Happy Nation

For the song, see Happy Nation (song).
See also: The Sign (Ace of Base album)
Happy Nation
Studio album by
Ace of Base
Released2 November 1992
RecordedJanuary–May 1992
Genre
Length49:21
Label
Producer
Ace of Base chronology
Happy Nation
(1992) 		The Sign
(1993)
Alternative cover
U.S. version (re-release)
Singles from Happy Nation
  1. "Wheel of Fortune"
    Released: 29 May 1992
  2. "All That She Wants"
    Released: 31 August 1992
  3. "Happy Nation"
    Released: 7 December 1992
  4. "Waiting for Magic"
    Released: 12 April 1993
  5. "The Sign"
    Released: 1 November 1993
  6. "Don't Turn Around"
    Released: 14 March 1994
  7. "Living in Danger"
    Released: 4 October 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]
The Guardian(favorable)[2]
Music Week[3]

Happy Nation is the debut studio album by the Swedish pop group Ace of Base. It was initially released in Denmark on 2 November 1992 by Mega Records. During the album's development, the group was significantly influenced by a Jamaican reggae band that was recording in a nearby studio.[4] For its release in North America, Japan, and some Latin American countries, the album was retitled The Sign, featuring a heavily revised track listing along with three new tracks. To coincide with this, Happy Nation was reissued with the new tracks in other territories under the title Happy Nation (U.S. Version). In 1995, Guinness Book of World Records recognized the LP as the best-selling debut studio effort in music history, with over 19 million copies sold worldwide.[5] By 1998, Happy Nation/The Sign had sold approximately 21 million units, including 9 million in the U.S. alone.[6] Happy Nation/The Sign remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.

  1. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). United Kingdom: Omnibus Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-84609-856-7.
  2. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (1993-06-11). "Music: Rock/pop". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Jones, Alan (1993-06-19). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  4. ^ "Ulf Ekberg (Ace of Base): The Interview". EuroMenTravel. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  5. ^ Tortorici, Frank (2000-05-18). "Ace of Base's Jenny Berggren". MTV. Archived from the original on September 11, 2016. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  6. ^ Ferro, Charles (30 May 1998). "Ace Of Base Sprouts 'Flowers'". Billboard. p. 70. Retrieved 1 November 2019.