1987 No. 1 Hit, Originally Intended as a Holiday Song, Remains a Timeless Breakup Anthem
36 years ago today, on June 16, 1990, Roxette's soaring pop classic, "It Must Have Been Love," became a massive international No. 1 hit for the Swedish pop duo, made up of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle.
The beloved track about lost love was written by Gessle, and reached the top of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for two weeks before getting replaced by New Kids on the Block's "Step by Step."
But "It Must Have Been Love" may have never achieved that success had it not been for a few minor changes, which ultimately added to its universal appeal.
Originally released as a standalone single in December of 1987, "It Must Have Been Love", according to American Songwriter, was first written as a Christmas song per a request given by the duo's EMI record label.
Initially titled "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)," the song, which now exists in five different versions, became a Top 5 hit in Sweden before it was later re-worked specifically for the soundtrack of the 1990 romantic comedyPretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
Slightly altering the mix, eliminating the holiday theme, and adjusting the title to the shortened: "It Must Have Been Love," paid off for the act as their song went on to make waves outside of their home country, reaching No. 1 in Canada, Denmark, Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, Zimbabwe, as well as in the U.S.
"It Must Have Been Love," which appears on the duo's 1997 re-released album Pearls of Passion, is highly regarded as Roxette's signature song. The track serves as one of four songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. The other three tracks include "Listen to Your Heart," "The Look," and "Joyride."
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 4:46 PM.