I revisited this band over the last week as I have been continuing on my Quest for 80's nostalgia. I had forgotten about them completely, then listened to "The Sun Always Shines On TV." I realised how much I enjoyed their music way back in 1985/1986. Unlike todays boy bands, they didn't sell their music on sex appeal and choreographed dance routines. They sold their music on the music alone.

On Amazon they had their first five albums in a boxed set (the bargain sets where the discs are just in cardboard sleeves) for a little over a tenner so I bought it.

I was pleased to remember the first three albums exactly how I recalled them all those years ago. Then I listened to their fourth album. Wow! What a total change in direction. It was like raw rock with no electro-pop sound at all. Then the fifth album was dark, melancholy and very rock inspired, more like Coldplay than the A-ha of those Take On Me days. I haven't heard the remaining four albums and frankly, I hadn't realised they'd released so many albums anyway. Does anyone know what they're like and whether they continue along this unfamiliar, rocky road or convert back to the electro sound that established them?

Apparently they have reunited for a two year period so they can perform in this year's Rock in Rio event and make and release a final album. What do you think about A-Ha? Do you like their early material or prefer their latter sound?

In spite of all their success, Waktaar/Furuholmen were one of the most under-rated songwriting partnerships of the '80s, and probably of all time

They are getting back together. They're holding a press conference in Germany later today, announcing details of a new album and tour. Album due for release in September and Cast of Steel tour.
So happy

But agree with above comments. A-ha are more than musicians, they are craftsmen. Each with their unique talent and when they play its just pure class.

Not to mention they were writing for one of the great male voices in pop with Morten.

I'll admit to being a bit of a music snob, with very exacting standards.

However, I'll also admit that Hunting High and Low still remains one of my favourite albums.

a great band much underrated. It's worth checking out the later albums after the reunion in 2000 , also there very varied and good solo work. There's a whole lot of wonderful music waiting to be discovered from these guys.

Roll on the new album and tour

dear god they are coming back for another tour in 2017 possibly acoustic

I don't know about that. Morten Harket was Andrea McLean from Loose Women's pin-up poster boy. He was a Smash Hits favourite.

If you were talking about Dire Straits or Genesis, you'd be onto something.

Favourite album: Scoundrel Days
Favourite song: Stay On These Roads

An integral part of the eighties for me.

The last thing I bought by them was a CD single called Analogue (around 2005?) and it wasn't too bad at all.

I still like their first 2 albums.

I can't wait

I just think Alan Partridge.

I bought A-ha's most recent album last year "Cast In Steel" as I'd heard a couple of tracks on the radio I liked, and it's an absolute classic. It's not often these days you hear an album where every track sounds like a hit single, but this one certainly did! Highly recommended.

Great band, always liked them.

Loved their run of singles... Until 'Touchy', than I dropped them like a hot frying pan.

Up until then, they were pretty gr8 as a singles band. Mortens voice has always been brilliant & his looks played a big part in their success. 'The Sun Always Shines' is a pivotal 80's single, and still stands proud to this day.

Goodbye Thompson is sublime. Pure A-Ha.

Yeah the OP is way off on that one. Morten's face was all over Smash Hits and girl's mags. Of course, to some degree he couldn't help being a pinup but it was a major part of that early success.

Some half decent tunes though.

Different era. Pre manufactured tat and 'talent' show garbage. A-ha wrote and played their own music. Morten's was blessed with good looks for sure, but more importantly he also has a great voice.

The primary reason for their success was a brilliant handful of early singles and the best still get heavy rotation 30+ years later.

bib ... so did busted and mcfly

good pop.... melodic, catchy, but became a bit bland?

Yeah but when was the last time you heard a Busted song on the radio (not played in irony)? Where is McFly's 'Take On Me'?

Oh and just looked - there are a loads of profession writer credits on Busted and McFly's albums.

busted, mcfly and mcbusted are played quite often actually, they have amassed an impressive chart portfolio with both acts having more #1s then a-ha.

maybe, but they did write their early hit singles, they did play live their instruments, when they appeared in 2002 (first) they were the first pop group who did that since the 80's (assuming britpop, grunge, indie etc were aimed at an older audience) .

im not suggesting mcfly or busted are 'better' then a-ha, thats down to personal taste and id agree 'take on me' is probably a far classier track then anything busted or mcfly did.

but id support busted and mcfly and fight their corner simply because they re-introduced guitar pop back to a young audience. and that, for me, is how it should be and not only manufactured acts aimed at the young.

Surely Hanson were pre Busted/Mcfly?

Not to be argumentative, but I don't see how guitar pop be can the only type of non manufactured music.
Manufactured music simply to me means groups that are put together by a manager not of their own volition and have no input into their own music.
It is totally possible for a manager to create a manufactured guitar pop band.
Conversely there are singers and acts that do electronic music, not involving guitars, but are very involved in creating their own music and their own look.

To me we should be looking at the quality of the music and songwriting, not whether you are using guitars or electronic computerized instrumentation.
It doesn't follow to me that just because some artist has guitars on their record they are of a higher artistic level than artists that don't.

Using that standard, I think it's pretty much accepted by critics A-Ha is of a much higher artistic level than Busted or McFly.

I just think A1

on point.