a-ha: ranking highs and lows – Details, episodes & analysis

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a-ha: ranking highs and lows

Lackluster Productions

Music

Frequency: 1 episode/59d. Total Eps: 29

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!

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🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary
30/08/2026
#75
🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary
29/08/2026
#64
🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary
20/08/2026
#94
🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary
19/08/2026
#56
🇨🇦 Canada - musicCommentary
13/08/2026
#87
🇩🇪 Germany - musicCommentary
13/08/2026
#90
🇨🇦 Canada - musicCommentary
12/08/2026
#49
🇩🇪 Germany - musicCommentary
12/08/2026
#47
🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary
11/08/2026
#93
🇩🇪 Germany - musicCommentary
11/08/2026
#70

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https://www.rankingaha.dk/
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https://sptfy.com/rankingaha
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https://www.spreaker.com/show/a-ha-ranking-highs-and-lows
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https://www.instagram.com/rankingaha
5 shares

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Score global : 42%

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Episode 16: Ranking the Savoy album 'Under'

Saturday, March 2, 2024 • Duration 01:59:53

In this episode of 'a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows' we rank the 10 songs on the album 'Under' by Savoy, the 2nd band by a-ha-guitarist Pål Waaktaar-Savoy.

This time you get to hear Jesper and JP being quite offended, Peter the Producer has unwarranted hopes for a shorter podcast, and we mispronounce Frode Unneland in so many ways that it’s almost Guinness Book of Records-worthy.

We also tip-toe around well-known music terms, we update you on the story of a clothes brand, and JP recalls the time he wore a skirt, and the times he hurt a fly. Meanwhile Jesper recalls the happy day when he found a Portuguese Eurovision song in a 2nd hand record store.Peter introduces us to the anatomy of a record, and it turns out that The Beatles may be more Savoy than Savoy.

Jesper also puts forward some quite weak evidence, JP’s origami joke is received with limited applause, and Peter sneaks in a Bon Jovi reference.We also wonder about Pål’s order of doing things, we stretch the truth (reprehensible!), correctly identify a flute, and we try to listen behind the facade. JP also confesses his love for Little House on the Prairie, and Jesper sets up a rule for how many different styles a song needs to include in order to be epic. And Yngwie Malmsteen pops by as well.

We of course also have a Facebook page and an Instagram account where you can leave a comment or stay informed about upcoming episodes.

We hope you'll enjoy this deep dive into another wonderful album in the extended a-ha family.

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Episode 15: Ranking the songs from MTV Unplugged Summer Solstice

Season 3 · Episode 15

Saturday, January 20, 2024 • Duration 02:08:22

In this episode of "a-ha: ranking highs and lows" we’ve ranked the songs from ‘MTV Unplugged - Summer Solstice’ album, which we hope you’ve all had a chance to listen to. Otherwise maybe this episode can serve as an introduction.

This time we go shopping for instruments with Mozart, Jesper invents a new superhero, and JP shares opinions about musical arrangements of which he has no clue. We also encounter a large selection of instruments that we give the wrong names. And how many choruses does Lifelines have now?

We try to remove the feeling of hope from several songs, JP abandons computers for note-taking, and Jesper guesses 81 songs in 1 second, while Peter has his eyes on the strings section. And how much is Jesper’s kidney really worth?

JP also quotes himself more than once, Jesper shares strong opinions about collaborations in music, and Peter serves a bitter soup. Jesper also grows thoughtful again and JP can’t say he likes it. And where is ‘You Are the One’?

And of course we also find the time to rank the 21 songs on the MTV Unplugged album, so all in all we consider this a success as that was the whole point of this episode. Sometimes we forget, but that’s where Peter steps in.

If you like what you hear then please recommend the podcast to other fans. We still get more followers with each episode (thank you!!) but we know there are still fans out there who we haven’t reached yet, so feel free to share the info about the podcast in fan forums, Instagram or Facebook groups etc. if you feel that’s appropriate. Thanks!

#officialaha #mortenharket #magnefuruholmen #paulwaaktaarsavoy #palwaaktaar #paulwaaktaar #takeonme #mtvunplugged #huntinghighandlow

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Episode 06: Ranking a-ha 25-1

Season 1 · Episode 6

Thursday, January 27, 2022 • Duration 01:34:08

In the sixth - and so far final - episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we finally reveal which of a-ha’s 147 songs is the ultimate number one! The superlatives are flying all around us as we count down from 25 to 1, but there’s still room for heavy compromises and disagreements - just like when a-ha makes an album.

In this episode we hear about trips to the public swimming pool in the 1980’s, how a trained fan ear may be able to tell different types of rain apart, and how great it is when a D-chord shifts from major to minor.

Before we reach the top spot we also encounter songs from eight different albums, discuss how many songs you can cram into a Top 3, and try to explain how two hits on a drum before a chorus makes all the difference. So please join us as we uncover the highest of the highs of a-ha’s magnificent career!

In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to check out the whole list again in written form then check out our blog. There you can find previous parts of the ranking as well - one chance to go back to the point where everything starts…
https://www.rankingaha.dk/

Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love for you to talk to us and tell us things we could find helpful.
https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha

And of course check out all the songs from our ranking on our Spotify playlist as as well as we move from the foot of the mountain to the very top.
https://sptfy.com/rankingaha

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Episode 05: Ranking a-ha 50-26

Season 1 · Episode 5

Thursday, January 20, 2022 • Duration 01:22:12

In the fifth episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we crack the top 50 as we continue our ranking of the 147 a-ha songs from worst to best by counting down from 50 to 26. Here we encounter a song that both of us like but for quite different reasons, we run into some serious compromises and discuss which version of a song is the right one to rank.

We also come across some big hits, discuss the importance of the production of a song, find out if there is such a thing as “The Waaktaar-Savoy School for the Brokenhearted” and uncover which colour palette seems to dominate a-ha song titles.

This episode also features the tale of when we met Morten and reminded him of songs he possibly had forgotten about, we discuss how far down the word “funky” is on the list of adjectives that describe a-ha, and we bask in the pride you can feel as a fan when an a-ha song does well on the charts. All this and much more awaits you as we get close to the top 25.

In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to check out the list again in written form then check out our blog where we go through the ranking in writing. There you can find previous parts of the ranking as well.
https://www.rankingaha.dk/

Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love to hear your thoughts.
https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha

And of course you can lie down in darkness and check out all the songs from the ranking on our Spotify playlist as well.
https://sptfy.com/rankingaha

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Episode 04: Ranking a-ha 75-51

Season 1 · Episode 4

Thursday, January 13, 2022 • Duration 01:06:46

In the fourth episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we continue our ranking of the 147 a-ha songs from worst to best by counting down from 75 to 51. In this episode we will discuss how many cousins Driftwood actually has, get to know which song made one of us realize at a young age that we were maturing, and which song one of us considers more Beatles than The Beatles.

We also discuss whether a certain long-awaited demo lives up to the hype, we hear more about a heartbreak from the early 2000’s, and we ponder the reasons why a-ha’s singles in the later years often seem to be alternative mixes of songs that sounded better in the album version.

In this episode we also run into a UK Top 10 hit, disagree with some of the band members’ own view of their 1990’s sound, and get to hear which song just about missed a spot in our top 50. Curious? Listen and find out more!

In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to check out the list again in written form, then check out our blog. There you can find previous parts of the ranking as well. https://www.rankingaha.dk/

Also take the opportunity to join the discussion about our ranking on Facebook where we’d love to hear your thoughts.
https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha

And of course check out all the songs from our ranking on our Spotify playlist as well. https://sptfy.com/rankingaha

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Episode 03: Ranking a-ha 100-76

Season 1 · Episode 3

Thursday, January 6, 2022 • Duration 01:08:29

In the third episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we crack the top 100 as we continue our ranking of the 147 a-ha songs from worst to best by counting down from 100 to 76. In this episode we see the song quality increase significantly, discover lyrics that may not be considered appropriate in 2021, and find out which song meant a lot to one of your podcast hosts when he was love sick.

We also discuss a-ha vs. Savoy vs. Beatles vs. Madonna, we encounter a couple of commercially successful singles, come across a number of animals and debate if we’re being too harsh on certain songs. We probably are.

So which non-album track just missed the top 75, which songs cause some disagreement among us, and are there limits to what a manager can ask band members to do? Listen and find out.

In case you prefer to read rather than listen or just want to revisit the list again then check out our blog where we go through the ranking in writing. There you can find both this part of the ranking as well as previous posts.
https://www.rankingaha.dk/

Also don’t hesitate to join the discussion on Facebook. We’d love for you to leave a comment so “keep writing letters…”.
https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha

And of course check out all the songs from our ranking on our Spotify playlist as well if you want to remind yourself of how sweet it was.
https://sptfy.com/rankingaha

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Episode 02: Ranking a-ha 125-101

Season 1 · Episode 2

Thursday, December 30, 2021 • Duration 58:39

In the second episode of Ranking Highs and Lows we continue our ranking of a-ha’s 147 songs from worst to best by counting down from 125 to 101. In this episode we will encounter a couple of singles and possibly a few fan favorites as well, and although we are still in the bottom third of the list we already here start seeing some rather good songs!

In this episode we run into the first song on the list from one of a-ha’s 1990’s albums, discuss a poor attempt at recreating the feeling from Stay On These Roads, debate whether or not a-ha sounds like ABBA and continue the investigation of where Pål and Magne take more or less hidden stabs at each other in songs.

We also discuss Morten’s recent pronunciation of ‘shine’ and which song lyric sounds like a travel blogger’s Instagram post. And of course which song just missed out on a spot in the top 100.

In case you prefer to read rather than listen to the way we talk, then check out our blog where we go through the ranking in writing.
https://www.rankingaha.dk/

And don’t hesitate to join the discussion on Facebook where the sun always shines. https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha

And of course check out the ranking on our Spotify playlist as well in case you want to remind yourself of the songs that move our bodies.
https://sptfy.com/rankingaha

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Episode 01: Ranking a-ha 147-126

Season 1 · Episode 1

Saturday, December 25, 2021 • Duration 52:30

In the first episode of Ranking Highs and Lows you will meet the two fans behind the project, get to understand why we think ranking 147 a-ha songs from worst to best is even a good idea in the first place and of course find out what we think are the 22 most shameful lowlands of a-ha’s otherwise magnificent catalogue as we count down from 147 to 126 on the list.

In this episode you will also witness how we break our own song inclusion criteria already from the start and hopefully see how barely produced demos and over-produced schmaltz can go together on the walk of shame. You will also get to hear which demo sounds like a distant second cousin to a much beloved single B-side.

It’s not all bad though as you will also get to know which demo features rather nice backing vocals by Magne and which song arguably could have been a big hit if it had featured Nelly Furtado.

If you prefer to read rather than listen to us talking away you can also read our take on the songs on our blog.
https://www.rankingaha.dk/

You can also join the discussion on Facebook where we’d love to hear your train of thought.
https://www.facebook.com/rankingaha

We have also created a Spotify playlist with the songs ranked according to our list. So if you want to listen to a-ha’s minor lows and major highs.
https://sptfy.com/rankingaha

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Episode 14: Ranking the live songs

Season 3 · Episode 14

Saturday, December 2, 2023 • Duration 02:45:00

In this episode we rank the 25 best live versions of a-ha songs.

We’re happy to share a new episode of ‘a-ha: Ranking Highs and Lows’ with you as we’re getting into December. Consider it an early Christmas present from us to you. And no, it doesn’t come in another size, colour or shape, but it DOES present our ranking of the 25 best live songs from a-ha, and that’s really a ‘one size fits all’ if you ask us!

In this episode JP praises a-ha’s speed metal phase (brief as it was), and Jesper recalls a visit to the toilet that almost cost him an epic concert opener. Meanwhile Peter suggests that we have a tendency to go in circles, while Jesper is counting nickels. And do Scandinavians prefer to walk with a stone in their shoe?

Jesper also talks about cold cuts, while JP talks about green circles of light (again with those circles!) and we both shed a tear over the memory of a cancelled concert, while Peter rightfully questions our sanity. Apart from that there is plenty of swooning over guitar and keyboard solos, a discussion about the balance between “loose” and “messy”, and questioning if anyone - including Peter - is paying any attention to any of this. And how many instruments can Jesper imitate with his mouth? (answer: A lot fewer than he thinks!)

We also discuss if saxophone is the missing ingredient in one of a-ha’s best songs, JP tries to bring together some women from the a-ha lyrics to create a new TV show - working title “Arguments & the City” - and Jesper recalls a perplexed concert audience, while JP argues for the pleasure of not getting what you want. We also speculate about non-verbal communication during songs, and Peter invents a new approach to performing music on TV shows. And is there actually a number between 18 and 20?

Among all of this you’ll find 25 awesome live versions of songs from the best band in the world, ranked by JP and Jesper and moderated by Peter, so it’s all well known territory. Maybe you’ve attended hundreds of a-ha’s concerts, maybe you’ve attended none, but this episode hopefully gives you a reminder or a taste of what a-ha can pull off, when they get together on stage and rock it out. So whatever your concert starting point is we hope that you’ll enjoy this episode!

As always you can find the podcast as well as the 13 previous episodes on your preferred podcast app by searching for "a-ha Ranking Highs and Lows" or go straight to the source:As always please also go to our Facebook page and share your thoughts, comments and reactions. Thanks!#officialaha #waaktaarpal #palwaaktaar #waaktaar #mortenharket #magnefuruholmen #magnef #huntinghighandlow #takeonme #80s

Episode 13: Ranking the a-ha albums

Season 3 · Episode 13

Sunday, October 8, 2023 • Duration 02:07:45

In this episode we rank the 11 studio albums by a-ha.

Among other things you’ll get a tour through Jesper’s Facebook feed from 2009, Peter sees an escape door standing ajar, and JP provides a status on a t-shirt from the year 2000. We also rank German music magazines, and a-ha wins a questionable contest. And can you buy a girlfriend in a clothing store in Berlin?

Jesper also worries about why JP is suddenly quiet (it doesn’t last long – neither the worrying nor the being quiet) and Peter refuses to revisit old discussions. We also mention The Beatles, because we are under contract to do so, and we talk about the period where being an a-ha fan didn’t come with any perks. We also talk about Wham! And can you like an album better than you like the songs on it?

And of course we rank the albums, interrupt each other, forget about good podcasting techniques, laugh at our own jokes, talk about those formative years and how the relationship with an album can change over time. And we – possibly for the first time in any of the episodes – refrain from speaking Norwegian. So at least that’s solid progress.

As always please do share your thoughts, comments and reactions on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rankingaha. And if you like what you hear then please recommend the podcast to other fans of a-ha or share it on your own social media. Thanks!

All the best,

JP, Jesper and Peter the Producer

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a-ha: ranking highs and lows – Details, episodes & analysis

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a-ha: ranking highs and lows – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other3

Facebook2

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RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other3

Facebook2

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Apple Podcasts

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