A-ha is a musical group based on Oslo, Norway founded in1982 by Morten Harket, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, and Magne Furuholmen. The band is best known for their synth-pop music with some of their most notable songs being Take on Me and The Sun Always Shines On TV. The band rose to fame in the mid 1980’s with the release of their debut album Hunting High and Low with it ranking on the top charts in the US, UK and Norway. The band went on to release 10 other albums and tour the world for the next two decades.
In 2010 after their Ending on a High Note Tour, the band announced they would be splitting. However, after a 5 year break a-ha’s 10th studio album, Cast in Steel, was released in announcement of their reunion. Currently they are working on their newest album, True North, set to be released in 2022. To date, a-ha has been the most successful global pop music group to have emerged from Norway selling over 100 million records, performing over 600 concerts worldwide with eight separate MTV Video Music Awards.
Although a-ha’s most popular known music is from the 80’s you may have heard their songs (original and covers) in episodes of popular television shows including Baywatch, South Park, Smallville, and Private Practice. But Take On Me continues to be one of their most memorable songs, it is even considered to be one of the most distinctive music videos from the 80’s reaching over 1 billion views on YouTube.
Lastly, this past year, a-ha: The Movie was released. The documentary follows the band on tour exploring the bands younger selves in their dream to become Norwegian pop stars. Their story is told through interviews, vintage photographs, concert videos and more. Fan or not, make sure to check out the film and explore the wonderful music of a-ha.
A-ha's Discography
- Hunting High and Low (1985)
- Scoundrel Days (1986)
- Stay on These Roads (1988)
- East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990)
- Memorial Beach (1993)
- Minor Earth Major Sky (2000)
- Lifelines (2002)
- Analogue (2005)
- Foot of the Mountain (2009)
- Cast in Steel (2015)
- True North (2022)
Click here for a-ha’s official website
Click here for a-ha on Spotify
Above: The Music video for Take On Me
Above: The Trailer for A-ha: The Movie
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