Peter Morén

For the heavy metal drummer, see Peter Morén (drummer).

Peter Andreas Morén (born 5 May 1976 in Vika, Dalarna) is a Swedish musician.^[1] He is the guitarist and vocalist of the indie rock trio Peter Bjorn and John. He is also a founding member of the Stockholm-based artist collective INGRID.

Peter Morén
SunYears (Peter Morén) live. Photo by Anders Johansson.
Background information
Born	(1976-05-05) 5 May 1976 (age 49) Vika, Sweden
Occupations	Musician
Instrument(s)	Guitar, bass
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Morén Pop, Wichita Recordings, INGRID, Villa
Publishers	Kobalt Music
Member of	Peter Bjorn and John
Formerly of	The Plan (band)
Spinoffs	SunYears

Early life

Peter Morén grew up in the Swedish countryside, specifically in a small village called Vika in Dalarna. He was exposed to local heavy metal and folk music, but he also developed a strong interest in guitar-based pop music inspired by artists like The Beatles and The Byrds. His musical journey included learning guitar at age 10, performing covers at local venues, and eventually moving to Västerås to the music programme at Carlforsska gymnasiet. He met fellow musician and future bandmate Björn Yttling, and they started exploring more indie rock influences like Ride, Teenage Fanclub, and The Stone Roses. ^[2][3]

Music career

Peter Bjorn and John

Peter Bjorn and John formed in Stockholm in 1999 when Peter Morén met Björn Yttling and John Eriksson and began collaborating on indie‑pop music rooted in melody and experimentation. During this period, Morén had also joined The Plan, playing bass on their 2001 self-titled debut album.^[4] However, in 2002 he decided to leave the group to concentrate on Peter Bjorn and John's first record.^[5]

Peter Bjorn and John performing in 2007

Initially rising through Stockholm’s local indie scene with early releases Peter Bjorn and John (2002) and Falling Out (2004), the band achieved international fame with their third album Writer’s Block (2006), riding the wave of the global hit single “Young Folks,” famously driven by wry, catchy whistling and understated groove. Over the subsequent decade, the band evolved from jangly pop to more adventurous territory—releasing the instrumental and experimental Seaside Rock (2008), the darker, electronic‑tinged Living Thing (2009) and the high‑energy pop of Gimme Some (2011), before founding the artist collective and label INGRID in 2012. Their later albums Darker Days (2018) and Endless Dream (2020) offered refined indie pop with layered emotional textures. Throughout their career, Morén and his bandmates repeatedly incorporated unconventional percussion, such as boots on concrete, cheek-slaps and body tapping, to craft a distinct sonic aesthetic that blended pop sensibility with inventive sound design.^[6]

Solo and collaborative work

Morén has released four solo albums; in April 2008 he released a solo album in English, The Last Tycoon followed in 2010 by the Swedish-language I Spåren Av Tåren. His third solo album, Pyramiden, was released in late 2012^[7] and is named after the ghost town of Pyramiden as well as referring to the pyramid as a tomb and to abstract concepts such as pyramid schemes. The album's first single, 'Odyssén', was released prior to the album with the b-side 'Vinstintressen'.^[8] A one-track digital download of the second single followed, the Swedish-language version of the song 'Say My Name', previously featured (sung in English) on the INGRID compilation album Volym 1.^[9] In early 2017 he released another solo album, 40, featuring multiple collaborations and covers.^[10] In 2019, he paired up with fellow Swedish pop songwriter David Shutrick to release the collaborative EP En Åldrande Befolkning. Later that year, the duo recorded three more songs and re-released En Åldrande Befolkning as a full-length album.^[11][12] The album features as its cover artwork an unattributed painting found at a flea market.

Morén is a member of Tutankamon together with Adam Olenius of Shout Out Louds, Daniel Värjö of The Concretes, and Niklas Korsell who was the drummer of the Plan during Morén's stint in the band. Since 2012, Morén has begun to release a series of EPs featuring English translations and rewritings of his most popular Swedish-language songs, including 'Say My Name', 'Esther' and 'The Odyssey'. These EPs are named the 'Broken Swenglish' series.

In 2025, Morén produced Strawberries, the ninth solo album by Australian singer-songwriter Robert Forster (the Go-Betweens), recorded at Ingrid Studios in Stockholm. In addition to producing, Morén contributed guitar, backing vocals, and arrangements to the project.^[13][14] The album received positive reviews for its warm, live sound and vivid storytelling, with critics praising Morén’s understated yet dynamic production.^[15][13][16]

SunYears

SunYears is the solo project/band that started during the cancelled tour and lockdown following the release of Endless Dream in 2020, the SunYears project embraces Morén’s rediscovered passion for guitar-based songwriting and collaboration. Its debut album, Come Fetch My Soul!, was released on 16 June 2023 via Yep Roc, featuring ten tracks that span folk, indie‑pop, psychedelia, and even rockabilly touches. Guest contributors include Jess Williamson (title track), Ron Sexsmith (“Granddad’s Song”), Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats) on “Last Night I Dreamt That I Met Phil & Don,” and Kathryn Williams plus Ren Harvieu on the closing duet “Wake Up!”. The album has been praised as a serene, emotionally rich collection that bridges nostalgia with fresh collaborations.^[17][18][19]

Morén’s second SunYears album, The Song Forlorn, is slated for release on 21 August 2025 through Villa. The announcement confirms a rich roster of collaborators, including Lisa Hannigan, Sam Genders (Tunng/Diagrams), Nicole Atkins, Madison Cunningham, and De Clair. The single “Last Night on the Mountain” features Hannigan and Genders and has been described as a hopeful folk-ballad born of pandemic-era songwriting sessions.^{[20][21][22][23]}

Artistry and influences

Morén describes his solo music as a chance to experiment creatively - “anything goes if it feels good in my stomach.” His songwriting is rooted in melody-rich, song-oriented pop, exploring genres from folk and soul to indie rock and psychedelic textures. His influences include The Beatles, David Bowie, folk-rock, power-pop, Brazilian tropicália, and vintage R&B. He prioritizes songwriting, melodic structure and interesting arrangements.^[24]

Discography

Studio albums

• The Last Tycoon (2008)
• I Spåren Av Tåren (2010)
• Pyramiden (2012)
• 40 (2017)
• En Åldrande Befolkning (with David Shutrick) (2019)
• Come Fetch My Soul! (SunYears) (2023)
• The Song Forlorn (SunYears) (2025)

Singles and EPs

• "Social Competence" (2008)
• "Reel Too Real" (2008)
• "Esther" (2010)
• "Odyssén" (2012)
• "Säg Mitt Namn" (2012)
• "Tröstpriset" (2012)
• "Broken Swenglish Vol. 1 EP" (2013)
• "Broken Swenglish Vol. 2 EP" (2014)
• "Rytmen I Blodet / Mitt Bästa Porslin" (2016)
• "Pärleporten" (2016)
• "100 År" (with David Shutrick) (2019)
• "Oljud" (with David Shutrick) (2019)
• "Come Fetch My Soul!" (single featuring Jess Williamson) (2023)
• "Slipping Away" (2023)
• “Granddad’s Song” (feat. Ron Sexsmith) (2023)
• “Last Night I Dreamt I Met Phil & Don” (feat. Eric D. Johnson / Fruit Bats) (2023)
• "Last Night I Dreamt I Met Phil & Don (Slow Jam) (2024)
• "Dark Eyes" (2025)
• (Going To A) Cruel Country" (2025)
• “Last Night on the Mountain” (feat. Lisa Hannigan and Sam Genders) (2025)
• "Spanner In The Works" (2025)