On Wednesday (April 10) Europe were awarded the Swedish government’s Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports with the following citation:

From teenage rock dreams in the classrooms of Vilundaskolan in Upplands Väsby in the late 1970s to prominent careers filled with export success, international chart toppers and epic world tours.

Europe, with their mix of hard and melodic rock, were pioneers in putting Sweden on the world map. The band had a major breakthrough and achieved great success with the album the Final Countdown in 1986 but had already won over Japanese hard rock fans with their song Seven Doors Hotel in 1983. A string of timeless and iconic songs such as "The Final Countdown", "Rock the Night", "Superstitious" and "Carrie", to name just a few, will always be a fundamental part of the Swedish ‘music phenomenon’.

Since their comeback in the early 2000s, the band’s journey has continued through energetic live performances, continued impressive songwriting and successful albums to this day. Not only have Europe survived constant changes within the music industry, they have also become a symbol for constant development and artistic integrity. They have successfully combined their ability to create powerful songs without losing the connection to the heavy 70s rock that the members grew up with. Europe have not just preserved their magnificent heritage, but also dared to explore new musical territories, cementing them as a long-lasting and respected force in rock music. In Sweden – and the world.

Says the band: "We were very honored to receive today the Swedish Governments special award for long standing contributions to Swedish Music Exports. Thank you to all who were there and for all the support."

(Photo - Fredrik Etoall)