Last Sunday (March 28), marked the 30th anniversary of pop duo Roxette's hit 1991 global hit album, Joyride. To celebrate, an expanded 30th-anniversary reissue of the album, featuring previously unreleased and rare material, will be arriving later this year. Stay tuned for more details.
GET ROXETTE ALBUMS ON VINYL, HERE.
In 1991, things were really going Roxette’s way! Joyride peaked at #12 on the Billboard 200 and delivered three more top-40 singles – "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)," "Spending My Time" and "Church of Your Heart," which respectively reached #2, #32 and #36 on the Hot 100. The album ultimately sold a million copies in the U.S.
"Joyride" was the duo's fourth #1 hit in just over two years, following "The Look," "Listen to Your Heart" and "It Must Have Been Love."
Roxette | “Joyride”
Roxette's Per Gessle recalls the challenge of keeping the group's run of successes going, "Björn Ulveaus once told me how he felt when ABBA recorded 'Mamma Mia.' It was like the whole pop world revolved around them. Their sound was spot-on, they had produced a string of hits and everybody was waiting for the next one. But despite that pressure, they never thought it was difficult to deliver. And that's exactly how I felt about Joyride."
As for the inspiration for Joyride's title track, Gessle notes, "I had read an interview with Paul McCartney, where he said that 'writing songs with John Lennon was just a long joyride.' The song came very easily, and I instantly knew it was a hit."
Gessle also praises the phenomenal talents of his late bandmate Marie Fredriksson, who sadly passed away in December 2019 after a lengthy battle with brain cancer at age 61.
"Marie's superb vocals is one of the main reasons that Roxette -- and not least our biggest album, Joyride -- was such a huge success," he says. “Around this time, she was at the absolute top of her game, effortlessly creating lasting wonders with my songs.”
Roxette | “Fading Like A Flower”
An expanded 30th-anniversary reissue of Joyride will be arriving later this year. The 4LP/ 3-CD box set contains the original release along with a stack of previously unreleased rarities that paint a fuller picture of a ride that still puts a smile on people’s faces. We will keep you posted with pre-order details when they become available!
GET ROXETTE ALBUMS ON VINYL, HERE.
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