Roxette

Roxette is a Swedish pop rock group from Halmstad, formed in 1986. It begins as a duo made up of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, with Lena Philipsson later appearing as vocalist in the act’s 2024 touring line-up. The group is associated with dance-pop, europop, pop, pop rock, power pop and rock.

Formation and early work

Before forming Roxette, both Fredriksson and Gessle are established musicians in Sweden. Fredriksson releases several successful solo albums, while Gessle is the lead singer and principal songwriter of Gyllene Tider, a band that achieves three number-one albums in Sweden. After advice from EMI executive Rolf Nygren, the pair record “Neverending Love”, a single taken from Roxette’s debut album, Pearls of Passion (1986). The song becomes a hit in Sweden.

International success

The group reaches worldwide success with Look Sharp! (1988). That album produces “The Look” and “Listen to Your Heart”, both of which reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. “It Must Have Been Love”, featured on the soundtrack to the film Pretty Woman (1990), also reaches number one, as does the title track of Joyride (1991). Joyride becomes the group’s most commercially successful release, with sales of about eleven million copies worldwide, and the related Join the Joyride! Tour draws more than 1.5 million people.

Later releases and activity

Roxette continues with Tourism (1992), Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994) and the compilation Don’t Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! (1995), each of which sells at least five million copies worldwide. Have a Nice Day (1999) and Room Service (2001) receive gold and platinum certifications in Europe and Latin America. In 2002, Fredriksson is diagnosed with a brain tumour, and the group enters an extended break while both members pursue solo work and Gessle reunites with Gyllene Tider.

Return, recordings and legacy

Roxette resumes activity in 2009 and tours until 2016, releasing Charm School, Travelling and Good Karma during this period. Fredriksson retires from touring in 2016 because of health issues and dies in 2019 from complications related to cancer. Roxette remains one of Sweden’s best-selling acts, behind only ABBA, with estimated worldwide sales of 75 to 80 million records. It also ranks among the most highly certified artists in Germany, with sales approaching six million units. In the United Kingdom, the group has nineteen top-40 hits and more than three million units certified by the British Phonographic Industry. In the United States, it has four number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and over three million units certified by the Recording Industry Association of America.

From 2021, Gessle releases music as PG Roxette, issuing the debut album Pop-Up Dynamo! in 2022. In 2024, he announces a tour under the Roxette name with Lena Philipsson as vocalist.