Tracks was one of Sweden’s most beloved radio programs, known for being an important platform for music lovers over several decades. The show first aired on September 8, 1984, and remained on the air until December 5, 2010 – a total of 26 years. During this time, it developed a loyal following and had a significant impact on Swedish music tastes.
Hosts
The most iconic voice behind Tracks was Kaj Kindvall, who hosted the program throughout its entire run. Kaj Kindvall became synonymous with Tracks, and his calm, knowledgeable voice and passion for music made him a favorite among listeners. Kindvall also had the ability to blend musical expertise with a close connection to his audience, which created a loyal fan base. His influence extended beyond just the show – he helped shape the radio landscape in Sweden and promoted many rising music stars.
Besides Kaj Kindvall, there were few other hosts who stepped in when he was unavailable, but his presence and role in the program were so central that it’s hard to think of Tracks without him.
The Program and Its Importance
Tracks was a music program where listeners could enjoy the latest popular music each week, based on charts and audience votes. The show’s unique format, which collected votes via mail and later through the internet, made it one of the first Swedish radio programs to actively engage its audience in this way.
This interactive element was one of the reasons for the show’s popularity – listeners felt they could influence which songs were played and how the chart was shaped. This type of participation made Tracks an early forerunner of today’s more interactive media formats.
How Many Listeners Did Tracks Have?
At its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, Tracks had hundreds of thousands of listeners every week. The program was especially popular among teenagers and young adults, who saw it as a way to stay updated on the latest music. Listener numbers varied over the years, but it is known that the show regularly attracted around 600,000 to 700,000 listeners during its most successful periods. This made it one of Sweden’s most popular radio programs for many years.
The End of Tracks
When Tracks aired its final episode on December 5, 2010, it marked the end of an era in Swedish radio. The music landscape had changed dramatically during the show’s 26-year run, with the rise of digital platforms and streaming services starting to take over radio’s role as the primary source of new music. Although Tracks ended, the legacy of the program lives on with those who grew up listening to it, and it still influences music lovers today, shaped by Kindvall’s taste and musical choices.
Final Thoughts
Tracks with Kaj Kindvall was more than just a music program – it was an institution in Swedish radio and an important part of Sweden’s music history. By highlighting popular music and giving listeners an active role in shaping the weekly chart, the program became one of Swedish Radio’s most influential ventures. Kaj Kindvall became a legendary figure in Swedish radio, and his contribution to Tracks is something that will be remembered by many generations of listeners.

Kaj Kindvall
Born: december 7, 1949 in Norrköping, Sweden
In 2004, Kaj Kindvall was honored with a Grammis award. He got the jury’s special recognition for all he’s done for radio and spreading pop music.
Listen to the playlist here : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/76vvXLgH0f0h8ugCz3iOmm
Swedish Tracks #1's for 80's Decade
Cover | # | Date | Artist | Song | Weeks on Top #1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 1 | 1984-09-08 | Alphaville | Sounds Like A Melody | 2 |
![]() | 2 | 1984-09-22 | Stevie Wonder | I Just Called To Say I Love You | 2 |
![]() | 3 | 1984-10-06 | Depeche Mode | Master And Servant | 1 |
![]() | 4 | 1984-10-13 | Culture Club | The War Song | 2 |
![]() | 5 | 1984-10-27 | Alphaville | Forever Young | 5 |
![]() | 6 | 1984-12-08 | Murray Head | One Night In Bangkok | 1 |
![]() | 7 | 1984-12-15 | Band Aid | Do They Know It's Christmas? | 4 |
![]() | 8 | 1985-01-26 | Foreigner | I Want To Know What Love Is | 2 |
![]() | 9 | 1985-02-09 | Cyndi Lauper | All Through The Night | 2 |
![]() | 10 | 1985-02-23 | Howard Jones | Things Can Only Get Better | 3 |
![]() | 11 | 1985-03-16 | Reo Speedwagon | Can't Fight This Feeling | 2 |
![]() | 12 | 1985-03-30 | Usa For Africa | We Are The World | 2 |
![]() | 13 | 1985-04-20 | Narada Michael Walden With Patti Austin | Gimme, Gimme, Gimme | 1 |
![]() | 14 | 1985-04-27 | Nolan Thomas | Yo Little Brother | 2 |
![]() | 15 | 1985-05-11 | +1 | Nevermore | 2 |
![]() | 16 | 1985-05-25 | Duran Duran | A View To A Kill | 4 |
![]() | 17 | 1985-06-22 | Scotch | Delirio Mind | 1 |
![]() | 18 | 1985-08-03 | Go West | Call Me | 1 |
![]() | 19 | 1985-08-10 | Eurythmics | There Must Be Angel (playing With My Heart) | 2 |
![]() | 20 | 1985-08-24 | Sandra | (i'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena | 2 |
![]() | 21 | 1985-09-07 | Baltimora | Tarzan Boy | 1 |
![]() | 22 | 1985-09-14 | Falco | Rock Me Amadeus | 1 |
![]() | 23 | 1985-09-21 | John Parr | St. Elmo's Fire (man In Motion) | 3 |
![]() | 24 | 1985-10-12 | Bryan Adams | Heaven | 2 |
![]() | 25 | 1985-10-26 | Tone Norum | Can't You Stay | 2 |
![]() | 26 | 1985-11-09 | Thompson Twins | King For A Day | 4 |
![]() | 27 | 1985-12-07 | Starship | We Built This City | 2 |
![]() | 28 | 1986-01-18 | Bryan Adams | Summer Of '69 | 1 |
![]() | 29 | 1986-01-25 | A-ha | The Sun Always Shines On T.v. | 3 |
![]() | 30 | 1986-02-22 | Sting | Russians | 1 |
![]() | 31 | 1986-03-08 | Bryan Adams With Tina Turner | It's Only Love | 1 |
![]() | 32 | 1986-03-15 | Adolphson-falk | IfrÅn | 2 |
![]() | 33 | 1986-03-29 | Falco | Jeanny Part 1 | 1 |
![]() | 34 | 1986-04-05 | Style | Dover-calais | 3 |
![]() | 35 | 1986-05-03 | Carola | The Runaway | 1 |
![]() | 36 | 1986-05-10 | Europe | The Final Countdown | 5 |
![]() | 37 | 1986-06-14 | Scotch | Mirage | 2 |
![]() | 38 | 1986-08-16 | Madonna | Papa Don't Preach | 2 |
![]() | 39 | 1986-08-30 | Eurythmics | Thorn In My Side | 1 |
![]() | 40 | 1986-09-06 | Chris De Burgh | The Lady In Red | 1 |
![]() | 41 | 1986-09-13 | Berlin | Take My Breath Away | 2 |
![]() | 42 | 1986-09-27 | Magnus Uggla | Joey Killer | 2 |
![]() | 43 | 1986-10-18 | Cutting Crew | (i Just) Died In Your Arms | 2 |
![]() | 44 | 1986-11-01 | Pet Shop Boys | Suburbia | 2 |
![]() | 45 | 1986-11-15 | Falco | Coming Home (jeanny Part 2, One Year Later) | 1 |
![]() | 46 | 1986-11-22 | Duran Duran | Notorious | 2 |
![]() | 47 | 1986-12-06 | Eurythmics | The Miracle Of Love | 2 |
![]() | 48 | 1987-01-17 | Bon Jovi | Livin' On A Prayer | 2 |
![]() | 49 | 1987-01-31 | Housemartins | Caravan Of Love | 4 |
![]() | 50 | 1987-02-28 | Aretha Franklin & George Michael | I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me) | 1 |
![]() | 51 | 1987-03-14 | Roxette | Soul Deep | 2 |
![]() | 52 | 1987-03-28 | John Farnham | You're The Voice | 4 |
![]() | 53 | 1987-05-02 | Madonna | La Isla Bonita | 3 |
![]() | 54 | 1987-05-23 | Johnny Logan | Hold Me Now | 3 |
![]() | 55 | 1987-06-13 | John Farnham | Pressure Down | 1 |
![]() | 56 | 1987-08-29 | Pet Shop Boys | It's A Sin | 2 |
![]() | 57 | 1987-09-12 | Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield | What Have I Done To Deserve This? | 2 |
![]() | 58 | 1987-09-26 | Glenn Medeiros | Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You | 3 |
![]() | 59 | 1987-10-24 | Trance Dance | Don't Say Go | 2 |
![]() | 60 | 1987-11-07 | Style | Empty Bed | 3 |
![]() | 61 | 1987-11-28 | Rick Astley | Whenever You Need Somebody | 2 |
![]() | 62 | 1987-12-12 | Pet Shop Boys | Always On My Mind | 2 |
![]() | 63 | 1988-01-23 | Belinda Carlisle | Heaven Is A Place On Earth | 1 |
![]() | 64 | 1988-01-30 | Tone Norum & Tommy Nilsson | My Summer With You | 4 |
![]() | 65 | 1988-02-27 | Trance Dance | You're Gonna Get It | 1 |
![]() | 66 | 1988-03-05 | Tiffany | Could've Been | 2 |
![]() | 67 | 1988-03-26 | Rick Astley | Together Forever | 2 |
![]() | 68 | 1988-04-16 | Tommy Nilsson | Maybe We're About To Fall In Love | 2 |
![]() | 69 | 1988-04-30 | Alien | Only One Woman | 4 |
![]() | 70 | 1988-05-28 | George Michael | One More Try | 3 |
![]() | 71 | 1988-08-27 | Europe | Superstitious | 2 |
![]() | 72 | 1988-09-17 | Kim Wilde | You Came | 2 |
![]() | 73 | 1988-10-08 | Koreana | Hand In Hand | 2 |
![]() | 74 | 1988-10-22 | Mauro Scocco | Sarah | 4 |
![]() | 75 | 1988-11-26 | Europe | Open Your Heart | 1 |
![]() | 76 | 1988-12-03 | Sha-boom | R.o.c.k. | 2 |
![]() | 77 | 1989-01-07 | Kim Wilde | Never Trust A Stranger | 1 |
![]() | 78 | 1989-01-14 | Roxette | The Look | 5 |
![]() | 79 | 1989-02-25 | Debbie Gibson | Lost In Your Eyes | 2 |
![]() | 80 | 1989-03-18 | Paula Abdul | Straight Up | 2 |
![]() | 81 | 1989-04-01 | Madonna | Like A Prayer | 4 |
![]() | 82 | 1989-04-29 | Bangles | Eternal Flame | 3 |
![]() | 83 | 1989-05-20 | Simply Red | If You Don't Know Me By Now | 3 |
![]() | 84 | 1989-06-10 | Orup | DÅ StÅr Pojkarna PÅ Rad | 3 |
![]() | 85 | 1989-08-26 | Gladys Knight | Licence To Kill | 1 |
![]() | 86 | 1989-09-02 | Martika | Toy Soldiers | 1 |
![]() | 87 | 1989-09-09 | Richard Marx | Right Here Waiting | 3 |
![]() | 88 | 1989-09-30 | Christer Sandelin | Det Hon Vill Ha | 3 |
![]() | 89 | 1989-10-21 | Tears For Fears | Sowing The Seeds Of Love | 1 |
![]() | 90 | 1989-10-28 | Milli Vanilli | Girl I'm Gonna Miss You | 4 |
![]() | 91 | 1989-11-25 | Phil Collins | Another Day In Paradise | 3 |