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Jonas Åkerlund
Åkerlund in March 2012
Born	Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (1965-11-10) 10 November 1965 (age 59) Bromma, Sweden
Occupation	Filmmaker
Years active	1983–present
Spouse	Bea Åkerlund

Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (Swedish: [hɑːns ˈʉ̌ːnʊ ˈjûːnas ˈôːkɛˌɭɵnd]; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish filmmaker and musician who is best known for his work in music videos. Åkerlund was a member of the Swedish black metal band Bathory. He has directed well-known videos for artists such as Queens of the Stone Age, Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Blink-182, Blondie, Duran Duran, Lady Gaga, David Guetta, Jamiroquai, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Metallica, Moby, Ozzy Osbourne, P!nk, the Prodigy, the Smashing Pumpkins, Rammstein, Britney Spears, the Rolling Stones, U2, Robbie Williams and Ghost.

Åkerlund's video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and a record five MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year. In 2008, he won the Grammy Award for Best Music Film for directing Madonna's The Confessions Tour DVD, and won the award again in 2014 for his work on Paul McCartney's Live Kisses DVD. He also directed the films Spun (2002), Horsemen (2009), Small Apartments (2012), Lords of Chaos (2018), and Polar (2019).

Career

Åkerlund was a member of the Swedish black metal band Bathory from 1983 to 1984. He directed Candlemass' first music video "Bewitched", which was also his debut as a music video director. He then became the main video director for Roxette. In 1997, he directed the video for the Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up", which sparked controversy due to its depiction of drug use, violence, and nudity. In 1998, he worked with Madonna on the song "Ray of Light". He directed the music video for the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Try, Try, Try", from which a short film entitled Try was spawned. He was also the designer and photographer for the Roxette album Room Service in 2001. His first full-length film, Spun, debuted in 2002.

Åkerlund directed commercials for Swedish clothing retailer MQ and the re-imagining of the Devo song "Watch Us Work It" used in Dell Computers commercials. He is a long-time collaborator of Madonna, having worked on such music videos as "Music", "American Life" (which was pulled due to its graphic content and the Iraq War), and "Jump". He also directed the documentary film I'm Going to Tell You a Secret about Madonna and her concert special The Confessions Tour: Live from London.

Åkerlund's other work includes the controversial music video for Rammstein's "Pussy", the video for the song "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera, and Duran Duran's single "Girl Panic!"

Åkerlund's second movie, Small Apartments (2012), went direct to DVD. Per Gessle, of Roxette, was credited for the music and soundtrack.

Videography

Filmography

Feature films

Spun (2003)

Horsemen (2009)

Small Apartments (2012)

Lords of Chaos (2018)

Polar (2019)

Concert and documentary films

Madonna: I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (2005)

Madonna: The Confessions Tour (2007) (won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video)

Paul McCartney: Live Kisses (2012) (won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Music Film)

On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z (2014)

Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour Live (2015)

Roxette: Roxette Diaries (2016)

Rammstein: Paris (2017)

Television

Clark (2022; TV series) (directed all 6 episodes with Kirke Ailio Rodwell as 1st Assistant Director)

Awards

• 2014 – Grammy – Best Music Film: Paul McCartney's "Live Kisses"
• 2011 – Echo Awards – Best National Video: Rammstein "Ich tu dir weh"
• 2010 – MVPA Awards – Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga feat Beyoncé "Telephone"
• 2009 – MVPA Awards – Lady Gaga "Paparazzi"
• 2008 – MVPA Awards – James Blunt "Same Mistake"
• 2008 – Grammy – Best Long Form Music Video: Madonna NBC Special "The Confessions Tour"
• 2008 – Silver Addy – Dell "Work it Out"
• 2007 – MVPA Hall of Fame – Prodigy "Smack My Bitch Up"
• 2004 – MVPA Awards – Robbie Williams "Come Undone"
• 1999 – Grammy – Best Short Form Music Video: Madonna "Ray of Light"
• 1998 – MTV Video Music Award – Madonna "Ray of Light" (five awards: Video of the Year, Best Female Video, Best Director, Best Editing and Best Choreography - Jonas Åkerlund was also the editor and he and Madonna were the choreographers for this video)
• 1998 – MTV Video Music Award – Best Dance Video: The Prodigy "Smack My Bitch Up"

References

1. Wigler, Josh. "The Man Behind Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Video: Jonas Akerlund". MTV. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
2. ^ Åkerlund, Jonas (1 March 2013), Small Apartments, retrieved 27 July 2016
3. ""Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai | Music Video | VH1.com". Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
4. "Music – Music News, New Songs, Videos, Music Shows and Playlists from MTV". www.mtv.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
5. "Ozzy 'Gets Through' Video, Plans Tour With Zombie". MTV. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014.
6. "SATYRICON Video Posted Online". 29 October 2002.
7. Ballad & Pop Hits - The Complete Video Collection (DVD liner notes). Roxette. EMI. 2003. 7243 4 90946 9 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. "blink-182 – I Miss You – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 3 November 2008.
9. "Madonna – Jump – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 1 November 2008.
10. "RAMMSTEIN: 'Mann Gegen Mann' Video Posted Online". 10 February 2006.
11. ""Country Girl" by Primal Scream | Music Video | VH1.com". Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
12. "Maroon 5 – Wake Up Call – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012.
13. "James Blunt – Same Mistake – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
14. "Sober | P!nk | Music Video | MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
15. "Lady Gaga – Paparazzi – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012.
16. "Mika – We Are Golden – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014.
17. "Madonna – Celebration – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009.
18. "RAMMSTEIN Guitarist Discusses 'Pussy' Video". 25 September 2009.
19. "RAMMSTEIN: 'Ich Tu Dir Weh' Video To Debut On Monday". 19 December 2009.
20. "Lady Gaga – Telephone feat. Beyoncé – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
21. "N.E.R.D. – Hot-N-Fun – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012.
22. "OZZY OSBOURNE: 'Let Me Hear You Scream' Video Released". 22 June 2010.
23. "David Guetta – Who's That Chick? (Ft. Rihanna) – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
24. "Music – Music News, New Songs, Videos, Music Shows and Playlists from MTV". www.mtv.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
25. "Hollywood Undead – Hear Me Now – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012.
26. "Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012.
27. "Duran Duran – Girl Panic! – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 13 November 2011.
28. "RAMMSTEIN: 'Mein Land' Video Released". 11 November 2011.
29. "Maroon 5 – Daylight – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013.
30. "The Rolling Stones – Doom And Gloom – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014.
31. ^ "Director Jonas Åkerlund on 'Haunted,' 'Superpower,' and Beyoncé's Many Virtues". 16 December 2013.
32. "Coldplay – Magic – Music Video – MTV". MTV. Archived from the original on 7 September 2014.
33. "Robin Thicke's new video: Plea to Paula Patton?".
34. "Chris Martin Wears Inflatable Body Suit in Coldplay's "True Love" Video". Pitchfork. 22 August 2014.
35. "Beyoncé and Jay Z tour for TV special". Digital Spy. 8 September 2014.
36. "Awards Watch: Paul McCartney Takes Music Film Grammy, Nick Cave Doc a Double Winner at Sundance – MusicFilmWeb".

Further reading

• Henry Keazor, Thorsten Wübbena: Video Thrills The Radio Star. Musikvideos: Geschichte, Themen, Analysen. Bielefeld, Germany, 2005, p. 117ss., p. 146ss., p. 448

External links

• Jonas Åkerlund at IMDb
• Jonas Åkerlund at the Swedish Film Database
• Jonas Åkerlund at the MVDbase.com Archived 8 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• CNN interview with Jonas Åkerlund
• Jonas Åkerlund official web page
• R.A.F. official web page
• Edwards, Gavin. "Video Visionary Jonas Åkerlund Pushes the Limits". Wired. Retrieved 24 July 2012.

• 1965 births
• Living people
• Black metal musicians
• Grammy Award winners
• Musicians from Stockholm
• Sommar (radio program) hosts
• Swedish film directors
• Swedish music video directors
• Swedish heavy metal drummers
• Television commercial directors