A-ha | |
|---|---|
 A-ha in concert atPalacio Vistalegre, Madrid, Spain, in 2010 (left to right: Magne Furuholmen, Morten Harket, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Oslo, Norway |
| Genres | |
| Years active |
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| Labels | |
| Spinoffs | |
| Spinoff of | Bridges |
| Members | |
| Website | a-ha |
A-ha (often stylised asa-ha;Norwegian pronunciation:[ɑˈhɑː]) is a Norwegiansynth-pop band formed inOslo in 1982. Founded byPaul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals),Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), andMorten Harket (lead vocals), the band rose to fame during the mid-1980s.
A-ha achieved their biggest success with their debut albumHunting High and Low in 1985. The album peaked at number one in their native Norway, number two in the UK, and number 15 on the USBillboard album chart; yielded the international number-one single "Take On Me", as well as "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."; and earned the band aGrammy Award nomination for Best New Artist. In the UK,Hunting High and Low continued its chart success into the following year, becoming one of the best-selling albums of 1986.[5][6] The band released studio albums in 1986, 1988, and 1990, with single hits including "Hunting High and Low", "The Living Daylights", "Stay on These Roads", and "Crying in the Rain". In 1994, after their fifth studio album,Memorial Beach (1993), failed to achieve the commercial success of their previous albums, the band went on hiatus.[7] Following a performance at theNobel Peace Prize Concert in 1998, A-ha recorded their sixth album, 2000'sMinor Earth Major Sky, which was another number-one album in Norway and Germany. This album was followed byLifelines (2002);Analogue (2005), which was certified Silver in the UK;[8] andFoot of the Mountain (2009), which was certified Silver in the UK and reached the top five in many European countries.[9]
The band split after their 2010 worldwideEnding on a High Note Tour,[7][10] but reunited in 2015 to release their tenth studio album,Cast in Steel.[11] They toured in support of the album and participated atRock in Rio, which celebrated 30 years for both the band and the event.[12]
The band has released eleven studio albums, several compilations and four live albums,[13] with their most recent album,True North, released on 21 October 2022. In less than a year, during 2010, the band earned an estimated 500 million Norwegian kroner from concert tickets, merchandise and the release of a greatest hits album, making them one of the 40–50 highest-grossing bands in the world.[14] The band were listed in theGuinness World Records book for having the biggest-paying rock concert attendance; they drew an audience of 198,000 atMaracanã Stadium during the Rock in Rio festival. They have sold more than 100 million units, albums and singles combined.[15][16]
The trio, composed of lead vocalistMorten Harket; guitaristPaul Waaktaar (then known as Pål Waaktaar); and keyboardistMagne Furuholmen, formed in 1982, and left Norway for London in order to make a career in music. "We were trying to think of what to call themselves, focusing on Norwegian words people could say in English." They jettisoned that idea when Morten spotted a song called "A-ha" in Waaktaar's songbook. "It was a terrible song but a great name," said Morten.[17]
They chose the studio of musician, producer, and soon-to-be-manager John Ratcliff because it had aSpace Invaders machine. Ratcliff introduced them to his manager, Terry Slater,[18] and after a few meetings, A-ha enlisted Ratcliff as a manager as well. Slater and Ratcliff formed TJ Management.[19] Ratcliff dealt with technical and musical aspects and Slater acted as the group's international business manager and as liaison toWarner Bros. head office inLos Angeles.
An early version of "Take On Me" was the first song that Harket had heard Furuholmen and Waaktaar play inAsker. At that time, the song was called "Miss Eerie" and the two men were still known asBridges. Harket said it sounded more like a "Juicy Fruit song" (meaning a gum advertisement). A-ha's first recorded version was called "Lesson One". The song was then re-recorded, re-named "Take on Me", and released in 1984, when it was promoted with a video of the band performing in front of a blue background. After it failed to chart, the song was re-recorded with production by Alan Tarney; it again failed to chart. Finally, the song was re-released in 1985 with a new, groundbreaking video; this time, the song peaked at number one on the USBillboard Hot 100 and at number two on theUK Singles Chart.[20][21]
a-ha became the first Norwegian band to have a number-one hit in the U.S. The popularity of "Take on Me" earned the band a spot on the American television seriesSoul Train in 1985, making them one of the few white artists to appear on the black music-oriented show. (EarlierSoul Train appearances by white artists includedGino Vanelli,Elton John,David Bowie,Hall & Oates,Sheena Easton,Pet Shop Boys,Michael McDonald, andTeena Marie.)
The video used a pencil-sketch animation/live-action combination calledrotoscoping, in which individual frames of film are drawn over or coloured.[22] It became one of the most instantly recognizable and most enduringly popular music videos in the US, where it was nominated for eight awards at the third annualMTV Video Awards in 1986, winning six, including Best New Artist in a Video, Best Concept Video, Best Direction, Best Special Effects, Viewer's Choice and Best Video of the Year. Their six MTV Award wins for that video gave them twice as many wins asMichael Jackson's "Thriller" and more than any artist in the three years of the awards combined.
The band's second single worldwide was "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", even though "Love Is Reason" was the second single in Norway. In the US, the song peaked at number 20 on theBillboard Hot 100 and reached number 17 onRadio & Records airplay chart. A remix version was a club hit, rising to number five on theHot Dance Singles Sales chart.[20] The music video for the song was another popular and critical success, nominated at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards in three categories and winning two, Best Cinematography and Best Editing, bringing A-ha's total to 11 nominations and eight wins. The following year,Peter Gabriel would earn 13 nominations and win nine awards, also for two separate videos. In successive years, even as the award categories expanded, only a few artists have approached—and none have surpassed the single-year award totals of A-ha and Gabriel.
a-ha's American success culminated in their 1986Grammy nomination in theBest New Artist category, which was eventually won bySade. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." turned out to be A-ha's last Hot 100Top 40 single and to this day – in the United States – A-ha is remembered by the general public almost entirely because of "Take On Me".[20] As such, the band is frequently considered aone-hit wonder there, despite their two Top 40 hits. In the UK, where "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." has been their only number one,[21] A-ha enjoyed continued success with two more hit singles from the same album, "Train of Thought" and "Hunting High and Low" (with another innovative video), and remained popular throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
The band's first album, 1985'sHunting High and Low, became a worldwide bestseller, spending most of October and November in the top 20 ofBillboard's Top 200 album chart. The album and its four hit singles garnered international recognition for A-ha.Hunting High and Low earned triple platinum status in the UK and reached platinum status in the US and Germany, while earning gold in Brazil and the Netherlands.[8][23][24][25]Hunting High and Low has sold 11 million copies worldwide.[26] The album peaked at number 15 on the US on theBillboard 200 albums chart and at number two on the UK Albums Chart; it spent 38 weeks in the top 10 in Norway, including eight weeks at number one.[6][21][27]
a-ha's second album,Scoundrel Days, was released in the midst of the 1986 world tour and represented a move towardsalternative rock, assynthpop began to fall out of style. Although the album received favourable reviews and had three singles become international hits, sales (6.4 million copies) did not match those of its predecessor (except for in Switzerland, where it remains A-ha's best-selling album).[28] "Cry Wolf" would be the last A-ha single to chart on theBillboard Hot 100. After the release of the album, A-ha toured in the US, its last appearance there for 20 years. The album has been certified platinum in the UK, Switzerland and Brazil, and has earned gold certification in Germany.[8][24][25][29]
Ned Raggett ofAllMusic Guide would later write of the album, "The opening two songs alone make for one of the best one-two opening punches around: the tense edge of the title track, featuring one of Morten Harket's soaring vocals during the chorus and a crisp, pristine punch in the music, and 'The Swing of Things,' a moody, elegant number with a beautiful synth/guitar arrangement (plus some fine drumming courtesy of studio pro Michael Sturgis) and utterly lovelorn lyrical sentiments that balance on the edge of being overheated without quite going over...The '80s may be long gone, butScoundrel Days makes clear that not everything was bad back then."[30]
In May 1988, A-ha released their third studio album, titledStay on These Roads, which matched the number-two chart peak of its two predecessors on the British album charts.Stay on These Roads has been certified platinum in Brazil and France, and gold in Switzerland, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.[8][24][25][28][31]
The album includes the title-track theme song to theJames Bond filmThe Living Daylights. The version that appears on their album is the original version of the song. The band has said that they are particularly proud of the title track, and all three members contributed to its writing. "Stay on These Roads" and "The Living Daylights" would remain part of their live set throughout the rest of the band's history. After the release of the album, the band went on a 74-city world tour. The album has sold more than 4.2 million copies worldwide.[29]
East of the Sun, West of the Moon contained a cover version ofThe Everly Brothers' 1963 single "Crying in the Rain". In the late 1980s and early 1990s, A-ha were very popular in South America, especially in Brazil, where the band sold out some of the largest stadiums in the world. At the January 1991Rock in Rio II festival, A-ha shocked the international entertainment press by drawing an audience of 198,000 atMaracanã stadium for their top-billed evening concert—aGuinness World Record for biggest rock concert attendance.[32] In contrast, the other performers (George Michael,Prince andGuns N' Roses) each drew less than a third of that audience (60,000 each). In a 2009 interview from Cody Eide inMusic Week, celebrating A-ha's up-and-coming 25-year anniversary, the members revealed that the record-breaking concert and the lack of media attention they received were a devastating blow to the band. The festival, which should have been the band's crowning achievement, was instead a moment of crushing disappointment. "MTV interviewed everybody except us", remembers Waaktaar-Savoy. "They were all calling their bosses and saying, 'We must cover A-ha; it's the only night that has sold out.' But they weren't allowed to." "I felt very alienated," says Furuholmen. "It made us feel hopeless. We played to the biggest crowd in the world and they ignored it."[33]
East of the Sun, West of the Moon was certified gold in Switzerland, Brazil, and Germany and silver in the UK.[8][24][25][28] Steven McDonald of AllMusic said of their fourth album, "This is a nicely crafted collection of songs, performed and sung beautifully, with lots of echoes and suggestions tucked into the music. While not an album one can discuss at length, it's an album that's a pleasure to listen to." The album sold 3.2 million copies worldwide.[29]
Their last album before their hiatus wasMemorial Beach, in 1993. Relative to previous releases, the album was a commercial disappointment. The only single from the album to chart officially outside of Norway was "Dark Is the Night", which peaked at number 19 in the United Kingdom. Despite the commercial reception,Q magazine listed the album as one of the 50 best albums of 1993.[34] The following February, A-ha performed two concerts during the1994 Winter Olympics inLillehammer, Norway, followed by tours inSouth Africa and Norway. A-ha were also chosen to compose the official song for the WinterParalympic Games in Lillehammer, which they entitled "Shapes That Go Together".
In 1994, the band unofficially entered a hiatus, during which band members focused on solo projects.[7]
The band was invited to perform at theNobel Peace Prize Concert in 1998. Waaktaar-Savoy wrote "Summer Moved On" especially for this performance.[35] They also performed "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." This performance was A-ha's comeback into the world of music, yet the band's set was controversially omitted from a programme of concert highlights that was televised in the UK, and even more controversially in the US byFOX. Nevertheless, the band returned to the studio. Those recording sessions resulted in 2000'sMinor Earth Major Sky, an international tour, and a webcast performance of the band opening the newVallhall Arena in Oslo on 24 and 25 March 2001.[36] A-ha's video for "I Wish I Cared" was one of the first fully web-based animatedMacromedia Flash music videos to be made available. (The first was Duran Duran's 2000 video for "Someone Else Not Me".[citation needed]) The album reached platinum status, with sales of 1.5 million copies, and spawned four singles: "Summer Moved On", "Minor Earth Major Sky", "Velvet" and "The Sun Never Shone That Day". "Summer Moved On" went to number one in 17 countries.
a-ha made a return appearance at theNobel Peace Prize Concert in 2001, performing a new song, "Differences", and "Hunting High and Low". The subsequent album,Lifelines, was released in 2002, going platinum in Norway and producing two top-five hits there, "Forever Not Yours" and "Lifelines". Jesper Hiro directed the video for "Lifelines", based on the short filmA Year Along the Abandoned Road, which was directed by Morten Skallerud in 1991. The original short film was 12 minutes long; it shows a whole year elapsing in one shot at 50,000 times the normal speed.
A live album from their 2002 tour, titledHow Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, was released in March 2003, preceded by a live single of the 1986 hit "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." In 2004, a book entitledThe Swing of Things was published, which also included a CD of early demo material titledThe Demo Tapes. That year, A-ha celebrated their 20th anniversary with the release of a new singles collection,The Definitive Singles Collection 1984–2004. This compilation brought them back into the top 20 of theUK Albums Chart, where they reached number 13 and earned agold album.
On 2 July 2005, A-ha performed at theBerlin edition ofLive 8 in front of an audience of nearly 200,000 people. They began with "Hunting High and Low", followed by "Take On Me", during whichMorten Harket had difficulties hearing himself when hisin-ear monitor failed: he requested a two-minute break, which he used to comment on the cause of Live 8. The intended two minutes became almost seven, and the third song, "Summer Moved On", became the last of their set. Although four songs had been rehearsed, the band's time had run out and the organisers told them to leave the stage.[citation needed]
On 12 September 2005, A-ha played a quickly sold-out show atIrving Plaza in New York City, the band's first concert in North America since 1986, despite not having released any material there since 1993. On 27 August 2005, the band played a concert for 120,000 people inFrogner Park in Oslo, the largest concert ever in Norway.
On 4 November 2005, the band released its eighth studio album,Analogue. The UK release of the single "Analogue" gave A-ha their first top-ten hit in the UK since 1988.[21] The album includes a guest appearance byGraham Nash ofCrosby Stills & Nash performing backup vocals on the songs "Over the Treetops" and "Cosy Prisons". The song "Celice" became the band's ninth to reach number one on a major national chart, and its music video sparked criticism for its sexual content. The tour for the album included a gig at London'sShepherd's Bush in February 2006, along with a TV special in Africa.
In 2006, A-ha recorded a cover ofJohn Lennon's "No. 9 Dream" forAmnesty International. It was released in June 2007 on the albumMake Some Noise. On 30 October 2006 in London, A-ha received the prestigiousQ Magazine Inspiration Award for their long contribution to music and for inspiring many of their younger colleagues in the business.[citation needed] On 15 September 2007, A-ha played a free outdoor concert inKiel, Germany, performing on a floating stage in the harbour. The concert was streamed live on the internet viaMSN.
On 24 January 2009, 25 years after its first release and the 50th anniversary of the official hit list in Norway, A-ha won theSpellemannprisen (Spellemann Award) for Hit of All Time for "Take On Me".[citation needed]
On 20–22 May 2008, Harket, Furuholmen and Waaktaar performed concerts inOslo to promote their respective solo material before coming together as A-ha to play "Train of Thought", "Take On Me", and two new songs, "Riding the Crest" and "Shadowside", which previewed the new A-ha album,Foot of the Mountain. These events led up to their performance at London'sRoyal Albert Hall on 24 May. On 24 April 2009, A-ha surprised their fan base by releasing their new single, "Foot of the Mountain", premiering that day on Norwegian radio. The single had been completed only the night before. The song is based upon the track "The Longest Night" by Furuholmen, which was released on his albumA Dot of Black in the Blue of Your Bliss. The band promoted the German release of the song by playing it during the final ofGermany's Next Topmodel on 21 May atCologne'sLanxess Arena.Foot of the Mountain, A-ha's ninth studio album, was released in Europe on 19 June 2009. The album's material marked a return to synth pop, similar to the band's earliest work, although the first single (and title track) was not wholly indicative of this.[37] The band collaborated with successful producerSteve Osborne, who has produced albums for such artists asSuede,New Order,Starsailor,Doves,Elbow, andU2. "What There Is", an earlier solo track by Furuholmen, was re-recorded for the album.
The album entered the German album chart at number one,[38] the UK album chart at number five and debuted on European Album Sales Chart at number eight.[21][39] In January 2010,Foot of the Mountain was certified platinum in Germany.[24] "I feel more connected toDepeche Mode (compared with other acts of the '80s)," claimed Furuholmen. A-ha performed a cover of Depeche Mode's "A Question of Lust" during a live performance forBBC Radio 2 –The Dermot O'Leary Show on 25 July 2009.[40] On 24 July 2009, A-ha headlined theiTunes Live festival,[41] the performance of which was made available for download oniTunes. In the NorwegianiTunes Store A-ha's release has yet to see the light of day. On 15 October 2009, the band announced they would disband after the 2010 worldwideEnding on a High Note Tour.[7][10] The concert sold out on the first day of ticket sales[42] as thousands of fans from at least 40 countries on six continents congregated to see A-ha for the last leg of the tour.[43][44] Due to the large demand, a second farewell show was held for 3 December 2010.[7]
To coincide with their disbandment, A-ha releasedThe Singles: 1984–2004 in the US and re-released deluxe versions of their first two albums, as well as a third and final compilation album, a new live DVD and a re-release of the bookThe Swing of Things by Jan Omdahl.[45] A new single titled "Butterfly, Butterfly" was revealed on 14 June 2010 and released as a single on 5 July to promote the double CD compilation25.[46]
On 6 July 2010, the albumsHunting High and Low andScoundrel Days were released as deluxe editions in the US throughRhino Records, containing remixes, B-sides, demo versions, and extensive liner notes. Available in two-disc CD and digital versions (with additional material), both albums debuted in the Top 40 Billboard Top Internet Sales Chart,Hunting High and Low at number 34 andScoundrel Days at number 36.[47] Furuholmen revealed in an interview published inMagasinet (the magazine section of Norway's third largest newspaper,Dagbladet) that he suffers fromatrial fibrillation.[48] The news was picked up the same day[when?] by electronic music magazineSide-Line. At the Spellemannprisen award show on 5 March 2011 in Oslo, Norwegian artists from various music genres includingKaizers Orchestra,Ida Maria andBertine Zetlitz performed a cover of one of A-ha's biggest hits, "The Sun Always Shines on TV", in honour of the band. After the performance, A-ha received the Spellemannprisen honorary award with the words "Our Heroes – Once upon a time, now – still and forever".[49]
a-ha's final concerts in Oslo were recorded by ten HD cameras with digital,surround sound audio.[50]Ending on a High Note Live, mixed by Toby Alington, is available in several formats, including the band's firstBlu-ray release. A single-disc live album comprised sixteen tracks, while the Blu-ray, DVD, and deluxe-edition double-CD set comprised twenty tracks. A bonus documentary appears in the deluxe set and Blu-ray versions. AnNTSC version was released in the US and Japan.[51]
On 1 April 2011, A-ha released the DVD as well as the box-set containing both the DVD and the CD of their last concert,Ending on a High Note – The Final Concert.[52][53] The Blu-ray of the concert was released on 11 April 2011.[54] a-ha played at Oslo Spektrum on 21 August 2011, performing the song "Stay on These Roads" for a national memorial service dedicated to the victims of the2011 Norway attacks.[55]
After A-ha's break-up, Harket released two studio albums,Out of My Hands (2012) andBrother (2014).
Waaktaar released two songs. WithNew Jersey–based vocalistJimmy Gnecco, he presented Weathervane as a new project in June 2011. Their self-titled single was included on the soundtrack for the movieHeadhunters (based on the bookHodejegerne byJo Nesbø). A second song, "Manmade Lake", had originally been planned forFoot of the Mountain but was released to Soundcloud in 2013.
In 2012, Furuholmen became a mentor on the showThe Voice – Norges beste stemme. His mentee, Martin Halla, won the contest and had his first album produced by Furuholmen himself who is also an esteemed songwriter/producer for other artists. In 2014, Furuholmen agreed to compose the songs and supervise the recordings for the Norwegian filmBeatles.
During an A-ha fan convention in Oslo in October 2014, manager Harald Wilk announced plans to re-release A-ha's first five albums on vinyl and albums three through five as deluxe editions.[56] In 2015, the band reunited to perform inRock in Rio.[57] A-ha in fact reunited for a two-year period and was writing new material.[58] A-ha's tenth studio album,Cast in Steel, was released on 4 September 2015. The album was promoted with a European tour from March through May 2016. In March, they played a live concert that was broadcast onBBC Red Button and BBC Radio 2 as part of its "In Concert" series.[59]
a-ha also performed at the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway.[60] InOslo Spektrum on 3 May 2016, A-ha collaborated with Void, aNorwegiancomputational computational design studio. The project resulted in a concert with advancedscenography using 360virtual reality technology. The stereoscopic VR experience was made available forAndroid users directly through aYouTube app and for iPhone users and other platforms.[61][62][63] The concept involved severalmotion detectors that reacted to the band's movements, voices and instruments.3D cameras, 20,000 lines of code, 1,000 square meters of projection film and massive projectors were set up as a visual show that turned the Spektrum arena inOslo into a light installation and visual experience that unfolded live for the audience instead of a pre-programmed sequence.[64][65]
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An album and film from a series of acoustic performances, slated for June 2017, was scheduled for November 2017. In mid-June 2017, they recorded anMTV Unplugged special in the remote Norwegian island ofGiske under close secrecy, with no phones or recording equipment allowed in the studio. In October 2017, an acoustic album titledSummer Solstice was released. It and included two new songs, "This Is Our Home" and "A Break in the Clouds". The video for "This Is Our Home" was released in September 2017, followed by theUnplugged versions of "The Sun Always Shines on T.V", "The Living Daylights" and "Take On Me", the last of which received widespread acclaim for re-imagining the pop classic. In early 2018, A-ha went on a European acoustic tour, which was first titled "An Acoustic Evening with A-ha" but then renamed "MTV Unplugged Tour 2018".[66]
The acoustic version of "Take On Me" was included in the movieDeadpool 2, released in May 2018, and in episode 13, season 4 of the American TV seriesThe Magicians.[67] On 29 October 2019, A-ha started their Hunting High and Low tour inDublin,Ireland, in which they played the whole of their debut album, in addition to other songs. The tour, scheduled to run through 2020, was postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Concerts were scheduled for many European countries, South Africa,Japan,Australia,New Zealand,Peru,Chile,Argentina,Brazil,Mexico and the United States.[68] On the tour, the band presented the new song "Digital River".[69]
On 13 June 2021, the documentarya-ha: The Movie premiered at theTribeca Film Festival in New York. The movie tells the story of the band and deals with both their success and the problems, such as personal rifts between members. DirectorThomas Robsahm followed the band for four years.[70] It was released in countries worldwide.[71][72]
The acoustic studio version of "Take On Me" was included in the American TV sitcomThe Goldbergs on episode 16, season 8.[73][74]
In March 2022, A-ha resumed the Hunting High and Low tour after postponements due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. A new film and an album, both calledTrue North, were released on 21 October 2022[75][76] on theSony Music/RCA Records label.[77] The recording was completed in November 2021 with theNorwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra inBodø,Norway.[78] It is a filmed live performance and will also include scenic clips from Norway's nature, set in landscapes of northern Norway.[79] The album's lead single, "I'm In", was released on 8 July 2022.[80]
a-ha performed two of the album's songs on their 2022 tour: "Forest for the Trees" and "You Have What It Takes".[81] A demo of "I'm In" and "You Have What It Takes" was previously posted on social media by Magne.[82] The album's second single, "You Have What It Takes", was released on 16 September 2022.[83] In 2023, in celebration of 65 years of the Hot 100,Billboard staff listed the 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time that graced the chart since 1958, with "Take On Me" at No. 26.[84]
A-ha's music has been described assynth-pop,[1]new wave,[2][3][4]pop rock,alternative rock,pop,[1][2] androck 'n' roll.
The band's primary musical influence wasthe Doors.[1] Other influences includeABBA, theBee Gees,David Bowie,Kraftwerk, andRoxy Music, along with synth-pop contemporaries such asDuran Duran,the Human League,Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, andUltravox.[85]
To date, the band is the most successful global pop-music act to have emerged from Norway.[86] At its peak in the mid-1980s, the band achieved chart-topping success in Britain and the United States and was commercially successful in non-English-speaking areas of the world such as Germany, France and South America. In 1986, A-ha received eightMTV Video Music Awards during one award show. The music video for "Take On Me" is considered to be one of the most distinctive music videos from the 1980s. On 17 February 2020, the video became the fifth video from the 1980s and 1990s to reach 1 billion views on YouTube, following "November Rain" and "Sweet Child o' Mine" byGuns N' Roses, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" byNirvana andQueen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".[87][88]
Songs by A-ha, either in original form or in the form of cover versions, have been included as background music and performances in episodes of popular television series, such asThe Last of Us,Baywatch,Melrose Place,South Park,Smallville,Cougar Town,Private Practice andThe Leftovers.[89] The band recorded aJames Bond theme song, "The Living Daylights", for the filmof the same name. A-ha's music has also appeared in movies such asMy Best Friend's Exorcism,One Night at McCool's,Grosse Pointe Blank andCorky Romano.[citation needed]
a-ha holds aGuinness World Record from 1991 for drawing the largest paying audience at a pop concert, with 198,000 people at theEstádio do Maracanã stadium inRio de Janeiro. In 2006, the band was awarded theQ Awards Inspiration Award.[90] Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Rock in Rio festival in Rio de Janeiro, a poll made it clear that A-ha's 1991 appearance and their record audience number that year was what people remembered best and the highlight of the festival's 30-year history.[91] As a result, A-ha were invited to reunite for a performance at the festival, celebrating 30 years since their debut album's release.[citation needed]
Several bands and artists have mentioned that they like A-ha, includingChris Martin ofColdplay,[92][93][94]Sarah Brightman,[95]Adam Clayton ofU2,[96]Graham Nash ofCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young,[97] andPitbull.[98]Pitbull andChristina Aguilera performed the song "Feel This Moment", whichinterpolates "Take On Me", live at theMGM Grand during the2013 Billboard Music Awards, with a surprise appearance from Harket.[99][100][101] Harket and Furuholmen used their celebrity status to pioneerplug-in electric vehicles in Norway when, together with the environmentalNGOBellona, they imported a convertedFiat Panda and managed to get it registered. Their driving around in this car became local folklore and Robbie Andrew, a senior scientist working at Oslo’s CICERO Centre for International Climate Research, has argued that the Norwegian enthusiasm for electric cars and their favourable fiscal status can be traced back to this period.[102][103]
Following the success of their debut, the band was nominated for aGrammy Award forBest New Artist in 1986. A-ha have won eightMTV Video Music Awards: six for "Take On Me" and two for "The Sun Always Shines on TV". "Take On Me" was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Video at theAmerican Music Awards of 1986. They also have won nineSpellemann Awards–the Norwegian equivalent of theGrammy Awards–includingSpellemann of the Year in 1986.
In November 2012, all three bandmates were appointed Knights of the 1st Class of the Royal NorwegianOrder of St. Olav for their contribution toNorwegian music.[104][105][106]
A-ha has performed at various venues around the world, includingMaracanã Stadium,Praça da Apoteose,Hollywood Bowl,Royal Albert Hall,Radio City Music Hall,Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy,Bela Vista Park,Estadio Luna Park and theKremlin. As of 5 July 2022, A-ha have performed 730 concerts around the world.[107]
(*) Concerts in Japan and Singapore cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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