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The millennial heir to Sweden's tradition of frothy, incessantly catchy pop, Max Martin wasn't an international star like ABBA, Roxette, or Ace of Base. But as a songwriter and producer, Martin spearheaded the late-'90s teen pop revival by crafting a ubiquitous string of worldwide hits for Britney Spears, *NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys, among many others. He then modified his sound during the 2000s, embracing the use of slick guitars and pop/rock melodies while penning such chart-topping singles as Bon Jovi's "It's My Life and Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone." Martin was born Martin Sandberg on February 26, 1971, and grew up in the suburbs of Stockholm; as a teenager, he sang in several bands before forming a glam-style metal band called It's Alive with his friends. Performing under the name Martin White, he subsequently dropped out of high school to pursue music, a decision that paid off when It's Alive landed a record deal with producer Denniz Pop's Cheiron label. They recorded...