Platina Records

Platina Records, also known as Platina Skivor, was a Swedish independent record label founded in 1964 by Evert Jakobsson, a businessman, songwriter, and former computer technician at Svenska Kullagerfabriken. The label began when Jakobsson, after failing to obtain a recording contract for his own songs, registered a company and issued a single under the pseudonym Glenn Jackson and the Glentones. That release attracted little attention, and Jakobsson redirected his efforts toward discovering and developing other artists. The label's first major breakthrough came from Gothenburg rock group Tages. After the band won the Västkusens Beatles contest, Jakobsson approached its manager Lars Fryklund and secured a two-and-a-half-year contract. With Jakobsson producing, Platina issued Tages' debut single, "Sleep Little Girl." The recording became a major Swedish hit, reaching number one on Tio i Topp and number three on Kvällstoppen. Platina followed it with "I Should Be Glad," while financial limitations initially required Jakobsson to book studio time at facilities including Metronome Records in Stockholm. A distribution and production arrangement with EMI Records gave Platina broader manufacturing capacity and access to EMI's Stockholm studio. The label subsequently achieved further success with Tages, including the albums Tages and Tages 2 and the single "In My Dreams." Tages left Platina in January 1967 after receiving a more attractive contract from Parlophone Records, an EMI subsidiary offering greater studio access and a larger budget. Platina also recorded several other rock and pop groups during the period, including the Pacifics, the Steelmen, Highway Gang, and the Shakers, although most did not achieve comparable success. At the same time, Platina developed a strong position in Swedish dansband music. Thor-Erics joined in 1965, while Flamingokvintetten signed in 1966. Both acts released debut albums produced by Jakobsson and gained chart visibility. As Swedish popular taste shifted away from beat and rock toward dansband and progg, Jakobsson increasingly concentrated the label's resources on dance-oriented groups. The roster expanded in the early 1970s to include Tonix, Bert Bennys, Matz Bladhs, and Thorleifs. Thorleifs became one of Platina's most commercially important acts. The group joined the label in 1971 and built a substantial Swedish audience, with releases such as "I Mexicos land," Kommer hem till dig, En dag i juni, and Gråt inga tårar. The label's success enabled Jakobsson to acquire and operate a dedicated facility, Platina Studio, from 1972. The studio became the principal recording location for many subsequent releases and helped Platina end its earlier production relationship with EMI. Platina also experienced artist departures and contractual disputes. Flamingokvintetten left in 1970 to establish Flam Records, after which Platina issued compilation albums based on the group's earlier material. Thorleifs eventually left following the recording of Alltid tillsammans at Platina Studio and released that album through its own Tor Records. Curt Haagers provided another period of success from 1975, but the Swedish dansband boom weakened toward the end of the decade. Platina's final dansband studio album was Canders' Charlie in 1979. The label ceased ordinary operations around 1980 and later resumed in 1984 as a small pay-to-play operation focused mainly on seven-inch singles by local and obscure groups. Its late roster leaned toward punk, new wave, and synth-pop rather than the rock and dansband artists that had defined its earlier decades. The model did not generate sufficient commercial traction, and Jakobsson closed Platina Records in 1989. The final release was "Heroes" by 3 Miles From Here. Platina is therefore remembered as an important independent Swedish label whose history tracked several changes in the country's popular music market, from the beat boom of the 1960s to dansband's commercial peak and the fragmented local scenes of the 1980s.

Platina Records was created in 1964 by Evert Jakobsson, who had worked as a computer technician at SKF while writing songs in his spare time. After failing to obtain a contract for his own compositions, Jakobsson registered a label and issued a single under the name Glenn Jackson and the Glentones. The release was unsuccessful, but it led him to concentrate on finding and recording other performers. Jakobsson soon turned to Gothenburg's active but under-recorded youth-music scene. He contacted Tages after the group gained attention through the Västkusens Beatles contest and signed the band through its manager Lars Fryklund. Platina's first Tages release, "Sleep Little Girl," was produced by Jakobsson and became the label's breakthrough, reaching the top of Tio i Topp and placing highly on Kvällstoppen. A second single, "I Should Be Glad," followed. In its early years Platina lacked a permanent studio and hired facilities as needed, including Metronome Records' studio in Stockholm. An arrangement with EMI improved distribution and manufacturing while allowing Platina to use EMI's Sandhamnsgatan studio. The additional capacity supported a run of successful Tages releases, including two gold-selling albums identified in contemporary accounts as Tages and Tages 2, as well as the hit single "In My Dreams." Tages left in January 1967 for Parlophone, where the band could obtain more studio time and a larger recording budget. Platina continued to sign rock and beat groups such as the Pacifics, the Steelmen, Highway Gang, and the Shakers, but the label's strategic center increasingly moved toward dansband music. Thor-Erics joined in 1965 and Flamingokvintetten in 1966. Both groups released early albums produced by Jakobsson and secured Swedish chart appearances. When the rock scene weakened and dansband became more commercially attractive, Platina emphasized that market during the 1970s. The label's early-1970s roster included Tonix, Bert Bennys, Matz Bladhs, and Thorleifs. Thorleifs joined in 1971 through a managerial connection and developed into one of Platina's most successful acts. Their recordings included the single "I Mexicos land," the album Kommer hem till dig, and the later successes En dag i juni and Gråt inga tårar. The latter two albums were among the label's strongest sellers during the height of the Swedish dansband movement. In 1972, income from the label's releases enabled Jakobsson to acquire a dedicated facility called Platina Studio. Most subsequent Platina recordings were made there, and the label eventually ended its EMI partnership. Artist relationships were not always permanent. Flamingokvintetten left in 1970 and created Flam Records. Platina later issued compilations drawn from the group's earlier material, including releases during the 1970s. Thorleifs also departed after recording Alltid tillsammans at Platina Studio, issuing the album through Tor Records. Curt Haagers became another successful Platina act from 1975, but the commercial momentum of dansband music weakened late in the decade. Canders' Charlie, released in 1979, was the label's final dansband studio album. Regular operations ended around 1980. In 1984 Platina returned in a substantially different form, functioning as a pay-to-play label focused on seven-inch singles by small local groups. The late catalog included artists associated with punk, new wave, and synth-pop, many of whom had limited visibility outside their local scenes. The model did not restore the label's earlier commercial position, and Jakobsson closed Platina in 1989. The last release was "Heroes" by 3 Miles From Here.

• 1989

  Label closes

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Platina ceased operations after its late-period business model failed to generate sustained commercial success.

• 1984

  Pay-to-play operation resumes

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Platina restarted on a smaller scale, mainly issuing seven-inch singles by local groups.

• 1979

  Final dansband studio album

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Canders' Charlie marked the end of Platina's run of new dansband studio albums.

• 1974

  En dag i juni becomes a major Thorleifs release

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The album became one of Platina's strongest commercial releases during the peak of the Swedish dansband market.

• 1972

  Platina Studio is acquired

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Jakobsson purchased a dedicated studio that supported the label's expanded dansband production.

• 1971

  Thorleifs joins the label

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Thorleifs signed with Platina and became one of its most important dansband acts.

• 1966

  Tages reaches a commercial peak

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The label issued successful Tages material, including the album Tages 2 and the hit single "In My Dreams."

• 1964

  Platina Records is established

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Evert Jakobsson founded the Swedish independent label after an unsuccessful attempt to begin a recording career himself.

• 1964

  Tages produces the label's breakthrough

  [1]Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Tages' debut single, "Sleep Little Girl," became a leading Swedish chart record and established Platina as a serious label.

A Swedish independent label that initially specialized in emerging rock and beat acts, later became strongly associated with commercially oriented dansband music, and finally operated as a small pay-to-play outlet for local genre groups.

• Rock and beat recordings · 1964

  Tages recordings

  Platina's most important 1960s rock catalog came from Gothenburg group Tages. It included the breakthrough single "Sleep Little Girl," the follow-up "I Should Be Glad," the hit "In My Dreams," and the albums Tages and Tages 2. These releases established the label's early reputation before Tages moved to Parlophone in 1967.

• Dansband music · 1971

  Thorleifs recordings

  Thorleifs became one of Platina's principal commercial acts in the 1970s. The label issued material including the album Kommer hem till dig and the successful releases En dag i juni and Gråt inga tårar. The group's later album Alltid tillsammans was recorded at Platina Studio but released through the band's own Tor Records.

• Dansband music · 1966

  Flamingokvintetten recordings and compilations

  Flamingokvintetten joined Platina in 1966 and issued four studio albums produced by Jakobsson before leaving in 1970 to form Flam Records. Platina subsequently released compilations based on the group's earlier recordings, including Flamingos Bästa and 20 Hits Med Flamingo.

• Recording production · 1972

  Platina Studio productions

  Acquired in 1972, Platina Studio served as the label's principal recording facility for much of its later activity. It was used for recordings by Platina artists including Thorleifs and supported the label's move away from dependence on external studios and its earlier EMI arrangement.

• Singles · 1984

  Late-period seven-inch singles

  After operations resumed in 1984, Platina mainly issued seven-inch singles by small local groups. The late catalog included punk, new wave, and synth-pop acts, with "Heroes" by 3 Miles From Here serving as the label's final release in 1989.

• 1984

  Restart as a pay-to-play labelStrategy

  Background

  Platina had stopped regular operations around 1980 as the dansband market weakened.

  Action taken

  The label resumed activity on a small scale, charging or otherwise requiring participating artists to fund releases, primarily seven-inch singles.

  Aftermath

  The model attracted obscure local groups but failed to restore commercial viability, leading to closure in 1989.

  Source

• 1972

  Acquire an in-house recording studioStrategy

  Background

  Growing release activity and the success of dansband artists created a need for more consistent production capacity.

  Action taken

  Jakobsson purchased and operated Platina Studio for the label's recordings.

  Aftermath

  The label became less dependent on outside facilities and was able to end its partnership with EMI.

  Source

• 1970

  Prioritize dansband musicStrategy

  Background

  The Swedish rock scene had weakened while dansband music was becoming a stronger commercial segment.

  Action taken

  Platina shifted its roster and resources toward dansband acts such as Thor-Erics, Flamingokvintetten, and later Thorleifs.

  Aftermath

  The strategy produced the label's strongest 1970s period, although the market declined toward the end of the decade.

  Source

• 1965

  Enter an arrangement with EMI RecordsStrategy

  Background

  Platina lacked a permanent studio and had limited resources for manufacturing and distribution during its early period.

  Action taken

  Jakobsson arranged for EMI to distribute Platina releases and provided the label with access to an EMI recording studio in Stockholm.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement helped Platina expand production and supported a series of commercially successful Tages releases.

  Source

1. 1Platina Recordsen.wikipedia.org