a-ha’s only Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was “Take on Me,” which topped the chart in 1985. The Norwegian trio recorded the song for their debut studio album, Hunting High and Low, and released it after earlier versions had received little attention.
The hit’s breakthrough was closely tied to its innovative music video. It combined live action with pencil-sketch animation, creating a comic-book-style romance directed by Steve Barron. The video won six awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards and helped make the song a global pop phenomenon.
“Take on Me” led the Hot 100 for one week in October 1985. It reached No. 1 in several other countries as well, including the United Kingdom. The song’s high falsetto vocal by Morten Harket became one of its most recognizable musical features.
Listeners sometimes identify “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” as another American chart-topper because it was also a successful follow-up single. In the United States, however, it peaked at No. 20, making “Take on Me” a-ha’s sole Hot 100 leader.