With his fifteenth studio album, "Längtan till våren", Lars Winnerbäck cements his role as a central figure in Swedish music. The album was produced by Johannes Runemark and recorded in spring 2026 at the renowned La Fabrique studio in Provence, France—a place where heavyweights like Radiohead, Nick Cave, and Mika have also worked. The result is marked by Winnerbäck’s signature blend of lyrical melancholy and melodic warmth.
The creation of the album began with the song "Hälsningar," a track that set the tone for thematic explorations around spring, light, and love, juxtaposed with darkness, mortality, and a tumultuous present day. Winnerbäck remains adept at weaving together personal and universal themes, something that continues to resonate with his audience. The instrumentation rests on a tight-knit band: Jonna Löfgren (drums), Jerker Odelholm (bass), Mikaela Hansson (piano, synth), Carl Ekerstam and Staffan Johansson (guitar), and Sandra Widman (vocals). The group’s strong interplay lent the recordings in Provence a palpable warmth and honesty.
The album’s release coincides with Winnerbäck’s 30th anniversary as an artist in 2026. Over these three decades, he has, with fifteen studio albums, developed a unique poetic voice and given expression to both searching and longing. He has even contributed to popularizing the apt Swedish term "tandläkarväder."
Autumn 2026: The Arena Tour Returns
Autumn 2026 marks Winnerbäck’s return to the major arena stages—the first significant round since 2023—as he embarks on an extensive tour in Sweden and Norway with his full band. The tour opens on October 23 at Saab Arena in Linköping, his hometown and classic starting point, before a sold-out audience. The tour will also visit major arenas in, among others, Eskilstuna, Örebro, Gävle, Gothenburg, Malmö, Karlstad, Halmstad, Stockholm, Trondheim, and Oslo. Several shows, including the premiere, are already reported sold out, underlining the enduring strong appeal of Winnerbäck’s live performances.
- 23 Oct 2026: Linköping, Saab Arena
- 24 Oct 2026: Eskilstuna, Volvo CE Arena
- 30 Oct 2026: Örebro, Conventum Arena
- 31 Oct 2026: Gävle, Monitor ERP Arena
- 6 Nov 2026: Gothenburg, Scandinavium
- 7 Nov 2026: Malmö, Malmö Arena
- 13 Nov 2026: Karlstad, Löfbergs Arena
- 14 Nov 2026: Halmstad, Halmstad Arena
- 21 Nov 2026: Stockholm, Avicii Arena
- 27 Nov 2026: Trondheim, Trondheim Spektrum
- 28 Nov 2026: Oslo, Oslo Spektrum
In addition to the album and tour, Winnerbäck’s cultural contributions are highlighted in SVT’s autumn 2026 feature "Vår älskade låtskatt," where his signature song "Söndermarken" from 2003 takes center stage. The series can be seen on SVT Play and offers both longtime and new listeners insight into Winnerbäck’s significance for Swedish music history.
Among recent milestones are the fourteenth album "Neutronstjärnan" (2023), created together with Joakim Berg and Martin Sköld from Kent, a record that in 2024 was awarded the Grammis for "Rock of the Year." The autumn tour in 2023 was entirely sold out and over 140,000 saw his summer tour in 2024. In 2025, a new attendance record was set at Rosendal Garden Party in Stockholm with 15,850 visitors during his only summer performance.
As Winnerbäck now celebrates three decades in music, "Längtan till våren" stands as both a retrospective and innovative album—where self-reflection meets new creative joy. For anyone following Swedish music, this era is both a source of joy and inspiration.
