A-Ha is a Norwegian group formed in Oslo in 1982 by Morten Harket, singer, Magne Furuholmen, keyboard player and Pal Waaktaar, guitarist.
The same year the trio left Norway to go to London thinking that there would be more opportunities for success.
Originally, what would become the flagship hit "Take on me" was called "The Juicy fruit song" and performed by the duo Furuholmen / Waaktaar under the name "Bridges".
This song known many versions before leaving in 1985 and smashing everything in its path. The clip of the song having largely contributed to the meteoric breakthrough of the title.
In 1985, it was the single "The sun always shines on TV" which came out and which in turn peaked at the top of the Charts.
Released the same year the first album of the group "Hunting high and low". The second album "Scoundrel days" was released in 1986 from which the flagship title "Cry wolf" would be taken. The third album, "Stay on these roads" was released in 1988 and notably included the James Bond soundtrack "The living daylights".
The group will produce other titles but will have known its main successes with these first 2 albums.
Of all the productions of Scandinavian origin that took place during the 1980s, A-Ha will remain as the flagship and undisputed group of what was best at the time.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
• Take on me 1984
• The sun always shines on TV 1985
• Train of thought 1986
• Hunting high and low 1986
• I’ve been losing you 1986
• Cry wolf 1986
• Manhattan skyline 1987
• The living daylights 1987
• Stay on these roads 1988
• The blood that tmoves the body 1988
• Touchy ! 1988
• You are the one 1988
• There's never a forever thing 1989
• Crying in the rain 1990
• I call your name 1990
• Early morning 1991
• Move to Memphis 1991
• Dark is the night for all 1993
• Angel in the snow 1993
• Shapes that go together 1994
• Minor earth, major sky 2000
• Velvet 2000
• Summer moved on 2000
• Lifelines 2002
• Forever not yours 2002
• Did anyone approach 2002
• Celice 2005
• Cosy prisons 2006
• Analogue 2006
• The bandstand 2009
• Foot of the mountain 2009
• What there is 2009
• Cast in steel 2015
• Under the make up 2015
• Objects in the mirror 2015
• This is our home 2017
• I'm in 2022
• You have what it takes 2022
• As if 2022
• True north 2022
• Hunter int he hills 2022
Clips :
1984 ... the HUGE tube that will reveal them. Surely one of the biggest dance hits of the decade and an introduction to the subject, to say the least, A-MA-ZING !
1985 ... they reoffend 1 year later, another XXL hit which shows the full extent of their talent. Two mega hits back to back which positions them from the start as one of the biggest phenomena of the moment. MAS-TER-FUL !
1986 ... nothing but good, nothing to throw away ! An incredible inspiration which is translated each time by a title released = a hit. And that's just the beginning !
1986 ... the WONDER ! Surely one of the most beautiful ballads of the decade. But where are they going to get it all ? Talent, quite simply, talent. MA-GIC !
1986 ... an incredibly prolific year producing only tubes and there will be 4 in total. We thought it would be difficult for them to match the year 1985, they are doing almost better, that is to say !
1986 ... a beautiful title to end this decidedly exceptional year. Ooooouuuuuuuhhhhhhh they cry wolves !
1987 ... a new year which starts rather timidly, is extremely rare for them. But nothing to worry about when you see what's on the horizon ...
1987 ... Bond, my name is Bond. When you are chosen to do the soundtrack for a 007, you are necessarily at the top. The result, too, will be top !
1988 ... the 2nd WONDER. An Ultimate Slow of phew that magically suspends time. Surely one of their best titles. MA-GIC, once again !
1988 ... like an aftertaste of 007. If it worked once, why not two. Except that this time, the result in the Charts will not be quite the same ...
1988 ... definitely, another big year in terms of world class hits. But it is clear that we went from mega hits to top hits. Like a slight semblance of dropping out ...
1988 ... an inspiration which does not falter but which seems to have less and less impact on the general public. And yet, they put in an obvious good will ...
1989 ... year 1989 unfortunately missed with only one title on the clock and not classified in addition. However, it is not without quality, far from it ...
1990 ... business is picking up again in this new decade with this new mega hit. Like what, the air hole of the previous year was nothing to worry about ...
1990 ... it is obvious that the level of inspiration weakened somewhat in this decade 90 but it is still largely sufficient to allow them to remain in the lead pack
1991 ... the dropout in the Charts is accelerating but it is not for lack of putting good will. It's just the competition that is becoming more and more formidable ...
1991 ... even if the deceleration phase is obvious, they still happen to continue to use the stars from time to time. Like what, nothing is never finished ...
1993 ... after a year 1992 when not much will happen, the group returns in great shape in this year 1993 and delivers here a title which allows them to still believe in the future
1993 ... it is true that since the beginning of the decade, inspiration has fluctuated more or less according to the titles. The overall quality level remains high but the brilliant side that we had known them during the previous decade, it has taken off ...
1994 ... a single title year which sees the group trying to adapt to the new musical trends of the moment. With a more or less convincing result. What is certain, on the other hand, is that this title is the last of the decade concerning them. There will be others but it will be necessary to wait for the following decade ...
2000...six years will pass between the previous title and this one but here they are indeed back in this new decade 2000. All in a more than certain form...
2000...the years may pass, just like the decades, the group manages to maintain a level of inspiration that is impressive to say the least. Hope it lasts !
2000...not to mention that they still manage to land top hits that would make more than one green with envy. You still have to remember that the group started their career in 1984, which is already starting to be a few years old...
2002...and the adventure is not about to stop there, far from it. They can still boast of being one of the rare groups from the 80s still present at the highest level...
2002...new top hit to add to a prize list that already has a lot of them. A level of inspiration that is constantly renewed in a remarkable way...
2002...certainly they won't repeat the feat on each title but everything that comes out is of more than certain quality. Which underlines all the more the limitless talent of this group...
2005...with each title, we say to ourselves that they may have reached their limits and that this title will be the last. And each time they come back again and again while maintaining a quality level worthy of the best...
2006... we are already at more than 20 years of career and they are still there. Nothing is able to stop them, neither the weight of the years, nor the changes of fashion...
2006... what is all the stronger is that their style does not really stick to the latest trends without being outdated. This allows them to cross the ages so easily...
2009...they will have released 4 albums during this 2000 decade, just that ! And albums with certain success, which underlines all the more the performance achieved !
2009...now remains to be seen whether they will succeed in keeping up such a pace over the next decade. What is certain is that only them know the answer...
2009... the last title of a decade which will have seen them maintain a level of excellence that we would not have imagined. Really too strong these little guys !
2015...at first glance, the 2010 decade will not be equal to the 2000 decade. We only find them in 2015 and they will only release one album during this decade...
2015...we suspected that at some point the pace was bound to drop and that they could not continue indefinitely on such a level of productivity. Such is life...
2015... whatever it is, it's always a real pleasure to see them come back, even if this return will be fleeting to say the least. Because they are coming back anyway, which is not the case for a hell of a lot of groups from the same generation...
2017...a totally timeless title that once again shows that this group is capable of exploring all possible and imaginable musical fields. For our greatest pleasure necessarily !
2022...and here they are again, attacking their 5th decade of career, who would have thought that possible ? Only the best of the best will have achieved this feat !
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :