Roxette's 'It Must Have Been Love' Reaches One Billion Streams on Spotify
The iconic Swedish pop ballad, originally written in 1987 and later featured in 'Pretty Woman,' has crossed the one-billion-stream milestone on Spotify in March 2026.
Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love" has officially passed one billion streams on Spotify, a milestone reached in March 2026. For a song that began life in Sweden in 1987 as a Christmas single, the achievement underscores the enduring global appeal of Swedish pop songwriting. [Source: dailyroxette.com]
The Song's Journey
"It Must Have Been Love" was originally released in 1987 as a Christmas ballad. It gained worldwide fame when it was featured on the soundtrack of the 1990 film "Pretty Woman," starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The re-recorded version became a massive international hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. [Source: dailyroxette.com]
Roxette's Legacy
Roxette — the duo of Per Gessle and the late Marie Fredriksson — were among Sweden's most successful musical exports. Their string of international hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "The Look" (which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989), "Listen to Your Heart," and "Joyride," helped establish Sweden as a global pop powerhouse in the years between ABBA and the Max Martin era. [Source: dailyroxette.com]
The Anniversary Year
2026 marks a significant anniversary year for Roxette, and the billion-stream milestone adds to the celebration. As the Daily Roxette noted, the achievement "will therefore not only be a tribute to Roxette's history, but also a celebration of their continued importance to the global pop landscape." [Source: dailyroxette.com]
Sweden's Streaming Milestones
Roxette joins a select group of Swedish acts to reach the billion-stream milestone on Spotify. The platform itself was founded in Stockholm in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, making the connection between Swedish music and streaming deeply intertwined. Today, the top Swedish artists by monthly Spotify listeners include Zara Larsson (68.5 million), ABBA (38.3 million), and Avicii (37.7 million). [Sources: Wikipedia, musicmetricsvault.com]
