Ace of Base “The Sign” hit #1

The Sign Ace of Base

Writer(s): Jonas “Joker” Berggren (see lyrics here) Released: December 21, 1993 First Charted: January 1, 1994 Peak: 16 US, 113 BA, 13 CB, 13 GR, 19 RR, 2 AC, 2 UK, 15 CN, 14 AU, 14 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.1 US, 0.4 UK, 2.15 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 125.40 video, 241.07 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Ace of Base hit #1 on four U.S. pop charts with “The Sign.” On February 11, 1994, they reached the pinnacle on the Radio & Records chart and followed suit a week later on the Gavin Report. On March 12, the song ascended to the throne on the Billboard Hot 100 and accomplished the same feat on the Cashbox charts a week later. The song also spent thirteen weeks at #1 on the Billboard radio airplay chart. It ended up the song of the year on Billboard’s year-end chart. Idolator ranked it the best pop song of 1994. WK The song experienced international success as well, going to the top slot in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, Spain, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe. WK Interestingly, the Swedish group did not top the Swedish charts or the UK charts, stalling at #2 in both cases. “The Sign” “featured a disco-esque beat and harmonies reminiscent of the earlier Swedish pop sensation, Abba,” DJ another group comprised of two female singers alongside two male musicians. However, a People magazine reviewer said that “The Sign” proved Ace of Base was more than just an Abba clone. WK Their debut album, Happy Nation, came out in 1992 but American labels weren’t interested until iconic record executive Clive Davis heard “All That She Wants” while on a yacht on vacation. That song was the group’s first single released outside of Scandinavia FB and went to #1 in multiple countries and reached #2 in the United States. Davis signed the band and revamped the album with three new songs, including “The Sign,” and a new album title – also The Sign. TB The album sold nine million copies in the United States. “The Sign” is about “a couple contemplating the state of their relationship and deciding to split up as a result.” WK As singer Jenny Berggren said, “You see signs in your life, and that’s why you change direction.” WK Musically, “the song has a simple, memorable, endlessly catchy chorus.” TB It “sounded like some streamlined, futuristic version of pop music.” TB Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Ace of Base FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 826. DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 173. SG Stereogum (2/28/2022). “The Number Ones” by Tom Breihan WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 8/11/2023.

Ace of Base’s The Sign released

First posted 11/15/2010; updated 11/24/2020.

Happy Nation/The Sign Ace of Base

Released: December 1992 HN, June 1, 1993 TS Peak: 12 US, 12 UK, 113 CN, 9 AU Sales (in millions): 9.0 US, 0.6 UK, 23.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: dance pop HN Happy Nation TS The Sign

Tracks on Happy Nation: (Click for codes to singles charts.) Voulez-Vous Danser All That She Wants (5/8/93, 2 US, 1 UK, 22 AC, 17 MR, platinum single) Just Chaos * Happy Nation (11/13/93, 40 UK) Waiting for Magic Fashion Party * Wheel of Fortune (8/28/93, 20 UK) Dancer in a Daydream My Mind W.O.F. (original club mix) * Dimension of Depth * Young and Proud All That She Wants (Banghra Version) * not on The Sign Tracks on The Sign: All That She Wants (5/8/93, 2 US, 1 UK, 22 AC, 17 MR, platinum single) Don’t Turn Around ** (5/7/94, 1a US, 5 UK, 7 AC, gold single) Young and Proud The Sign ** (1/1/94, 1 US, 2 UK, 2 AC, platinum single) Living in Danger ** (10/22/94, 16a US, 18 UK, 35 AC) Dancer in a Daydream Wheel of Fortune (8/28/93, 20 UK) Waiting for Magic Happy Nation (11/13/93, 40 UK) Voulez-Vous Danser My Mind All That She Wants (Banghra Version) ** not on Happy Nation

Rating: 3.872 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings) Awards:

About the Album: Tracking the development of these two albums (of which each has at least two versions) is confusing. First, this was “released in Europe as Happy Nation in 1992” WK with Wheel of Fortune being the lead single in Scandanavia in the summer of 1992. However, the album didn’t really take off until All That She Wants was a #1 hit in the U.K. in the spring of 1993. Then the album was “re-issued with a different track listing in the US as The Sign September 25, 1993.” WK Four songs were left off Happy Nation and replaced with three songs that became major hits – The Sign, Don’t Turn Around, and Living in Danger. “It’s easy to see why they were hits – the beat is relentless and the hooks are incessantly catchy.” STE However, “Ace of Base’s strong point is not versatility – all of their hit singles have exactly the same beat. But that doesn’t matter.” STE Ace of Base “managed to create a piece of melodic Euro-disco that was a huge hit all over the world, appealing to both dance clubs and pop radio.” STE As far as the albums go, matters were confused even more when the album was released again in Europe as The Sign and the bonus track ‘Hear Me Calling’ was added. As if this didn’t muddle the waters enough, now this new version of The Sign was then released again in the U.S. as Happy Nation: U.S. Version. In the end, the album that really is responsible for generating multi-million in sales worldwide is the original U.S. album entitled The Sign. It featured three top 5 hits in the U.S., another top 20 hit, and two more songs that were minor hits in the U.K. Only true fans need to seek out the original Happy Nation album. Notes: To really confuse matters, this album has been released in several variations. However, The Sign featured all the singles noted above, whereas those noted with an asterisk (*) did not appear on the original album Happy Nation. After The Sign was released in the U.S., it was also “re-issued in Europe with the same track listing as The Sign plus the previously unreleased track ‘Hear Me Calling.’” WK In the U.S., that album was then released “at the end of 1993 as Happy Nation U.S. Version.” WK Information on this page refers primarily to the U.S. version of The Sign, unless noted otherwise.

Resources and Related Links: Ace of Base’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry STE Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide WK Wikipedia