Vikingarna (The Vikings) is a Swedish dance band formed in Karlstad in 1958. It is the best-selling dance band, and one of the best-selling artists, in Scandinavia and is often regarded as the greatest dance orchestra to have existed. In 1958, as skiffle bands were reaching the height of their popularity in Europe, Ji-Coo and the Vikings were formed in Sweden, with Gunnar Olsson on guitar, Hans Axelsson on bass, Egon Olsson on drums, Svante Valjestöl on keyboards, Jens "Ji-Coo" Carlson on saxophone, and Newman Alexander on trumpet. The band did not have a lead singer at first, but after a series of auditions, Kerstin Larsson was hired for the job. The band became a local hit, and in 1961, they were given a shot at recording their first EP, Viking Boogie, which entered the Top 20 charts on Radio Luxembourg.