a-ha
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Band Introduction and History

Formed in Oslo in 1982, the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, comprising:
Magne Furuholmen (left)
Morten Harket (middle)
Pål Waaktaar-Savoy (right)
gained prominence in the mid-1980s.

Their debut album,"Hunting High and Low" (1985) , reached number one in Norway, number two in the UK, and number 15 on the US Billboard chart. The album featured the international hits "Take On Me" and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.," earning a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. Following successful releases in 1986, 1988, and 1990, a-ha went on hiatus in 1994 after the commercial disappointment of "Memorial Beach." They returned in 1998 with "Minor Earth Major Sky" and continued with albums like "Lifelines" (2002),"Analogue" (2005), and "Foot of the Mountain" (2009). Despite a 2010 split, the band reunited in 2015, releasing "Cast in Steel." They have a total of eleven studio albums, including the recent "True North" (2022). Known for record-breaking concert attendance and global sales exceeding 100 million units, a-ha remains one of the highest-grossing bands worldwide.

Hunting High and Low (1984-1986)

In the early stages, "Take On Me" by a-ha started as "Miss Eerie" when Morten Harket first heard Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar play in Asker. Originally known as Bridges, a-ha's first recorded version was named "Lesson One," later re-recorded and released as "Take On Me" in 1984. Despite initial setbacks, a re-release in 1985, accompanied by a groundbreaking video, propelled the song to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Singles Chart. The iconic video utilized rotoscoping and garnered a-ha six MTV Video Awards in 1986. Their second single, "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.," achieved success, and the band received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 1986. While "Take On Me" remains their most recognized hit in the US, a-ha continued to enjoy success globally with their album "Hunting High and Low," which sold 11 million copies worldwide and earned platinum status in the US and the UK. Despite being considered a one-hit wonder in the US, a-ha's impact extended beyond "Take On Me," maintaining popularity in the UK throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

Golden Age (1986-1994)

During their 1986 world tour, a-ha released their second album, "Scoundrel Days," signaling a shift towards alternative rock. While well-received, the album's sales of 6.4 million copies did not match their debut's success, except in Switzerland. "Cry Wolf" became their last single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, marking their last US appearance for two decades. The album, certified platinum in the UK, Switzerland, and Brazil, and gold in Germany, received positive reviews, with critic Ned Raggett praising its opening tracks. In 1988, a-ha released their third album, "Stay on These Roads," matching the chart success of its predecessors. The album, certified platinum in Brazil and France and gold in Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, featured the title track, the theme song for the James Bond film "The Living Daylights." The band embarked on a 74-city world tour, and the album sold over 4.2 million copies worldwide. Their next release, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," included a cover of The Everly Brothers' "Crying in the Rain." In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a-ha found popularity in South America, particularly in Brazil, where they achieved record-breaking concert attendance at Rock in Rio II in 1991. Despite the lack of media attention, a-ha viewed the achievement as a devastating blow. The album was certified gold in Switzerland, Brazil, and Germany, and silver in the UK. The band's fourth album, "Memorial Beach," released in 1993, faced commercial disappointment, with only the single "Dark Is the Night" charting outside Norway. Despite this, Q magazine listed it among the best albums of 1993. Following the 1994 Winter Olympics concerts, a-ha entered an unofficial hiatus, with band members pursuing solo projects.

First Comeback (1994-2007)

In the midst of their 1986 world tour, a-ha released "Scoundrel Days," marking a shift toward alternative rock as synthpop declined in popularity. While the album received favorable reviews and produced three international hits, including "Cry Wolf," it sold 6.4 million copies, not matching the success of its predecessor, except in Switzerland. The band's next release, "Stay on These Roads" (1988), matched the chart success of its predecessors, certified platinum in Brazil and France. The title track became the theme song for the James Bond film "The Living Daylights." The band continued with albums like "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" (1990), "Memorial Beach" (1993), and a hiatus in 1994. In 1998, a-ha performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, marking their comeback, and then released "Minor Earth Major Sky" in 2000. The album reached platinum status, spawning hits like "Summer Moved On." The band continued with "Lifelines" (2002), a live album, and a singles collection in 2004. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, a-ha played Live 8 in Berlin in 2005 and released "Analogue" later that year. The album included a-ha's first top-ten hit in the UK since 1988, and the band received the Q Magazine Inspiration Award in London in 2006. In 2009, they won the Spellemann Award for "Take On Me," marking its 25th anniversary and 50 years on Norway's hit list.

New Direction and Farewell (2008-2010)

In May 2008, a-ha's members held solo concerts in Oslo before reuniting for performances showcasing new songs and their album "Foot of the Mountain." Released in June 2009, the album marked a return to synth-pop and received acclaim, entering the German charts at number one and reaching number five in the UK. The band announced their disbandment after the 2010 Ending on a High Note Tour, which sold out rapidly. Despite disbanding, a-ha released compilations, deluxe editions, and a new single, "Butterfly, Butterfly." The band's farewell concerts in Oslo were recorded, resulting in the release of "Ending on a High Note Live" in various formats, including their first Blu-ray. Their final performance was commemorated with a DVD and CD box set, released in April 2011. a-ha played a special performance in 2011 at Oslo Spektrum for a national memorial service dedicated to the victims of the 2011 Norway attacks.

Post a-ha Activities and Second Comeback

Following a-ha's breakup, Morten Harket released two solo albums, "Out of My Hands" (2012) and "Brother" (2014). Pål Waaktaar contributed to a new project, Weathervane, in collaboration with vocalist Jimmy Gnecco in June 2011, releasing a self-titled single included in the "Headhunters" movie soundtrack. Another song, "Manmade Lake," initially planned for "Foot of the Mountain," was released on Soundcloud in 2013. In 2012, Magne Furuholmen mentored on "The Voice – Norges beste stemme" and produced the debut album for his mentee, Martin Halla, who won the contest. In 2014, Furuholmen composed songs and supervised recordings for the Norwegian film "Beatles." In 2015, a-ha reunited for Rock in Rio and announced plans to re-release their first five albums on vinyl and deluxe editions for albums three through five. Their tenth studio album, "Cast in Steel," was released in September 2015, accompanied by a European tour from March to May 2016. They also performed at the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo. On May 3, 2016, a-ha collaborated with Void, a Norwegian computational design studio, for a concert at Oslo Spektrum featuring advanced scenography using 360 virtual reality technology. The unique concert involved motion detectors, 3D cameras, and extensive coding, transforming the arena into a live visual experience for the audience.

MTV Unplugged and Hunting High and Low Tours (2017-2021)

From 2017 to 2021, a-ha embarked on the MTV Unplugged and Hunting High and Low tours. In November 2017, they released an acoustic album and film, "Summer Solstice," featuring performances recorded on the Norwegian island of Giske. The album included two new songs, "This Is Our Home" and "A Break in the Clouds." The MTV Unplugged versions of iconic hits like "The Sun Always Shines on T.V," "The Living Daylights," and a re-imagined "Take On Me" garnered widespread acclaim. In early 2018, a-ha commenced a European acoustic tour initially named "An Acoustic Evening with a-ha" but later renamed "MTV Unplugged Tour 2018." The acoustic rendition of "Take On Me" was featured in the movie Deadpool 2 and an episode of The Magicians. Their Hunting High and Low tour, starting in October 2019 in Dublin, showcased their debut album in its entirety along with other songs. Unfortunately, the tour was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting planned concerts across multiple countries. The band introduced the new song "Digital River" during the tour. On June 13, 2021, the documentary "a-ha: The Movie" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, chronicling the band's journey, successes, and challenges over four years. The film, directed by Thomas Robsahm, explores personal conflicts among band members and was globally released.

Return After COVID-19 Pandemic and True North (2022-Present)

Since March 2022, a-ha resumed their Hunting High and Low tour after COVID-19-related postponements. On October 21, 2022, they released a new film and album titled True North. Recorded with the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra in Bodø, Norway, the film captures a live performance complemented by scenic clips from Norway's landscapes. The lead single, "I'm In," was released on July 8, 2022, and two of the album's songs, "Forest for the Trees" and "You Have What It Takes," were performed during the 2022 tour. The album's second single, "You Have What It Takes," came out on September 16, 2022. In 2023, "Take On Me" ranked No. 26 on Billboard's list of the 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time, commemorating 65 years of the Hot 100 chart.

Their Legacy

a-ha, stands as the most successful global act to emerge from Norway. In the mid-1980s, they achieved chart-topping success in Britain and the U.S., earning commercial success worldwide. Notably, in 1986, they received eight MTV Video Music Awards during a single show. The music video for "Take On Me" is iconic, reaching 1 billion views on YouTube in 2020. a-ha recorded the James Bond theme "The Living Daylights" and their music has featured in various TV shows and movies. They hold a Guinness World Record for the largest paying audience at a pop concert and received the Q Awards Inspiration Award in 2006. a-ha's impact extends to being invited for a reunion at the Rock in Rio festival, and they've garnered praise from artists like Chris Martin, Sarah Brightman, Adam Clayton, Graham Nash, and Pitbull. Harket and Furuholmen also played a role in promoting plug-in electric vehicles in Norway.

Awards and Band Members

Awards

a-ha received several accolades, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 1986. They achieved significant success with eight MTV Video Music Awards, six for "Take On Me" and two for "The Sun Always Shines on TV." Their iconic "Take On Me" was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Video at the 1986 American Music Awards. In addition, a-ha secured 10 Spellemannprisen awards, the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

Notably, in November 2012, all three band members were honored as Knights of the 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for their remarkable contribution to Norwegian music.

Band Members

Magne Furuholmen

Morten Harket

Pål Waaktaar-Savoy

Discography and World Tours

World Tours

1. World Tour (1986–1987) Encompassing the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Japan.
2. Stay on These Roads Tour (1988–1989) Spanning Europe, Japan, and South America.
3. East of the Sun West of the Moon Tour (1991) Covering Europe and South America.
4. Memorial Beach Tour (1993–1994) Reaching Europe, Lebanon, South Africa, and Russia.
5. Minor Earth Major Sky Tour (2000–2001) Extending to Japan, Russia, and Europe.
6. Lifelines Tour (2002–2004) Enchanting Europe, Brazil, and Russia.
7. Analogue Tour (2005–2007) Entertaining Europe, Russia, the US, Senegal, and Chile.
8. Foot of the Mountain Tour (2009) Enthralling Europe, South America, Japan, and Russia.
9. Ending on a High Note Tour (2010) Conquering Europe, the US, Canada, South America, Japan, and Russia.
10. Cast in Steel Tour (2015–2016) Resonating in South America, Europe, and Russia.
11. MTV Unplugged Tour (2018) Showcasing acoustic brilliance in Europe.
12. Electric Summer Tour (2018) Illuminating Europe and Israel.
13. An Evening with Format – Hunting High and Low Live (2019) Echoing through Europe and Russia.
14. a-ha Play Hunting High and Low Live (2020–2022) Journeying across Australia, Europe, Japan.
15. (Concerts in Japan & Singapore cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic)