1985's a-ha debut 'Hunting High and Low' to get expanded vinyl box set reissue in February

Norwegian pop band a-ha have announced that their hit 1985 debut album Hunting High and Low will be released for the first time ever in a 6LP boxset on February 24. It features an expanded track selection including demos, extended versions, alternate mixes, and B-sides.The collection also will feature a highly collectible rigid slipcase box, containing the album represented across 60 tracks on black 140g vinyl, and a 64 -page 12”x12” booklet with extensive liner notes and photography.

With major worldwide hit singles such as ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV’, ‘Love Is Reason’, ‘Hunting High and Low’, and ‘Take On Me,’ a-ha achieved international acclaim, and the album saw them nominated for a Grammy Award in 1986 for Best New Artist (the first Norwegian band to ever be nominated for a Grammy).

‘Take On Me’ itself became a No.1 single in the USA and remained on the chart for several weeks, propelled by its groundbreaking music video which featured a mix of pencil sketch animation and live action footage.

The song has gone on to have an everlasting legacy, becoming No.1 in 14 further countries worldwide, achieving 2 billion streams worldwide including being the most streamed song from the year 1985, and garnering over 1.5 billion views on YouTube, and over 1 billion views from various Tik Tok challenges.

In October 2022, the song received the BMI Multi-Million Performance Award for more than 8 million airings on the US airwaves since it was released.

Hunting High and Low has gone onto be 3x platinum in the UK, and certified platinum in the United States, and has sold over ten million copies worldwide.

On the 6LP boxset release, the band said:

“Recording Hunting High And Low was such a defining moment and an exciting time in our career and joint collaboration, so revisiting this body of work now – more than 30 years later – feels like inspiration rather than obligation.”

Tracklist:

LP1 – The Original Album:Take On Me

Train Of Thought
Hunting High And Low
The Blue Sky
Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale
The Sun Always Shines On TV
And You Tell Me
Love Is Reason
Dream Myself Alive
Here I Stand And Face The Rain

LP2 & LP3 – The Demos 1982-1984

Lesson One (Autumn 1982 “Take On Me” Demo)
Presenting Lily Mars (Nærsnes Demo)
Så Blåser Det På Jorden (Nærsnes Demo)
The Sphinx (Nærsnes Demo)
Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale (Nærsnes Demo)
Dot The I
The Love Goodbye
Nothing To It
Go To Sleep
Train Of Thought (Demo)
Monday Mourning
All The Planes That Come In On The Quiet
The Blue Sky (Demo)
You Have Grown Thoughtful Again
What’s That You’re Doing To Yourself In The Pouring Rain
Take On Me (Demo)
Hunting High And Low (Demo)
Dreaming Myself Alive (Demo)
And You Tell Me (Demo)
Here I Stand And Face The Rain (Demo)
Love Is Reason (Demo)
The Blue Sky (2nd Demo)
Never Never
The Sun Always Shines On TV (Demo)
Presenting Lily Mars (Rendezvous Demo)

LP4 & LP5 – Singles, Extended Versions & B-Sides

Take On Me (Original 7” Version 1984)
Take On Me (1984 12” Mix)
Stop! And Make Your Mind Up
Take On Me (1985 12” Mix)
Take On Me ( Instrumental Mix)
The Sun Always Shines On TV (7” Mix)
The Sun Always Shines On TV (Extended Version)
Driftwood
The Sun Always Shines On TV (Extended Version)
The Sun Always Shines On TV ( Instrumental)
Train Of Thought (7” Remix)
Train Of Thought (US Remix)
Train Of Thought (Dub Mix)
Hunting High And Low (7” Remix)
Hunting High And Low (Extended Remix)LP6 – The Alternate MixesTake On Me (Video Version)
Train Of Thought (Early Mix)
Hunting High And Low (Early Mix)
The Blue Sky (Alternative Long Mix)
Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale (Early Mix)
The Sun Always Shines On TV (Alternate Mix)
And You Tell Me (Early Mix)
Love Is Reason (Early Mix)
Dream Myself Alive (Early NYC Mix)
Here I Stand And Face The Rain (Early Mix)