Ace of Base Biography

Ace of Base was a Swedish dance-pop group, formed in 1990. With over 30 million albums sold, they became the third most successful Swedish band in history. They are best known for their early releases, such as All That She Wants, The Sign, Wheel of Fortune and Happy Nation.

Formation & Happy Nation/ The Sign

Before forming the legendary quartet, the two female members used to sing in local church choirs, while their brother, Jonas, and his friend, Ulf, played the keyboard and wrote songs. The group began performing at clubs, in the summer of 1990. They were quickly discovered and, in 1992, they released their debut single, Wheel of Fortune, which, at first, only gained local success.

Their breakthrough single was All That She Wants, which was heavily promoted on MTV. It topped numerous European charts, making way for Ace of Base’s debut album, Happy Nation. The album was so successful, that it immediately receive an American release as well, under the name The Sign. The album reached 9x Platinum in the US and Diamond in Canada. Furthermore, it received numerous awards and 3 Grammy nominations.

The Bridge to The Golden Ration

In 1995, Ace of Base released their second album, The Bridge. Although it sold well, it wasn’t near as successful as its predecessor and it generated a 3-year hiatus. They returned in 1997 with Flowers/ Cruel Summer, but their effort went unnoticed. The main singer, Linn, quit, leaving Jenny in her place. Ulteriorly, Linn officially left the band. After a singles collection and a greatest hits album, the group became a trio and released a fourth album, Da Capo (2002). They performed all over the world until, eventually, Jenny left as well, in late 2009.

The remaining members, Jonas and Ulf, tried to revive Ace of Base, adding two female singers. Clara Hagman and Julia Williamson. However, the band’s final studio album, The Golden Ratio, received good reviews from critics but failed to make a statement.

Photo source: Discogs