.png "FEMUSINDO.com")
FEMUSINDO.com - Roxette is a Swedish pop rock duo formed in 1986, originally consisting of 2 members, Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson. Before the band was formed, both were already established musicians in Sweden.
Fredriksson has released a number of successful solo albums, while Gessle has been the lead singer and songwriter of Gyllene Tider, a band that has had three number-one albums in Sweden.
Acting on the advice of Rolf Nygren, CEO of their joint record label EMI, Fredriksson and Gessle collaborated to record "Neverending Love", the first single from Roxette's 1986 debut album Pearls of Passion, both of which became hits in their home country.
Successful International Breakthrough
Roxette's international breakthrough came with the release of Look Sharp! in 1988. The album contained two Billboard Hot 100 number ones: "The Look" and "Listen to Your Heart".
Their song "It Must Have Been Love", from the soundtrack to the 1990 film Pretty Woman, reached number one as well, as did the lead single from their third studio album, 1991's Joyride.
The album was Roxette's most successful, selling eleven million copies worldwide. They played to over 1.5 million people during the "Join the Joyride! Tour".
Subsequent albums included 1992's Tourism, 1994's Crash! Boom! Bang!, and 1995's greatest hits compilation Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus!, each of which sold at least five million copies worldwide.
Have a Nice Day and Room Service were released in 1999 and 2001 respectively, going gold and platinum in Europe and Latin America.
World Tour and Fredriksson's Death
Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002, leading to a lengthy hiatus. The two subsequently released several solo albums, with Gessle also reuniting with Gyllene Tider.
Roxette reformed in 2009 for an extensive world tour, which lasted until 2016. During this period, they released the albums Charm School, Travelling and Good Karma.
Fredriksson announced her withdrawal from the 2016 tour due to ill health, and died on 9 December 2019 from complications stemming from her brain tumor diagnosis.
Best-Selling Music Artists and Roxette's Reformation
Roxette are the second best-selling music artist in Sweden, after ABBA. They have sold between 75 and 80 million records worldwide.
They are recognised as one of the highest-certified artists of all time in Germany, having sold almost six million units.
Roxette have had nineteen top 40 hits in the UK, where the British Phonographic Industry certified them as having sold over three million units.
In the US, they have reached four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100 and have been certified for sales of over three million units by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Since 2021, Gessle has released music under the name PG Roxette, their debut album Pop-Up Dynamo! was released in 2022. In 2024, she announced the immediate reformation of Roxette, with Lena Philipsson as vocalist. (*)
No comments:
Write comment