Roxette And The Digital Joyride

Christian Sandström holds a PhD from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. He writes and speaks about disruptive innovation and technological change.

Roxette is one of the greatest pop bands from Sweden, ever.

The group has sold more than 45 million albums and 25

million singles.

Their success can to a large extent be attributed to the fact

that they understood the importance of digital technology.

Before founding Roxette, Per Gessle had been in a Swedish

band called Gyllene Tider.

The group was huge in Sweden in 1979-81.

But in 1983-84, there was nothing left of it…

People forgot about Gessle or felt sorry for him.

How was it possible to turn this decline into the fantastic

success of Roxette?

In retrospective, Gessle has stated that one of the reasons

was that they managed to exploit the digital revolution.

Synthesizers, midis and drumming machines implied that you no longer needed

access to the great studios in the United States in order to

make good music.

Music could be produced professionally anywhere, at a

low cost.

Even in Sweden.

Gessle realized this and Roxette’s album ’Look Sharp’

became a smash hit.

It’s striking how many electronic effects

that are used.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WLJVo0BhRg

Listen to the drums, keyboards

and the overall sound...

Roxette became a cult band over the coming

years, they toured the world, sold out

stadiums and rose to the top.

Roxette became a cult band over the coming

years, they toured the world, sold out

stadiums and rose to the top.

Digital technology took them on a joyride

beyond their wildest dreams.

10000000000000000000

Each year about

Transistors are produced.

How much is that?

How much is that? Each ant on this planet could have its own mini computer.

A transistor can switch on and off 1,5 trillion times in one second.

A transistor can switch on and off 1,5 trillion times in one second.

If I’d turn a switch on and off that many times, it would take me 25 000 years.

My point is: The digital revolution is everywhere and it has turned everything upside down.

Those who understood its potential and capitalized on it experienced an incredible joyride.

That was the case for Gessle and Roxette 20

years ago.

And it is equally true today.

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www.christiansandstrom.org