Rolf Nygren, EMI boss, dead at 68
Written by tevensso on January 21, 2009 to Music Business. Source: Musikindustrin.se.
STOCKHOLM - 
Swedish newspaper Musikindustrin reports that EMI boss Roffe Nygren sadly has passed away.
Rolf Nygren, one of Sweden's legendary record company bosses, passed away last Monday. Roffe, who was 68 years old, was hired by EMI back in 1966. At first he was a sales assistant, but later became the manager for the sub-label Music For Pleasure. He was CEO of EMI Finland between 1973 and '75.
Between 1976 and 1998 Nygren was the CEO of EMI Sweden. From 1987 he was also the Scandinavian manager. During Roffe's era EMI became the leading company for Swedish music with artists such as Gyllene Tider, Ulf Lundell and Roxette. Roffe was also the chairman of Swedish ifpi for many years.
Per Gessle: "It was Roffe who tied Gyllene Tider to EMI 1979. Along the way he's been a great supporter and inspiration to our common Roxette successes. A journey we all thought impossible. He was a "hitpicker" with perfect aim and always a creative idea bouncer. He was also a very dear friend of mine and my family's. We miss him enormously."
Marie Dimberg: "To me Rolf was a strong personality with a great curiosity and love for the music. A safe, equal, engaged, low prestigious and a very encouraging boss who always gave freedom under responsibility. He was a positive pessimist with a large and warm heart. Rolf was my door opener to the music business and an always present mentor and my mainstay.
Life will be very empty without him."
The staff of The Daily Roxette offers our sympathy.
Other articles with the same topic
- Billboard mentions Roxette (February 26, 2011)
- Citigroup takes control of EMI (February 1, 2011)
- Kobalt signs Roxette in North America (January 13, 2011)
- Record "The Look" and win $5,000 shopping spree (August 11, 2010)
- EMI Music triples full-year earnings (May 8, 2009)
18 comments
abysmo said on January 21, 2009 13:44:
Thank you for making it all possible, Roffe. Rest in peace. You are probably somewhere in music heaven now.
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heyoka said on January 21, 2009 13:58:
Why so amazing people run away from this world so fast? Big loss...
Rolf was like a big creative engine to the scandinavian music market. He did a wonderful job in his life. Thank You Rolf for all you did for scandinavian music! For Gyllene Tider, Roxette and for others who you raised on tops of their career. We all here are thankful to you!!! If not you we would probably never heard our favourite music and we would never have an ocassion to get to know our favourite music idols.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Rest in peace Rolf.
Arlanda said on January 21, 2009 17:27:
That’s very sad. My deepest respect to his family and freinds.
n_e_1 said on January 21, 2009 17:41:
My respect to his family.
Rest in peace Rolf & thanks for everything you did.
From Buenos Aires.
first girl on t... said on January 21, 2009 18:19:
OMG, this news make me so sad. I liked his charming smile, my deep sympathy to Roffe’s family and friends. What a loss indeed.
Raëlian said on January 21, 2009 21:27:
I can’t deny I see many similarities between Stikkan Anderson and Roffe Nygren. Both made a great effort to push ABBA and Roxette (respectively) into the international music scene. And they succeed, thanks to their intuition and vast knowledge of the music industry. Actually, EMI took the lead of the Swedish music after so many years of Polar Music domination.
When Stig passed away in 1997, he was 66. Rolf was 68. Both quite young.
LookSharp81 said on January 22, 2009 08:26:
I’m sorry to read this news.
Roffe was always a big person for me, when i became a roxette fan in the ’90s.
He was the man behind “He’s got the Look”.
You will always be in our Fan Hearts!
Rest in Peace
dubacik said on January 22, 2009 17:45:
Thanx Roffe for your feelings for music; without you no Roxette. Rest in peace in music heaven.
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If we changed it back, things would never be the same
Kathrin said on January 22, 2009 21:09:
Roffe, I Thank you for making such great Music possible!
I hope that you have a very good Time up in Heaven!
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Have Fun!!!
alton100 said on December 3, 2010 08:01:
Thanx for your feelings for 70-237 music; without you no Roxette. Rest in peace in music heaven.Thanx Roffe for your 70-235 feelings for music; without you no Roxette. Rest in peace in music heaven. Roffe for your feelings 70-089 for music; without you no Roxette. Rest in peace in music heavenfor your feelings for music; without MB2-633 you no Roxette. Rest in peace in music heaven.
tomos85 said on January 21, 2009 13:15:
You were the one who belived in Roxette from day 1 and thought it was worth trying to record one song by Marie and Per together. Thanks a lot! Rest in peace Roffe!