The Hives

The music is garage rock distilled to its purest form: raw, fast, loud and insanely catchy. The Hives have never tried to be anything other than what they are, and Pelle Almqvist has compared the band to sharks — they have been the same for millions of years because nothing can beat them. The riffs are brutal and sophisticated at the same time, the melodies burrow in after a single listen, and songs like “Hate to Say I Told You So”, “Tick Tick Boom”, “Walk Idiot Walk” and “Come On” have become the canonised anthems of garage rock. Live, The Hives are in a league of their own. Dressed in matching black-and-white suits — never the same outfit two tours running — they deliver shows routinely described as among the best in modern rock. Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist is a frontman who treats the stage as if it belongs to him personally, with an energy and confidence that balances between charm and madness. It is rock’n’roll stripped to the essentials: five men, an untamed drive, and an unshakeable conviction that they are the greatest band in the world. The most annoying part is that it’s hard to argue with them.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​