Live Nation Nordics Chairman Thomas Johansson Honored By Swedish Government

Live Nation – Thomas Johansson
Chairman of Live Nation Sweden

The Swedish Government awarded Live Nation Nordics chairman Thomas Johansson the Music Export Prize.

Since 1997, the Music Export Prize has been awarded annually to leading industry figures who have excelled over their careers and have made long-standing contributions to Swedish music, thereby promoting Sweden worldwide.

Previous recipients of the award include ABBA (2013), Max Martin (2014) and Roxette (2011).

Johansson has been integral to the Swedish music industry since he founded EMA Telstar in 1969. Under Johansson’s leadership, the company brought international superstars to Sweden.

In the early ’70s, EMA managed ABBA’s touring and subsequently expanded to overseeing the international tours of Swedish acts. SFX Entertainment acquired EMA Telstar in 1999, and the Swedish company remained a subsidiary when Clear Channel acquired SFX and when Clear Channel Entertainment became Live Nation in 2005. Over that period, EMA has constituted the live entertainment giant’s Swedish operation.

As chairman of the Live Nation Sweden, Johansson has delivered concerts, tours and events to over one million Swedes a year.

Over the years, Johansson has worked with acts including Roxette, The Cardigans, Peter Jöback and Zara Larsson, in addition to his global tours with ABBA.