The ultimate Christmas playlist for children
Swedish garage rock band The Hives have been hailed as one of the best live bands on the planet. Standout tracks include 'Hate to Say I Told You So' and 'Walk Idiot Walk.' Pictured is the original lineup of, left to right: Vigilante Carlstroem (Mikael Karlsson), Chris Dangerous (Christian Grahn), Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (Per Almqvist), Dr. Matt Destruction (Mattias Bernvall), and Nicholaus Arson (Niklas Almqvist).
Italian rock band Måneski rose to prominence after appearing on Italy's version of the 'X Factor.' And, of course, they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021.
The Cardigans gained international recognition in 1996 with 'Lovefool,' included in the soundtrack to the 1996 film 'Romeo + Juliet' starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Since then, the Swedish five-piece have toured widely but have also found time to embark on solo projects.
Her 1988 single 'Buffalo Stance' catapulted Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cheery into international stardom. She consolidated her top-tier position the following year with 'Manchild,' and then in 1994 had a mega-hit with '7 Seconds,' a duet with Senegalese artist Youssou N'Dour.
Formed in Berlin in 1994, German band Rammstein remain one of the most popular rock acts across Europe and beyond. Pioneers of the Neue Deutsche Härte music genre, Rammstein are celebrated for their live acts, which invariably feature dazzling pyrotechnics.
Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk formed back in 1970 in Düsseldorf. The lineup of Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos, and Wolfgang Flur is regarded as the most iconic, the quartet responsible for a succession of innovative albums, including 'Autobahn' (1974), 'Trans-Europe Express' (1977), 'The Man-Machine' (1978), and 'Computer World' (1981).
The biggest band to come out of Europe, and one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, the endearing appeal of ABBA— Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid—is still going strong after 50 years. They were nominated for four Grammy awards as recently as 2023 for their album 'Voyage.' And all this after the Swedish band won the Eurovision Song Contest way back in 1974.
In 1969, Dutch band Shocking Blue took 'Venus' to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song also made the top spot in many other countries. They disbanded in 1974.
Rock and roll singer Johnny Hallyday was considered France's answer to Elvis Presley. Emerging in the early 1960s, Hallyday went on to enjoy a career spanning nearly 60 years, during which he sold more than 110 million records worldwide.
German rock band Scorpions have been around since 1965. The band's 1990 power ballad 'Wind of Change' served as a symbolic anthem of the political changes in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and remains one of their most recognized songs. Scorpions are still recording and touring, their longevity proving the band still has a sting its tail!
Belgian rock band dEUS enjoyed Europe-wide success in 1999 with their album 'The Ideal Crash,' from which 'Instant Street' was released as a single to critical acclaim. The band is still active despite going through different lineups.
Air, the French music duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, came to prominence with their critically acclaimed debut album 'Moon Safari,' released in 1998. The single 'Sexy Boy' was an international hit. The duo have also scored movie soundtracks and in 2016 released the well-received 'Twentyears,' a greatest hits album.
While the four original members of Bony M. were of British-Caribbean descent, the band was created by German record producer Frank Farian, who also served as the group's primary songwriter. Boney M. were at the forefront of the late 1970's disco era and enjoyed a string of hugely successful dancefloor numbers, including 'Daddy Cool,' 'Ma Baker,' and 'Rasputin.' Indeed, they were one of the biggest music acts of the era.
Formed in Münster in 1982, German synth-pop band Alphaville—Frank Mertens, Marian Gold, and Bernhard Lloyd—cracked the European music scene with 'Big in Japan' (1984) and 1986's 'Dance with Me.' Gold remains the only continuous member of the band.
Desireless is Claudie Fritsch-Mentrop, the French singer who took 'Voyage, voyage' to number one across Europe and Asia in 1989. She still records and occasionally tours.
German singer-songwriter and actress Christa Päffgen, better known as Nico, appeared in several films in the 1960s, including Federico Fellini's 'La Dolce Vita.' But it was her association with Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground that won her wider fame. She sang on three songs of the Velvet Underground's seminal debut album 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' (1967).
A pioneering act in electronica, Tangerine Dream originated out of Berlin in 1967, its iconic lineup being Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke, and Peter Baumann. Their latest studio album, 'Raum,' was released in February 2022.
Madrid-born crooner Julio Iglesias is the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world. He's also known as having recorded songs in the most languages in the world.
One of the most original and innovative bands to emerge out of Europe in recent years is the wonderfully named Steve 'N' Seagulls. Hailing from Finland, the band—keyboardist Hiltunen, vocalist Remmel, drummer Puikkonen, bassist Pukki, and banjo player Herman—initially found fame on YouTube with their inventive cover version of AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck.'
Swiss duo Dieter Meier and Boris Blank record and perform as Yello. Their 1985 single 'Oh Yeah' became a massive hit after it featured in the Mathew Broderick movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' Another signature track is 'The Race.'
Swedish rock pop duo Roxette (Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle) became an international act in the late 1980s with songs such as 'It Must Have Been Love,' which featured on the movie soundtrack of 1990's 'Pretty Woman.' Roxette continued to enjoy success until Fredriksson's untimely death in 2019. The band has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, and are the second-best selling Swedish act after ABBA.
Two international number one singles, 'Take On Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on T.V.,' both released in 1985, garnered huge success for Norwegian trio A-ha. Their profile was further lifted with 1987's 'The Living Daylights,' the theme song to the James Bond film of the same name. Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Magne Furuholmen, and Morten Harket continue to record and perform around the world.
Veteran Italian performer Zucchero has collaborated with the best of them, names that include Sting, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, and B.B. King. 'Senza una donna,' a duet with English musician Paul Young released in 1987, effectively introduced him to mainstream British audiences.
Ireland has produced some world-class music acts, the biggest undoubtedly being U2. The Dublin band is listed by Rolling Stone as among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
The Cranberries were the first Irish band to reach one billion views on YouTube, with online audiences in awe of the band's iconic protest song 'Zombie.' The Cranberries disbanded after the unexpected passing of lead singer Dolores O'Riordan in 2018.
Portuguese singer-songwriter Dulce Pontes is credited with reviving fado, Portugal's traditional musical expression, by modernizing its tone and delivery. She has collaborated with some of the most famous names in World Music, including Cesária Évora and Caetano Veloso. Her version of 'Canção do Mar,' was featured in the 1996 Richard Gere movie 'Primal Fear.' She also worked with renowned Italian composer Ennio Morricone in the early 2000s.
French singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor Sacha Distel rose to prominence in the late 1950s and found international fame with his cover of 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head' in 1970.
Sources: (Spin) (Rolling Stone) (RTE) (Last.fm) (Hello Music Theory) (BBC)
Like father like son, Enrique Iglesias is a Grammy Award-winning artist recognized early on for hits like 'Trapecista' and 'No Llores Por Mi,' both released in 1995, and later for 'Bailamos,' taken from the 1999 'Wild Wild West' movie soundtrack. His 2014 album 'Sex and Love' features a host of guest artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, and Pitbull.
Originally the lead singer of the alternative rock band the Sugarcubes, Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk is one of music's most innovative performers, often blending avant-garde and pop elements to produce a unique and often experimental sound.
Icelandic indie folk/rock band Of Monsters and Men were formed in Reykjavík in 2010. The band's 2011 debut album, 'My Head Is an Animal,' hit the top spot in Australia, Ireland, and their native Iceland, as well as the US Rock and Alternative charts.
Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo represents a darker side of what audiences in Scandinavia expect from their homegrown artists. Her grunge-like approach to music and her often angst-ridden autobiographical lyrical content has led some music critics to dub her "the saddest girl in Sweden."
French DJ and music producer David Guetta is one of the world's most successful disc jockeys, achieving over 10 million album and 65 million singles sales globally and a staggering 10 billion-plus streams.
Daft Punk dismayed the music world in 2021 when they announced their split after nearly 20 years as one of the most influential acts in dance music history. The French duo of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo worked with some of the biggest names in the business, acts such as Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, and Giorgio Moroder.
Their 1973 international hit 'Radar Love' won Dutch band Golden Earring worldwide fame. Formed in the Hague in 1961, the band broke up as recently as 2021.
Hailing from the Italian island of Sardinia, Vhelade is recognized for her musical fusion of indie and Afrobeat, drawing as she does on her Congolese roots.
Europe has produced many world-class music acts. Think of Sweden's ABBA, Ireland's U2, and France's Daft Punk, and you start getting an idea of the caliber of sound emanating out of the European Union. Performers from the continent first made an impression on the industry as far back as the late 1950s. Today, we still look towards the bloc for some of the most original and innovative songs to reach a mainstream audience. But what is the best rock and pop music to come out of Europe?
Click through for a playlist of memorable chart-busting European bands and artists.
The best rock and pop music to come out of Europe
Who has produced the continent's favorite sounds?
MUSIC Entertainment
Europe has produced many world-class music acts. Think of Sweden's ABBA, Ireland's U2, and France's Daft Punk, and you start getting an idea of the caliber of sound emanating out of the European Union. Performers from the continent first made an impression on the industry as far back as the late 1950s. Today, we still look towards the bloc for some of the most original and innovative songs to reach a mainstream audience. But what is the best rock and pop music to come out of Europe?
Click through for a playlist of memorable chart-busting European bands and artists.