The Pirate Bay servers do not store copyrighted material, but the service provides links to downloads of copyrighted films, TV programmes, albums and software.
The website, founded in 2004, has between 10 million and 15 million users and is funded through advertising.
Swedish prosecutor Hakan Roswall stated that The Pirate Bay is in violation of Swedish copyright laws because it commercially exploits protected work.
"The operation of Pirate Bay is financed through advertising revenues," said Roswall in a statement. "In that way it commercially exploits copyright-protected work and performances."
The charges relate to 20 music files, nine film files and four computer game files.
A statement on The Pirate Bay website reads: "In case we lose the pending trial (yeah right) there will still not be any changes to the site.
"The Pirate Bay will keep operating just as always. We've been here for years and we will be here many more."
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industries (IFPI) has backed the action.
"The operators of The Pirate Bay have always been interested in making money, not music," said IFPI chairman John Kennedy.
"The Pirate Bay has managed to make Sweden, normally the most law abiding of EU countries, look like a piracy haven with intellectual property laws on a par with Russia's."
Plaintiffs in the case include Warner Bros, MGM Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Sony BMG. The companies have until 29 February to file claims for damages.
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