a-ha: ranking highs and lows

Lackluster Productions
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Music Commentary

Welcome to 'a-ha - ranking highs and lows', the project where two life-long a-ha fans have taken on the ambitious task of ranking all the band's songs from worst to best!

  1. Episode 26: Creating a-ha's "lost sixth album"

    Apr 11

    Episode 26: Creating a-ha's "lost sixth album"

    “What are we gonna do? I don’t know, create it ”Dear a-ha friends,It’s hard to conceive it… but sometimes we feel like doing something other than ranking. And so we did this time! We’ve stepped into our very own time machine and set it to late summer 1996. In this imaginary world, a-ha are getting ready to create and record their sixth album, the follow-up to 1993’s Memorial Beach. To help the guys along, Jesper and JP have chosen the 12 songs to go on the album. But not only that: Peter the Producer has made sure the songs on the album are sequenced in the best way possible to create the optimal album flow. Is it a good album? You bet! The specific criteria for the selection of songs are explained in the podcast, and as per usual it’s quite simple, but JP manages to make it sound very complex. Meanwhile, Jesper is getting a musical deep tissue massage from a song, Peter is waiting for a movie version of JP’s new book, and JP tries to find a link to Joan Osborne. And there’s also a song that is a prune… We also learn that Jesper cannot count to two, and JP doesn’t know what an octave is. And none of us know what the thing you use to mute the sound of a trumpet is called. There are also stories of scaring an IT guy away from attending a Savoy concert, and Jesper shares his unfiltered feelings about collaborations in music. And perhaps Peter has some interesting chart news from 1997, while JP aaaaalmost doesn’t talk about his book (which you can order here: www.linktr.ee/lessonone). So, as always, there’s a lot going on when we get together. Actually, this time, so much that we perhaps got overly enthusiastic and maxed out the volume, which has caused some of the sound to become slightly muffled. But what can you expect after 25 episodes? Next time we’ll see if we can hire Alan Tarney. If you enjoy the podcast, please help us spread the word:👉 Subscribe wherever you listen (and rate the podcast)👉 Like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram👉 Share the episode with other a-ha fansIt all helps us get the show out to other fans who might not have discovered it yet.Thank you for all the interaction, the downloads, the encouragement, and just being awesome also in 2026. We’ll be back with more next year in some shape or form! All the best, JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer “New albums belong to the past / Only a fool would expect them to last”

    1h 56m
  2. New book about a-ha out now: "LESSON ONE - What Listening to a-ha Has Taught Me About Life"

    Feb 25

    New book about a-ha out now: "LESSON ONE - What Listening to a-ha Has Taught Me About Life"

    New book "LESSON ONE - What Listening to a-ha Has Taught Me About Life" available now! In this short special, JP tells you all you need to know about his new book. The book is available worldwide on Amazon, and you can also find the direct links by visiting the book's linktree page: www.linktr.ee/lessonone About the book: "Lesson One: What Listening to a-ha Has Taught Me About Life" is not a traditional band biography. Instead, it is a personal, reflective journey through the songs, lyrics, and long career of a-ha — and what they can tell us about friendship, doubt, love, time, fear, decisions, and belonging. Each chapter takes its starting point in a line from an a-ha song and unfolds into a life lesson, blending close listening, cultural context, humour, nostalgia, and deeply personal reflection. The result is a book about growing up, growing older, and learning to listen — not just to music, but to people around you and life itself — with your favourite band to guide you. On the journey, we encounter UFOs, questionable fashion choices, trips to concerts, piles of letters, hundreds of a-ha posters and records, a demo tape, and teen music magazines. Written by a lifelong fan, Lesson One explores what it means to stay connected to a band across decades, and how pop songs can become quiet companions through change, loss, and renewal. This book is for readers who love a-ha, but also for anyone who has ever found meaning, comfort, or clarity in a song. As always, please also visit our podcast on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha https://www.instagram.com/rankingaha/

    28 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Episode 25: The songs of Hunting High and Low ranked - as voted for by the fans

    ‘I’m ranking hard to make you jealous / Ranking harder to make you stay’ Dear a-ha friends, We thought it would take longer, but JP’s been editing all night, so why wait: here is episode 25 of a-ha: ranking highs and lows, where we – a little bit late – celebrate forty years with a-ha’s marvellous debut album, the legendary Hunting High and Low. And when we say “we couldn’t have done it without you”, we really mean it. It’s you — our listeners — who have voted for your favourite songs and shared your comments. That’s all we needed to put together another two hours of a-ha-themed entertainment to get you through Christmas 🎄 In this episode, we ask the question that has baffled philosophers for ages: which is faster at self-identifying – a vegan, a triathlete, or an a-ha fan? We also get a strange vote and comment from a Danish guy by the name of Peter, recommend against public singing, and struggle with complex comments from very smart fans. And did Chris Martin actually vote and leave a comment? (Hint: no, he didn’t.) We also hear about phrases that make Jesper feel intelligent, JP argues Love Is Reason is a small stroke of genius, and one of our listeners introduces the word “badass” among the descriptors of a-ha’s songs. And can paper cups of coffee make you feel smart? In other words: this is the REAL celebration of a-ha’s first album, because the ranking and commenting is done by the fans for the fans.  As always, if you enjoy this podcast, please help us spread the word by: 👉 Subscribing wherever you listen (and rating the podcast)👉 Liking and following us on Facebook and Instagram (see below)👉 Sharing the episode with other a-ha fansIt all helps us get the show out to other fans who might not have discovered it yet. Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha Our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/rankingaha/ Thank you for all the interaction, the downloads, the encouragement, and just being awesome in 2025. We’ll be back with more next year in some shape or form! All the best, JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer ‘What can it mean? I’m ranking pictures of the sea’

    1h 53m

  4. 09/21/2025

    Episode 24: Pål Waaktaar-Savoy Ranks the Making of Hunting High and Low

    ‘And what am I supposed to rank now?’ Dear a-ha friends,At a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows we are extremely proud to present another episode of the podcast that celebrates the wonderful music of a-ha, where our guest this time is none other than Pål Waaktaar-Savoy! Pål was kind enough to join us for a couple of hours to rank – in a semi-structured kind of way – his most memorable experiences from the making of Hunting High and Low. Get ready for an exclusive behind-the-scenes view as we talk to Pål about the songs, the people, the fans, and the ups and downs. Among other things, you will hear about the effect of 500 black-and-white posters, a balcony that threatened to collapse, a later hit song that borrowed chords from Driftwood, the curse of free clothes, the best position from which to listen to the album, how modesty cost Pål a quality guitar, the maximum amount of hissing that can be accepted in a studio, a producer with bat ears, and how to programme a Linn Drum in the time it takes to play a ping-pong match. We couldn’t be happier to share this conversation with you, and we hope that you will enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it. They say: “Never meet your heroes.” We say: “Then you need to get yourself some better heroes.” As always: if you enjoy this podcast, please make sure to subscribe to it wherever you listen, like our Facebook and Instagram pages, share the episode with other fans, and, if you feel like it, give us a rating and a comment. It all helps us to get the show out to other fans who might not have discovered it yet. Enjoy Pål’s stories about the making of Hunting High and Low. All the best, ‘Love is ranking enough’

    2h 32m

  5. 08/23/2025

    Episode 23: Morten Harket's best vocal performances - voted for by the fans

    ‘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! Remember to like and share the podcast if you think it could be interesting for other fans. 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’

    2h 49m

  6. 07/06/2025

    Episode 22: Sondre Lerche's top 36 a-ha songs

    ‘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. 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’

    4h 21m

  7. 06/16/2025

    Episode 21: From Basslines to Backstage - Jørun "JB" Bøgeberg ranks his biggest moments with a-ha

    ‘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 on some of our absolute favourite albums and tours. As always, please like, subscribe, share, give us some nice reviews where you listen to your podcasts 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! 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’

    2h 27m

  8. 05/03/2025

    Episode 20: The 20 best a-ha songs chosen by guest star Ørjan Nilsson

    ‘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. 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! All the best, JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer ‘Ranking works a wrinkle over time’

    2h 37m
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About

Welcome to 'a-ha - ranking highs and lows', the project where two life-long a-ha fans have taken on the ambitious task of ranking all the band's songs from worst to best!

Information

  • Creator
    Lackluster Productions
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Lackluster Productions
  • Show Website
    a-ha: ranking highs and lows

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