a-ha is a Norwegian pop band. The trio, composed of Pål Waaktaar, Magne Furholmen and Morten Harket formed in 1983, and left Norway for London in order to make a career in the music business. "Take on Me", their debut single, was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1985 (see 1985 in music); sales were aided in the US by an innovative video on MTV which utilized stop-motion photography. In spite of the single's greater popularity in the US, the album, Hunting High and Low, sold better in the UK. Critics at the time mostly dismissed the band as bubblegum pop.

a-ha's second album was Scoundrel Days (1986 in music), and it stunned critics with its step towards alternative rock and Waaktaar's burgeoning skills as a songwriter. Stay on These Roads (1988 in music) received more mixed reviews than the previous albums. In spite of a drastic decline in sales in the next few years, a-ha has continued to record with some success. They recorded 2000's (2000 in music) Minor Earth Major Sky after a break of almost seven years in which the members of the group pursued their individual interests. This album and 2002's (2002 in music) Lifelines were both proof of the fact that their fanbase was still there and they were also able to attract new audiences, especially in Central Europe and Scandinavia, where the albums sold extremely well. A live album (from their 2002 tour) with the title How Can I Sleep With Your Voice in My Head was released in March of 2003, preceded by a live single of the 1986 classic "The Sun Always Shines On TV".