Today’s Song of the Day is Roxette’s “The Look”, which hit #1 on the Billboard charts this week in 1989. This was the Swedish pop duo’s fourth single from their second studio album, Look Sharp!. It was a worldwide smash hit as it topped the charts in 25 countries, and was the first of their four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100.

Roxette released the Look Sharp! album in October 1988. It was an immediate commercial success in their home country, spending seven weeks at number one on the Swedish Albums Chart. “Dressed for Success” and “Listen to Your Heart” were released as the album’s first two singles in Sweden, both becoming top three hits there. “Chances” was released in Germany and France as the first international single from the album. This song became an international hit when an American exchange student returned from Sweden and urged the Minneapolis radio station KDWB to play the song. Even though it hadn’t yet been released in the United States the song spread on cassette copies to other American radio stations. Eventually it became a #1 in Australia and Japan as well as the United States.