The Definitive List

Throughout their 25 year career, a-ha has been recognized time after time within the music industry for their ground-breaking videos, chart-topping singles and influential albums. Below is a list of awards and recognition a-ha have received over the years, we’ve made an attempt to record as many as possible but we may have missed a few. If you are aware of any other awards or if there are corrections, please send the information to us at to add to this page!

1986

• Spellemann for Best Pop Album: Hunting High and Low
• Årets Spellemann: Hunting High and Low
• MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
• MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction (Director Steve Barron)
• MTV Video Music Award for Best Concept Video
• MTV Video Music Award for Most Experimental Video
• MTV Video Music Award – Viewer’s Choice
• MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects
  (Candace Reckinger and Michael Patterson)
• MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing (Editor: David Yardley)
• MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography
  (Director of photography: Oliver Stapleton)
• The Golden Rose Festival, Switzerland : Best Music Video Award
  for “Take On Me”
• “Goldene Europa” awards in Germany: Best Video Award: “Take On Me”
• Best video of from the West German TV channel “SR” for “Take On Me”
• Bravo Bronze OTTO Award – Best Popband of the Year 1985

1987

• Bravo Gold OTTO Award – Best Popband of the Year 1986
• The Per Gynt Award
• Spelleman for Best Pop Album: Scoundrel Days
• Spelleman The Jury’s Honorary Award
• Montreux, the “IM&MC Gala”: “Best Group Video Award”
  (British Industry Award) : “Cry Wolf”
• Berolina Awards Berlin: Best International Group Award
• Australian “Count Down Awards” : “Most Popular International Act” award
• Azzurro Festivla in Bari, Italy: a-ha receives an award
• Australian Video Awards : Award for “Hunting High and Low” music video

1988

• The “Diamond Awards Antwerp, Belgium: Diamond award for the song “Touchy”
• Goldener Europa awards, Frankfurt, Germany : “Stay On These Roads”
• Bravo Gold OTTO Award – Best Popband of the Year 1987

1989

• Bravo Gold OTTO Award – Best Popband of the Year 1988

1991

• BMI Awards for 1 000 000 US radioplays of “Take On Me”

1993

• World Music Award: Best selling artist in Norway (National Award)

2000

• Spelleman The Jury’s Honorary Award
• Spelleman Video award: “Velvet”

2001

• ‘Goldene Europa’, Comeback of the year award, Germany

2003

• World Music Award: Best selling artist in Norway award (National Award)

2004

• Nordic Music Awards – Prize of Honor

2005

• Vina del Mar Festival : Silver torch
• Vina del Mar Festival : Gold Torch
• Vina del Mar Festival : Silver Seagull

2006

• Q Inspiration Award

2007

• BMI Multi Million performance award for 3 000 000 plays of “Take On Me” on US radio

2008

• Rolf Gammleng awards: award for POP

2009

• Greatest Norwegian Hit of the last 50 years: “Take On Me”
• SWR’s New Pop Festival, Germany: ‘Pioneer of Pop’ Award

Much of this information was compiled from the a-ha diary fan site, which is an excellent and reliable source of facts and information about a-ha. Check it out!