Max Martin is number one for the 18th time

Swedish songwriter and producer Max Martin is the third most successful songwriter in Billboard history. 

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  Swedish hit maker Max Martin; music producer with the Midas touch. Photo courtesy maratone.se by Kia Naddermier.

• Swedish songwriter, Max Martin, is number one in the singles charts — for the 18th time. This week it is with Taylor Swift's song "Shake it off," which went straight to number one in the United States. The Swedish hit-maker wrote the song with Taylor Swift and Swedish producer Johan "Shellback" Schuster.

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  Taylor Swift’s latest CD is soaring to great heights, much thanks to the Swedish duo Max Martin and Shellback.

• Martin, 43, born Karl Martin Sandberg, grew up making music in the suburbs of Stockholm. Since then, he has been writing and producing hit songs for the likes of Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson and others. He is the third most successful songwriter in Billboard history — only the Beatles icons Paul McCartney and John Lennon are ahead of him on the list with 32 and 26 number ones.