Max Martin

Who is Max Martin?

Karl Martin Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. He became popular in the mid-1990s after crafting a string of hits for artists such as Ace of Base, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, 'N Sync, and Robyn. But Backstreet Boys was the main reason that made him become famous. Some of his earlier hits include "Quit Playing Games", "Everybody", "I Want It That Way", "...Baby One More Time", "Oops!... I Did It Again", and "It's My Life".

His trademark during the second half of the 1990s and the early 2000s was a danceable, keyboard-laden pop sound that blended music styles such as funk, heavy metal and europop. However, with Kelly Clarkson's songs "Since U Been Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes", Martin stepped back into the spotlight after reinventing himself with a heavier, rock-tinged sound.

Since 1999, he has written and co-written 16 Billboard number-one hits, including "Wish You Were Here" by Avril Lavigne; "So What" and "Raise Your Glass" by Pink; "I Kissed a Girl", "Hot n Cold", "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "E.T.", "Last Friday Night", "Part of Me", "Roar", "The One That Got Away" and "Wide Awake" by Katy Perry; "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift; "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson, "...Baby One More Time", "3", "Hold It Against Me" by Britney Spears, and "One More Night" by Maroon 5. Top-10 singles co-written by Martin in the same period include "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz, "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" by Usher, "Whataya Want From Me" by Adam Lambert, "F**kin' Perfect" by Pink, "Beauty and a Beat" by Justin Bieber, and, "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift.