Minor Earth Major Sky

Following the release of a-ha's fifth studio album, Memorial Beach (1993), the band decided to go on a hiatus. In 1998, the band was invited to perform at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Paul Waaktaar-Savoy had written "Summer Moved On" especially for this performance.interview on "a-ha live at valhall homecoming" DVD, 2001 They also performed "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". This performance was a-ha's comeback into the world of music and the band decided to return to the studio.

Almost the entire album was remixed by producer Niven Garland at the record company's insistence to make it more radio-friendly for the band's German market.

"Summer Moved On", "Minor Earth Major Sky" and "Velvet" were commercially released as singles. "I Wish I Cared" was an Internet download single, accompanied by an Internet-only music video—one of the first of its kind.

The aircraft cockpit on the cover art is from a Boeing 707.

Backing vocals for the track "Velvet" were provided by Simone Larsen of Norwegian band D-Sound.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r486356|pure_url=yes}} link]

| rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2007 |publisher=Omnibus Press |location=United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84609-856-7 |pages=30 |edition=5th Concise}}

| rev3 = Musicfolio

| rev3score = {{Rating|3.5|5}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20110707115218/http://www.musicfolio.com/modernrock/a-ha.html link]

}}

Minor Earth Major Sky debuted at number one on the Norwegian Albums Chart, and became the band's first number one album in Germany. The album peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart, but was not released in the U.S.

This album was certified platinum in Norway and Germany and gold in Austria, Spain and Switzerland.

{{Track listing

| headline = Standard version

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Minor Earth Major Sky

| writer1 = Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Magne Furuholmen

| extra1 = Boogieman, Roland Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Kjetil Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length1 = 5:25

| title2 = Little Black Heart

| writer2 = Furuholmen, Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra2 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length2 = 4:35

| title3 = Velvet

| writer3 = Waaktaar-Savoy, Lauren Savoy

| extra3 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length3 = 4:21

| title4 = Summer Moved On

| writer4 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra4 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length4 = 4:38

| title5 = The Sun Never Shone That Day

| writer5 = Waaktaar-Savoy, Savoy

| extra5 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length5 = 4:40

| title6 = To Let You Win

| writer6 = Morten Harket, Håvard Rem

| extra6 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length6 = 4:24

| title7 = The Company Man

| writer7 = Furuholmen, Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra7 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length7 = 3:15

| title8 = Thought That It Was You

| writer8 = Harket, Ole Sverre-Olsen

| extra8 = Bjerkestrand

| length8 = 3:50

| title9 = I Wish I Cared

| writer9 = Furuholmen

| extra9 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length9 = 4:23

| title10 = Barely Hanging On

| writer10 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra10 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length10 = 3:56

| title11 = You'll Never Get Over Me

| writer11 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra11 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}

| length11 = 5:40

| title12 = I Won't Forget Her

| writer12 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra12 = Boogieman

| length12 = 4:44

| title13 = Mary Ellen Makes the Moment Count

| writer13 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra13 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| length13 = 4:51

| all_writing =

| total_length =

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese version (bonus track)

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title14 = Summer Moved On

| note14 = remix

| writer14 = Waaktaar-Savoy

| extra14 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}, C.L.A.S.S. Production{{ref|b|[b]}}

| length14 = 6:00

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Russian version (bonus tracks)

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title14 = Minor Earth Major Sky

| note14 = Black Dog mix

| writer14 = Waaktaar-Savoy, Furuholmen

| extra14 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}, R.A.S{{ref|b|[b]}}, Island Brothers{{ref|b|[b]}}

| length14 = 4:07

| title15 = Velvet

| note15 = Stockholm mix

| writer15 = Waaktaar-Savoy, Savoy

| extra15 = Boogieman, Spremberg, a-ha{{ref|a|[a]}}, Bjerkestrand{{ref|a|[a]}}, Palaar Suna{{ref|b|[b]}}

| length15 = 4:16

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 2019 deluxe edition (disc two)

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Minor Earth Major Sky

| note1 = Early Version

| length1 = 5:50

| title2 = Little Black Heart

| note2 = Alternate Mix

| length2 = 4:35

| title3 = Velvet

| note3 = Early Version

| length3 = 5:18

| title4 = Summer Moved On

| note4 = Early Version

| length4 = 4:38

| title5 = The Sun Never Shone That Day

| note5 = Early Version

| length5 = 4:24

| title6 = To Let You Win

| note6 = Early Mix

| length6 = 4:39

| title7 = We Will Never Speak Again

| note7 = Demo

| length7 = 4:19

| title8 = The Company Man

| note8 = Early Version

| length8 = 4:30

| title9 = Life's Not Fair

| note9 = Early Version of "I Wish I Cared"

| length9 = 3:31

| title10 = Barely Hanging On

| note10 = Early Version

| length10 = 3:52

| title11 = I Won't Forget Her

| note11 = Early Version

| length11 = 4:51

| title12 = Manhattan Skyline

| note12 = Live - Oslo 2001

| length12 = 5:51

| title13 = Thought That It Was You

| note13 = Live - Oslo 2001

| length13 = 3:45

| title14 = You'll Never Get Over Me

| note14 = Live - Oslo 2001

| length14 = 6:02

| title15 = Mary Ellen Makes the Moment Count

| note15 = Live Oslo - 2001

| length15 = 6:06

| title16 = Summer Moved On

| note16 = Demo

| length16 = 3:34

}}

• {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies a co-producer
• {{sup|{{note|b|[b]}}}} signifies a remixer

• Morten Harket – vocals
• Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, string arrangements
• Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitars, string arrangements

• Sven Lindvall – bass (2, 13)
• Jørun Bøgeberg – bass (11)
• Frode Unneland – drums (1, 7)
• Per Lindvall – drums (3, 10, 13)
• Per Hillestad – drums (11)
• Kjetil Bjerkestrand – string arrangements
• Norwegian Radio Orchestra – strings
• Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra – strings
• Vertavo String Quartet – strings (11)
• Simone Eriksrud – vocals (3)
• Lauren Savoy – vocals (11)

• a-ha – arrangements [http://www.discogs.com/a-ha-Minor-Earth-Major-Sky/release/188819 a-ha – Minor Earth | Major Sky]
• Jon Marius Aareskjold – engineer, Pro Tools operator
• Jan-Erik Kongshaug – engineer
• Ulf Holand – engineer
• Niven Garland – mixing (1, 2, 3, 5, 7–13)
• Andreas Herbig "Boogieman" – mixing (4, 6)
• Kjetil Bjerkestrand – Pro Tools operator
• Magne Furuholmen – art direction
• Kjetil Try – art direction
• Henrik Haugen – logo artwork
• Bjørn Opshal – photography

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Minor Earth Major Sky}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=A-ha|title=Minor Earth / Major Sky|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2000|certyear=2000|access-date=19 January 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=A-ha|title=Minor Earth Major Sky|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2000|certyear=2000|certref={{cite book |last=Salaverrie |first=Fernando |date=September 2005 |url=http://www.mediafire.com/file/7q55521w7go6vh6/Spanish+Certifications+for+2000-2002.pdf |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=Spanish |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=Fundación Autor/SGAE |page=954 |isbn=84-8048-639-2 |access-date=19 January 2019}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|artist=A-ha|title=Minor Earth, Major Sky|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2000|certyear=2000|access-date=19 January 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814062218/http://www.darsu.btinternet.co.uk/discography/a-ha/album5.htm#mems |date=August 14, 2007 |title=Album entry on a-ha discography site }}

{{a-ha}}

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Category:A-ha albums

Category:2000 albums

Category:Warner Music Group albums