Roxette is, after ABBA, the most successful Swedish band ever. The Swedish duo consists of Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson, who scored their first hit in the late '80s with 'The Look'. Roxette released a total of ten studio albums.
Look Sharp!
The story goes that Roxette's initial success was mainly thanks to an American student who brought the album on cassette from Sweden, after which American radio stations started playing the song. When 'The Look' and 'It Must Have Been Love' were released as singles, they immediately became number 1 hits in America. The rest of the world followed. The singles 'Dangerous', 'Listen To Your Heart' and 'Chances' also did well worldwide. Look Sharp! with nine million copies sold, after ABBA's Arrival, is the best-selling Swedish album ever.
Joyride
Roxette's international pop sound with a touch of dance and rock was a worldwide hit. The Joyride album also sold like hot cakes. The duo's international character is clearly visible in the music videos, whether they are in an ancient Roman arena or the American desert, Roxette can be anywhere, anytime, for everyone. For their world tour Join The Joyride 91-92, the duo gave more than 100 performances worldwide.
Tourism
During the Join The Joyride Tour, Roxette worked on their next album Tourism. An album with previously unreleased material, whether re-recorded or remixed live songs from the tour, and a number of newly written songs. The singles from the album are 'How Do You Do!', 'Queen Of Rain' and 'Fingertips 93'.
Solo
In 1996, the duo went their separate ways. Per Gessle with his old band (Gyllene Tider), and Marie Fredriksson with a Swedish solo album. Roxette was disbanded in 2002 when Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Comeback
In 2005, Marie Fredriksson announced she was cancer-free. A year later, the singles 'One Wish' and 'Reveal' were released to mark the twentieth anniversary. The singles can be found on The Rox Box/Roxette '86-'06.
Good Karma and end of the tour
On 8 April 2016, the new single 'It Just Happens' was released, ahead of the new album Good Karma, which was launched on 3 June 2016. It is Roxette's tenth studio album with 11 new tracks.
Shortly after the single's release, Roxette announced that from April 2016 they had to stop performing immediately due to Fredriksson's health problems. The planned tour to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary was completely cancelled.
Passing
On 9 December 2019, Marie Fredriksson passed away at the age of 61. At the end of 2020, drummer Pelle Alsing died at the age of 60.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, Roxette is featured with two entries:
Sunday Morning Classic
On our Sunday Morning Classic stage, Roxette appeared on 11 June 2023 with their second studio album Look Sharp from 1988. The album has sold more than 9 million copies to this day, including 1 million in America alone. The single "Listen to Your Heart" is one of Roxette's most played hits on radio stations worldwide. The album marked the band's international breakthrough and contains some of their best-known hits.
“Look Sharp!” is an energetic and exciting album that offers a perfect mix of pop and rock. It opens with the iconic hit “The Look”, which immediately grabs attention with its catchy guitar riffs and memorable melody. The album also features other great tracks, such as “Dressed for Success”, “Listen to Your Heart” and “Dangerous”. These songs have strong hooks and melodic arrangements that still feel timeless.
One of the strengths of this album is the vocal work of singer Marie Fredriksson. Her powerful and expressive voice conveys the emotion and energy of the songs in a way that touches you. Combined with the songwriting talent of Per Gessle, the other half of Roxette, they create together a unique and recognisable sound.
“Look Sharp!” is an album that perfectly fits the 1980s, with its fresh and lively production. It has a timeless quality and remains a pleasure to listen to, even decades later. The songs on this album are well written, well produced and have an infectiousness that you cannot ignore.
All in all, “Look Sharp!” is an essential album for fans of Roxette and lovers of pop and rock music. It showcases the power and talent of the band, and the songs remain popular and beloved by a wide audience. It is a classic album that has stood the test of time and has become an important part of music history.
Source: NPO Photo: Dmitry Avdeev and Eva Rinaldi
