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
All That She Wants new entry #8 Danslistan in Gothenburg
All That She Wants single released
Recording All That She Wants music video in Copenhagen
Wheel of Fortune charts at #2 and All That She Wants at #1 in Denmark
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
Happy Nation single released
Wheel of Fortune #1 in Norway
Happy Nation entered Danish chart #3
Received platinum record for Happy Nation album in Denmark
All That She Wants debut in Germany #88
Dansk Grammy nominee
Happy Nation album debut on European top 100 albums #88
Recording Happy Nation music video
Happy Nation album #1 in Denmark
Wheel of Fortune single released for the third time
Swedish Dance Music Awards in Stockholm
Happy Nation album new entry in Sweden #9
Happy Nation album released in Germany
Received an award for selling 50.000 copies of Happy Nation album in Norway
All That She Wants #1 in Germany
Happy Nation single new entry #3 in Sweden
500.000 copies of the single All That She Wants sold in Germany.
Kick-off Happy Nation Tour – first concert in Valand Club, Gothenburg
Waiting For Magic single released
– Israel – promotional trip
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).
All That She Wants single was released in the UK.
“Top of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – All That She Wants performance
Waiting for Magic’s new entry, #9 Danstoppen, in Sweden
Happy Nation album released in the UK
Happy Nation album’s new entry at Official Album Chart #21 in the UK
Gold and Platinum party event in Germany – accepting awards for All That She Wants, Wheel of Fortune and Happy Nation album
contract with American label Arista Records signed
Wheel of Fortune single released in the UK
All That She Wants single released in the USA
“Top of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – Wheel of Fortune performance
All That She Wants entered the Billboard Charts in the USA at #92
The Sign video shoot at Studio 1 Filmhuset in Stockholm
All That She Wants peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold 1 million copies
Happy Nation album platinum certification in Sweden
Happy Nation U S Version album was released in Europe
The Sign album was released in the USA
The Sign single was released in Europe
Don’t Turn Around video shoot in Key Biscayne (Florida
Golden Award in Sweden for the album Happy Nation US version
The Sign single reached #1 on American Billboard’s Hot 100 chart
Happy Nation (US Version) album was released in the UK
Happy Nation album re-entered in UK #3
The Sign single and The Sign album are #1 on the official charts, Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200
Don’t Turn Around single released in the UK
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
Don’t Turn Around single released in the UK
Don’t Turn Around single peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100
Happy Nation album #1 in the UK
Recording Living in Danger music video in Kungsträdgården Metro station, Stockholm
Living in Danger single released in the USA
Living in Danger single released in Europe
MTV European Music Awards at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Performing Living in Danger
Billboard Music Awards – Three awards accepted: Top New Artist, Song of the Year – The Sign, Artist of the Year
Happy Nation Home Video released in Europe
Living in Danger single released in the UK
American Music Awards – Two awards accepted: Favourite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group, Favourite Pop/Rock New Artist
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
Lucky Love performance at the World Championships of Athletic opening ceremony in Gothenburg
Recording of Lucky Love music video
Lucky Love single released
Beautiful Life music video recording in YFO Studios
Beautiful Life single released in the USA
The Bridge release party – Accepting Platinum Award for The Bridge
“Top Of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – Lucky Love performance
The Bridge album was released in the USA
The Bridge album was released in the UK
Beautiful Life single released in Europe
– 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
Beautiful Life peaks at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Beautiful Life single released in the UK
-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
Recording of Lucky Love US Version music video in London
Lucky Love was released in the UK
Festival Vina Del Mar
Lucky Love’s new entry, Billboard Hot 100 #66
Never Gonna Say I’m Sorry, released in Europe
World Music Awards in Monte Carlo – Beautiful Life performance, accepting World’s Best-Selling Scandinavian Recording Artists of the Year award
IFPI Platinum Europe Awards in Brussels – Jenny and Ulf accepting the IFPI award for The Bridge
Never Gonna Say I’m Sorry single released in the USA
World Music Awards in Monte Carlo – Ravine performance, accepting World’s Best-Selling Scandinavian Recording Artists of the Year.
Victoriadagen, Borgholm – concert for Princess Victoria at her 20th birthday.
Linn and Jenny presenting award @Grammys Awards
Recording video clip for Life Is A Flower
Life Is A Flower single released in Europe
Life Is A Flower single released in Sweden
Receiving Gold Award in Denmark for Life Is A Flower
Our Story documentary premiered on Swedish TV station STV1
Ulf presenting the award at World Music Awards in Monte Carlo
Recording video clip with French boyband Alliage for Cruel Summer
Flowers release party in Stockholm, gold awards for Denmark and Sweden presented
Flowers’ album was released
Cruel Summer single was released in the USA
Recording video for Cruel Summer in Rome, Italy
Cruel Summer featuring Alliage was released in France
Cruel Summer single was released
Life Is A Flower single released in the UK
Cruel Summer album was released in the USA
Flowers album was released in the UK
Cruel Summer single peaked at #10 on Billboard Hot 100 and got the Gold status
Whenever You’re Near Me, single was released in the USA
Travel To Romantis TV performance at Top Of The Pops in Germany
Travel To Romantis single was released
“Top Of The Pops” TV show (BBC) – Always Have Always Will performance
Always Have, Always Will single was released
Everytime it Rains single was released in the UK
Flowers re-edition album was released in UK
C’est La Vie (Always 21) single released in Europe
Singles of the 90s album released
C’est La Vie (Always 21) single is #1 in Spain
Hallo Hallo’s single was released
Greatest Hits album was released in the USA
Recording of Beautiful Morning music video in Gothenburg
Beautiful Morning single was released
Da Capo album was released
Jonas and Ulf attended the Swedish Hit Music Awards
Unspeakable single released in Scandinavia
The Juvenile single was released
Recording of Unspeakable music video in Stockholm
2003
Da Capo album was released in Japan
Unspeakable single was released in Europe
They played 16 shows at Night of the Proms in Antwerp, Belgium.
Ace of Base trio reunited for their first full-length concert since 1997 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
Wheel of Fortune 2009 was released as a digital single.
Koblo Remix project is launched: Wheel of Fortune 2009
Greatest Hits (2008) box set released.
Second Koblo Remix project is launched: Happy Nation 2009
Third Koblo Remix project is launched: Lucky Love 2009
Fourth Koblo Remix project is launched: Don’t Turn Around 2009
Ace of Base performed their final concert in Moscow, Russia
Platinum & Gold album was released
Ace Thursdays started. Every Thursday, Jonas and Ray shared a collection of demos, instrumentals, and alternate versions on the group’s official Facebook page.
The EP All That She Wants Remix was released
Hidden Gems album was released
The gold album was released
All That She Wants Classic collection box released
Beautiful Life The Singles 26 CD Box released