a-ha: ranking highs and lows

23/08/2025

‘You said that you were weak and I was strong / But I wasn’t strong enough / To let you rank’

Dear A-ha friends,

We wanted to celebrate Morten and his amazing voice, we asked for your help, and you delivered!

So here they are: Morten Harket’s 30 best vocal performances as voted for by you, the listeners of a-ha: ranking highs and lows - all nicely packaged in almost 3 hours of Morten (and a-ha) madness!

Apart from featuring the top 30 incredible performances by Morten, this episode also asks (and partially answers) the following questions:

- Is it annoying if someone sings the menu at a restaurant?
- Are Danes generally just smarter?
- What’s easier to create: A poll or a Pål?
- Does JP really never get any phone calls?
- Did we break the record for most frequent use of the word “goosebumps” in a single podcast episode?
- How many pushups can Jesper do in one set (according to himself)?
- Are we more a Miranda or a Samantha?
- Does ChatGPT do Peter’s homework?
- Is there an interlude?
- How many foreign names did we mispronounce?
- Can anyone hold a single note for 6 minutes?
- And much, much more...

It’s been an absolute pleasure and a lot of fun making this episode, reading all your thoughtful comments, and now sharing the results with you. We owe you all a big thank you for taking part in the voting and/or listening to the episode. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!

This episode as well as the previous ones can all be found here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows/id1602079523
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fQN4fVnSXLwQj6nuZoLG1?si=4bcff9f51f0043a9
Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows--5277221
Pocketcasts: https://play.pocketcasts.com/podcasts/196c4700-4872-013a-d6ae-0acc26574db2
Or find all the links here: www.linktr.ee/rankingaha

Remember to like and share the podcast if you think it could be interesting for other fans. Or give us a review where you listen to podcasts.

And let’s continue to make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha.

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

‘I'm coming home / No more ranking’



Waaktaar Magne Furuholmen

20/08/2025

"We're ranking by the seat of our pants / We'll rank somewhere else tomorrow"

Dear friends,

The teasing is almost over, and we can soon reveal what our listeners - meaning YOU - consider to be Morten's best vocal performances. We got together last night, and JP had brought some of his old posters to set the mood. No wonder Peter the Producer looked so happy when he found out what/who was on the B-side. As for JP, what else is there to say than "Verdammt, ich lieb' dich!" (our German listeners will understand!) 💘

We had a lot of fun recording this episode, and there were so many fantastic comments to the songs from all the voters, so it was a real pleasure. We hope you can sense that once we get the editing done over the next couple of days, so expect something in your podcast feed sometime over the weekend! 🎤

Also, the harsh sunlight☀️ from behind means that JP's biceps look less impressive in this photo than normal. And yes, JP is writing this update...

What else is there to say? Well, we are honoured to have been announced as "special guests" at the A-ha UK Fan Meetup 2026 in Nottingham next year, where we will be doing an a-ha quiz and some other stuff (maybe a ranking of the best a-ha fan meetups??). We didn't even ask where we rank on the list of preferred guests speakers, but we assume it's somewhere between "guy who once saw Pål in a fish'n'chips shop near Camden before he got famous" and "woman who claims to have been Morten's sister's hairdresser in 1987", but we'll take it!! Laura Swan is doing a brilliant job organizing the event and has already announed another guest who's been close to the band for 20 years, so check it out!

So, tune in later this week and let's continue to celebrate the vocal brilliance of Morten and - as always with a-ha: ranking highs and lows - the wonderful music of A-ha!

All the best,

JP, Jesper, and Peter the Producer

"Rank accounts are easy to empty"

Magne Furuholmen Waaktaar

28/07/2025

"Start the simulator / Give your ranks a stir"

Dear a-ha friends,

Thank you for the overwhelming response and participation in our poll where we asked you to pick your favourite vocal performances by Morten in an a-ha song. You were asked to pick up to 10 A-ha songs where you felt that Morten's voice is at its peak - based solely on your completely subjective assessment. And you delivered!

Over the coming weeks we will slowly reveal the songs ranked from 50 to 31 here on Facebook and Instagram. This will serve as the 'warm up' before we release an episode of the podcast dedicated to "The 30 best vocal performance by Morten Harket".

We've had hundreds of responses and elaborate comments explaining why certain vocal performances stand out to you. And to kick it all off, we've asked ChatGPT to summarize all your comments to see if it could summarize what it is you find so special about Morten's voice. In true Scandinavian style we've asked it to be relatively objective and not overly emotional in its summary, and it's identified four key qualities that consistently stand out:

1) Technical ability – Morten’s control, range, and seamless transitions between chest voice and falsetto are repeatedly praised. His ability to hold long notes with precision is notable.

2) Emotional expression – Listeners highlight how his voice conveys vulnerability, longing, strength, and sincerity, often creating a deep emotional connection.

3) Tonal richness – Fans appreciate the contrast between his pure falsetto and the depth of his baritone, as well as the texture, phrasing, and nuance in his delivery.

4) Presence and connection – Whether live or recorded, many describe his voice as intimate and personal—creating shared emotional experiences that last for decades.

According to ChatGPT, these qualities explain why Morten’s voice is seen not only as distinctive but profoundly moving to us fans. That's probably not far off :) We'll of course dig deeper into the comments when we cover individual songs, but now at least you've got an idea.

More to come in the coming weeks!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

"It's alright / Rank all night / We're never gonna see the morning light"

25/07/2025

“Stop! And make your mind up about rankings”

Dear a-ha friends,

The ship has sailed, the train has left the station, the stage has been taken down, and the voting has ended!!

Thank you so much for participating in the poll to find Morten’s best vocal performances in the context of a-ha!

We got a lot of comments that it was an impossible task, but you managed to cast your votes (some of them in steel), and we will now go over the results as preparation for the next episode of Ranking Highs and Lows.

We look forward to sharing the ranking with you and - not least - to be able to respond to comments that challenge the ranking by saying “It’s your own fault!” 😄

Have a wonderful summer! We’ll be back with more.

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

“Hundred thousand rankings / I’m the one they blame”

20/07/2025

VOTING CLOSES ON WEDNESDAY 23rd JULY AT 3:00 PM CET

"One chance to get back to the point where the rankings start"

Dear a-ha friends,

Thanks a lot for the overwhelming support and participation in our "user poll" where we've asked you to help us rank Morten's best vocal performance.

There's still time to join the fun - link in the post below - so cast your votes (in steel) and make your voice heard. We'll review the ranking afterwards and start preparing a podcast episode based on what you've voted for.

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

"You say that I should rank / That I should speak my mind"

A-ha Morten Harket Savoy Waaktaar Magne Furuholmen

'I'll never get over what we rank / It lingers in my head'

Dear a-ha friends,

First of all: Thank you so much for the very warm reception you have given to our so far three guest episodes. We really appreciate all the comments, the interactions (and the many downloads, of course), the enthusiasm and the laughs.

And now we want to do something different again. We want YOU to help us celebrate the one and only Morten Harket and his amazing voice! So we have created a simple poll where you can vote for up to 10 a-ha songs where you think Morten's vocals are extra special. Maybe you've got a soft spot for a soaring falsetto, maybe you enjoy the deep rumbling notes, maybe it's something completely different. And remember: We are not asking for your favourite a-ha song, but your favourite vocals by Morten in an a-ha songs.

Follow the link below, choose the songs, and maybe tells us something about your favourite vocal performance. We'll then use the results of the voting to create a special episode of a-ha: ranking highs and lows sometime after summer. Oh, and of course: Please only join the poll once - no cheating!! :)

https://forms.gle/LNF3xEDFKstwHGy99

We hope you'll join the fun. Let's celebrate Morten!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

'You say that I should rank / That I should speak my mind'

A-ha Morten Harket Waaktaar Magne Furuholmen

09/07/2025

'I'll never get over what we rank / It lingers in my head'

Dear a-ha friends,

First of all: Thank you so much for the very warm reception you have given to our so far three guest episodes. We really appreciate all the comments, the interactions (and the many downloads, of course), the enthusiasm and the laughs.

And now we want to do something different again. We want YOU to help us celebrate the one and only Morten Harket and his amazing voice! So we have created a simple poll where you can vote for up to 10 a-ha songs where you think Morten's vocals are extra special. Maybe you've got a soft spot for a soaring falsetto, maybe you enjoy the deep rumbling notes, maybe it's something completely different. And remember: We are not asking for your favourite a-ha song, but your favourite vocals by Morten in an a-ha songs.

Follow the link below, choose the songs, and maybe tells us something about your favourite vocal performance. We'll then use the results of the voting to create a special episode of a-ha: ranking highs and lows sometime after summer. Oh, and of course: Please only join the poll once - no cheating!! :)

https://forms.gle/LNF3xEDFKstwHGy99

We hope you'll join the fun. Let's celebrate Morten!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

'You say that I should rank / That I should speak my mind'

A-ha Morten Harket Waaktaar Magne Furuholmen

06/07/2025

‘And when she’s ranking by my side / Eyes closed, all knowledge trapped inside’

Dear a-ha friends,

We couldn’t be happier to set a new “personal best” when it comes to podcast episode length than with this latest edition of ‘a-ha: ranking highs and lows’. We are joined by none other than Sondre Lerche, one of Norway’s finest songwriters and artists and - importantly - an a-ha fan since the tender age of 4! In this latest episode he tells us about the tremendous impact a-ha had on him growing up, how he has both been inspired by A-ha but also consciously distanced himself from them as he was finding his own identity as an artist.

In this episode you’ll experience true passion, discussions about sexy and not-so-sexy songs, if it matters or not that Morten is beautiful, why album closers are such important songs, which a-ha song that made Sondre cry on the train very recently (train ticket prices might have been a factor, but still), how Sondre feels about Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton, how some wine resulted in an impromptu cover of an a-ha song at a party, and much, much more. And why is Daddy wearing leather?

Sondre is a great storyteller, knowledgeable about music, generous with his time, humorous, and just a lovely guest to have on the show. We hope you’ll enjoy it whether you take it in one big bite or nibble at it in bite sizes.

This episode as well as the previous ones can all be found here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-22-sondre-lerches-top-36-a-ha-songs/id1602079523?i=1000715971466
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3VmetpwKtRjQ2uOpLRL4Wl?si=hyxDG0TwTviJQQium4AzaA
Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-22-sondre-lerche-s-top-36-a-ha-songs--66874449
Pocketcasts: https://pca.st/4o2uwctn
Or find all the links here: www.linktr.ee/rankingaha

Let’s continue to make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha. We will do our best at least – and this time with Sondre Lerche!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

‘I’ve done all I can do / All the rankings I’ve sent through’

Morten Harket Magne Furuholmen Waaktaar Savoy

05/07/2025

'Our ranks must change / A change is due'

Dear a-ha friends,

We continue our string of guest appearances and will soon release what we think will be our longest episode yet, so you have something to spend your summer on (or winter if you're in that part of the world...). We caught up with Norwegian singer/songwriter/recording artist/creative force AND a-ha fan Sondre Lerche who shared his top 20 a-ha songs with us. Or so we thought... He actually made a top 36, which again goes to show that rules don't apply to artists!

We had a jolly good time in great company, although it would have been nice of Sondre to share some of his candy. We can only imagine how sweet it was... But what was also sweet was how engaged and generous Sondre was with his time. We got to learn a lot about how a-ha inspired him as a very young fan and which songs made the biggest impression on him.

All of that will be coming your way in a couple of days or so, so clear your calendars, block the sunbed at your favourite resort (but don't forget to turn over every 15 minutes to avoid the worst sunburn), get something cold to drink (or again, warm if you're Down Under), and feel the contagious energy of one of Norway's finest musical exports talk about our favourite band!

So do like the mopeds in my hometown when I was a kid: Stay tuned!

All the best,

JP, Jesper, and Peter the Producer

'And when you were weak from ranking / I was strong'

16/06/2025

‘Hey listen honey, something you should rank / This can’t wait’

Dear a-ha friends,

We are extremely proud to share this new episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’ with you. We had the chance to catch up with Jørun Bøgeberg – A-ha’s bass player from 1990 to 1994, all-round cool dude and one of the nicest guys you’re likely to meet.

In this episode, Jørun kindly shares his favourite moments from his time with a-ha, and we are just there for the ride. Among other things, you will hear a great impression of Magne, you will hear about a fake bass part that Jørun got credited for, and you’ll also learn which a-ha song he was likely the first person ever to listen to. You’ll hear a salad being prepared in the background, and you will find out if missing a couple of bass notes on stage at an a-ha concert has consequences.

There are a couple of phone calls from Morten to Jørun at odd times, and we ALMOST tell you where you can find a real collector’s item. There are, of course, also memories of some great shows in South America, we play some lesser-known sound bites, and Jørun tries to decide if he played on a much-beloved demo song.

In addition to that, you get some cool insights into working with our favourite trio, a new take on how a-ha felt about those 90s albums, and the modest party culture within the band despite some major achievements. And what is the story behind the nickname “Boogieberg”?

We had a blast with Jørun, and we hope you’ll enjoy the episode and the stories from someone who’s played with a-ha and Savoy on some of our absolute favourite albums and tours. As always, please like, subscribe, share, give us a positive review on your podcast app and all that algorithm-related tech stuff to make sure we get the episode out to as many a-ha fans as possible. Sharing is caring, and we do care a lot about a-ha!

This episode as well as the previous ones can all be found here:
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows/id1602079523
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fQN4fVnSXLwQj6nuZoLG1?si=4bcff9f51f0043a9
Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows--5277221
Pocketcasts: https://play.pocketcasts.com/podcasts/196c4700-4872-013a-d6ae-0acc26574db2
Or find all the links here: www.linktr.ee/rankingaha

Let’s continue to make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha. We will do our best at least – and this time with Jørun Bøgeberg!

All the best,
JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

‘You say you want to rank / You’re not the only one / Not the only one’

Waaktaar I FEEL A-HA

15/06/2025

"Jørun's rankings had such weight / I guess they made us hesitate"

Dear a-ha friends,

The recent news about Morten has of course has had an emotional impact on all of us, but we couldn't be prouder of the way he's handled the communication with grace, dignity and strength.

For a-ha: ranking highs and lows things remain the same: We're still the podcast that celebrates the wonderful music of a-ha, and if you'd like to join us in that quest you can soon do so by listening to a very special episode that we recorded yesterday. We've managed to get none other than Jørun "JB" Bøgeberg - a-ha's bass player on East of the Sun West of the Moon and Memorial Beach and the associated tours - to join us on the show and he's brought us a special treat: A ranking of his biggest moments from the time with A-ha! And remember, this is a guy who's played to 200.000 people in Rio!

We'll get the episode ready over the coming days, but you can look forward to stories that range from the very personal and intimate moments to the stadium sized experiences. Jørun is a great storyteller with a lovely underplayed Norwegian demeanour and we thoroughly enjoyed spending a couple of hours with him.

So, we won't say much more for now but remember to follow us and hit "subscribe" to Ranking Highs and Lows on your podcast player so you - like Jørun - won't miss a beat.

Stay tuned for a slap of bass in your face - Norwegian style!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

"I've ranked songs with the ones that rescued my soul"

03/05/2025

‘I went down to the ranking / Like a lamb to the slaughter’

Dear a-ha friends,

We are very proud to share with you this episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’. Not only is it episode 20, but it is also our first episode to feature a guest star and guest ranker - none other than Norwegian journalist and author Ørjan Nilsson, the man behind three excellent books about our beloved A-ha members.

Ørjan kindly agreed to create his very own list of the 20 best a-ha songs as well as sharing some interesting anecdotes about the book writing process.

In this episode you can hear stories about police permits, which a-ha song is like a hand, why it’s Samantha Fox’s fault that young Ørjan had to listen to Scoundrel Days in his dad’s car, and how Ørjan ended up in Take On Me-producer Alan Tarney’s studio listening to an unreleased album by Morten. Honestly, if Ørjan wasn’t such a pleasure to talk to, we would have turned his microphone off out of sheer envy.

There’s also the story about Morten lying on the couch (“lying” as in Morten being positioned horizontally, not as in him not telling the truth) while Ørjan reads to him. There are countless memories from a-ha concerts and life as an a-ha fan, and we get to hear about Ørjan’s fascination with celebrities and sports stars who hit rock bottom. There’s also a dog, and for once JP and Jesper do a bit less of the talking, so what’s not to like?

We hope you’ll like the episode - we had a lot of fun making it at least - and as always please like, subscribe, share and all that algorithm jazz to make sure we get the episode out to as many a-ha fans as possible.

This episode as well as the previous ones call be found here:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows/id1602079523

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fQN4fVnSXLwQj6nuZoLG1?si=4bcff9f51f0043a9

Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows--5277221

Pocketcasts: https://play.pocketcasts.com/podcasts/196c4700-4872-013a-d6ae-0acc26574db2

Or find all the links here: www.linktr.ee/rankingaha

Let’s make this 40-year anniversary of Hunting High and Low a special one and keep celebrating the wonderful music of a-ha. We will do our best - and this time with excellent contribution from Ørjan Nilsson!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

‘Ranking works a wrinkle over time’

Waaktaar Magne Furuholmen Morten Harket A-ha Savoy

02/05/2025

'One ranked low/ Joined two who ranked high'

Dear a-ha friends,

We've had a visitor, and that visitor was none other than a-ha biographer, journalist and all-round-great-guy Ørjan Nilsson! And like any good visitor, Ørjan brought two gifts for the hosts: His very own top 20 of A-ha songs and a lot of cool insights into the working process when he wrote the books about Pål Waaktaar-Savoy ("Tårer fra en stein", Morten Harket ("Hjemkomst") and most recently Magne Furuholmen ("Livslinjer").

Peter the Producer quickly stopped by the recording session, but in order not to be the fourth wheel on the tricycle he happily took the opportunity to find something better to do (he claims there are better things to do than record with Jesper and JP, but we're yet to discover what that could be).

After some profuse sweating and panicking without Peter's technical skills, JP managed to record the whole session and now it's time to edit it. That might take a few days still, but you should have a new episode of the world's finest a-ha podcast within the forseeable future.

It's episode 20, so it's a bit of an anniversary. We hope you'll celebrate it with us and Ørjan to find out what makes his a-heart skip a beat.

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

P.S. JP was the only one who wore an a-ha t-shirt for the recording sessions. Ørjan is forgiven. Jesper needs to do better.

'You see things / In the depths of my eyes / That my ranking's run dry, no'