“It Must Have Been Love” is a famous song by Swedish pop duo Roxette, written by Per Gessle and sung by Marie Fredriksson. It first came out in 1987 in Sweden as a seasonal song called “It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken-Hearted)” with a brief Christmas reference.
The version most people know was re-released in 1990 on the soundtrack of the romantic movie Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. It quickly became a global hit, topping the U.S. charts and becoming one of Roxette’s signature songs.
The lyrics gently explore the pain of a relationship that has ended — remembering how good it was while accepting it’s over. Lines like “It must have been love, but it’s over now” capture that bittersweet mix of love and loss.
Marie’s emotional voice and the simple yet powerful melody help the song connect with listeners everywhere. Many people still hear it as a soundtrack to their own memories of love, heartache, and letting go.
