Europe is a Swedish rock band, and one of its songs, "The Final Countdown," reached No. 1 in 25 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Germany. The band plays glam metal and hard rock, and its hits also include the ballad "Carrie" and the song "Rock the Night".
The Final Countdown, the band's third album, was released in 1986 and brought it international success. In September 1985, an executive from Epic Records approached the band, and with his help they began recording the album with Journey producer Kevin Elson. The album was certified triple platinum in the United States and reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200.
The title track is built around a keyboard riff that Joey Tempest composed as early as 1981–1982, and it was released as the album's first single. On the Billboard Hot 100, "Carrie" reached No. 3, "The Final Countdown" reached No. 8, and "Rock the Night" reached No. 30. In European countries, "Rock the Night" entered the top ten of the charts. The album's other single was "Cherokee".
The band has two albums in the Billboard 200 top twenty: The Final Countdown and Out of This World. As of 2003, Europe had sold a total of 10 million albums worldwide.
Before it was called Europe, the band was called Force. This early incarnation of the band took shape in 1979 in Upplands Väsby, Stockholm, with vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson and drummer Tony Reno. Just before the 1982 Rock-SM competition, the band changed its name to Europe.
Tempest's birth name is Joakim Larsson. In 1981, he adopted his stage name to make it easier for English speakers to pronounce, and, according to him, the name came from Shakespeare's play "The Tempest." Tempest said that during Force's early days, the band played covers in the rehearsal room to learn how to play, until one day he suggested writing their own material. He said no one had any ideas, so he brought his own, and that's how the band started writing songs.
Force sent demo recordings to record companies and was told that, to release a record, it would have to get haircuts and sing in Swedish. In 1981, John Levén replaced Peter Olsson on bass. Levén briefly joined Yngwie Malmsteen's band, Rising Force, and Malmsteen's former bassist, Marcel Jacob, joined Force. It lasted just three months: Levén apparently had problems with Malmsteen, and the two switched back.
In 1982, Tempest's girlfriend entered Force in the Swedish rock talent competition Rock-SM. Tempest took the new name from Deep Purple's album Made in Europe. The band competed against 4000 bands and won with two songs, "In the Future to Come" and "The King Will Return." The prize was a recording contract with Hot Records, Tempest won the award for best vocalist, and Norum won the award for best guitarist.
The self-titled debut album was released the following year and sold well in Sweden and Japan. It reached No. 8 in Sweden, and the single "Seven Doors Hotel" made Japan's top 10. The second album, Wings of Tomorrow, caught the attention of CBS Records, which offered the band an international contract in 1985. Tempest said it was one of the band's most important albums, and that during that period they learned how to write songs.
Around that time, Mic Michaeli joined on keyboards, initially just for live shows and later as a permanent member. Tony Reno was fired, and Ian Haugland took over on drums. In 1985, Europe recorded the soundtrack for the film On the Loose, which produced the hit "Rock the Night." A few months later, Tempest wrote "Give a Helping Hand" for the Swedish Metal Aid charity project, and proceeds from the single were donated to help famine victims in Ethiopia.
Europe broke up in 1992 and went on what was described as an indefinite hiatus. In 2003, it announced an official reunion, and since then it has released seven albums, the latest of which is Come This Madness from 2026.
In October 1986, John Norum left to pursue a solo career. He was unhappy with the keyboard-driven production and the band's commercial image. Guitarist Kee Marcello was asked to replace Norum and later accepted. In 1988, the fourth studio album, Out of This World, was released, and the band toured with three American glam metal bands: Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and Skid Row.
In 1991, the fifth album, Prisoners in Paradise, was released to a lukewarm reception amid the rise of grunge. The band went on tour nonetheless, performing at Tokyo Dome in Japan alongside Metallica and Thunder, among other shows. After the breakup, Norum played for a while with the American heavy metal band Dokken.
The band reunited for a show in Stockholm on New Year's Eve 1999 to celebrate the arrival of the millennium. The band's two guitarists took the stage, after nearly eight years without seeing each other, and the band performed "Rock the Night" and "The Final Countdown."
The official reunion announcement came in October 2003, along with news of a new album. Kee Marcello decided not to take part in the reunion. Since then, the band has released Start from the Dark (2004), Secret Society (2006), Last Look at Eden (2009), Bag of Bones (2012), War of Kings (2015), Walk the Earth (2017) and Come This Madness (2026). The Start from the Dark tour resulted in the DVD Live From The Dark, featuring a full show in England.
The current lineup features Tempest, Norum, bassist John Levén, keyboardist Mic Michaeli and drummer Ian Haugland.
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Europe's show in Oslo takes place at Sentrum Scene.
From Sweden. Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in 1979 in Upplands Väsby.
Just before the Rock-SM competition, Force changed its name to Europe. Tempest took the name from Deep Purple's album Made in Europe.
Two: "Carrie" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "The Final Countdown" reached No. 8.
The vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist John Levén, keyboardist Mic Michaeli and drummer Ian Haugland.
Come This Madness, released in 2026. It is the band's seventh album since reuniting in 2003.
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