89.75 -- Rage - Carved In Stone (2008)
89.74 -- Helloween - Better than Raw (1998)
89.72 -- Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)
89.64 -- Dark Moor - Dark Moor (2003)
89.53 -- Mob Rules - Among the Gods (2004)
89.52 -- Running Wild - Black Hand Inn (1994)
89.46 -- Messiah's Kiss - Prayer for the Dying (2002)
89.30 -- Heavenly - Virus (2006)
89.26 -- Axehammer - Windrider (2005)
89.24 -- Messiah's Kiss - Metal (2004)
89.12 -- Seven Witches - Second War in Heaven (1999)
88.96 -- Lefay - Symphony of the Damned (1999)
88.92 -- Wizard - Goochan (2007)
88.64 -- Helloween - The Dark Ride (2000)
88.59 -- Hibria - Defying the Rules (2005)
88.57 -- Savatage - Dead Winter Dead (1995)