A-ha: The Life Story Behind the Take On Me Band
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A-ha is the Norwegian band that made one of the most famous songs in the history of pop music. Take On Me, with its soaring chorus, its fast synth riff, and its groundbreaking video that mixed live action with pencil drawings, became a number one hit in the United States in 1985, and it is still played, still loved, and still watched by millions of people today. The video has been viewed billions of times, the song has been covered by many artists, and the band has become a symbol of 1980s pop at its best. Yet A-ha is much more than one song. They are a band that has made music for more than forty years, through break-ups, reunions, and changes in pop music, and they are still performing today.
The band was formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1982, by three young men: Morten Harket, the singer with a remarkable voice, Magne Furuholmen, the keyboard player, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, the guitarist and songwriter. They were friends who shared a love of pop music, and they moved to London to try to become stars. It was a bold move, because they were young, they had little money, and they did not know anyone in the London music business. They worked hard, they wrote songs, and they waited for their chance. When Take On Me finally became a hit, it was not luck. It was the result of years of work, of writing, and of believing in their own sound.
Their story is a story of friendship, of talent, and of a band that refused to give up. They split up, they came back together, they split up again, and they came back again, because their music mattered to them and to their fans. They have sold millions of albums, they have played in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and they have become one of Norway’s most loved exports. Their story is not finished, and their fans are still waiting to see what they do next.
Three Young Men in Oslo
A-ha was formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1982, by Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy. Morten Harket was born on 14 September 1959 in Kongsberg, Norway, and he grew up with a love of music and a voice that could reach very high notes. Magne Furuholmen was born on 1 November 1962 in Oslo, and he was a talented keyboard player and songwriter. Paul Waaktaar-Savoy was born on 6 September 1961 in Oslo, and he was a guitarist and songwriter with a clear vision for the band. Together, they made a natural trio, with a singer, a keyboard player, and a guitarist, each bringing something different to the music.
They met in Oslo, where they were part of the local music scene, and they began to play together. They shared a love of pop music, from the Beatles to the new wave bands of the early 1980s, and they wanted to make music that was both catchy and intelligent. They did not want to copy other bands. They wanted to find their own sound, with strong melodies, with electronic keyboards, and with Morten’s voice at the centre. It was a clear idea, and it was a good one, but it would take years to make it work.
Oslo in the early 1980s was a small music scene, and the band knew that they would need to go to London, the centre of the pop music world, if they wanted to become stars. They saved money, they planned their move, and they left Norway with little more than their instruments and their songs. It was a brave move, and it was a risky one, because London was full of young bands who wanted the same thing. They did not give up, and they did not go home. They stayed, they worked, and they waited for their chance.
Their friendship was the foundation of the band. They were not only bandmates. They were friends who trusted each other, who argued, who made up, and who kept going through hard times. That friendship has been tested many times over forty years, through break-ups and reunions, but it has survived, because they share a love of music that is stronger than their disagreements. That is a rare thing in a band, and it is one reason A-ha has lasted so long.
Moving to London and the Long Wait
In 1982, the three members of A-ha moved to London, England, to try to make it in the music business. London was the capital of pop music, with record labels, studios, and managers, and it was where a young band needed to be. They lived in a small flat, they worked in low-paid jobs to survive, and they spent their free time writing songs and rehearsing. It was a hard life, and it was often frustrating, because they were far from home, they had little money, and no one knew who they were. Yet they kept going, because they believed in their music.
They signed to a record label, Warner Bros., and they began to record their first songs. Their first single was Take On Me, released in 1984, but it did not become a hit at first. The song was good, but the video was not right, and the promotion was not enough. It was a disappointment, and many bands would have given up at that point. A-ha did not give up. They went back to the studio, they re-recorded the song, and they made a new video, one that would change everything. That persistence is one of the most important parts of their story, because it shows that a good song can fail the first time and succeed the second time, if the band does not give up.
The new video for Take On Me was directed by Steve Barron, and it mixed live action with pencil-drawn animation, in a style called rotoscoping. The video tells a love story, in which a young woman is drawn into a comic book world by a man she meets in a cafe, and it is both romantic and exciting. It was unlike any video that had been made before, and it became famous around the world. It won awards at the MTV Video Music Awards, and it is still seen as one of the greatest music videos ever made. The video made the song a hit, and it made A-ha famous.
The wait in London taught them a lot about the music business. They learned how record labels work, how videos are made, and how to handle disappointment. They learned to be patient, to keep working, and to trust their own songs. That patience is the reason they survived, and it is the reason they later became one of the biggest bands in the world. They did not become famous overnight. They became famous after years of hard work in London, and that work is the foundation of their career.
Take On Me and Worldwide Fame
In 1985, Take On Me was re-released, with the new video, and it became a worldwide hit. It reached number one in the United States, number two in the United Kingdom, and number one in many other countries. It was a song that everyone knew, with a fast synth riff, a soaring chorus, and Morten Harket’s voice reaching a high note that few singers could match. It was a perfect pop song, and it was played on radio stations, in clubs, and on television everywhere. It made A-ha stars, and it made them famous in a way that few Norwegian bands had ever been famous before.
Their first album, Hunting High and Low, was released in 1985, and it was also a success. The album included Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines on T.V., which became another hit, and other songs that showed the band’s range. The album was praised by critics for its melodies, its production, and its strong songs, and it sold millions of copies around the world. It was a debut album that any band would be proud of, and it proved that A-ha was not a one-song band. They had a whole album of great songs, and they were ready for a long career.
The success of Take On Me brought them fame, money, and the chance to tour the world. They played in large venues, they appeared on television, and they became teen idols in many countries. It was a lot to handle, especially for three young men from Norway, and it was both exciting and overwhelming. They handled it by staying close to their music, and by continuing to write new songs. They did not let the fame change them, and they did not try to become something they were not. They stayed the same three friends from Oslo, making pop music together.
The song has only grown in love since 1985. It has been used in films, in television shows, and in countless playlists, and its video has been watched billions of times on YouTube. It is now seen as one of the great pop songs of the 1980s, and it is a song that new generations discover every year. It is the song that defines A-ha for many listeners, and the band is proud of it, even though it was written when they were very young. It is a song that will last, because it is about love, about taking a chance, and about a feeling that everyone understands.
Hunting High and Low and the Early Albums
After the success of Hunting High and Low, A-ha released more albums in the 1980s, including Scoundrel Days in 1986 and Stay on These Roads in 1988. Scoundrel Days was a darker and more mature album, with songs such as I’ve Been Losing You and Cry Wolf, and it showed that the band was growing as writers. Stay on These Roads included the title song, which became a hit, and it showed that they could make romantic and emotional pop music as well as fast dance songs. They were not a one-album band. They were a band with a growing catalogue, and each album was different from the last.
They toured these albums widely, playing in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world, and they built a large and loyal audience. Their live shows were famous for Morten Harket’s voice, for the band’s strong musicianship, and for the energy of their performances. They were not a band that relied on a video or on a single song. They were a live band, and they proved it night after night, in front of large crowds. That live reputation helped them to keep their audience, even when pop music changed.
In 1990, they released East of the Sun, West of the Moon, an album with a more acoustic and mature sound, including a cover of Crying in the Rain by the Everly Brothers, which became a hit. The album was praised by critics, and it showed that the band was willing to try new things. They were not afraid to change their sound, and they were not afraid to grow up. That willingness to change is one reason their career has lasted so long, because they did not stay stuck in 1985. They kept moving, and they kept making new music.
During these years they also became famous in Brazil, where they played a concert at the Rock in Rio festival in 1991 in front of a huge crowd, reported to be one of the largest audiences ever for a pop concert. It was a remarkable moment, and it showed that their music was loved in South America as well as in Europe and North America. They had become a global band, and their fans were everywhere. It was a high point, and it was a sign of how far they had come from a small flat in London.
Break-Ups, Reunions, and a Second Life
In the early 1990s, A-ha began to feel the pressure of fame, and the three members began to disagree about the direction of the band. They released Memorial Beach in 1993, an album that was darker and more serious, but it did not become a big commercial success. In 1994, they decided to take a break, and the band split up. Each member went on to do other projects: Morten Harket released solo albums, Magne Furuholmen worked as an artist and musician, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy formed a new band called Savoy. It was a sad time for their fans, but it was also a necessary one, because the band needed time apart to grow.
They reunited in 1998, after four years apart, and they released Minor Earth Major Sky in 2000, an album that showed they were back and that their sound was still strong. The album included the song Summer Moved On, which became a hit, and it was praised by critics. They toured again, and they found that their fans were still there, waiting for them. It was a happy return, and it proved that a band can split up and come back stronger, if the members still care about the music.
They continued to release albums in the 2000s, including Lifelines in 2002 and Analogue in 2005, and they toured widely. In 2009, they released Foot of the Mountain, an album that returned to their early synth-pop sound, and it was a success. In 2010, they announced that they would split up again, and they played a farewell tour, ending with a concert in Oslo. It was an emotional goodbye, and many fans thought it was the end. It was not the end, because in 2015, they reunited again, and they have been together ever since.
Their reunions show that their friendship and their music are stronger than their disagreements. They have split up twice, and they have come back twice, because they love making music together, and because their fans love to hear it. That is a rare thing in a band, and it is one reason their story is so inspiring. They did not give up on each other, even when it was hard, and they kept coming back to the music that brought them together in the first place.
True North, Unplugged, and Later Years
After their second reunion in 2015, A-ha released Cast in Steel, an album that showed they were still a vital band, and they toured it in Europe and in other countries. In 2017, they recorded an MTV Unplugged session, in which they played acoustic versions of their songs, including Take On Me, in a quiet and intimate setting. The Unplugged album was a success, and it showed a different side of the band, with Morten’s voice front and centre, and with the songs stripped back to their melodies. It was a beautiful record, and it proved that their songs were strong enough to work without synths and without a big production.
In 2022, they released True North, an album and a film, recorded in Bodø, Norway, in the far north, with an orchestra. The album was about home, about nature, and about the north of Norway, and it was praised for its beauty and its honesty. It showed that the band, now in their sixties, was still making new music, still thinking about their roots, and still finding new ways to express themselves. They toured True North, and they played in Norway and in other countries, and their fans were glad to see them back on stage.
They have also continued to tour their classic songs, playing Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines on T.V., and Hunting High and Low for audiences who have loved those songs for forty years, and for new fans who are discovering them for the first time. Their live shows are still strong, with Morten’s voice still reaching the high notes, and with the band still playing with energy and with joy. They are not a nostalgia act. They are a living band, still making music, still performing, and still growing.
In recent years they have also been recognised for their contribution to music, with awards and with tributes from other artists. They are seen as one of Norway’s greatest exports, and as one of the most important pop bands of the 1980s. Their songs are studied by young musicians, their video is studied by film students, and their career is studied by people who want to learn how to last in pop music. They have become a model for longevity, and they have done it by being honest, by being patient, and by working hard.
Three Friends and a Lasting Sound
A-ha is now one of the most loved pop bands in the world, and their story is a story of three friends who stayed together, through fame, through break-ups, and through reunions. They have made many albums, they have toured the world, and they have built a career that is based on strong melodies, on honest songs, and on hard work. They have not chased every trend, and they have not tried to be something they are not. They have made pop music, in their own way, and they have done it well. That is why their fans love them, and that is why their music lasts.
Their sound is pop with a Norwegian heart: bright melodies, electronic keyboards, and Morten Harket’s voice, which can go from a whisper to a high note that fills a stadium. That voice is one of the most recognisable in pop music, and it is the heart of the band’s sound. He does not sing with tricks. He sings with emotion, and he lets the song speak. That honesty is why Take On Me still works today, almost forty years after it was released. It is a song about love, about taking a chance, and about a feeling that everyone understands.
They leave a legacy that is still growing. They are still making music, still touring, and still finding new listeners. Their early songs are still played, and their later albums have found their own audience. They have shown that three young men from Oslo can make pop music that is loved around the world, and they have shown that a band can last, if the people in it care for each other and for the music. Their story is not finished, and their fans are still waiting to see what they do next.
For young musicians, their story teaches a clear lesson. Start with the music you love, practise every day, and do not give up when the first single fails. A-ha’s first release of Take On Me did not become a hit, but they did not give up. They made a new video, they re-released the song, and it became one of the biggest hits in history. That persistence is the reason they are still here, and it is a lesson that every young musician should learn. A good song deserves a second chance, and a good band deserves the time to find its audience.
My Take:
I think A-ha is one of the greatest pop bands in history, and I do not say that only because Take On Me is a great song. I say it because they have made great music for more than forty years, through break-ups, reunions, and changes in pop music, and they are still here, still singing, and still loved. That is a rare achievement, and it is one that deserves more praise than it gets. Many bands have one hit and then disappear. A-ha had one huge hit, and then they kept going, album after album, year after year, and they built a career that is much bigger than one song. That is what I admire most about them: they did not stop at Take On Me. They kept going, and they kept making music that mattered.
When I listen to Take On Me, I hear a perfect pop song. The synth riff is fast and exciting, the chorus is huge, and Morten Harket’s voice reaches a high note that gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. It is a song about taking a chance on love, about saying, “Take on me, take me on,” and that message is simple and universal. Almost everyone has felt that way, wanting someone to take a chance on them, and that is why the song is still loved today. It is not a complicated song. It is a simple song, made perfectly, and that simplicity is its strength. I think young songwriters should learn from that. You do not need a complicated song to be great. You need a strong melody, an honest feeling, and a singer who means every word.
I also admire the video, because it changed music videos forever. The mix of live action and pencil drawings was new, and it was beautiful. It told a love story, it was romantic and exciting, and it made the song even better. The video won awards, it was played again and again on MTV, and it is still watched by billions of people today. That is a remarkable achievement, and it shows that A-ha understood something important: a great song needs a great video, and a great video can make a song into a classic. They did not just make a song. They made a work of art, with music and with pictures, and that work has lasted for forty years.
What I admire most about them is their persistence. Their first release of Take On Me failed. It did not become a hit, and many bands would have given up at that point. A-ha did not give up. They went back, they re-recorded the song, they made a new video, and they tried again. That second try worked, and it became one of the biggest hits in history. That is a lesson for anyone who has failed: failure is not the end. It is a chance to try again, to do it better, and to succeed the second time. A-ha proved that, and their story is an inspiration for anyone who has ever been told no.
I also admire the way they split up and came back together, not once, but twice. That takes a lot of love, and a lot of forgiveness. Bands are like families, and families argue, and sometimes they need time apart. A-ha needed time apart, and they took it, and then they came back, because they missed making music together. That is a beautiful thing, and it is rare. Many bands split up and never come back. A-ha came back twice, and each time they made new music that was worth hearing. That shows that their friendship is real, and that their love of music is stronger than their disagreements. I respect that, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who works with other people: do not give up on a good partnership, even when it is hard.
When I listen to Hunting High and Low, I hear an album that is full of joy and energy. The songs are bright, the melodies are strong, and Morten’s voice is at its best. It is an album that feels like the 1980s, in the best way, with synths, with drums, and with a sense of fun. It is also an album that has aged well, because the songs are well written, and they are about feelings that do not change. I love that album, and I think it is one of the best debut albums in pop history. It is not only Take On Me. It is a whole album of great songs, and it deserves to be heard from start to finish.
When I listen to True North, I hear a different band, and a more mature one. The album was recorded in Bodø, in the far north of Norway, with an orchestra, and it is about home, about nature, and about the north. It is slower, it is deeper, and it is more reflective than their early albums. That growth is what I admire most about them. They did not stay the same. They grew, and their music grew with them. They are now in their sixties, and they are still making new music, still thinking about their roots, and still finding new ways to express themselves. That is a rare achievement, and it is one that deserves to be celebrated.
There is a sadness in their story as well, and I want to be honest about it. They have had disagreements, they have split up, and they have had times when they were not sure if they would ever play together again. That is painful, because they are friends, and friends should not have to go through that. Yet they did, and they came back, and that coming back makes their story even more meaningful. It shows that friendship can survive hard times, if the people in it are willing to forgive, to listen, and to try again. I respect them for that, and I think their story is a hopeful one for anyone who has lost a friend and who wants to find a way back.
I think about Morten Harket’s voice a lot, because it is one of the most remarkable voices in pop music. He can sing very high, very soft, and very strong, all in the same song, and he does it with a clarity that is rare. That voice is a gift, and it is the heart of A-ha’s sound. Without Morten, there would be no A-ha, and without A-ha, Morten would not have had the songs to sing. They need each other, and that is a beautiful thing. I hope he keeps singing for many years, because his voice is a treasure, and the world needs to hear it.
I have a small criticism, and it is not about their talent. It is about the way the music world sometimes sees them as only a one-hit band. A-ha is often called a one-hit wonder, because Take On Me was so big, and because many people do not know their other songs. That is unfair, because they have made many great albums, and many great songs, from The Sun Always Shines on T.V. to Summer Moved On to True North. I wish more people knew those songs, and I wish more people listened to their albums, not only their hit single. If they did, they would find a band that is much bigger than one song, and much more interesting than the label suggests.
Another thing I notice is how Norwegian their story is, in the best way. They started in Oslo, they moved to London, and they became famous around the world, but they never forgot Norway. They return to Norway to record, to perform, and to live, and their later albums are about the north, about home, and about the landscape they grew up in. That loyalty to their roots is admirable, because it shows that they did not become famous and then forget where they came from. They carried Norway with them, to London and to the world, and they made it the foundation of their career. That is a lesson for anyone who leaves home to find success: do not forget where you started.
For a young musician, I think their story teaches a clear lesson. Start with the music you love, practise every day, and do not give up when the first single fails. A-ha’s first release of Take On Me did not become a hit, but they did not give up. They made a new video, they re-released the song, and it became one of the biggest hits in history. That persistence is the reason they are still here, and it is a lesson that every young musician should learn. A good song deserves a second chance, and a good band deserves the time to find its audience. Do not rush, do not panic, and do not give up after one failure.
I also think their story teaches something about friendship. Three friends, from Oslo, who met as young men, who moved to London together, who became famous together, who split up, and who came back together, twice. That is a long friendship, and it is a rare one. It shows that a band is not only about music. It is about people, about trust, and about the willingness to forgive. A-ha has that, and it is why they have lasted for more than forty years. I admire that, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who works with friends: take care of the friendship, and the music will take care of itself.
When I think about their future, I feel hopeful. They are in their sixties, and they are still making music, still touring, and still finding new listeners. They may make another album, or they may play another concert in Oslo, and either way, I will be glad to hear it. They have already given us Take On Me, and anything new will be a gift. I hope they keep working for many years, because the world needs bands like A-ha: bands that are honest, that are talented, and that make pop music that is both fun and true.
In the end, I think A-ha matters because they showed that pop music can be both catchy and intelligent, both fun and serious, both Norwegian and global. They took a simple idea, a strong melody, and a great video, and they made a song that the whole world loves. They did not stop there. They kept making music, they kept growing, and they kept coming back to each other, because their friendship and their music mattered more than fame. That is a beautiful story, and it is one that will inspire musicians for many years to come.
One last thought stays with me, and it is about the pencil drawings in the Take On Me video. The video mixes live action with drawings, and it tells a story about a woman who is drawn into a comic book world. That image is a perfect metaphor for A-ha’s career: they took a drawing, a sketch, an idea, and they turned it into something real. They started as three young men with a dream, and they turned that dream into a band that has lasted for forty years. That is a remarkable achievement, and it is why I will keep listening to A-ha, and why I will keep playing Take On Me, whenever I need a reminder that a good song can change the world.
I also want to say something about their fans in Brazil, because it is a beautiful part of their story. They played at Rock in Rio in 1991 in front of a huge crowd, and they became loved in Brazil in a way that few European bands ever are. That love has lasted, and their Brazilian fans are some of the most loyal in the world. It shows that music can cross oceans, languages, and cultures, and that a song from Norway can be loved in Brazil as much as it is loved in Oslo. That is the power of pop music, and A-ha is proof of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the members of A-ha?
A-ha is made up of three members from Norway: Morten Harket, the singer, Magne Furuholmen, the keyboard player, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, the guitarist and songwriter. They formed the band in Oslo in 1982.
What is A-ha’s most famous song?
Their most famous song is Take On Me, released in 1985, which reached number one in the United States and became a worldwide hit. Its video, mixing live action with pencil drawings, is one of the most famous music videos ever made.
Did Take On Me become a hit the first time it was released?
No, the first release of Take On Me in 1984 did not become a hit. The band re-recorded the song and made a new video, and the re-release in 1985 became a worldwide success.
What other albums has A-ha released?
They have released many albums, including Hunting High and Low in 1985, Scoundrel Days in 1986, Stay on These Roads in 1988, Minor Earth Major Sky in 2000, Foot of the Mountain in 2009, Cast in Steel in 2015, and True North in 2022.
Did A-ha split up and reunite?
Yes, they split up in 1994, reunited in 1998, split up again in 2010 after a farewell tour, and reunited again in 2015. They have been together ever since, releasing new music and touring.
Is A-ha still performing and making music?
Yes, they continue to tour and to release new music, including True North in 2022, and they perform their classic songs for audiences around the world. Morten Harket’s voice remains central to their live shows.
