I've heard it called one of the worst rock 'n roll songs of all time, but for me, The Final Countdown is a classic that will always have a place in my music collection. With that said, I've never strayed beyond or before this album, despite Europe having a catalog that spans 1983 - 2017.
The Final Countdown, the 1986 album, was the breakthrough Europe needed, and propelled the band to superstar status around the world, going triple platinum in the USA alone. With its powerhouse of singles: The Final Countdown, Rock The Night, Love Chaser and Cherokee, it's surprising to note that they never had a number one hit. Of the tracks noted, Cherokee never charted, and while the other three did, The Final Countdown went the highest at number eighteen. I suppose this is no surprise considering the competition they were up against in January of 1987 when songs began charting - Janet Jackson, Bangles, Duran Duran and Madonna, just to name a few.
Despite this, Europe hit my radar in a big way, becoming an album I needed to have on cassette tape, which I eventually got my hands on. I played the heck out of that tape, adding even more than the above to my constant rotation via Walkman, which included Danger On The Track, Ninja and Love Chaser, songs I still really enjoy to this day.
For me, The Final Countdown still holds up as a solid record. It's a slew of great songs that unfortunately get forgotten by an era of so much great music. In fact, it's often laughed at if you dare say it could stand toe to toe with the likes of your Prince's, Michael Jackson's and Madonna's. Obviously not in musical style, but in the overall enjoyment factor.
John Norum has some of the slickest guitar work you'll ever hear from the 80's, and to this day Mic Michaeli is only one of the two keyboardists I appreciate, the other being Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. Then there's the instantly recognizable vocals of lead singer, Joey Tempest. Mind you, that's not to scoff at the remaining band members who equally provide some great work to round out the sound.
Dare I say it? I think I'd rather listen to Europe's The Final Countdown over Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet or Def Leppard's Hysteria. It's not a perfect album. It has its hits and misses, but it's still pretty amazing.
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