Mats MP Persson

Roxette – Listen To Your Heart played 8 million times on US radio

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On September 28, BMI celebrated their exceptional family of songwriters, composers and publishers in the UK and Europe, whose groundbreaking music is making an electrifying impact on the global music scene.

At the 2026 BMI London Awards last night they recognised the top UK and European songwriters, composers and publishers of the past year across US streaming, radio, film and television. The Million-Air Awards were also presented throughout the evening and among the hit songs honoured was Listen To Your Heart by Roxette.

It Must Have Been Love celebrated its 7-Million-Air Award in September 2025 and now, one year later, Listen To Your Heart celebrates its 8-Million-Air Award! American radios played it 8 million times! How amazing is that!

Congratulations to Per and MP for creating this most amazing, timeless power ballad and for reaching the 8 million mark! Neverending love to Marie Fredriksson without whom it wouldn’t have been possible!

Roxette reached their 2nd No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with LTYH on November 4, 1989. In 1998 they received an award from BMI for this song being played over 2 million times on American radio. Phil Graham of BMI said it was very unusual for a song to get over the 2 million mark in such a short space of time. In October 2006, helped by DHT’s cover, Roxette were awarded again by BMI for the song’s 3 millionth broadcast on American radio. Per and MP got the Million-Air Award for 4 million plays in 2008 and for 5 million plays in 2014. Listen To Your Heart was covered by American hard rock band Through Fire and they put the song back on the US charts in March 2020. In 2020, PG and MP got the Million-Air Award for 6 million plays and it reached 7 million plays in December 2024.

Stills are from BMI’s congrats video.

Moments from the red carpet, stage and more HERE!

More photos HERE!

PG about the importance of collaboration

Highlights from the 2026 BMI London Awards

PLECtionary update with Gyllene Tider and Roxette guitar picks from the past 2 years

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The last time we updated the PLECtionary was in November 2019. This longer break doesn’t mean that there were no tours and new picks. Now the time has come and all the plectrums from the Gyllene Tider Hux Flux tour are added, as well as the latest picks from the Roxette In Concert 2025 tour.

Sandra managed to obtain all the guitar picks and she found the time to take photos of them and provide us with info she got to know about each of them.

12 new picks are added to the PER GESSLE’S GUITAR PICKS – ROXETTE section (No. 82-93), 9 new picks are added to the PER GESSLE’S GUITAR PICKS – GYLLENE TIDER section (No. 21-29), 4 picks are added to the MATS MP PERSSON’S GUITAR PICKS section (No. 26-29), 2 picks have been added to the MIKAEL NOGUEIRA SVENSSON’S GUITAR PICKS section (No. 25-26), 1 new pick is added to the CHRISTOFFER LUNDQUIST’S GUITAR PICKS section (No. 6) and 1 new pick is added to a new section: JONAS ISACSSON’S GUITAR PICKS (No. 1).

Check out the PLECtionary HERE!

Thousand thanks for the updates, Sandra!

Plec pics by Sandra Knospe

                     

Pic from the Hux Flux tour (Piteå, Sweden) by Patrícia Peres, pic from the Roxette In Concert 2025 tour (Pretoria, South Africa) by Sandra Knospe

Roxette – Listen To Your Heart played 7 million times on US radio

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BMI is excited to celebrate their exceptional family of songwriters and publishers in the UK and Europe whose groundbreaking music is making an electrifying impact on the global music scene.

At the 2024 BMI London Awards last night they recognised the top UK and European songwriters, composers and publishers of the past year across US streaming, radio, film and television. The Million-Air Awards were also presented throughout the evening and among the hit songs honoured was Listen to Your Heart by Roxette. Per Gessle and Mats MP Persson appeared at the event to receive the award.

American radios played Listen To Your Heart now more than 7 million times! That means more than 67 years if it were constantly played! Pure awesomeness!

Roxette reached their 2nd No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with LTYH on 4th November 1989. In 1998 they received an award from BMI for this song being played over 2 million times on American radio. Phil Graham of BMI said it was very unusual for a song to get over the 2 million mark in such a short space of time. In October 2006, helped by DHT’s cover, Roxette were awarded again by BMI for the song’s 3 millionth broadcast on American radio. Per and MP got the Million-Air Award for 4 million plays in 2008 and for 5 million plays in 2014. Listen To Your Heart was covered by American hard rock band Through Fire and they put the song back on the US charts in March 2020. In 2020, PG and MP got the Million-Air Award for 6 million plays.

Congratulations to Per and MP for creating this most amazing, timeless gem and for reaching the 7 million mark! Neverending love to Marie Fredriksson without whom it wouldn’t have been possible!

Per says in the 10th December press release:

Every time I hear Listen To Your Heart, I think of Marie’s magical voice. Yesterday it was five years since she left us and without her contribution, Mats and I would never have received this fantastic award. 7 million radio plays in the US is hard to grasp. I’m super proud, of course.

Check out BMIs website HERE!

Check out more photos HERE!

Check out the highlights video from the event HERE!

Cast of the Gyllene Tider movie

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The feature film about Gyllene Tider tells the incredible story of the band from the countryside that, against all odds, managed to become the biggest in Sweden. And to this day, when Gyllene Tider tours, all tickets are sold out in no time. Now it is clear that the film will have its cinema premiere in distribution by Nordisk Film next summer. All five who got the coveted lead roles are also making their acting debut. Valdemar Wahlbeck portrays Per Gessle, Lancelot Hedman Graaf plays the role of Anders Herrlin, Phoenix Parnevik plays Micke Syd Andersson, Ville Löfgren plays Mats “MP” Persson and Xawier Kulas plays Göran Fritzon.

Per Gessle says:

I think it can be absolutely fantastic, because it really is an incredible and extremely unusual journey Gyllene Tider has made. Lots of laughter, lots of crying, lots of everything. Just like in a good pop song.

The film tells the absurd story behind the legendary Swedish band Gyllene Tider, which has become one of the biggest pop sensations of our time. Per is the school’s ambitious outsider in the high school in Halmstad who finds a community and friends for life through music with MP, Micke, Anders and Göran. Despite all setbacks, the band fights purposefully and in the early eighties has its big breakthrough with its effective choruses and passionate lyrics about life in a small town.

Ahead of Gyllene Tider’s big comeback tour this summer, it is now clear which five guys will get the honorable task of playing the main roles as Gyllene Tider.

Per says:

I was honestly hesitant at first. After all, most films like this are made only after you die and we are, as far as I know, still alive! But after talking long and often with everyone involved and reading the script, I’m super proud and happy about this project. The five guys chosen to play the five of us are all special in completely different ways. Exactly like us in the “original band”.

Valdemar Wahlbeck, 19, plays Per Gessle. He was born and raised in Halmstad as the son of comedian Peter Wahlbeck. Valdemar is a singer and dancer and studies at the Ballet Academy in Gothenburg. With his band Pipsvängen, he, like Per Gessle in the beginning, has played at various retirement homes. He has already recorded several songs with Per Gessle’s producers that acclaim Valdemar’s singing voice.

Valdemar says:

Imagine being born and raised in Halmstad and now getting to play one of this city’s biggest icons. Dad is from Halmstad, Per is from Halmstad, my teacher created the Gula Tidningen which is a Gyllene Tider parody. It feels like the circle is closed.

Phoenix Parnevik, 21, became known to all Swedish people through the reality series Parneviks on TV3. Now it’s his turn in the family to step into the limelight after studying acting in the US. Like his grandfather Bosse Parnevik, he is a good impersonator and is now practicing the Halland dialect for the role of Micke Syd Andersson.

Phoenix says:

It feels good to finally be able to show the Swedish people what I love and have been doing for so long in the USA. That my first role is a real person is really a dream.

Lancelot Hedman Graaf, 22, plays Anders Herrlin. Lancelot is already an established artist and has appeared in a number of television shows.

Lancelot says:

It feels great fun. Acting wasn’t something I thought I’d do but after the test shoot I related so much to the role and really just need to be myself. It’s fun to have new challenges.

The other two making their acting debut are Ville Löfgren, 17, from Karlshamn in the role of Mats “MP” Persson and Xawier Kulas, 16, from Halmstad plays Göran Fritzon. More roles will be presented later.

Nevis Productions is very happy to have gained the band’s trust and values their involvement in the film. The premiere takes place next summer in cinemas around the country through Nordisk Film.

Pia Norström, Nordisk Film marketing manager says:

We are extremely proud to present this film to cinema audiences. Gyllene Tider’s music means a lot to many Swedes and we want to give the audience a movie experience that will be just as strong.

The feature film about Gyllene Tider’s road to success is loosely based on the band’s history. It will be as much a feel-good film as a music party and an updated look at the early eighties.

Screenwriter and director is Per Simonsson (Svartsjön [Black Lake], Tjuvarnas jul [Christmas of Thieves], Selmas saga [Selma’s Saga]).

Per Simonsson says:

I listened to the first three records on constant repeat and thought that this is how the film should feel: the longing for love, community and daring to live life to the fullest.

The shooting of Gyllene Tider starts in August in Halmstad and the recording continues in Stockholm during autumn.

Producers at Nevis Productions are Moa Westeson, Cindy Hanson and Anni Faurbye Fernandez.

Photos by Fredrik Etoall

Our earlier article about the movie can be found HERE.

Gyllene Tider’s story becomes a film!

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Nordic drama production company Nevis Productions has secured a deal with Sweden’s great music treasure, Gyllene Tider to make a feature film and a TV-series based on the band’s incredible journey to success.

Per Gessle and Mats Persson formed Gyllene Tider with Micke Andersson, Anders Herrlin and Göran Fritzon in the late 70’s. After taking Sweden by storm, they broke up in 1984. Per Gessle then formed Roxette with Marie Fredriksson and became successful all around the world.

The feature film about Gyllene Tider is developed in full collaboration with the band and will be a warm feelgood story about friendship and growing up in the spotlight. The script is written by Pernilla Oljelund (Miss Friman’s War, Wallander, The Restaurant) and the shooting will start in 2022. Producers at Nevis are Anni Faurbye Fernandez, Moa Westeson and Cindy Hanson.

The film tells the story of Per, an ambitious outsider who dreams of pop stardom and finds a brotherhood through music with MP, Micke, Anders and Göran. They experience the highs and lows, but despite all setbacks, being ridiculed and rejected, the band works hard and purposefully – and breaks through with their power pop, their effective choruses and joyous and affectionate lyrics about life in a small town.

The movie is a story about dreaming big and achieving something even bigger. Success is not only accompanied by joy and happiness, but also pressure, conflicts and tragic events that challenge the band and force them to grow up in unexpected ways. In the end, it’s the friendship and music that lead forward. The gang not only survives, but also becomes bigger than ever.

After their breakup, Gyllene Tider reunions and tours have taken them to heights that no one, least of all themselves, could have imagined. When the band celebrated their 25th anniversary with their first new album in 20 years, the tour in 2004 became the largest in Scandinavia ever and the third largest in Europe. For over 40 years, GT has maintained its popularity and been loved by generation after generation, who have grown up with their songs. Gyllene Tider reunited several times, most recently in 2019. At that time, they celebrated their 40th anniversary as a band and also released a studio album, Samma skrot och korn.

Per Gessle says:

The story of the guys in Gyllene Tider could be the story of any young small town person. The shaky possibilities after finishing school, the uncertain prospects of the future. However, inspired by the new wave and power pop scene of the era, bonding in our tiny rehearsal shack, we found a very unusual way to grow up. The early and crazy Gyllene Tider years changed our lives forever. And it seems we might have changed some other people’s lives as well along the way. The lads and I are all excited to be part of this production.

Producer Moa Westeson adds:

We have long dreamed of dramatizing the exceptional, inspirational story behind legendary Swedish pop band Gyllene Tider and are excited to bring the audience along on this fun, uplifting whirlwind celebration of music, friendship and coming of age that captures the zeitgeist of a bygone era.

Nevis is an independent production company with offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm and London. Nevis Productions was founded in 2020 by Anni Faurbye Fernandez, Cindy Hanson and Moa Westeson and is backed by London based production company NEVISION. Their mission is to create high quality storytelling that appeals to both the local Nordic market and to a wider, global audience. With passion and dedication, they aim to entertain, inspire and move audiences with a variety of creatively ambitious TV dramas.

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