Sunrise Avenue

Sunrise Avenue, Finnish purveyors of alternative rock, specialize in melodic semi-hard rock shaped by influences that stretch from Pearl Jam through Bon Jovi. The group first assembled in Espoo, Finland, in 1992 under the direction of frontman, principal songwriter, and guitarist Samu Haber. After years of lineup instability and a stretch living in Spain, Haber settled on a steady configuration that placed keyboardist Jukka Backlund alongside bassist Raul Ruutu and drummer Sami Osala.

Unable to attract support from Finnish labels, the band underwrote its own debut album and ultimately secured a contract with Bonnier Amigo Music in 2005. Early the following year they issued the single “All Because of You,” then released “Romeo” and the European hit “Fairy Tale Gone Bad” before unveiling their first full-length record, On the Way to Wonderland, in autumn 2006. The album earned gold certification in Finland and brought Sunrise Avenue four NRJ Radio Awards—the Nordic equivalent of the Grammys—including Best Album and Best New Artist. Guitarist Riku Juhani Rajamaa joined the ranks in 2007; Jukka Backlund departed at the same time, and Osmo Ikonen assumed keyboard duties for live work beginning in 2009 and for the album Popgasm. Out of Style appeared in 2011, followed a year later by a special edition that added bonus live tracks.

The 2013 release Unholy Ground marked a major commercial breakthrough for Sunrise Avenue in Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. One year afterward, the compilation Fairytales: Best of Sunrise Avenue 2006-2014 reached charts across Europe and claimed the top position in both Germany and Switzerland. Their fifth studio album, Heartbreak Century, surfaced in 2017 as another regional success; it confronted current social issues while adopting a more direct, streamlined sound.