1980s: Europe, Roxette, Neneh Cherry
In 1986, a hard rock band from Upplands Väsby, Europe, hit number one in 26 countries (including the UK) with the song "The Final Countdown". The album of the same name also charted around the world and sold more than 6 million copies worldwide, 3 million copies in the United States alone. The single has sold 8 million copies. The following year included successful tours through Europe, Japan and the US. Their next album was Out of This World which produced "Superstitious" as its biggest hit. This album sold about 4 million copies worldwide. These two multi-platinum albums placed Europe as one of the most successful hardrock bands in the world with album sales of more than 20 million records. After the release of Prisoners in Paradise, which sold only 1 million copies, Europe decided to take a break in 1992. They reformed in 2003 and produced 4 albums so far. They continue to record and tour.
Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle formed the band Roxette in 1986. Four of their songs, "The Look", "Listen To Your Heart" (both 1989), "It Must Have Been Love" (1990) and "Joyride" (1991), reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while two further singles, "Dangerous" (1990) and "Fading Like a Flower" (1991), both peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Roxette's "Join The Joyride World Tour 91-92" attracted 1.7 million people around the world. In 1993, they became the first non-English speaking band ever to play at MTV Unplugged. In 1995, they became the first Western band to be allowed to perform in China since Wham! in 1985.
In 2003, the duo was honoured with achievement medals by Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf "for appreciated achievements in Sweden and internationally". To date their best selling albums are Joyride (11 million) and Look Sharp! (9 million). Overall, the duo has sold more than 45 million albums and 25 million singles worldwide.
In 1988, Swedish (but then UK-based) artist Neneh Cherry got her solo breakthrough with "Buffalo Stance".
Read more about this topic: Swedish Popular Music
Famous quotes containing the word cherry:
“Lay down, lay down the bigly bier,
Lat me the dead look on;
Wi’ cherry cheeks and ruby lips
She lay an’ smil’d on him.
O ae sheave o’ your bread, true-love,
An’ ae glass o’ your wine,
For I hae fasted for your sake
These fully day [is] nine.”
—Anna Gordon Brown (1747–1810)