Basshunter

Basshunter

Basshunter singing at a concert in Halmstad, 20 April 2008
Background information
Birth name Jonas Erik Altberg
Born 22 December 1984
Halmstad, Halland, Sweden
Genres Eurodance, techno, trance, electronic dance music, electro, pop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, Producer, DJ
Instruments Vocals, synthesizers, vocoder, sequencer, application software (for example: digital audio workstations like FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase and VST plugs)
Years active 1998–present
Labels Extensive Music, Warner Music Sweden, Ultra, Broma 16, Warner Music Japan, 3 Beat Records, Dance Nation, Warner Music Germany, Alex Music
Website basshunter.se

Jonas Erik Altberg (born 22 December 1984), better known by his stage name Basshunter /ˈbeɪs.hʌn.tər/ (stylized sometimes as BassHunter), is a Swedish singer-songwriter, record producer, and DJ. He is best known for his number one hits "Boten Anna", "Vi sitter i Ventrilo och spelar DotA", "Now You're Gone" and "All I Ever Wanted". Basshunter has so far released a total of six albums, two of which have been released in the United Kingdom. His UK single, "Saturday", was released in July 2010, and he also competed in hit reality TV show Celebrity Big Brother in January 2010. His song "Sverige" was also used as Sjölunden's International Day song in 2008.

Early life

Jonas Altberg (Basshunter) was born in Halmstad[1] and lived with his parents and younger brother near Tylösand. He began producing music under the stage name "Basshunter" in 2001, using Fruity Loops, and released his first albums, The Old Shit (1999) and The Bassmachine (2004), through his own web site.[1] After that he started working as a DJ. In April 2006, he signed with Extensive Music and Warner Music Sweden, releasing his first single, "Boten Anna". In 2007, he released a re-recording entitled "Now You're Gone," featuring entirely re-written lyrics to appeal to a foreign market. The song charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart and stayed there for five weeks.[1]

Career

2006–2008: LOL <(^^,)>

Basshunter's debut album, LOL <(^^,)>, was released on 1 September 2006 through Warner Music. A Christmas/International edition was released on 22 December 2006, with the same Swedish songs from the original album, but with English translated names, in a slightly different track order, and with bonus tracks, including the never-before-released "Jingle Bells". The song "Sverige" has been omitted from the international edition.

2007–2009: Now You're Gone – The Album

Throughout 2007, Basshunter worked on a his second album, Now You're Gone – The Album, which was released on 14 July 2008. The album features English remakes of older Basshunter songs, and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. As well, the album has sold an excess 300,000 copies in the U.K., making it certified Platinum. In New Zealand, the album peaked at number one in its fifth week, and was certified Gold and next Platinum,[2] selling over 20,000 copies.[3] The album spent a total of two weeks at number one.

The album produced several hit singles, including "Now You're Gone," "All I Ever Wanted," and "Angel in the Night." It has bonus tracks and there is a deluxe edition.

A special edition of the album was released called Now You're Gone - The Album: Deluxe Edition on 5 April 2009. This featured all the content of the original album plus new remixes of "I Miss You" and "Angel in the Night" by Headhunters, along with a 7th Heaven remix of "Walk on Water," and a megamix of the first four singles. In 2008 Basshunter won an European Border Breakers Award. Every year the European Border Breakers Awards recognize the success of ten emerging artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year.

2009: Bass Generation

His third studio album, Bass Generation, was released on 28 September 2009. In early September 2009, before the album was released, the song "Numbers" was released to the public as a free download via Basshunter's official Bebo profile. The album release date was eventually moved up a week for unknown reasons to 28 September 2009, along with the single "Every Morning," which was released on 21 September 2009.[4][5] To promote the album, the Basshunter Album Artwork Competition was set up on 10 August 2009 in which fans designed and uploaded their own cover art for the Bass Generation album to Basshunter's Bebo profile, with the winner being awarded their signed, framed artwork presented by Basshunter at the Bass Generation Tour.[6] The winning entry was revealed on 11 September. Basshunter also set out on the Bass Generation Tour in October 2009 in support of the album. The second single, "I Promised Myself", was released on 30 November 2009.[7]

Celebrity Big Brother 7

On 4 January 2010, Basshunter entered British Channel 4's seventh series of Celebrity Big Brother as a housemate[8] and finished in fourth place in the Finalé on 29 January 2010.

2010–2015: Calling Time

On 14 May 2010, it was announced that the first single from Basshunter's forthcoming fourth studio album, titled "Saturday," would have a worldwide premier live on BBC Radio 1 with Scott Mills that same night.[9] The track was co-written by Thomas Troelsen, Engelina, and Cutfather, and produced by Troelsen and Cutfather. The melody of the song is based on Reel 2 Real's "I Like to Move It." Basshunter performed "Saturday" on 4 July 2010 as part of T4 on the Beach, as well as performing it on Big Brother's Little Brother on 3 July 2010.

In April 2011 Basshunter entered the Swedish Big Brother house to produce a song along with the remaining housemates.[10] Additionally, a new song entitled "Calling Time", was recently performed live in Magaluf. Also June 2011 Basshunter exclusive to Den Glade Viking club in Sunny Beach as he performs "Dream on the Dancefloor" for the first time.

On 9 April 2012, Basshunter stated on his official Twitter page that his new single is to be titled "Northern Light" and will be released in August. At midnight on 28 April 2012, Basshunter linked the official video for "Northern Light" on his Facebook page.[11][12] On 29 September 2012, Basshunter linked the official video for his newest single, "Dream on the Dancefloor" on his Facebook page. [11][13] Basshunter released a collection of songs from The Old Shit and The Bassmachine entitled The Early Bedroom Sessions on 4 December 2012. On 5 March 2013 Basshunter posted a link on his Facebook page to two new songs from his new album in addition to a demo of a third.

On 13 May 2013, album Calling Time was released in South Africa. Calling Time was released on 23 July in United States and Great Britain and other countries

On 12 June 2013, following the release of his new album, Basshunter performed at St Aidan's College, University of Durham, for their Summer Ball.

On 1 March 2014, Basshunter performed his newest single "Elinor", a song in Swedish, during his appearance at The New Ice House in McAllen, TX.

On 11 December 2014, Basshunter performed his first show in Denmark for five years at the high-end membership club Jupiter in Copenhagen for their third Thursday opening.[14]

On 12 December 2014, Basshunter performed his hits at Rendezvous Nightclub (Rios) in Whalley in Lancashire.

On 25 April Basshunter performed in Quids Inn Scarborough, Fans where heard chanting 'No Basshunter No party'

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
2006 Grammis Årets bästa ringsignal ("Boten Anna") Won
Rockbjörnen Årets svenska låt Nominated
Årets svenska nykomling Nominated
Eurodanceweb Award "Boten Anna" Won
2007 NRJ Music Award Won
2008 European Border Breakers Award LOL <(^^,)> Won
Eska Music Award Radioaktywny hit roku Era ("Now You're Gone") Won
BT Digital Music Award Best Electronic Artist or DJ Nominated
Breakthrough Artist of the Year Nominated
MTV Europe Music Award Best New Act Nominated
Most Addictive Track Nominated
The Record of the Year Now You're Gone Nominated
World Music Award World's Best Selling Swedish Artist Won
2009 Scandipop Award Best Male Won
2010 International Dance Music Award Best HiNRG/Euro Track ("Every Morning") Nominated
2011 Scandipop Award Best Male Single ("Saturday") Nominated

Controversy

On 15 December 2010, Basshunter was charged by police over an alleged sexual assault on two female fans at a gig at a nightclub in Fife, Scotland. He was released on bail and returned to Sweden. His manager has insisted at the time that the allegations were "totally untrue".[15] Attending a hearing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff court on 12 January 2011, Basshunter denied two charges of sexual assault against two women.[16] It was alleged that he grabbed the first by the hair and pushed her head toward his groin, while the second he pushed toward his groin and then bent over. He was further accused of pulling up the second woman's skirt.[16] On 14 June 2011, he was found not guilty at Kircaldy Sheriff court with the sheriff describing the two accusers as "neither credible or reliable"[17] and their testimony as "riddled with inconsistencies and improbabilities".[18]

Discography

Studio albums

Internet albums

EP

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Bio Basshunter". Basshunter.se. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  2. ↑ "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". radioscope.net.nz. Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2014-12-23.
  3. ↑ Scott Kara (2009-09-17). "It's a Swede life for Basshunter". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 2014-12-23.
  4. ↑ "Bast nar skivan ar slut". aftonbladet.se. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  5. ↑ Dolphin, David (1 May 2009). "Jonas Erik Altberg (Basshunter) Interview" (TEXT & AUDIO). pf.csn.ul.ie. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ Joo, Nathalie (11 June 2006). "Swedish Superstar's mess tummy problems". expressen.se. Retrieved 2006-09-27.
  8. ↑ Friday, 1 January 2010, 18:36 GMT (1 January 2010). "Basshunter 'confirmed for Celeb BB". digitalspy.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  9. ↑ "Dance Nation | Basshunter - 'Saturday'". mydancenation.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
  10. ↑ "Basshunter in i "Big brother"-huset". dn.se. 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Basshunter". facebook.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  12. ↑ "Basshunter - Northern Light (Official Video / Order Now on iTunes)". youtube.com. Retrieved 2014-08-08.
  13. ↑ "Basshunter - Dream on the Dancefloor (Official Video / HD)". youtube.com. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  14. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/events/791767390869941
  15. ↑ "BBC News: Basshunter music star on sex attack charges". bbc.co.uk. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "BBC News: Basshunter music star denies sex attack charges". bbc.co.uk. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  17. ↑ "DJ Basshunter cleared of Kirkcaldy club sex charges". bbc.co.uk. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  18. ↑ "DJ cleared of nightclub sexual assault charges". Daily Telegraph. 15 June 2011. p. 2.

External links

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