A-ha: The Sun Always Shines on TV (1985)

It only makes sense to follow up "Take on Me" with the video that was ostensibly its sequel... "The Sun Always Shines on TV."



Like the previous song, the single was released from the "Hunting High and Low" album, one of the most rock solid pop albums of the 1980s.



This powerhouse trio from Norway made their mark with a catchy sound, boyish good looks, lead singer Morten Harket's vocal range, and a series of memorable and creative videos.

Here is a live acoustic performance of the song from 2007 in Kiev.



And here is an extended remix...



To this day, A-ha is still going strong. Their latest albums have not made enormous waves in North America but continue to enjoy huge success in Europe.

A-ha: Take on Me (1985)

Due to the overwhelming success of this single, A-ha is sometimes erroneously remembered as a one-hit wonder.



The video was revolutionary for its time. Along with Peter Gabriel, A-ha established themselves as the visual masters of the 1980s, taking full advantage of the opportunities the MTV medium provided.

Here is the prototypical recording and video of the song, which preceded its 1985 worldwide mega-release with the comic book video.



The 1985 allbum, Hunting High and Low, from which the single was released, was one of the most consistent and listenable albums of the decade, and featured a number of singles which also utilized A-ha's distinctive visual style.



The song has endured several covers, including this version by Reel Big Fish, that made an appearance in the 1998 Trey Parker and Matt Stone film Baseketball.



And perhaps most importantly, there now exists a version of the song where the lyrics are a literal interpretation of the video. Pretty hard not to laugh...