The Odeyssey for Ace of Base began in 1991. After responding to an ad in the Newspaper Göteborgs-Posten, the new quartet (Jonas Berggren. Ulf Ekberg, Malin Berggren, Jenny Berggren) started working in the studio with record producer John Ballard and decided to come up with a new name to make a fresh start, as well as to avoid confusion with another band with the same name who were attracting bad reviews.
They settled on Ace of Base after Ulf was inspired by the Motörhead song “Ace of Spades”.
In an interview in 2018, Ulf explained: “The name came out of a hangover I had on New Year’s Day. So, I was hungover, watching MTV, and saw Motörhead’s video for their song ‘Ace of Spades’. I liked the name, and I thought I’d play around with those words.
We’re four members in this band, so I thought, ‘Good. Four aces. I’ll keep the ace.’ Then I thought of our studio and how it’s our base. The group continued performing in the clubs of Gothenburg. They also sent out demo cassettes to numerous record companies, but “everybody refused” to sign them.
In May 1991, Jonas and Ulf travelled to various record companies in Stockholm, including Polar Music, who wanted them to record more songs first, and SweMix, who were interested but didn’t have the time to do anything with them until autumn.
In July, Klas Lunding at Telegram Records arranged for them to record (for a budget of SEK 30,000) a new version of “Wheel of Fortune” in their newly renovated Decibel Studio, but didn’t offer them a recording contract.
Mega Records in Denmark bought the master tape from Klas Lunding for 34,000 SEK, and their journey had begun.
– Wheel of Fortune demo sold to Mega Records in Denmark
February 1992
– Wheel of Fortune single released
March, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune single was released for a second time.
March 2, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune’s first TV performance at Swedish TV station ZTV
May 29, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune new entry #16 at Danslistan in Gothenburg
June 29, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune single released
July 10, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune entry Danish chart at #6
August 07, 1992
– All That She Wants new entry #8 Danslistan in Gothenburg
August 31, 1992
– All That She Wants single released
September, 1992
– Recording All That She Wants music video in Copenhagen
October 4, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune charts at #2 and All That She Wants at #1 in Denmark
October 5, 1992
– Received first Golden Award in Copenhagen, Denmark.
All That She Wants new entry #22 in Sweden
Wheel of Fortune debuts at #10 in Norway.
Kick Off First promo tour in Denmark
December 7, 1992
– Happy Nation single released
December 18, 1992
– Wheel of Fortune #1 in Norway
December 20, 1992
– Happy Nation entered Danish chart #3
January, 1993
– Received platinum record for Happy Nation album in Denmark
January 11, 1993
– All That She Wants debut in Germany #88
January 20, 1993
– Dansk Grammy nominee
January 23, 1993
– Happy Nation album debut on European top 100 albums #88
January 27, 1993
– Recording Happy Nation music video
January 30, 1993
– Happy Nation album #1 in Denmark
– Wheel of Fortune single released for the third time
February 7, 1993
– Swedish Dance Music Awards in Stockholm
February 10, 1993
– Happy Nation album new entry in Sweden #9
February 22, 1993
– Happy Nation album released in Germany
March 4, 1993
– Received an award for selling 50.000 copies of Happy Nation album in Norway
March 12, 1993
– All That She Wants #1 in Germany
March 21, 1993
– Happy Nation single new entry #3 in Sweden
April 2, 1993
– 500.000 copies of the single All That She Wants sold in Germany.
April 14, 1993
– Kick-off Happy Nation Tour – first concert in Valand Club, Gothenburg
April 25, 1993
– Waiting For Magic single released
April 24, 1993
– Israel – promotional trip
April 25, 1993
– First International Tour, performing in four different cities of Israel in 48 hours, including Tel Aviv, alongside Inner Circle and Dr Alban (in front of about 55,000 people).
April 26, 1993
– All That She Wants single was released in the UK.
May 3, 1993
– “Top of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – All That She Wants performance
June 4, 1993
– Waiting for Magic’s new entry, #9 Danstoppen, in Sweden
– Happy Nation album released in the UK
June 19, 1993
– Happy Nation album’s new entry at Official Album Chart #21 in the UK
July 7, 1993
– Gold and Platinum party event in Germany – accepting awards for All That She Wants, Wheel of Fortune and Happy Nation album
July, 1993
– Contract with American label Arista Records signed
August 16, 1993
– Wheel of Fortune single released in the UK
August 24, 1993
– All That She Wants single released in the USA
August 26, 1993
– “Top of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – Wheel of Fortune performance
September 16, 1993
– All That She Wants entered the Billboard Charts in the USA at #92
November 5-7, 1993
– The Sign video shoot at Studio 1 Filmhuset in Stockholm
November 6, 1993
– All That She Wants peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold 1 million copies
November 8, 1993
– Happy Nation album platinum certification in Sweden
November 22, 1993
– Happy Nation U S Version album was released in Europe
November 23, 1993
– The Sign album was released in the USA
November 25, 1993
– The Sign single was released in Europe
December 12, 1993
– Don’t Turn Around video shoot in Key Biscayne (Florida
December 23, 1993
– Golden Award in Sweden for the album Happy Nation US version
March 12, 1994
– The Sign single reached #1 on American Billboard’s Hot 100 chart
March 14, 1994
– Happy Nation (US Version) album was released in the UK
March 26, 1994
Happy Nation album re-entered in UK #3
April 2, 1994
– The Sign single and The Sign album are #1 on the official charts, Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200
April 19, 1994
– Don’t Turn Around single released in the UK
May 4, 1994
– World Music Awards in Monte Carlo. TV performance The Sign and accepting two awards: World’s Best Selling Pop-Newcomer Of The Year and World’s Best Selling Scandinavian Artist Of The Year
May 30, 1994
– Don’t Turn Around single released in the UK
June 18, 1994
– Don’t Turn Around single peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100
– July 2, 1994
Happy Nation album #1 in the UK
September 14-15, 1994
– Recording Living in Danger music video in Kungsträdgården Metro station, Stockholm
October 3, 1994
– Happy Nation single re-released in the UK
October 4, 1994
– Living in Danger single released in the USA
October 31, 1994
– Living in Danger single released in Europe
November 24, 1994
– MTV European Music Awards at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Performing Living in Danger
December 7, 1994
– Billboard Music Awards – Three awards accepted: Top New Artist, Song of the Year – The Sign, Artist of the Year
December 26, 1994
– Happy Nation Home Video released in Europe
January 2, 1995
– Living in Danger single released in the UK
January 30, 1995
– American Music Awards – Two awards accepted: Favourite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group, Favourite Pop/Rock New Artist
March 1, 1995
– Grammy Awards gala – Three times nominee: Best Pop Album for The Sign, New Artist, Best Vocal Performance By a Group or Duo for The Sign
World Music Awards in Monte Carlo – accepting World’s Best-Selling Scandinavian Recording Artists of the Year Award
August 4, 1995
– Lucky Love performance at the World Championships of Athletic opening ceremony in Gothenburg
August 23-24, 1995
– Recording of Lucky Love music video
October 2, 1995
– Lucky Love single released
October 10, 1995
– Beautiful Life music video recording in YFO Studios
October 23, 1995
– Never Gonna Say I’m Sorry music video recording
October 24, 1995
– Beautiful Life single released in the USA
The Bridge release party – Accepting Platinum Award for The Bridge
November 9, 1995
– Top Of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – Lucky Love performance
November 14, 1995
– The Bridge album was released in the USA
November 20, 1995
– The Bridge album was released in the UK
November 20, 1995
– Beautiful Life single released in Europe
December 2, 1995
– The Guinness Book of World Records announced that The Sign was the top-selling debut album of all time, with 19 million copies sold worldwide
December 16, 1995
– Beautiful Life peaks at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
January 15, 1996
January 20, 1996
– Dance D’or MIDEM in Cannes – Lucky Love and Beautiful Life performance, accepting Dance D’or European Awards For Dance Music
– The Bridge peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200 chart
January 29-30, 1996
– Recording of Lucky Love US Version music video in London
February 6, 1996
– Lucky Love was released in the UK
February 19, 1996
– Festival Vina Del Mar
February 24, 1996
– Lucky Love’s new entry, Billboard Hot 100 #66
March 11, 1996
– Never Gonna Say I’m Sorry, released in Europe
May 8, 1996
– World Music Awards in Monte Carlo – Beautiful Life performance, accepting World’s Best-Selling Scandinavian Recording Artists of the Year award
July 11, 1996
– IFPI Platinum Europe Awards in Brussels – Jenny and Ulf accepting the IFPI award for The Bridge
July 30, 1996
– Never Gonna Say I’m Sorry single released in the USA
April 17, 1997
– World Music Awards in Monte Carlo – Ravine performance, accepting World’s Best-Selling Scandinavian Recording Artists of the Year.
July 14, 1997
– Victoriadagen, Borgholm – concert for Princess Victoria at her 20th birthday.
February 16 1998
– Linn and Jenny presenting award @Grammys Awards
March 1998
– Recording video clip for Life Is A Flower
April 6, 1998
– Life Is A Flower single released in Europe
April 20, 1998
– Life Is A Flower single released in Sweden
May 29, 1998
– Receiving Gold Award in Denmark for Life Is A Flower
May 30, 1998
– Our Story documentary premiered on Swedish TV station STV1
May, 1998
– Ulf presenting the award at World Music Awards in Monte Carlo
June, 1998
– Recording video clip with French boyband Alliage for Cruel Summer
June 11, 1998
– Flowers release party in Stockholm, gold awards for Denmark and Sweden presented
June 15, 1998
– Flowers’ album was released
June 16, 1998
– Cruel Summer single was released in the USA
June 26, 1998
– Recording video for Cruel Summer in Rome, Italy
June 30, 1998
– Cruel Summer featuring Alliage was released in France
July 7, 1998
– Cruel Summer single was released
Life Is A Flower single released in the UK
July 14, 1998
– Cruel Summer album was released in the USA
Flowers album was released in the UK
August 22, 1998
– Cruel Summer single peaked at #10 on Billboard Hot 100 and got the Gold status
October 8, 1998
– Whenever You’re Near Me, single was released in the USA
November 6, 1998
– Travel To Romantis TV performance at Top Of The Pops in Germany
November 16, 1998
– Travel To Romantis single was released
December 3, 1998
– “Top Of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – Always Have Always Will performance
December 7, 1998
– Always Have, Always Will single was released
April 5, 1999
– Everytime it Rains single was released in the UK
April 19, 1999
– Flowers re-edition album was released in UK
October 25, 1999
– C’est La Vie (Always 21) single released in Europe
November 15, 1999
– Singles of the 90s album released
January 2000
– C’est La Vie (Always 21) single is #1 in Spain
January 24, 2000
– Hallo Hallo’s single was released
April 18, 2000
– Greatest Hits album was released in the USA
August, 2002
– Recording of Beautiful Morning music video in Gothenburg
September 9, 2002
– Beautiful Morning single was released
September 30, 2002
– Da Capo album was released
November 17, 2002
– Jonas and Ulf attended the Swedish Hit Music Awards
December 2, 2002
– Unspeakable single released in Scandinavia
December 9, 2002
– The Juvenile single was released
December, 2002
– Recording of Unspeakable music video in Stockholm
March 5, 2003
– Da Capo album was released in Japan
April 14, 2003
– Unspeakable single was released in Europe
October 14 – November 12, 2005
– They played 16 shows at Night of the Proms in Antwerp, Belgium.
November 15, 2007
– Ace of Base trio reunited for their first full-length concert since 1997 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
October 24, 2008
– Wheel of Fortune 2009 was released as a digital single.
November 9, 2008
– Koblo Remix project is launched: Wheel of Fortune 2009
November 14, 2008
– Greatest Hits (2008) box set released.
January 16, 2009
– Second Koblo Remix project is launched: Happy Nation 2009
February 24, 2009
– Third Koblo Remix project is launched: Lucky Love 2009
April 7, 2009
– Fourth Koblo Remix project is launched: Don’t Turn Around 2009
August 1, 2009
– Ace of Base performed their final concert in Moscow, Russia
November 14, 2010
– Platinum & Gold album was released
March 3, 2011
– Ace Thursdays started. Every Thursday, Jonas and Ray shared a collection of demos, instrumentals, and alternate versions on the group’s official Facebook page.
July 22, 2014
– The EP All That She Wants Remix was released
March 6, 2015
– Hidden Gems album was released
October 11, 2019
– The gold album was released
July 3, 2020
– All That She Wants Classic collection box released
April 28, 2023
– Beautiful Life The Singles 26 CD Box released
