Stig Anderson

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Bust of Stikkan Anderson in his native Hova.

Stig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson (née Andersson) (January 25, 1931 – September 12, 1997). Born in Hova, Sweden.

Anderson is internationally famous as being the manager of the Swedish musical group ABBA and the founder of the Polar Music record label. Initially beginning his career as a chemistry and mathematics teacher after leaving school at the age of 15 ^[1], Anderson soon migrated into the Swedish music scene, becoming a Music Producer and Manager. His first success was a song he wrote called Are You In Love With Me, Klaus Goran?, sung by Swedish Singer Lil-Babs in 1960. Anderson also founded the Polar Music Prize, Sweden Music (1960), Polar Music (1963) as well as several other companies. By the late sixties he was the manager and producer of Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, the two main song writers of ABBA joining the careers of these two after Anderson managed the Hootenanny Singers. Later in 1972 he began managing Anni-Frid Lyngstad and finally in 1976 also Agnetha Fältskog (until December 1975 she was still bound to CUPOL/CBS Records under a contract). In the early stages of ABBA, Anderson co-wrote some lyrics of the first ABBA songs.

Anderson was one of the dominant figures behind ABBA, representing their commercial interests and global success through successful record deals. At the same time, he also managed the investments of funds and the enormous financial incomes of Polar Music. However, in the mid-80's a considerable part of ABBA's fortune was lost by missmanagement, bad investments, high demands for tax and the rise of credit rates. Co-operation between the ABBA members' Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Stig Anderson was terminated to a large extent when in the context of the argument with this financial disaster, it turned out that Anderson also took for many years, a percentages of profits at a value of 4.5 million euros. A complaint against Anderson was submitted to the Stockholm District Court by Agnetha Fältskog's company "Agnetha Fältskog Productions AB", Benny Andersson's company "Mono Music AB", as well as a Björn Ulvaeus' rights holding Dutch company - but in the end this action was cancelled.

In 1989 he made a donation for the Polar Music Prize.

In 1990 Stig Anderson sold Polar Music with nearly all utilisation and license rights and the registered ABBA mark for an unknown sum of money to Polygram. Previously, he licenced ABBA and the solo releases to various labels the world over as a way to earn more royalties. He later started a new label, Anderson Records, which released Frida's comeback in 1996.

Stig Anderson was married to Gudrun Anderson and has from this marriage they have a daughter (Marie, b. 1957), who is married to the Swedish singer Tomas Ledin, as well as a younger son (b.1966).

Anderson died in the summer of 1997 at the age of 66 from a heart attack.