Crash! Boom! Bang!
Studio album by
Roxette
Released11 April 1994
RecordedFebruary 1993 – January 1994
Studio
GenrePop rock
Length62:06
LabelEMI
ProducerClarence Öfwerman
Roxette chronology
Tourism
(1992)		 Crash! Boom! Bang!
(1994)		 Rarities
(1995)
Favorites from Crash! Boom! Bang!
Artwork for the US edition
Singles from Crash! Boom! Bang!
  1. "Sleeping in My Car"
    Released: 7 March 1994
  2. "Crash! Boom! Bang!"
    Released: 9 May 1994
  3. "Fireworks"
    Released: 9 September 1994
  4. "Run to You"
    Released: 14 November 1994
  5. "Vulnerable"
    Released: 17 March 1995

Crash! Boom! Bang! is the fifth studio album by Swedish pop duo Roxette, released on 11 April 1994 by EMI.[1] The album was an immediate commercial success, peaking within the top 10 in over 20 national charts throughout Europe, Australasia and South America. The full-length album was not originally released in the United States, where a shortened version titled Favorites from Crash! Boom! Bang! was sold for a limited time through McDonald's outlets; this version sold over a million copies in the US but was deemed ineligible to chart on the Billboard 200 as, until 2007, Billboard had a policy of excluding albums sold by an exclusive retailer.

Five singles were released from the album: lead single "Sleeping in My Car" became the duo's second number one in their home country, and peaked at number seven on Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles. It would become the duo's final track to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 50, and was also their last hit single in Australia. This was followed by the release of "Crash! Boom! Bang!", "Fireworks", "Run to You" and "Vulnerable". As of 2001, Crash! Boom! Bang! has sold in excess of 5 million copies worldwide. Japanese editions included "Almost Unreal" as a bonus track.

Release and promotion

Prior to Crash! Boom! Bang!'s international release, a shorter version of the album was released by CEMA for a limited time exclusively through outlets of the McDonald's restaurant chain in the US. Favorites from Crash! Boom! Bang! sold over a million copies,[2] the proceeds of which were used to fund Ronald McDonald House Charities programs for the health and well-being of children.[3][4] This CD was sold at below normal wholesale cost, and the promotion angered traditional music retailers, who claimed that it devalued music.[5] This edition of the record was the subject of a 1998 lawsuit filed against an Uppsala-based music production company by Roxette and their Swedish record label. The duo and their label alleged that J.G.S. Skivproduktion illegally imported 40,000 copies of Favorites from Crash! Boom! Bang! into the EU. Rather than seek monetary damages, the duo requested the destruction of all remaining copies.[6]

The record was released globally from 11 April 1994 on CD, cassette and vinyl formats. Japanese editions included "Almost Unreal" as a bonus track—the song had previously been released as a non-album single on the soundtrack of the Super Mario Bros. (1993) motion picture.[7] Despite a tentative "early summer" release date being set for the US,[8] the full-length album would not see release there until it was reissued globally with bonus tracks in 2009. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the full-length album sold 46,000 copies in the US as of 2005, as an import-release.[9] The band toured extensively to promote the record, the "Crash! Boom! Bang! Tour" saw them perform to over a million people. Roxette became the first western act since Wham! in 1985 to stage a concert in communist China, performing to over 15,000 people at the Workers Indoor Arena. The tour concluded on 1 May 1995 in Moscow, with Roxette becoming the first act since 1917 to hold a concert on that date—a public holiday in Russia.[10] As of 2001, the album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.[2]

Five singles were released from the album. "Sleeping in My Car" served as its lead single, and was an immediate commercial success throughout Europe. The song debuted at number one in Sweden, and peaked within the top 20 of national charts in numerous territories: namely Austria, Benelux, Germany, Ireland, Scandinavia, Spain and the UK.[8] It went on to peak at number seven on European Hot 100 Singles.[11] The song was serviced to US radio stations from 2 June,[8] and would be the duo's final track to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 50.[12] "Crash! Boom! Bang!", "Fireworks" and "Run to You" were released as subsequent singles, each with varying degrees of success. "Vulnerable" concomitantly served as both Crash! Boom! Bang!'s fifth and final single and lead single from the band's 1995 compilation Rarities. The album was released exclusively in South America and Asia, and compiled previously unreleased demos and remixes, as well as songs from the band's 1993 MTV Unplugged set.[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[15]
Knoxville News Sentinel[16]
Los Angeles Times[17]
NME3/10[18]
Smash Hits[19]

The album received mixed reviews from the American music press. A writer for Entertainment Weekly was critical of the album's ballads and mid-tempo songs, and complained that "If only Per Gissle (sic) had let the charged-up Marie Fredriksson sing lead vocals on all 15 songs, Crash! might've qualified as an unqualified guilty pleasure."[15] People expressed a similar sentiment: complimenting the scope and diversity of material found on the record, but said that "As with the duo's previous work, Crash! Boom! Bang! hits its best notes when Fredriksson is at the mike", and said that her vocals were "more subtle and graceful than [ever]".[20] Although a review for AllMusic complimented the duo's vocals and songwriting, they lamented the album as being "too pop for rock listeners and too rock for mid-'90s pop fans."[14] Conversely, Jean Rosenbluth of the Los Angeles Times praised the album's inclusion of harder rock influences, complimenting the "deliciously overwrought ballads, bubblegum and great almost-grunge."[17] Music & Media stated that "The world champions of pop rock are defending their title in style with this 15-single jukebox, a fifty fifty balance between rockers ("Sleeping in My Car") and ballads ("Place Your Love" and the title track).

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Per Gessle; all music is composed by Gessle, except "Lies" by Gessle and Mats MP Persson and "Go to Sleep" and "See Me" by Marie Fredriksson

Crash! Boom! Bang! – Original release
No.TitleLength
1."Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky)"3:45
2."Crash! Boom! Bang!"5:02
3."Fireworks"3:58
4."Run to You"3:39
5."Sleeping in My Car"3:47
6."Vulnerable"5:03
7."The First Girl on the Moon"3:11
8."Place Your Love"3:09
9."I Love the Sound of Crashing Guitars"4:49
10."What's She Like?"4:16
11."Do You Wanna Go the Whole Way?"4:11
12."Lies"3:41
13."I'm Sorry"3:10
14."Love Is All (Shine Your Light on Me)"6:41
15."Go to Sleep"3:58
Total length:62:06
Crash! Boom! Bang! – Japanese release
No.TitleLength
1."Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky)"3:45
2."Crash! Boom! Bang!"5:02
3."Fireworks"3:58
4."Run to You"3:39
5."Sleeping in My Car"3:46
6."Vulnerable"5:01
7."The First Girl on the Moon"3:00
8."Place Your Love"3:10
9."I Love the Sound of Crashing Guitars"4:48
10."What's She Like?"4:14
11."Do You Wanna Go the Whole Way?"4:11
12."Almost Unreal"3:59
13."Lies"3:41
14."I'm Sorry"3:10
15."Love Is All (Shine Your Light on Me)"6:41
16."Go to Sleep"3:59
Total length:66:05
Favorites from Crash! Boom! Bang! – US release
No.TitleLength
1."Harleys & Indians (Riders in the Sky)"3:45
2."Run to You"3:39
3."Crash! Boom! Bang!"5:02
4."I Love the Sound of Crashing Guitars"4:48
5."Do You Wanna Go the Whole Way?"4:09
6."The First Girl on the Moon"3:02
7."Place Your Love"3:07
8."Lies"3:34
9."I'm Sorry"3:13
10."Go to Sleep"4:00
Total length:38:20
Crash! Boom! Bang! – 2009 reissue (CD bonus tracks)
No.TitleLength
16."Almost Unreal"3:54
17."Crazy About You"3:57
18."See Me"3:44
Total length:73:30
Crash! Boom! Bang! – 2009 reissue (iTunes bonus tracks)
No.TitleLength
19."Better Off on Her Own"2:47
20."Always Breaking My Heart" (Demo)3:04
Total length:79:21

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Crash! Boom! Bang!.[21]

Musicians

  • Marie Fredriksson – lead and background vocals, piano and keyboards
  • Per Gessle – lead and background vocals, acoustic, electric and resonator guitars, harmonica and mixing
  • Per "Pelle" Alsing – drums and percussion
  • Vicki Benckert – background vocals
  • Anders Herrlin – bass guitar, engineering and programming
  • Mats Holmquist – string arrangements and conducting
  • Jonas Isacsson – acoustic and electric guitars and mandolin
  • Christer Jansson – drums and percussion
  • Jarl "Jalle" Lorensson – harmonica
  • Clarence Öfwerman – keyboards, string arrangements, programming, production and mixing
  • Staffan Öfwerman – background vocals
  • Jan "Janne" Oldaeus – electric guitars
  • Mats "MP" Persson – electric guitars, mandolin, drums and percussion
  • Per "Pelle" Sirén – acoustic and electric guitars
  • Stockholms Nya Kammarorkester (credited as SNYKO) – strings
  • Alar Suurna – drums and percussion, engineering and mixing
  • Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester – woodwind quartet
  • Nicolas "Nicki" Wallin – drums and percussion

Technical

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Crash! Boom! Bang!
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[50] Platinum 50,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[51] Platinum 40,406[51]
Germany (BVMI)[52] Platinum 500,000^
Italy — 100,000[53]
Japan (RIAJ)[54] 2× Platinum 400,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[55] Gold 50,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[56] Gold 50,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[57] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[58] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[59] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[60] Gold 100,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[61] Platinum 1,000,000*
Worldwide — 5,000,000[2]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "BPI".
  2. 1 2 3 Ninni O Schulman (15 April 2001). "Sagan om Roxette: På väg tillbaka - eller?" [Lord of Roxette: On the way back - or?]. Expressen (in Swedish). Bonnier AB. Archived from the original on 5 June 2001. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "Briefly: Company Town Annex". Los Angeles Times. 12 July 1994. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  4. ↑ Richard Harrington (28 September 1994). "On the Beat". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Ed Christman (11 March 1995). "NARM Nuggets: Virgin Retail, Blockbuster Deal Off in U.S." Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 10. p. 53. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Kai Loftus (18 April 1998). "International Newsline: EMI Svenska". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 16. p. 37. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  7. ↑ Thorselius, Robert (May 2003). The Look for Roxette: The Illustrated Worldwide Discography & Price Guide (1st ed.). Sweden: Premium Förlag Publishing. ISBN 978-91-971894-8-4.
  8. 1 2 3 Thom Duffy (14 May 1994). "International: Sleeping Around Europe". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 20. p. 58. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  9. ↑ Keith Caulfield (16 August 2005). "Billboard.com > Ask a Question > Roxette's Rocky U.S. Relationship". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  10. ↑ Thom Duffy (29 April 1995). "EMA Telstar Books Roxette into Moscow To Close Tour". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 17. p. 61. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 16. 16 April 1994. p. 55. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  12. ↑ "Roxette Album & Song Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  13. ↑ John Lannert; Marcelo Fernández Bitar (20 May 1995). "Latin Notas". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 20. p. 35. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  14. 1 2 Bryan Buss. "Crash! Boom! Bang! - Roxette | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  15. 1 2 EW Staff (7 October 1994). "Album Review: 'Crash! Boom! Bang!' by Roxette". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  16. ↑ Campbell, Chuck (3 June 1994). "Sweden Strikes Again With New Roxette Release". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  17. 1 2 Jean Rosenbluth (23 October 1994). "Roxette, "Crash! Boom! Bang!"". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  18. ↑ Dee, Johnny (16 April 1994). "Long Play". NME. p. 36. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  19. ↑ Sutherland, Mark (13 April 1994). "New Albums". Smash Hits. p. 63. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  20. ↑ People Staff (10 October 1994). "Picks and Pans Review: Crash! Boom! Bang!". People. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  21. ↑ "Digital booklet". Crash! Boom! Bang! (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: EMI Records. 1994. 7243 8 28727 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 42. 19 November 1994. p. 45. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  23. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  24. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  25. 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 24. 11 June 1994. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  26. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2469". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  27. 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 20. 14 May 1994. pp. 54–55. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  28. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  29. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 18. 30 April 1994. p. 15. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  30. 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 21. 21 May 1994. p. 43. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  31. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  32. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1994. 20. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  33. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 21 July 2022. Select "Album" in the "Tipo" field, type "Crash! Boom! Bang!" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
  34. ↑ ロクセットのアルバム売り上げランキング [Roxette album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  35. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  36. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  37. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 22. 28 May 1994. p. 42. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  38. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  39. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  40. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  41. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1994". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  42. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  43. ↑ "1994 in Review Sales Charts – European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 12. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  44. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  45. ↑ "Topp 40 Album Russetid 1994" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  46. ↑ "Los 50 títulos con mayores ventas en las listas de ventas de AFYVE en 1994" (PDF) (in Spanish). Anuarios SGAE. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  47. ↑ "Årslista Album (inkl samlingar), 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  48. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1994". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  49. ↑ "Top 100 Albums 1994" (PDF). Music Week. 14 January 1995. p. 11. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  50. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  51. 1 2 "Roxette" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  52. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Roxette; 'Crash! Boom! Bang!')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  53. ↑ Francesco D. Alonzo (4 March 1997). "Sorpresa: anche i Roxette sono accusati di copiare". Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 3 June 2022. L'ultima produzione discografica in studio dei Roxette risale all7inizio '94: e "Crash! Boom! Bang!", che in Italia ha venduto 100 mila copie
  54. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – ロクセット – CRASH！ BOOM！ BANG！" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 3 March 2017. Select 1994年6月 on the drop-down menu
  55. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 3 March 2017. Enter Crash! Boom! Bang! in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  56. ↑ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2001 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  57. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  58. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  59. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Crash! Boom! Bang!')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  60. ↑ "British album certifications – Roxette – Crash! Boom! Bang!". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  61. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1996". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
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