a-ha

Norwegian pop trio a-ha exploded onto the global stage thanks to the lively visuals paired with their 1985 single "Take on Me," drawn from the debut album Hunting High and Low. Both the track and the full record climbed high on charts worldwide, and the memorable animated clip has now surpassed two billion views. Back in their homeland, the group secured eight straight number-one albums and two additional runner-up placements. Their 1986 release Scoundrel Days and 1988 album Stay on These Roads, which featured "The Living Daylights" as the theme for a James Bond film, each earned platinum status across Europe. After Memorial Beach appeared in 1993, the band paused activities before resurfacing with further acclaimed efforts such as Minor Earth Major Sky in 2000, Analogue in 2005, and Foot of the Mountain in 2009, the latter signaling a return to synth-pop roots. Another split occurred in 2010, yet they reconvened for shows in Brazil during 2015 and headed to the studio once more, delivering Cast in Steel that September. Continuing their partnership, the trio unveiled True North in 2022.

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen, previously members of Bridges, launched the Norwegian synth-pop outfit a-ha during 1982. Vocalist Morten Harket completed the lineup, after which the musicians relocated to the now-legendary London flat, notorious for its rundown condition, to pursue opportunities amid the rising tide of new-wave and synth-driven sounds. By the close of 1983, a demo of "Take on Me" secured them a deal with WEA. The single itself required three iterations before achieving U.K. success, peaking at number two in November 1985. It fared even better stateside, largely propelled by heavy MTV rotation of its striking video that blended animation and live footage. Follow-up single "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." topped the British charts in early 1986, boosting Hunting High and Low into the national Top Ten; the song also reached the U.S. Top 20 while the album climbed to number 15.

Although the debut centered on romantic synth pop, critics initially branded a-ha a mere teen phenomenon, overlooking the depth in their songwriting. The more mature and focused follow-up, Scoundrel Days, arrived in October 1986, adopting a stronger rock edge with live drumming on tracks such as "The Swing of Things" and lead single "I've Been Losing You," which impressed reviewers. "Cry Wolf" was supported by equally compelling visuals. The album reached the Norwegian Top 30 and entered the upper half of the Billboard 200. After an extensive world tour, a-ha supplied the theme for the James Bond film The Living Daylights, later remixed for their third album, Stay on These Roads, issued in 1988.

In 1990 the Everly Brothers praised the band's take on "Crying in the Rain," included on East of the Sun, West of the Moon, though the album itself drew limited attention in Britain amid shifting tastes toward dance music and the Manchester scene. The 1993 single "Dark Is the Night" from Memorial Beach introduced fresh energy reminiscent of U2 territory. Following the album's disappointing results, Furuholmen turned to visual art while Waaktaar formed Savoy and released Mary Is Coming. Seven years after Memorial Beach, a-ha returned with Minor Earth Major Sky in summer 2000. Lifelines followed in 2002, performing strongly across Europe and supporting an extended tour captured on the 2003 live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head.

Marking their twentieth anniversary in 2004, the group issued the compilation Singles 1984-2004, which returned them to the U.K. Top 20. They joined the Live8 concert in Berlin during July 2005 and released Analogue that November, backed by a global trek that reached Russia and included a Chilean festival appearance. After unveiling their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, in 2009, a-ha declared their retirement, only to re-emerge in 2015 with Cast in Steel and another worldwide tour.

Around the 2017 summer solstice, the musicians traveled to the remote island of Giske off Norway's western coast to capture their first acoustic performance for MTV Unplugged. Producer Lars Horntveth handled the arrangements as the veteran arena act delivered a career-spanning set joined by guests Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen, Alison Moyet, Lissie, and Ingrid Helene Håvik of Highasakite before an intimate crowd of 250. The resulting recordings appeared that October in seven formats under the title MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice, alongside a single-disc version titled Acoustic Hits: MTV Unplugged. Summer Solstice debuted at number three on the German chart, number six in the U.K., and number 11 at home, prompting further international dates throughout 2018.

The band resurfaced in 2022 with their eleventh studio album, True North. Waaktaar-Savoy wrote and produced half of its twelve songs while Furuholmen handled the rest. Recording took place at a studio in Bodø, roughly ninety kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, with additional contributions from a full ensemble of session players and the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. The clip for the single "I'm In" was drawn from the feature-length documentary of the same name directed by Stian Andersen, which chronicled the sessions in that isolated Norwegian setting.