It may sound like a bitter statement but its just true. I single out these 3 bands because they all have mentioned a-ha as influences and are all currently using their sound. Ripping off may be a harsh word, but listen to a track from a-Ha's 1990 record called "Waiting For Her" the piano chords played are the same exact ones in Coldplays "Clocks". Anything from Keanes first album can also be found on any a-Ha record between 1985-2005. I recently listened to a live "acoustic" show a-ha played in Tiscali, and i realized how ripped off they were, other bands that have aknowledged "stealing from a-Ha" u2 and Radiohead. I guess it just annoys me when i see Vh1 embrace a band like Snow Patrol like they are Original, and then America wont release the "source" being a-Ha because they are too old, earl to mid 40's, America doesnt want that, apparently you can only make music overseas if you are of that age.

I never heard anyone mention that Coldplay ripped of a-ha's sound; I heard that they ripped off U2 and borrowed from Radiohead. Then again, here in the USA, a-ha was only a one-album wonder new wave band that quickly came and went. I know here they were quickly forgotten, but I was not aware of their extensively prolific career in Europe until recently. (Kylie Minogue was treated the same way here in the USA. She was considered a one-hit wonder until she released "Can't Get You Out of My Head," and most Americans didn't know that she was a major pop star worldwide.)

As fro VH1, they probably embrace bands like Snow Patrol and Keane just to play anything rock-oriented that's by a relatively new group. Otherwise they'd be stuck playing all teen pop and crappy hip-hop. Right now, they're the only major music outlet playing any music by artists older than 25.

Well they are nothing like the Pop New wave band they were considered to be. Currently they are working on their 10th album, a follow up to what i think was their best yet "Analogue", which sold about million worldwide, they also still have about 10 shows left this fall to play in Russia, basically on this current tour they have played everywhere but the USA, their last date in the US on September 12th 2005, was just a one off club show in NYC that was amazing, the show sold out in 9 minutes, and there was about a 10 minute ovation after the first song to welcome them back to the USA. But as with all Labels, in their case Universal they will not put the record out here, nor will they pay for a-ha to travel to the states to play shows, which is why it was a one off gig, from what i heard from sources close to the band, the trip to NYC and bringing all their equipment over etc.. cost them alot of money, which was all out of pocket. The really good thing also about this past year or so is that the UK embraced a-ha again, which at one point was their strongest market, but since 2000 their records werent issued in the UK, between 2000-2005 a-ha's strongest markets were south amercia, germany and Norway. But it is a good sign that the UK came around again. But like u said in America if u mention a-Ha its all about "take on me" and 99% of america think they recorded just the one album, they are shocked when u tell them that they are the pioneers of the whole "Radiohead,Coldplay,Keane" sound.

i'm sorry. but to say Coldplay ripped of A-Ha is very incorrect. I know you dig a-ha, and are all about them, but don't let that misguide you from actual comparisons..

if we were to say coldplay ripped anyone off.. it would be radiohead by a country mile.. but I don't feel that way. but that would be the closest comparison.

I have never really gotten the comparison of Radiohead and Coldplay outside the fact that they were both called the greatest band ever until someone else slightly different came along. I think another thing similar with Coldplay and Radiohead is how they both have lead singers that seem to overshadow their bands. The basic things that make up Coldplay are what make up a-Ha, the Piano,Vocal,Drum scenario, which has now become the normal thing, with bands like Keane and the Fray and every other band that Vh1 plays. The thing is a-Ha was sometimes viewed as Warner Brothers attempt to sign a Duran Duran like band, which is crazy, though i love Duran Duran, head to head, a-Ha blows Duran Duran away easily, from band members to songwriting. I think a great example of the borrowing, stealing can easily be heard on the solo record by a-Ha's Piano/Vocalist Magne Furuholmen, 2 members of Coldplay actually play on the record.

i don't know about a-ha, but coldplay (and especially chris martin) have been trying to rip off u2 for years.

Sdldawn said:

Coldplay didn't rip off Radiohead, they ARE the radio-friendly version of Radiohead...
[Edited 9/16/06 17:22pm]

lastdecember said:

Are you kidding me? do you know much about radiohead?


Coldplay used their same format to create their empire...

the key thing for any musician or band to remember is - NEVER CITE YOUR INFLUENCES! For these people to openly admit they were 'ripping off' another band is just a cynical way of appealing to an older market. "We sound like early U2" is a way of catching the ear of a potential older market that might be inclined to listen to your stuff because they mentally hark back to their younger days thinking "i really liked U2 back in the day, I wonder if these young whippersnappers will remind me of my youth with their essential vibrancy and energy which comes from being young and openly ripping off older bands". And before you know it you've added another cd to your already overpopulated cd rack, never to play it again as you were suddenly distracted by the souffle in the oven that has just collapsed for the twenty eighth time in a row....

ALSO: Radiohead? Coldplay? Only possible comparison is piano and whining.
[Edited 9/16/06 22:17pm]

mrsquirrel said:

.... what... the... fuck.....

I hate Coldplay!

Sdldawn said:

Exactly, and Radiohead have admitted to their lifting and listening to a-Ha and a solo record that was done by Magne Furuholmen of a-Ha, and from that listening came Kid A and Amnesiac. Back in 2000, u2 and radiohead members cited that "Minor Earth Major Sky" was the best record of the year, and of course u2 admitted to lifting parts of Sun Always Shines for their hit "Beautiful Day". Even Thom yorke admitted that "Sycamore Leaves" from a-Ha's 1990 record, influenced alot of OK computer. I just think that the a-Ha way of creating, and their sound and technique has influenced, been borrowed, stolen whatever it may be, i just think its time for the source to be revealed. a-Ha are more than the poster boys for cartoon videos that america made them, they have had 20+ singles not 1, they have 10+ albums not 1, they are easily the most overlooked band of the last 25 years, at least in the states.

These guys all copy Madonna...they all do!!!

MikeMatronik said:

[Edited 9/17/06 11:11am]
Well the funny thing is that Madonna performed "take on me" once in the 80's, i say once because she realized her limits vocally.
[Edited 9/17/06 11:11am]

lastdecember said:

It kind of cracks me up that Keane seem to be ripping off early 2000 U2...is the culture feeback loop that speedy now?

A-ha ripped off everybody and their mother.

MendesCity said:

That is insanity, a-Ha started this whole "acoustic/piano/vocal" movement way back in 1989 when they recorded "East of the sun West of the moon", this was when it wasnt the cool thing to be acoustic, now everyone is all of a sudden. As far as Keane, their first CD was a total a-Ha rip off, and their new one is a total U2 rip. I think everyone should get into the a-Ha records from 1990-2005 and then see what other bands were doing right after that and are doing now, and realize the pioneers, whether u like them or not.

I was a Coldplay-fan up untill 'Rush Of Blood.....', those two albums were/are just great.....Saw them live for 'Rush...' and it was a great performance. Then X&Y came and I saw them live again, directly after the album came out, in a big ass stadion.....immediately I was fed up with them! Not because of the stadion, they just got big, but their last album just didn't do it for me.....

I saw Snowpatrol twice: opening for the Pixies 2 years ago, first three songs were ok, the rest were bad rip-oofs of the first three songs..... Saw them again opening for U2 last year.....and it just sucked.....not a fan!

a-ha? I don't see any comparison.....

abierman said:

Have u heard anything beyond their first album. Alot of people have said a-Ha have nothing to do with this sound, but havent heard anything that they have done since the 80's, this is all based on their work from 1989-till 2005's "Analogue" album, and their solo work.

I aint tryin to diss u or anything.. i just don't understand where the "matter" is... so what if they tapped into a sound they might have had at a certian era... it's not gonna change anything...

Sdldawn said:

Plain and simple its a matter of age. The reason that a-Ha isnt released here is because of their age, and thats the truth, i got that from a rep at Universal which is were they are signed now for their next 3 albums. Mainly the explanation i got, was that it didnt matter that they can sell a million overseas, its that they couldnt sell half of that here, and as a label "we are not going to waste $$ to promote" and thats an actual quote. Another reason i got was that they wouldnt release them here because they are an 80's group and unless they are going to update old hits or release a hits package it doesnt benefit for us to release them. What killed me was that about a month later "Universal" released the latest Bananarama album, which was all new material, and it sold about 18 copies. My main point is not that a-Ha be a million seller in the US, cause honestly no one is anymore, my point is that they be given the chance to be heard since all of these acts have taken their sound,influence,chord progressions etc..

Just last night i thought Vh1 was playing a joke on me they played in a row, Colplay,Keane and this new guy Matt Kearney, who sounds like he is ripping off Colplay ripping off a-Ha. Now as a-Ha are writing and working their new CD set for a March 2007 release the label is talking about putting it out here, well dont hold your breath, cause at the end of this year Universal is cutting loose about 75-100 artists that are selling under 100,000.