Almost Unreal (From "Super Mario Bros.")

"Almost Unreal" by Roxette

Imagine the early 1990s, when a Swedish duo had somehow become one of the biggest pop acts on the planet. Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, working together as Roxette, had spent the late 1980s and early 1990s racking up a string of enormous international hits, polished pop-rock anthems that conquered American radio and dominated charts across the globe. By 1993, they were a known quantity, a band whose name promised a soaring chorus and a glossy, irresistible hook. "Almost Unreal" arrived in that moment of peak fame, tied to a curious piece of cinema history.

Sweden's Pop Powerhouse

Roxette had broken through in America with a run of singles that topped the Billboard Hot 100, an extraordinary feat for a non-English-speaking act. Their formula blended Gessle's knack for songwriting with Fredriksson's powerhouse voice, and it produced some of the defining pop hits of the era. By the early 1990s they were international superstars, filling arenas and selling records by the millions. That success put them in a position to contribute to high-profile projects, and one of those was a major Hollywood film adaptation.

A Song for the Movies

"Almost Unreal" was written for the live-action film based on the wildly popular video game franchise, a movie that became famous more for its troubled production than its box-office triumph. The song carried Roxette's signature gloss, a dreamy, melodic pop number built around a warm and inviting hook. It later also became associated with another film of the period, giving the track a slightly tangled identity. The song itself, however, was pure Roxette, the sound of a band confident in its craft and happy to lend its talents to the big screen.

A Quiet Chart Run in America

Despite the band's track record of American number ones, "Almost Unreal" made only a faint impression on the Billboard Hot 100. It debuted at number 94 on June 19, 1993, which turned out to be its peak, then slipped to number 99 the following week before disappearing. In all, it spent just two weeks on the Hot 100. The modest showing was a notable contrast to the band's earlier American dominance, a sign that even a hitmaking machine could not guarantee a chart smash every time, especially with a song tied to a film that underperformed.

The Roxette Sound in Full Bloom

By 1993, Roxette had refined a signature style that was instantly recognizable, a polished blend of pop melody and rock muscle topped by Fredriksson's commanding voice. "Almost Unreal" leaned toward the softer, more romantic end of their range, favoring a dreamy atmosphere over the propulsive energy of some of their bigger anthems. The production glistens with the lush textures that defined their work, layered keyboards and warm guitars supporting a melody built to linger. It was the sound of a band that knew exactly what it did well and trusted those instincts completely, even when working on a commissioned soundtrack piece rather than a standalone single.

A Curio in a Stellar Catalog

For all its modest American chart performance, "Almost Unreal" fared far better in other parts of the world, where Roxette's popularity remained sky-high. It became a substantial hit across Europe, reminding fans of the band's enduring melodic gifts. Within the broader Roxette story, the song stands as an interesting footnote, a soundtrack contribution from a band at the height of its powers. For devotees, it remains a lovely deep cut that captures their lush, romantic style and their gift for an inviting hook.

Press play and let that dreamy chorus carry you back to 1993, when Roxette could turn even a soundtrack assignment into something gorgeous. The melody still glows with their unmistakable polish, a small reminder of why this Swedish duo conquered so much of the world during those years.

"Almost Unreal" — Roxette's singular moment on the 1990s charts.