Espionage (production team)
Encyclopedia
Espionage is a New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

-based Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 songwriting and music production team consisting of Espen Lind
Espen Lind
Espen Lind, , is a Norwegian songwriter, producer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is one half of the production team Espionage.- Solo records :...

 and Amund Bjørklund. Their breakthrough came in 2006 as co-writers of Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...

's worldwide smash "Irreplaceable
Irreplaceable
"Irreplaceable" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for her second studio album, B'Day . The song was written by Knowles, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund, and produced by Stargate and Knowles...

", which was number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 for 10 consecutive weeks and the best selling single in the US in 2007. The pair also co-wrote "With You
With You
-Music:Albums* With You, an album by Josh Groban* With You, an album by Natalie WalkerSongs* "With You" a song by Mutya Buena and Ashley Walters* "With You", a song by Maia Lee* "With You", a song by Monica* "With You"...

" by Chris Brown which topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for 7 weeks in 2008, and produced and co-wrote Train
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....

's multi-platinum comeback single "Hey, Soul Sister
Hey, Soul Sister
"Hey, Soul Sister" is a song by the American rock band Train, written by Patrick Monahan, Amund Bjørklund, and Espen Lind. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Save Me, San Francisco. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is their highest...

", which has sold over 5 million digital copies in the US and is the most downloaded song of all time for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...

 and the iTunes best selling song in the US in 2010. Espionage have received numerous BMI Awards.

Formation

Lind and Bjørklund started working together on Lind's solo album Red in 1997, which was a major success in Europe and won Lind the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy. In the early 2000s they branched out to the UK market, working with various artists and writing pan-European hits such as Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...

's "Last Goodbye
The Last Goodbye (song)
"The Last Goodbye" is a song the British girl group, Atomic Kitten. It was released in 2002 as the second single from Feels So Good. In 2003, the song was released as a double-A side in the United Kingdom and The Republic of Ireland with "Be with You"...

" and Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh
Kimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside...

' "Cry", both of which reached number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

. Espionage also worked with a number of Norwegian artists in the early 2000s, including Sissel
Sissel Kyrkjebø
Sissel Kyrkjebø , also simply known as Sissel, is a Norwegian soprano.Sissel is considered one of the world's top crossover sopranos. Sissel's musical style runs the gamut from pop recordings and folk songs, to classical vocals and operatic arias...

 and Norwegian Idol winner Kjartan Salvesen
Kjartan Salvesen
Kjartan Salvesen is the winner of the second season of Norwegian version of Idol by 840.000 votes, the highest number for any participant on the show. His single "Standing Tall" sold five times platinum, making it the second most sold single of all time in Norway. He later released a self-titled...

.

US breakthrough

In 2006 Lind and Bjørklund co-wrote the third single from Beyoncé Knowles' B'day
B'Day
B'Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released on September 4, 2006 by Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Music and Sony Urban Music. It was released to coincide with Knowles' twenty-fifth birthday. The album was originally planned for a...

, "Irreplaceable", and followed up by co-writing the third single from Chris Brown's second album Exclusive, "With You". Both were major hits that marked Espionage's breakthrough into the US market. Written together with fellow Norwegian producers Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...

, the tracks were both based on a fingerpicked acoustic guitar figure laced with a programmed beat. Lind and Bjorklund have collaborated with Stargate on numerous other tracks, such as Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...

's "Go On Girl
Go On Girl
"Go On Girl" is a song written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espen Lind and Amund Bjorklund for Ne-Yo's second studio album Because of You . It was solicited to radio as the fourth single on December 4, 2007. It has so far has peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop...

", Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...

's "Can't Stop the Rain", and Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...

' "Just for the Record".

In 2008 and 2009 Espionage co-wrote several songs from American Idol winner David Cook
David Cook (singer)
David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...

's debut album, including the gold single "Come Back To Me
Come Back to Me (David Cook song)
"Come Back to Me" is the third official single to be released from American Idol season 7 winner David Cook's major label debut studio album, David Cook. It was released with "Bar-ba-sol" as a joint double-A single...

" (#6 on the Hot Adult Top 40), as well as producing and/or writing songs for Cavo
Cavo
Cavo is an American hard rock band from St. Louis, Missouri. Because of their sound and musical influences, they are sometimes classified as post-grunge.-Band history:...

, Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...

 and Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin
Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

.

They also worked on alternative rock band Train's album Save Me, San Francisco, including producing and co-writing the Top 3 single "Hey, Soul Sister", which is widely regarded as the band's commercial comeback. Singer Pat Monahan explained to website GoErie.com how the song came about: "I said, 'I want to write an INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...

-y song", Monahan recalled. "So, they started playing kind of an INXS-y song, and I wrote the song '"Hey, Soul Sister
Hey, Soul Sister
"Hey, Soul Sister" is a song by the American rock band Train, written by Patrick Monahan, Amund Bjørklund, and Espen Lind. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Save Me, San Francisco. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is their highest...

" to it and the melodies and started to sing it. And I was like, 'Man, this just doesn't sound great to me. One of the guys, Espen, who's like a huge star in Norway, picked up a ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....

, and said, 'Hey, how about this?' I was like, 'Are you (kidding) me?' And it made the difference. It made my words dance. It made sense. These words were meant to dance with ukulele and not guitar." It has sold more than 5 million downloads in the US and is the most downloaded song in Columbia Records' history.

Espionage also produced the major label debut album for singer-songwriter Damato, due out in 2011.
In spring 2011 Espionage produced Lelia Broussard's tracks for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

 magazine's "Choose The Cover" contest.

Discography

Billboard Top 10 Singles
  • "Irreplaceable
    Irreplaceable
    "Irreplaceable" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for her second studio album, B'Day . The song was written by Knowles, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund, and produced by Stargate and Knowles...

    " - Beyoncé
  • "With You
    With You (Chris Brown song)
    "With You" is a pop/R&B song by Chris Brown, nominated for 2008 MTV Video Music Awards and written by Johntá Austin, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen, Espen Lind, Amund Bjørklund, and produced by Stargate...

    "  - Chris Brown
  • "I Need a Girl
    I Need a Girl (Trey Songz song)
    "I Need a Girl" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz. The track was written by Johntá Austin, along with the song's production team, Stargate, who also produced his breakthrough hit, "Can't Help But Wait." The song served as the lead single for Songz's third studio album Ready...

    " - Trey Songz
    Trey Songz
    Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...

  • "Hey, Soul Sister
    Hey, Soul Sister
    "Hey, Soul Sister" is a song by the American rock band Train, written by Patrick Monahan, Amund Bjørklund, and Espen Lind. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Save Me, San Francisco. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is their highest...

    " - Train
    Train (band)
    Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....



This list includes top 10 hits from the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts

Other selected credits
  • "Middle of Nowhere" - Selena Gomez & the Scene
    Selena Gomez & the Scene
    Selena Gomez & the Scene is an American pop band formed in Hollywood, California in 2009. Along with lead singer and founder Selena Gomez, the band consists of bassist Joey Clement, guitarist Ethan Roberts, drummist Greg Garman and keyboardist Dane Forrest. Selena Gomez & the Scene have released...

  • "Turn Me On" - Lelia Broussard
  • "My Heart's a Cannonball" - Lelia Broussard
  • "Everybody Vs You and Me" - Damato
  • "Love Suicide" - Tinie Tempah
    Tinie Tempah
    Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu , better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit...

  • "Get Around This" - SafetySuit
    Safetysuit
    SafetySuit is pop/rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are notable for their songs "Someone Like You" and "Stay" off of their 2008 debut major label debut album Life Left to Go. "Anywhere But Here" from the same album was showcased on the ABC Family...

  • "Angels" - Damato
  • "Summer Rain" - Matthew Morrison
    Matthew Morrison
    Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...

  • "Good Girl" - Alexis Jordan
    Alexis Jordan
    Alexis Jordan is a National-Record-holding swimmer from Barbados. She swam for Barbados at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, 2005 World Championships, and CARIFTA and CCCAN Championships.-References:...

  • "The Air That You Breathe - Alexis Jordan
    Alexis Jordan
    Alexis Jordan is a National-Record-holding swimmer from Barbados. She swam for Barbados at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, 2005 World Championships, and CARIFTA and CCCAN Championships.-References:...

  • "Say That" - Alexis Jordan
    Alexis Jordan
    Alexis Jordan is a National-Record-holding swimmer from Barbados. She swam for Barbados at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, 2005 World Championships, and CARIFTA and CCCAN Championships.-References:...

  • "Naked" - Kimberly Caldwell
    Kimberly Caldwell
    Kimberly Ann Caldwell is an American singer, actress, and television hostess, from Katy, Texas who was the seventh place finalist on the second season of American Idol. She used to work as an entertainment correspondent and hosted various shows on the TV Guide Network...

  • "Don't Be Shy" - Burnham
    Burnham (band)
    Burnham is a Vermont - based American "rock pop" band made up of three brothers Alex, Andre, and Forrest Burnham. They are signed to Island Records and managed by Introspect Entertainment...

  • "Chasing Lizzie" - Burnham
    Burnham (band)
    Burnham is a Vermont - based American "rock pop" band made up of three brothers Alex, Andre, and Forrest Burnham. They are signed to Island Records and managed by Introspect Entertainment...

  • "It's Gotta Be Love"- Lee DeWyze
    Lee DeWyze
    Leon James "Lee" DeWyze, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter from Mount Prospect, Illinois, and the winner of the ninth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, DeWyze had a solo career and formed the Lee DeWyze Band. He had also released two independent albums called So I'm Told in 2007 and...

  • "Stay Here" - Lee DeWyze
    Lee DeWyze
    Leon James "Lee" DeWyze, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter from Mount Prospect, Illinois, and the winner of the ninth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, DeWyze had a solo career and formed the Lee DeWyze Band. He had also released two independent albums called So I'm Told in 2007 and...

  • "Brick by Brick"- Train
    Train (band)
    Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....

  • "Half Moon Bay"- Train
    Train (band)
    Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....

  • "That's What I'm Here for" - Jason Castro
  • "If I Were You" - Jason Castro
  • "Heart of Stone" - Jason Castro
  • "Brand New You" - Miranda Cosgrove
    Miranda Cosgrove
    Miranda Taylor Cosgrove is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Her career began at the age of three, where she participated in television commercials. Cosgrove's film debut was in 2003, as Summer Hathaway in School of Rock...

  • "What Are You Waiting For?" - Miranda Cosgrove
    Miranda Cosgrove
    Miranda Taylor Cosgrove is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Her career began at the age of three, where she participated in television commercials. Cosgrove's film debut was in 2003, as Summer Hathaway in School of Rock...

  • "Pastime" - Lionel Richie
    Lionel Richie
    Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...

  • "Come Back to Me
    Come Back to Me (David Cook song)
    "Come Back to Me" is the third official single to be released from American Idol season 7 winner David Cook's major label debut studio album, David Cook. It was released with "Bar-ba-sol" as a joint double-A single...

    " - David Cook
    David Cook (singer)
    David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...

  • "Lie" - David Cook
    David Cook (singer)
    David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...

  • "Life on the Moon" - David Cook
    David Cook (singer)
    David Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...

  • "Angel" - Leona Lewis
    Leona Lewis
    Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....

  • "Can't Stop The Rain - Jennifer Hudson
    Jennifer Hudson
    Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...

  • "Now You Tell Me" - Jordin Sparks
    Jordin Sparks
    Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...

  • "Just for the Record" - Jordin Sparks
    Jordin Sparks
    Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...

  • "Go On Girl
    Go On Girl
    "Go On Girl" is a song written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espen Lind and Amund Bjorklund for Ne-Yo's second studio album Because of You . It was solicited to radio as the fourth single on December 4, 2007. It has so far has peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop...

    " - Ne-Yo
    Ne-Yo
    Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...

  • "Underdog" - Jonas Brothers
    Jonas Brothers
    The Jonas Brothers are an American boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From the shore region of New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...

  • "Don't Be Shy" - Burnham
    Burnham (band)
    Burnham is a Vermont - based American "rock pop" band made up of three brothers Alex, Andre, and Forrest Burnham. They are signed to Island Records and managed by Introspect Entertainment...

  • "My Little Secret" - Cavo
    Cavo
    Cavo is an American hard rock band from St. Louis, Missouri. Because of their sound and musical influences, they are sometimes classified as post-grunge.-Band history:...

  • "Ghost" - Cavo
    Cavo
    Cavo is an American hard rock band from St. Louis, Missouri. Because of their sound and musical influences, they are sometimes classified as post-grunge.-Band history:...

  • "Just Can't Have It" - Esmee Denters
    Esmée Denters
    Esmée Denters is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She was a regular cover-artist on video-sharing website YouTube on which she covered songs by contemporary musicians like Justin Timberlake and Natasha Bedingfield....

  • "You" - Elliott Yamin
    Elliott Yamin
    Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

  • "Don't Change" - Elliott Yamin
    Elliott Yamin
    Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

  • "One Word
    One Word (Elliott Yamin song)
    "One Word" is the second official single from his self-titled album Elliott Yamin -Song information:...

    " - Elliott Yamin
    Elliott Yamin
    Elliott Yamin , born Efraym Elliott Yamin, is an American singer known for his hit single "Wait for You" and placing third on the fifth season of American Idol....

  • "I Don't Wanna Care" - Jessica Simpson
    Jessica Simpson
    Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...

  • "The One That Got Away" - Johnta Austin
    Johnta Austin
    Johntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...

  • "Men Like You" - Mary J. Blige
    Mary J. Blige
    Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...

  • "I Will Be with You" - Sarah Brightman
    Sarah Brightman
    Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...

     feat. Paul Stanley
    Paul Stanley
    Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...

  • "The Last Goodbye" - Atomic Kitten
    Atomic Kitten
    Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...

  • "Cry" - Kym Marsh
    Kym Marsh
    Kimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside...

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