Minor Earth, Major Sky (25th Anniversary Edition)

a-ha are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Minor Earth, Major Sky with a special edition release. The album marked a defining moment in the Norwegian trio’s career. Originally released in 2000, it signaled a triumphant comeback after a seven-year hiatus, reaffirming both their lasting relevance and continued creative evolution.

The 25th Anniversary Edition pairs the original tracklist—remastered in 2019—with four exclusive live recordings from a-ha’s 2001 concert at Oslo’s Valhall Arena, now available on vinyl for the very first time. Pressed on two high-quality 180g silver vinyl LPs, this edition is a must-have for collectors and fans alike, offering a renewed perspective on a modern classic while celebrating a-ha’s enduring legacy in pop music.

Minor Earth, Major Sky tells the story of a band that, while seemingly pausing between 1994 and 2000, never stopped making music. The group has described this period as transitional: “ „No one believed that it was over, it was more that nothing kept us together at that point,” recalls Magne Furuholmen in the liner notes of the 2019 Deluxe Edition. The spark for their reunion came in 1998, when a-ha performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo—a one-off appearance that unexpectedly reignited their creative chemistry and paved the way for a new album that picked up right where Memorial Beach (1993) left off.

The Anniversary Edition features the full set of remastered originals—from the soaring title track Minor Earth, Major Sky and the dreamy Velvet to the timeless hit Summer Moved On—alongside four previously unreleased live versions (Minor Earth, Major Sky, The Sun Never Shone That Day, Velvet, and Summer Moved On). Blending studio precision with live emotion, this collection offers fans a rare glimpse into a-ha’s artistic vision and stage energy during that pivotal era.

“We make a-ha music, no matter the circumstances,” Magne Furuholmen wrote in 2019. A quarter of a century later, the 25th Anniversary Edition of Minor Earth, Major Sky stands as proof of that statement—a testament to the band’s timeless sound and enduring creative spirit.