Europe (band) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Europe
Europe on stage in Tønsberg 2025. From left to right: John Levén, Mic Michaeli, Joey Tempest, Ian Haugland and John Norum.
Background information
Also known as	Force (1979–1982)
Origin	Upplands Väsby, Sweden
Genres	Arena rock hard rock glam metal blues rock heavy metal
Years active	1979–1992 1999 since 2003
Labels	Epic Edel Sanctuary earMusic UDR Records Silver Lining Music / Hell & Back Recordings Swedmetal Records
Members	Joey Tempest John Norum John Levén Mic Michaeli Ian Haugland
Past members	Peter Olsson Tony Reno Marcel Jacob Kee Marcello

Europe is a famous rock band from Sweden. They started in Upplands Väsby in 1979. The original members were singer Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson, and drummer Tony Reno.

The band became very popular in Sweden in 1982. They won a TV music contest called Rock-SM. This win helped them become even more successful.

Europe has released many albums, including eleven studio albums. The band's current members are Joey Tempest, John Norum, bassist John Levén, keyboard player Mic Michaeli, and drummer Ian Haugland.

They became famous worldwide in the 1980s with their third album, The Final Countdown, released in 1986. By 2003, Europe had sold 10 million albums around the world! Their songs like "The Final Countdown", "Rock the Night", and "Carrie" were big hits. "Carrie" even reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the USA.

Europe took a break in 1992. They got back together for a special show in 1999 and officially reunited in 2003. Since then, they have released six more albums. These include Start from the Dark (2004) and Walk the Earth (2017).

In 2015–2016, Europe gained new fans in the USA. This happened after their song "The Final Countdown" was used in a funny GEICO TV commercial.

The Start of Europe: Force and Early Success (1979–1984)

The band first formed in 1979 and was called Force. They were from Upplands Väsby, Stockholm, Sweden. The first members were singer Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson, and drummer Tony Reno. Joey Tempest shared that they started by playing cover songs to learn their instruments. Soon, they began writing their own music.

The band sent their songs to record companies. But they were told they needed to change their look and sing in Swedish. After two years, Peter Olsson left the band. John Levén became the new bassist. For a short time, Levén left and Marcel Jacob joined, but then Levén returned.

In 1982, Joey Tempest's girlfriend entered Force into a Swedish rock talent show called Rock-SM. They competed against 4000 bands and won! Their winning songs were "In the Future to Come" and "The King Will Return". The prize was a record deal. Joey Tempest won "Best Lead Singer," and John Norum won "Best Guitarist." Just before the contest, the band changed its name to Europe. Joey Tempest got the idea from a Deep Purple album.

Singer Joey Tempest performing in 2010.

Their first album, Europe, came out in 1983. It sold well in Sweden and Japan. The album reached number 8 in Sweden. The song "Seven Doors Hotel" was a Top 10 hit in Japan.

Their second album, Wings of Tomorrow, was released in 1984. This album caught the attention of CBS Records, who offered them an international contract. Joey Tempest felt Wings of Tomorrow was very important for the band. He said they learned a lot about writing songs during this time. Soon, keyboard player Mic Michaeli joined for live shows and then became an official member. Drummer Tony Reno left the band and Ian Haugland took his place.

Global Fame with "The Final Countdown" (1985–1987)

In 1985, Europe recorded music for the film On the Loose. This led to their hit song "Rock the Night". Later that year, Joey Tempest wrote "Give a Helping Hand" for a charity project. This song featured many Swedish rock stars and helped people in Ethiopia.

In September 1985, Europe began recording their next album with producer Kevin Elson. This album was The Final Countdown. It was released on May 26, 1986. This album made the band famous all over the world. It sold millions of copies in the USA. The album reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The song "The Final Countdown" was the first single. It became a huge success, reaching number 1 in 25 countries! Other hits from the album included "Rock the Night" and the ballad "Carrie". "Carrie" reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

However, guitarist John Norum was not happy with the band's new sound. He felt it was too focused on keyboards and too commercial. So, he decided to leave Europe in October 1986 to start his own music career. Kee Marcello was asked to join the band as the new guitarist. He joined during the band's most successful period.

New Albums and a Break (1988–1992)

Europe's next album, Out of This World, came out in 1988. The biggest hit from this album was "Superstitious". It reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band then toured a lot, including shows with Def Leppard.

Europe in Hamburg, 1992

In 1991, they released the album Prisoners in Paradise. This album did not get as much attention as their previous ones. This was because a new music style called grunge was becoming very popular. Even so, the song "I'll Cry for You" was a hit in the UK.

After many years of making music and touring, Europe decided to take a break at the end of 1992. The band members wanted to try new things. During this break, Joey Tempest, John Norum, and Kee Marcello all released solo albums.

The Reunion and New Music (2003–Present)

The band members started talking about getting back together in 1998. For the New Year's Eve celebration in 1999, Europe played a special concert in Stockholm. Both John Norum and Kee Marcello played guitars that night.

Guitarist John Norum performing in 2009.

On October 2, 2003, Europe officially announced their reunion! They planned a new album and a world tour. John Norum returned as the main guitarist. Joey Tempest said it was important to get the original spark back.

Their new album, Start from the Dark, was released on September 22, 2004. The band worked with Kevin Elson again, who had produced The Final Countdown. This album had a more modern sound. Joey Tempest explained they wanted to create something fresh, not just another 1980s album. The album sold over 600,000 copies worldwide.

More Albums and Special Shows (2006–2010)

Europe released their seventh album, Secret Society, on October 26, 2006. Joey Tempest felt it was one of their strongest albums. It had more melodic songs than Start from the Dark.

In 2008, Europe performed a special acoustic concert in Stockholm called Almost Unplugged. They played their songs in new ways, along with covers of bands that inspired them, like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. This show was broadcast online and later released as a CD and DVD.

Sadly, former member Marcel Jacob passed away in 2009.

Europe performing in Festivalna hall, Sofia in 2012.

Their eighth studio album, Last Look at Eden, came out on September 9, 2009. The band described it as a modern retro rock album. They explored different styles, including some 1970s rock vibes.

Recent Years and Anniversaries (2011–Present)

In 2011, Europe played for a huge audience of 40,061 Scouts and Guides at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden.

Their ninth studio album, Bag of Bones, was produced by Kevin Shirley. It was released in April 2012. The album was very popular in Sweden, reaching number 2 on the charts and earning a Gold certification.

In 2013, the band celebrated their 30th anniversary at the Sweden Rock Festival. This performance was recorded and released as a special CD, DVD, and Blu-ray. In 2014, they celebrated the 30th anniversary of their album Wings of Tomorrow by playing the whole album at several shows.

Europe's tenth studio album, War of Kings, was released on March 2, 2015. It was produced by Dave Cobb. They toured the UK with Black Star Riders to support the album.

In 2015, Europe became even more well-known in the US. Their song "The Final Countdown" was featured in a funny GEICO TV commercial. In the ad, they sang the song in an office break room while a microwave cooked a burrito.

In November 2016, Europe announced "The 30th Final Countdown Anniversary Tour." On this tour, they played both The Final Countdown and War of Kings albums in full at every concert. A concert from this tour in London was filmed and released in 2017.

Their eleventh studio album, Walk the Earth, was released on October 20, 2017.

In 2023, Europe celebrated their 40th anniversary with the "Time Capsule" tour. This tour took them across eight countries in Europe. It started on September 30, 2023, and finished on October 26, 2023.

Europe's Music Style and Inspirations

Europe's music is often described as arena rock, hard rock, glam metal, blues rock, and heavy metal. The band has been inspired by many other great rock bands. Some of their main influences include Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, UFO, and Michael Schenker Group.

Meet the Band Members

Band Member Timeline

Europe's Albums

Studio albums

• Europe (1983)
• Wings of Tomorrow (1984)
• The Final Countdown (1986)
• Out of This World (1988)
• Prisoners in Paradise (1991)
• 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)

Awards and Honors

Awards and Nominations

Other Honors

See also

In Spanish: Europe para niños