STOCKHOLM - The Daily Roxette received the following press release this morning:

  Roxette celebrates 20th Anniversary with a new single, a greatest hits and the definitive box set.



  In the spring of 1986, Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson decided to record the dance pop single "Neverending Love." They called themselves Roxette, and it was the beginning of a fantastic career which now spans 20 years - and this has to be celebrated!


  Roxette has sold over 45 million albums and 25 million singles since the international debut in 1989.


  During extensive worldwide tours, Roxette has visited every corner of the world, performing to more than two million people.


  Roxette's singles have topped every chart in the world including the Billboard Hot 100, where they've had four #1's: "The Look", "Listen To Your Heart", "It Must Have Been Love" and "Joyride". Furthermore, two of their songs reached #2 on the same chart: "Dangerous" and "Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)".


  In 2005, Per Gessle was honored by the American music publishing organisation BMI with an award for four million airplays of "It Must Have Been Love" from the classic movie "Pretty Woman." Four million spins, on US radio alone, equals 36 years of nonstop airplay. Statistics show that the song is still so popular that there are always at least two American radio stations playing "It Must Have Been Love" around the clock. It's hard to find a better definition of the word evergreen.


  "Listen To Your Heart" is also moving into the finer parlors. This fall, Per will receive another prestigious BMI Award for more than 3 million airplays of "Listen To Your Heart."


  In 2002 Roxette was struck by tragedy when Marie Fredriksson was diagnosed with cancer. After extensive treatment and re-habilitation, Marie is now fully recovered and slowly getting back to recording and performing again.


  To celebrate their 20th Anniversary, "Roxette Hits!" will be released on October 18. The album features all their major hits and two brand new songs, which were recorded in Summer 2006, "One Wish" and "Reveal". On October 4, "One Wish" is released as the first single from the album. The song starts its airplay on September 20.


  "It was great to work with Marie again! We had three fantastic days down in Skåne and we are very happy with the result. Everything was very easy, Clarence played keyboards, Marie prepared some coffee and Christoffer and I played hockey. I won," comments Per.


  The successful collaboration between Jonas Åkerlund and Roxette goes on and in the next days Jonas will start the shooting of the video for "One Wish."


  Roxette's 20th Anniversary is also highlighted with the release of "The RoxBox '86-'06," a special treat for true fans who thought "they had everything [in their collections]."


  "The RoxBox '86-'06" includes 4CDs featuring all the hit singles and best album tracks, two new songs, rare recordings, demos, and much more. Included in the box set is also a 3-hour plus DVD with all Roxette's video hits and the previously unreleased complete Roxette MTV Unplugged TV show.

  The first promotion picture - which you can see to the right - has also been published. Taken by Jonas Linell at the video shoot for "One Wish." Click on it to enlarge!