A-Ha
Norwegian synth-pop band A-Ha became widely noted in the mid-1980s particularly after the release of their debut album titled Hunting High and Low (1985). The group was formed in 1982 in Oslo by the following:
- Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitarist)
- Morten Harket (vocalist)
- Magne Furuholmen (keyboardist/guitarist)
The band gained huge success even with their first studio album Hunting High and Low, which reached number one on Norwegian music charts, peaked at number 2 in the UK and climbed to number 15 on the US Billboard album charts. The album also spawned two number one hit singles, The Sun Always Shines on T.V and Take On Me which earned them a nomination for a Grammy Award as Best New Artist. A-Ha is also noted for its numerous hit singles including the following:
- The Living Daylights
- Crying in the Rain
- Stay on These Roads
They subsequently released a number of albums including Minor Earth Major Sky (2000), Lifelines (2002), Analogue (2005) which gained a Silver certification in the UK and 2009 album Foot of the Mountain which was counted among Top Five albums in several European countries. A-Ha announced that they would part ways on October 15, 2009, causing thousands of fans across six continents and at least 40 countries to come out to watch the last leg of their 2010 Ending on a High Note Tour. In 2015, the band reunited to release their tenth album titled Cast in Steel, performing on a tour to promote the album.
The Guinness Book of Records listed the band for hosting the biggest-paying rock concert with an audience of over 198,000 at the Maracana Stadium during the Rock in Rio festival. The band has received six MTV Video Music Awards for Take On Me, and two MTV Video Music Awards for The Sun Always Shines on TV. They have also received 10 Spellemannprisen Awards, equivalent to the Grammy Awards in Norway. All three members of the group were in November 2012, honored as Knights of the 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
