Ace of Base facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ace of Base
The founding members of Ace of Base (from left) Jonas "Joker" Berggren, Jenny Berggren, Malin "Linn" Berggren, and Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg
Background information
Origin	Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres	Dance-pop Europop reggae-pop
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Mega Barclay Metronome Arista BMG Polydor Universal Playground
Members	Jonas Berggren Ulf Ekberg
Past members	Linn Berggren Jenny Berggren Clara Hagman Julia Williamson

Ace of Base is a famous Swedish pop group. It started in 1987 with siblings Jonas, Linn, and Jenny Berggren, along with Ulf Ekberg.

They became super popular around the world after their first album, Happy Nation, came out in 1992. This album was later re-released as The Sign. It sold so many copies in the United States that it was certified nine times platinum! It was even the best-selling album of 1994.

The Sign was one of the most successful first albums ever. It was the first album to have three songs reach number one on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart. These hit songs were "All That She Wants", "The Sign", and "Don't Turn Around".

The group kept making hit songs throughout the 1990s. Some of these included "Beautiful Life", "Lucky Love", "Cruel Summer", and "Life Is a Flower". Ace of Base has sold 30 million copies of their first four albums. This makes them the third most successful Swedish group of all time, right after ABBA and Roxette.

Even though they haven't been very active since 2012, the group has never officially broken up. In recent years, they have released some demo songs. These first appeared on their Facebook page and then on the 2015 album Hidden Gems. A second part, Hidden Gems, Vol. 2, was part of a special box set in 2020 called All That She Wants: The Classic Collection. Jenny Berggren still performs the group's popular songs in her solo concerts around the world.

History of Ace of Base

How the Band Started (1987–1992)

In 1987, Jonas Berggren formed a band with two friends. His sisters Linn and Jenny later joined as singers. The band tried out a few different names. They eventually settled on Ace of Base in early 1991. Ulf Ekberg, a friend of Jonas, joined the group when another member left.

The band was inspired by a Jamaican reggae group. They started mixing reggae music with pop, creating their own special sound. They called this "China reggae."

The group played in clubs in their hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. They also sent demo tapes to many record companies, but no one wanted to sign them at first. Finally, in 1991, a Danish record label called Mega Records became interested. They bought the rights to the song "Wheel of Fortune".

"Wheel of Fortune" was released in Denmark in 1992. It quickly became a hit, reaching number 2 on the Danish singles chart. This success helped them get noticed in other parts of Europe.

Worldwide Success with Happy Nation and The Sign (1992–1994)

After "Wheel of Fortune" became popular, the group kept making new music. They sent a demo tape to producer Denniz PoP. He wasn't impressed at first, but the tape got stuck in his car's cassette player. He had to listen to it many times and soon realized how good the song was. This song became "All That She Wants".

"All That She Wants" was released in August 1992 and quickly became number one in Denmark. Mega Records wanted an album ready for Christmas. So, the band quickly recorded and mixed their first album, Happy Nation, which came out on November 2, 1992.

Happy Nation became very popular in Europe. But record companies in the United States thought the band wouldn't succeed there. Luckily, Clive Davis, the head of Arista Records, heard "All That She Wants" while on vacation. He quickly signed Ace of Base for releases in North and South America.

In May 1993, "All That She Wants" reached number one in the United Kingdom. In October 1993, it hit number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.

The group was already working on their second album, called The Sign. Clive Davis decided to add three new songs to Happy Nation and re-release it as The Sign in the US. This new album came out on November 23, 1993. It stayed in the top three of the Billboard Top 200 for 26 weeks! It was even nominated for a Grammy Award in 1995.

The album's title track, "The Sign", was released as a single in December. It was even more successful than "All That She Wants". It spent six weeks at number one in the US and became the best-selling single of 1994. It was also a huge hit around the world.

Another hit song was "Don't Turn Around", which reached the top 5 in many countries. The last single from the album was "Living in Danger", which was also a top 40 hit. Ace of Base performed this song at the first-ever MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin in 1994.

The Bridge Album (1995–1997)

After their huge success, the band was very busy traveling and promoting their first album. Their record companies wanted a second album quickly. To help, each band member was encouraged to write their own songs.

Their second album, The Bridge, had 17 songs. It had a different sound, mixing their usual reggae and dance music with new styles and ballads. The first song from the album, "Lucky Love", was a pop song. It became number one in Sweden in October 1995. It was also a top 20 hit across Europe.

In the US, Arista Records chose "Beautiful Life" as the first single. It reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Bridge sold well and was certified platinum in 14 countries. However, it didn't sell as much as their first album.

After touring in Asia in 1996, the group took a break. They performed at the World Music Awards in 1997 and at a concert for Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Flowers and Cruel Summer Albums (1998–1999)

Linn's image was blurred on the cover art of Flowers and Cruel Summer.

The band took their time making their third album, Flowers. They recorded much of it in Jonas's own studio. They called it Flowers because the songs were all very different, like a varied bouquet. During this time, Linn started taking a less active role in the group. Jenny took over most of the lead singing.

The first song from Flowers was "Life Is a Flower", released in Europe in April 1998. It became the most played song on European radio that year. The album came out in June and reached the top 20 in many countries.

For the US release, Clive Davis wanted a different song. He pushed for "Cruel Summer", a cover of a 1983 hit by Bananarama. This song brought Ace of Base back into the US Top 10. The album was also renamed Cruel Summer for the US, with a different list of songs.

Singles of the 90s and Greatest Hits (1999–2000)

In 1999, the group went back to the studio. They wrote several songs together as a quartet for the first time. In November 1999, Mega Records released a "best of" album called Singles of the 90s. A new song from this album, "C'est La Vie (Always 21)", was a small hit in some European countries and topped the charts in Spain.

Arista Records released a Greatest Hits album in the Americas in March 2000.

Da Capo Album (2002–2003)

Linn after a performance in 2002

After a break, Ace of Base released a new song called "Beautiful Morning" in July 2002. Their fourth studio album, Da Capo, came out on September 30, 2002. The title Da Capo means "back to the beginning" in music. This was chosen because the album's sound was like their early reggae and Europop style.

The album sold well in Europe, but not as much as their earlier albums. Only Jenny and Ulf went on a promotional tour. Linn made only one public appearance during this time, which was her last.

Another song from the album, "The Juvenile", was a re-written version of a song they had considered for the James Bond movie GoldenEye. Linn officially left the band in 2002.

Break and Reunion (2003–2009)

The group took a break from 2003 to 2006. During this time, Jenny performed solo. In 2005, Jenny and Linn recorded some songs together, but the project wasn't finished.

At the end of 2005, the group reunited without Linn for some live shows. In November 2007, Ace of Base performed their first full concert since 1996 in Russia. They then went on a world tour in 2008 and 2009. They also recorded new versions of their hit songs and some new material. A new compilation album, Greatest Hits, was released in 2008.

New Members and The Golden Ratio (2009–2012)

Ace of Base performing during a fan meeting in Toronto, Canada (2010).

In 2009, Ulf and Jonas decided to add new singers to the group. They started working with Julia Williamson and Clara Hagman. Jenny decided not to be involved with the new album.

The new group kept the name Ace of Base, but it was sometimes written as "Ace.of.Base." Their first official single with the new lineup was "All for You", released in September 2010.

The album The Golden Ratio followed on September 24, 2010. It entered the German album charts at number 20. In March 2011, Jonas started releasing previously unreleased songs to fans online.

Changes and Hidden Gems (2012–Present)

In 2012, Julia Williamson and Clara Hagman left the group. Jenny continued to perform as "Jenny from Ace of Base."

In March 2015, a compilation album called Hidden Gems was released. It included many demo songs and B-sides that fans had never heard before. One of the last songs recorded by the original four members, "Would You Believe", was released to promote the album.

In 2016, Jenny said the original band would not re-form for music, but they would always be family. Jonas mentioned in 2018 that a reunion had been discussed.

In 2019, a new compilation album, Ace Of Base – Gold, was released in the UK. It was the group's first time back on the UK charts in 20 years.

To celebrate the group's 30th anniversary, a big 12-disc box set called All That She Wants: The Classic Collection came out in July 2020. This set included expanded versions of their first four albums, Hidden Gems, and a new Hidden Gems, Vol. 2. It also had unreleased demos and live recordings.

In 2023, the group released a 26-CD singles box set called Beautiful Life: The Singles. A three-part TV documentary series about the band, All That She Wants: The Unbelievable Story of Ace of Base, premiered in April 2024.

Ace of Base's Influence on Music

Musicians including Lady Gaga (left) and Katy Perry (right) have said Ace of Base influenced them.

Many famous musicians and singers have said that Ace of Base influenced their music.

• Lady Gaga said her album The Fame Monster was inspired by the "super pop melodies of the 90s" from groups like Ace of Base. Her song "Alejandro" has been compared to Ace of Base's style.
• Katy Perry wanted her album Teenage Dream to sound like "The Sign." She said it was "Ace of Base!"
• Robyn was inspired by Ace of Base for her song "Dancehall Queen".
• The band Clean Bandit has also named Ace of Base as an influence. Their song "Rockabye" has been compared to Ace of Base's sound.
• Tegan and Sara's song "Closer" was inspired by the band's music.
• The 2019 song "Liar" by Camila Cabello uses a melody from "All That She Wants."

Awards and Nominations

Ace of Base has won many awards throughout their career:

• 1993 Swedish Grammis – Best Pop Group
• 1993 Bronze BRAVO Otto (Germany) – Best rock/pop Group
• 1994 American Music Award – Favorite Band, Duo or Group – Pop / Rock
• 1994 American Music Award – Favorite New Artist – Pop / Rock
• 1994 Billboard Music Award – Artist of the Year
• 1994 World Music Award – World's Best-Selling Scandinavian Recording Artists of the Year (won this award multiple times)
• 1994 Echo (Germany) – Group of the Year
• 1998 Midem Fono Award – Most Played Song of the Year – Life Is a Flower
• They were nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1995, including Best Pop Album for The Sign.
• They have also received several BMI Awards for their song "The Sign" being played millions of times on US TV and radio.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Happy Nation / The Sign (1992/1993)
• The Bridge (1995)
• Flowers / Cruel Summer (1998)
• Da Capo (2002)
• The Golden Ratio (2010)

Images for kids

• 

  Linn's image was blurred on the cover art of Flowers.

• 

  Linn's image was blurred on the cover art of Cruel Summer.

See Also

In Spanish: Ace of Base para niños

• Swedish pop music