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Aqua (band)
Encyclopedia
Aqua is a Danish
dance-pop
group
, best known for their 1997 breakthrough single "Barbie Girl
". The group formed in 1989 and achieved huge success across the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group managed to top the UK Singles Chart
with their first three singles. The group released two albums: Aquarium in 1997 and Aquarius
in 2000, before splitting up in July 2001. The group sold an estimated 33 million albums and singles, making them the most successful Danish band ever.
In their prime, Aqua's singles managed to chart top ten in a number of countries where continental Europe
an pop
acts would not normally succeed, including the United States
, Australia
, and Japan
. The group also caused controversy with the double entendre
s in their "Barbie Girl" single, with the Barbie
doll makers Mattel
filing a lawsuit against the group. The lawsuit was finally dismissed by a judge in 2002, who ruled "The parties are advised to chill".
The band's members are vocalists Lene Nystrøm and René Dif
, keyboardist Søren Rasted, and guitarist Claus Norreen
. During their split, Nystrøm, Dif and Rasted have all achieved solo chart success, and Norreen has continued in the music industry remix
ing other artists' material.
At a press event on Friday, October 26, 2007, the group announced a reunion tour, as well as the release of a compilation album
featuring new material. Their third album, Megalomania
was released on October 3, 2011.
and Søren Rasted met in 1989, and throughout the early 1990s, they started writing songs together. At that time, René Dif
was working in Holland as a club DJ, and Søren and Claus were both starting out as producers
. Søren Rasted and Claus Norreen had won a contest and were hired to produce a soundtrack. For some of the songs they hired René Dif. The three were brought in to make part of the soundtrack for a little-known film titled Frække Frida og de frygtløse spioner
. The recording of the soundtrack began in 1993, and after getting along well, decided that they would work together again on a future project. A few months after the film was released in 1994, René Dif spotted Lene Nystrøm singing on the Norway–Denmark ferry, M/S Peter Wessel. He then approached her and hired her as the lead singer of Joyspeed, later renamed Aqua. The formation of Joyspeed was on the basis that both Claus and Søren would do the production for the group, with René Dif rapping and Lene Nystrøm performing the main vocals
. A small Swedish
record label
signed them in 1994, and their very first single "Itzy Bitzy Spider
" was released in Sweden. The single failed to become popular and after one week at the lower end of the Swedish charts it disappeared completely. The four were disappointed and canceled their contract with the record label (although the label wanted to keep the group on for further releases).
sound. The four began to produce and write melodic, catchy European pop songs, attracting the attention of major label Universal Music Denmark
. They renamed themselves Aqua, choosing the name seen on a poster
for an aquarium
in their dressing room, and eventually accepted Universal Music Denmark's offer of a recording contract in 1996. The group's first release under their new name was "Roses Are Red", a dance song with a distinct pop sound. It was released in Denmark in September 1996, and was expected to break into the Danish top ten. The single far surpassed all expectations set by the label, though, and stayed in the charts for over two months, eventually selling enough copies to be certified platinum. The success of the single was further proven when Aqua received a nomination for "Best Danish Dance Act", although the group did not win.
The instant success of "Roses Are Red" proved to Aqua that their new sound was popular with the public, and as a result their follow-up single followed the same formula. Titled "My Oh My", the single again featured catchy lyrics paired with a soft, melodic beat. Upon its release in February 1997, "My Oh My" broke all Danish sales records by being certified gold within six days. The single went straight to number one in Denmark, and made Aqua a household name in the country. The first two singles proved to Universal Music Denmark that Aqua was a very marketable group, and as a result the label looked to start marketing their music across the continent. Aqua released their debut album Aquarium in Denmark on March 26, 1997. The album contained 11 tracks, including their first two singles and their then upcoming third single "Barbie Girl
". Universal Music Group had by now begun to market the group in other countries, releasing "Roses Are Red" in Japan
in February 1997 and in various countries across Europe in late 1996. The single had proven popular everywhere it was sold, convincing Universal that the group should not just focus on the Danish market, but instead on the general European market.
Aqua released their third single "Barbie Girl" in May 1997. The song, at first glance, appears to be about the popular children's doll
Barbie
. However, at second glance, the song contains several sexual overtones, such as "You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere," "You can touch, you can play," and "Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky". This caused some controversy upon its release in Denmark, but despite the controversy and perhaps partly due to it, it still sold well and easily made number one in the charts. The song was so popular that it was played regularly on radio stations which did not air dance music. Universal Music decided to ignore complaints about the double meanings in "Barbie Girl", and successfully released the single across the world in September 1997 and October 1997. The release was highly successful, making number one in the United Kingdom
for four weeks, in Australia for three weeks, and even managing to make the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100
, something rarely achieved at the time by European pop acts. The song and group became a household name overnight, but to most of the world were instantly written off as a one-hit wonder
. The double meanings in "Barbie Girl" caused the expected controversy, with many complaints aimed at Universal for releasing the track.
Mattel
also filed a lawsuit
against the group's record label (Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, 296 F.3d 894 (9th Cir. 2002)), claiming that the song had damaged the reputation of the Barbie brand. Judge Alex Kozinski
writing for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
upheld the district court finding the use of Mattel's trademark in "Barbie Girl" fell within the noncommercial use exemption to the Federal Trademark Dilution Act
. Judge Kozinski concluded his opinion by writing, "The parties are advised to chill." Aqua released their album Aquarium across the world in the autumn of 1997. Although the album sold well, many still wrote the group off as a one-hit wonder. Despite this, and much criticism from the media, Aqua had made their international breakthrough, and were now known across the world. Aqua's follow-up to "Barbie Girl" in Canada and the United Kingdom was "Doctor Jones
", although another single, "Lollipop (Candyman)
", was released in the United States
through MCA Records
. "Doctor Jones" entered at number one in several countries, including the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top spot for two weeks, and Australia, where it spent seven weeks at #1. "Lollipop (Candyman)" did not fare as well in the USA, only peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. However the song peaked at #3 in Australia. In Japan both songs were released as a double-A side, and achieved reasonable success in the singles chart.
"Doctor Jones" was followed up by "Turn Back Time
", a song which proved to be accepted well by both Aqua fans and critics. The song, unlike all other previous releases, dropped the bubblegum pop sound in favour of a slow, mainstream rhythm. The song was featured on the soundtrack to the film Sliding Doors
, and unlike many other Aqua releases achieved a large amount of radio and video airplay
. The song became their third single to make it to number one in the United Kingdom
. As of 2005, only a handful of other artists have managed to achieve that kind of initial success in the UK (acts that have included Westlife
and the Spice Girls
). Elsewhere, the song also performed well, including reaching #10 in Australia, however it would not be a success in the US and thus marked the end of Aqua's involvement Stateside.
"My Oh My", Aqua's second Danish single was resurrected in August 1998. The single was also released in several other European countries where it had not been released initially. Following the release of "Good Morning Sunshine", Aqua decided to concentrate on their second album, and on touring around in Australia
, to very moderate success, and marked the end of a period Aqua's fans dubbed the "Aquarium age". The group also released a documentary on 1 December 1998 containing several live performances of songs from the Aquarium album and interviews with the members.
in February 2000. The album instantly proved popular with their fan base, despite some changes to their sound. Unlike Aquarium, the Aquarius album did not just follow one formula, and instead contained several different musical styles. Tracks such as "Cartoon Heroes
" and "Bumble Bees
" preserved the pop sound of their debut album. The single "Cartoon Heroes" was released along with the album. The song featured some "anthemic" tones, but kept most of the features that had made Aquarium so successful. The single made #7 in the United Kingdom, and sold well across Europe and Australia, peaking at #16 on the Australian charts. The song is often best remembered for its music video
. The album charted in the United Kingdom at #10. Aqua released their UK follow-up single "Around the World
" in June 2000, although they would be disappointed when it only managed to chart at #26 and at #62 in Australia. Although it was not expected to be at the time, Around the World would be Aqua's final UK single release.
Aqua released "Bumble Bees
" and "We Belong to the Sea
" as singles in Scandinavia
, mainland Europe and Australia, achieving reasonable success with both. The group planned to release Freaky Friday as a third UK single in early 2001. "Freaky Friday" was scheduled for release but was cancelled, however, for undisclosed reasons. Aqua then decided that they would concentrate on starting work on their third album, as opposed to releasing further singles from Aquarius. Aqua spent the first few months of 2001 touring around the world, and working on material for their third album. The group also performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001
, collaborating with the Safri Duo
and providing the music during the voting stages of the competition. This performance also caused controversy, as a number of offensive phrases and gestures were added during the performance of "Barbie Girl
" (which was involved in a major law suit). During a couple of low-key events in Denmark the group performed live versions of songs intended for inclusion on the third album, including "Couch Potato" and "Shakin' Stevens (Is a Superstar)", the latter a tribute to the 1980s performer Shakin' Stevens
. The songs were said to have incorporated a rock
sound into their music.
By the summer of 2001, however, problems between the members of Aqua were becoming apparent. René had, when the group first started releasing material under the Aqua name, been dating Lene. Lene had by now begun dating Søren, however, and reports of a rift between the three had been reported in the Danish press. Other reports had included that René was annoyed at his having a lesser role on the Aquarius album, and that the group was beginning to have other creative differences. Lene had also had some health problems, having collapsed on stage during their 2001 tour due to the exhaustion
of the group's busy schedule. The group's split proved to be quite a major event across Europe, and many media sources speculated as to why the four had decided to call it a day. René, in an interview after their split, had denied any rift between the members of the group, and stated that the four had split on good terms. The four had allegedly agreed to split when having dinner together, deciding that it was the "best thing to do". Regardless, many fans of the group still believe a rift between the band members was at least a partial cause for the breakup, especially given the past sexual relations between Lene and Søren, even when she was still with René. René did not find out until Lene gave an interview in the 2004: Top 100 Best Broken Up Bands Ever. She exclaimed that she felt very bad about it; René said he could never forgive her. The band ranked 24 on the top 100.
A greatest hits album, Cartoon Heroes: The Best of Aqua
, was released on 22 May 2002 in Japan and in the US in 2006. It included all their singles except for "Didn't I", "Good Morning Sunshine
", and "We Belong to the Sea
". It also included several non-singles such as "Back from Mars", "Happy Boys and Girls", "Halloween", "Calling You", and "An Apple a Day", as well as a Hampenberg remix of their hit single "Cartoon Heroes
" and music videos for "Cartoon Heroes" and "Around the World
".
in mid-2003. The album's first single, "It's Your Duty
", showed a clear change in her musical direction, dropping the bubblegum pop vocal in favour of a rock and R&B influenced sound. The single performed well, making #3 in the Danish charts, and #9 in Norway, but the album performed disappointingly, only making #74 in her native Norway. Although further singles like "Pretty Young Thing" and "Here We Go" were released from the album, none made much of an impact. Lene has not indicated any intention to release a second album in the near future, but did perform on a Danish charity single to benefit victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
that primaily hit Indonesia
, Sri Lanka
, India
, and Thailand
.
Søren continued producing material for other artists up until 2004, before starting the project Lazyboy
. The project's first album Lazyboy TV
was released in late 2004 to good reviews, and the first single "Underwear Goes Inside the Pants
" made the top five of the Australian charts, also achieving airplay across Europe, Canada and the United States. In 2007, he started the musical duo, Hej Matematik
with his nephew, Nicolaj Rasted
, Claus has been the quietest of the four members. He has also remained in the industry, remix
ing material for other artists under the pseudonym, Danny Red. The lawsuit filed by Mattel over the song "Barbie Girl" was thrown out in 2002, with the judge refusing Mattel's claims that the song harmed the doll's reputation. The judge claimed that, as the song is a parody of the doll, it is legally acceptable. He also advised the parties involved "to chill". In 2004, Aqua: The Hits VCD Karaoke was released in India and Thailand. In 2005, a Danish director got the band together for a documentary film called Turn Back Time (named after the song of the same name
). Filmed in a summer residence, the band stayed together inside for twelve hours, talking about subjects randomly picked by a computer, including Lene and Søren's marriage and René's book. In between the band talking about the subject, there were clips of music videos and live performances.
album on 15 June 2009, which includes 16 old remastered tracks and three new songs: "My Mamma Said
", "Live Fast, Die Young" and their first single in eight years, "Back to the 80s", which was released in Denmark on 25 May 2009. "Back to the 80s" debuted at number one in Denmark where it stayed for six weeks, becoming the band's fifth number-one single. It has since been certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for sales of 30,000 copies in Denmark. Aqua has also toured Scandinavia between May and August 2009 and performed at several gigs in Germany, United Kingdom and France. The greatest hits album was released in North America and many European countries on 22 September 2009 and in the UK on 29 September 2009.
" on 14 March 2011, after a preview of the song was posted onto the band's official Facebook page on 10 March 2011. Co-written by Thomas Troelsen
, the song peaked at number four in Denmark, becoming the band's tenth top-ten single. It has since been certified gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for sales of 15,000 copies in Denmark. Aqua were originally set to release their third studio album on July 14, 2011, however the release was pushed back to September 5, 2011 with the record label citing bad timing. The album, titled Megalomania
, had then been rescheduled to be released on 3 October 2011. On 7 September 2011 Aqua released a preview of their new single, 'Playmate To Jesus', on their official Facebook page, which was released on 12 September 2011. On 8 September 2011 it was announced that 'Like A Robot' would also be released as a single on September 12, and would battle against 'Playmate To Jesus' in the charts.
genre that was popular in Europe
, Oceania
and South America
in the 1990s. Their influences include ABBA
, Ace of Base
, and C+C Music Factory
. The style of eurodance was dance music
with a female singer and a male rapper. Aqua followed a more traditional verse-chorus structure. Usually, the verse would consist of Lene starting and finishing, while René would sing in the middle.
Aqua are best known for the dance tracks such as "Barbie Girl", "Doctor Jones", "Lollipop (Candyman)" and "My Oh My". Although they also made slower tracks such as "Turn Back Time", "Good Morning Sunshine" and "We Belong to the Sea". These tracks do not belong to the general bubblegum pop genre. There is also differences between the first album Aquarium and the second album Aquarius. Aquarium had many similar tracks whereas Aquarius experimented with acoustic instruments and genres like country and Latin music. At the end of the 1990s the interest for eurodance music was dropping. Aqua's second album, Aquarius, which was released in 2000, was therefore not as well timed as the first one. Their 2011 single "How R U Doin?" has electropop and dance-pop
qualities.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, best known for their 1997 breakthrough single "Barbie Girl
Barbie Girl
"Barbie Girl" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua, who released the song in 1997 as their third single overall, and the first United Kingdom release...
". The group formed in 1989 and achieved huge success across the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group managed to top the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
with their first three singles. The group released two albums: Aquarium in 1997 and Aquarius
Aquarius (Aqua album)
-Personnel:*Aqua – mixing*Stefan Boman – vocal engineer*Christian Møller Nielsen – additional programming*René Dif – lyricist, composer, lead vocals*Björn Engelmann – mastering*Nana Hedin – backing vocals*Michael Henderson – mixing...
in 2000, before splitting up in July 2001. The group sold an estimated 33 million albums and singles, making them the most successful Danish band ever.
In their prime, Aqua's singles managed to chart top ten in a number of countries where continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
an pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
acts would not normally succeed, including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The group also caused controversy with the double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s in their "Barbie Girl" single, with the Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
doll makers Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
filing a lawsuit against the group. The lawsuit was finally dismissed by a judge in 2002, who ruled "The parties are advised to chill".
The band's members are vocalists Lene Nystrøm and René Dif
René Dif
René Dif is a musician and actor, best known as the male vocalist in the Danish pop-dance group Aqua.-Biography:...
, keyboardist Søren Rasted, and guitarist Claus Norreen
Claus Norreen
Claus Norreen is a Danish musician and record producer known for being a part of the band Aqua, which sold around 33 million records.-Early life:...
. During their split, Nystrøm, Dif and Rasted have all achieved solo chart success, and Norreen has continued in the music industry remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ing other artists' material.
At a press event on Friday, October 26, 2007, the group announced a reunion tour, as well as the release of a compilation album
Greatest Hits (Aqua album)
-Charts:-Certifications:- Release history :...
featuring new material. Their third album, Megalomania
Megalomania (Aqua album)
Jon O'Brien of Allmusic gave the album two and a half stars out of five writing: "Unsurprisingly, their previous squeaky, cartoonish pop sound is nowhere to be found on this record which, with its several expletive-laden lyrics and trashy electro production reveals a much more grown-up, if not...
was released on October 3, 2011.
Beginnings as Joyspeed (1989–1995)
Aqua's history together dates back to 1989. They were originally called Joyspeed. Claus NorreenClaus Norreen
Claus Norreen is a Danish musician and record producer known for being a part of the band Aqua, which sold around 33 million records.-Early life:...
and Søren Rasted met in 1989, and throughout the early 1990s, they started writing songs together. At that time, René Dif
René Dif
René Dif is a musician and actor, best known as the male vocalist in the Danish pop-dance group Aqua.-Biography:...
was working in Holland as a club DJ, and Søren and Claus were both starting out as producers
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. Søren Rasted and Claus Norreen had won a contest and were hired to produce a soundtrack. For some of the songs they hired René Dif. The three were brought in to make part of the soundtrack for a little-known film titled Frække Frida og de frygtløse spioner
Frække Frida og de frygtløse spioner
Frække Frida og de frygtløse spioner , often shortened to simply Frække Frida, is a 1994 Danish children's film written and directed by Søren Ole Christensen. Christensen based the story on a series of children's books by Lykke Nielsen...
. The recording of the soundtrack began in 1993, and after getting along well, decided that they would work together again on a future project. A few months after the film was released in 1994, René Dif spotted Lene Nystrøm singing on the Norway–Denmark ferry, M/S Peter Wessel. He then approached her and hired her as the lead singer of Joyspeed, later renamed Aqua. The formation of Joyspeed was on the basis that both Claus and Søren would do the production for the group, with René Dif rapping and Lene Nystrøm performing the main vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. A small Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
signed them in 1994, and their very first single "Itzy Bitzy Spider
Itsy Bitsy Spider (song)
"Itsy Bitsy Spider" was the debut single by the Norwegian/Danish dance-pop group Aqua, under their original name of Joyspeed....
" was released in Sweden. The single failed to become popular and after one week at the lower end of the Swedish charts it disappeared completely. The four were disappointed and canceled their contract with the record label (although the label wanted to keep the group on for further releases).
Aquarium and international breakthrough (1996–99)
With a new manager and no record deal, the group started over, and began to develop their famous bubblegum popBubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
sound. The four began to produce and write melodic, catchy European pop songs, attracting the attention of major label Universal Music Denmark
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. They renamed themselves Aqua, choosing the name seen on a poster
Poster
A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and informative. Posters may be...
for an aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
in their dressing room, and eventually accepted Universal Music Denmark's offer of a recording contract in 1996. The group's first release under their new name was "Roses Are Red", a dance song with a distinct pop sound. It was released in Denmark in September 1996, and was expected to break into the Danish top ten. The single far surpassed all expectations set by the label, though, and stayed in the charts for over two months, eventually selling enough copies to be certified platinum. The success of the single was further proven when Aqua received a nomination for "Best Danish Dance Act", although the group did not win.
The instant success of "Roses Are Red" proved to Aqua that their new sound was popular with the public, and as a result their follow-up single followed the same formula. Titled "My Oh My", the single again featured catchy lyrics paired with a soft, melodic beat. Upon its release in February 1997, "My Oh My" broke all Danish sales records by being certified gold within six days. The single went straight to number one in Denmark, and made Aqua a household name in the country. The first two singles proved to Universal Music Denmark that Aqua was a very marketable group, and as a result the label looked to start marketing their music across the continent. Aqua released their debut album Aquarium in Denmark on March 26, 1997. The album contained 11 tracks, including their first two singles and their then upcoming third single "Barbie Girl
Barbie Girl
"Barbie Girl" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua, who released the song in 1997 as their third single overall, and the first United Kingdom release...
". Universal Music Group had by now begun to market the group in other countries, releasing "Roses Are Red" in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in February 1997 and in various countries across Europe in late 1996. The single had proven popular everywhere it was sold, convincing Universal that the group should not just focus on the Danish market, but instead on the general European market.
Aqua released their third single "Barbie Girl" in May 1997. The song, at first glance, appears to be about the popular children's doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
. However, at second glance, the song contains several sexual overtones, such as "You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere," "You can touch, you can play," and "Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky-panky". This caused some controversy upon its release in Denmark, but despite the controversy and perhaps partly due to it, it still sold well and easily made number one in the charts. The song was so popular that it was played regularly on radio stations which did not air dance music. Universal Music decided to ignore complaints about the double meanings in "Barbie Girl", and successfully released the single across the world in September 1997 and October 1997. The release was highly successful, making number one in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for four weeks, in Australia for three weeks, and even managing to make the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, something rarely achieved at the time by European pop acts. The song and group became a household name overnight, but to most of the world were instantly written off as a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
. The double meanings in "Barbie Girl" caused the expected controversy, with many complaints aimed at Universal for releasing the track.
Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
also filed a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against the group's record label (Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, 296 F.3d 894 (9th Cir. 2002)), claiming that the song had damaged the reputation of the Barbie brand. Judge Alex Kozinski
Alex Kozinski
Alex Kozinski is Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, an essayist, and a judicial commentator.-Biography:...
writing for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
upheld the district court finding the use of Mattel's trademark in "Barbie Girl" fell within the noncommercial use exemption to the Federal Trademark Dilution Act
Federal Trademark Dilution Act
The Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995 is a United States federal law which protects famous trademarks from uses that dilute their distinctiveness, even in the absence of any likelihood of confusion or competition. It went into effect on January 16, 1996...
. Judge Kozinski concluded his opinion by writing, "The parties are advised to chill." Aqua released their album Aquarium across the world in the autumn of 1997. Although the album sold well, many still wrote the group off as a one-hit wonder. Despite this, and much criticism from the media, Aqua had made their international breakthrough, and were now known across the world. Aqua's follow-up to "Barbie Girl" in Canada and the United Kingdom was "Doctor Jones
Doctor Jones
"Doctor Jones" is a song by Danish dance-pop group Aqua, released as the band's fifth single overall, and the second UK release. The single is their second United Kingdom number one...
", although another single, "Lollipop (Candyman)
Lollipop (Candyman)
"Lollipop " is the fourth single to be released by the Danish dance-pop group Aqua overall, and the follow-up to their most successful song "Barbie Girl" in many countries...
", was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
through MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. "Doctor Jones" entered at number one in several countries, including the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top spot for two weeks, and Australia, where it spent seven weeks at #1. "Lollipop (Candyman)" did not fare as well in the USA, only peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. However the song peaked at #3 in Australia. In Japan both songs were released as a double-A side, and achieved reasonable success in the singles chart.
"Doctor Jones" was followed up by "Turn Back Time
Turn Back Time
"Turn Back Time" is a song by Scandinavian dance-pop group Aqua, released as their seventh single overall, and the third UK release. The single is their third United Kingdom number one. The song featured on the soundtrack for the 1998 film Sliding Doors, and was released across the world the same...
", a song which proved to be accepted well by both Aqua fans and critics. The song, unlike all other previous releases, dropped the bubblegum pop sound in favour of a slow, mainstream rhythm. The song was featured on the soundtrack to the film Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors is a 1998 British-American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah, and featured John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Virginia McKenna. The music was composed by David Hirschfelder...
, and unlike many other Aqua releases achieved a large amount of radio and video airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...
. The song became their third single to make it to number one in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As of 2005, only a handful of other artists have managed to achieve that kind of initial success in the UK (acts that have included Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
and the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
). Elsewhere, the song also performed well, including reaching #10 in Australia, however it would not be a success in the US and thus marked the end of Aqua's involvement Stateside.
"My Oh My", Aqua's second Danish single was resurrected in August 1998. The single was also released in several other European countries where it had not been released initially. Following the release of "Good Morning Sunshine", Aqua decided to concentrate on their second album, and on touring around in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, to very moderate success, and marked the end of a period Aqua's fans dubbed the "Aquarium age". The group also released a documentary on 1 December 1998 containing several live performances of songs from the Aquarium album and interviews with the members.
Aquarius and sudden split (1999–2001)
Aqua were relatively quiet during 1999, deciding to concentrate on recording Aquarius. According to promotional interviews with the group, over 30 songs were recorded for the album, although eventually only twelve made it onto the final version. The group released their second album AquariusAquarius (Aqua album)
-Personnel:*Aqua – mixing*Stefan Boman – vocal engineer*Christian Møller Nielsen – additional programming*René Dif – lyricist, composer, lead vocals*Björn Engelmann – mastering*Nana Hedin – backing vocals*Michael Henderson – mixing...
in February 2000. The album instantly proved popular with their fan base, despite some changes to their sound. Unlike Aquarium, the Aquarius album did not just follow one formula, and instead contained several different musical styles. Tracks such as "Cartoon Heroes
Cartoon Heroes
"Cartoon Heroes" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua from their second studio album, Aquarius. The song was sent to radio stations worldwide on January 1, 2000. It was their first release anywhere for over 14 months, due to the time spent touring the world, resting and recording...
" and "Bumble Bees
Bumble Bees (song)
"Bumble Bees" is the eleventh single release by the Scandinavian dance-pop group Aqua overall, and the first since "Lollipop " not to be released in the United Kingdom. The song more closely resembled their earlier releases, not possessing the slower beat of "Turn Back Time" or the anthemic,...
" preserved the pop sound of their debut album. The single "Cartoon Heroes" was released along with the album. The song featured some "anthemic" tones, but kept most of the features that had made Aquarium so successful. The single made #7 in the United Kingdom, and sold well across Europe and Australia, peaking at #16 on the Australian charts. The song is often best remembered for its music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. The album charted in the United Kingdom at #10. Aqua released their UK follow-up single "Around the World
Around the World (Aqua song)
"Around the World" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua from their second studio album, Aquarius. It was released as the album's second single in May 2000, and was their seventh and final release in the United Kingdom before their split in mid-2001...
" in June 2000, although they would be disappointed when it only managed to chart at #26 and at #62 in Australia. Although it was not expected to be at the time, Around the World would be Aqua's final UK single release.
Aqua released "Bumble Bees
Bumble Bees (song)
"Bumble Bees" is the eleventh single release by the Scandinavian dance-pop group Aqua overall, and the first since "Lollipop " not to be released in the United Kingdom. The song more closely resembled their earlier releases, not possessing the slower beat of "Turn Back Time" or the anthemic,...
" and "We Belong to the Sea
We Belong to the Sea
"We Belong to the Sea" is the thirteenth single released by the Scandinavian dance-pop group Aqua from Aquarius. Following the release, the group disbanded in mid-2001, making the song their last release in the next eight years...
" as singles in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, mainland Europe and Australia, achieving reasonable success with both. The group planned to release Freaky Friday as a third UK single in early 2001. "Freaky Friday" was scheduled for release but was cancelled, however, for undisclosed reasons. Aqua then decided that they would concentrate on starting work on their third album, as opposed to releasing further singles from Aquarius. Aqua spent the first few months of 2001 touring around the world, and working on material for their third album. The group also performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2001
Eurovision Song Contest 2001
The Eurovision Song Contest 2001 was the 46th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 12 May 2001 in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was the first time in 36 years that Denmark hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to the Olsen Brothers' win the previous year in Stockholm...
, collaborating with the Safri Duo
Safri Duo
Safri Duo is a Danish percussion duo composed of Uffe Savery and Morten Friis . Initially classically oriented, by 1999 they were discovered by a label executive working on classical music. After being signed, a track mixing both tribal sound and modern electronica was set to be released in 2000...
and providing the music during the voting stages of the competition. This performance also caused controversy, as a number of offensive phrases and gestures were added during the performance of "Barbie Girl
Barbie Girl
"Barbie Girl" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua, who released the song in 1997 as their third single overall, and the first United Kingdom release...
" (which was involved in a major law suit). During a couple of low-key events in Denmark the group performed live versions of songs intended for inclusion on the third album, including "Couch Potato" and "Shakin' Stevens (Is a Superstar)", the latter a tribute to the 1980s performer Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
. The songs were said to have incorporated a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
sound into their music.
By the summer of 2001, however, problems between the members of Aqua were becoming apparent. René had, when the group first started releasing material under the Aqua name, been dating Lene. Lene had by now begun dating Søren, however, and reports of a rift between the three had been reported in the Danish press. Other reports had included that René was annoyed at his having a lesser role on the Aquarius album, and that the group was beginning to have other creative differences. Lene had also had some health problems, having collapsed on stage during their 2001 tour due to the exhaustion
Fatigue (physical)
Fatigue is a state of awareness describing a range of afflictions, usually associated with physical and/or mental weakness, though varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles...
of the group's busy schedule. The group's split proved to be quite a major event across Europe, and many media sources speculated as to why the four had decided to call it a day. René, in an interview after their split, had denied any rift between the members of the group, and stated that the four had split on good terms. The four had allegedly agreed to split when having dinner together, deciding that it was the "best thing to do". Regardless, many fans of the group still believe a rift between the band members was at least a partial cause for the breakup, especially given the past sexual relations between Lene and Søren, even when she was still with René. René did not find out until Lene gave an interview in the 2004: Top 100 Best Broken Up Bands Ever. She exclaimed that she felt very bad about it; René said he could never forgive her. The band ranked 24 on the top 100.
A greatest hits album, Cartoon Heroes: The Best of Aqua
Cartoon Heroes: The Best of Aqua
Cartoon Heroes: The Best of Aqua is a greatest hits album by the Danish dance-pop group Aqua. It was released solely in Japan on May 22, 2002.-Album Information:...
, was released on 22 May 2002 in Japan and in the US in 2006. It included all their singles except for "Didn't I", "Good Morning Sunshine
Good Morning Sunshine
"Good Morning Sunshine" is a song by Danish-Norwegian band Aqua from their debut album, Aquarium . Released as the group's eighth single, their fifth in the United Kingdom, the song was the first to not be released worldwide since "Lollipop " , and was the second UK release to not make it to number...
", and "We Belong to the Sea
We Belong to the Sea
"We Belong to the Sea" is the thirteenth single released by the Scandinavian dance-pop group Aqua from Aquarius. Following the release, the group disbanded in mid-2001, making the song their last release in the next eight years...
". It also included several non-singles such as "Back from Mars", "Happy Boys and Girls", "Halloween", "Calling You", and "An Apple a Day", as well as a Hampenberg remix of their hit single "Cartoon Heroes
Cartoon Heroes
"Cartoon Heroes" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua from their second studio album, Aquarius. The song was sent to radio stations worldwide on January 1, 2000. It was their first release anywhere for over 14 months, due to the time spent touring the world, resting and recording...
" and music videos for "Cartoon Heroes" and "Around the World
Around the World (Aqua song)
"Around the World" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua from their second studio album, Aquarius. It was released as the album's second single in May 2000, and was their seventh and final release in the United Kingdom before their split in mid-2001...
".
Hiatus (2001–06)
After the group's split, all four members of Aqua continued within the music industry. In February 2007, René announced plans to resume work on his very new solo album, which was released in 2007. The first single, "Way To Go" is currently playing on his MySpace page. Lene released her first (and only) album Play with MePlay with Me (album)
- Release history :...
in mid-2003. The album's first single, "It's Your Duty
It's Your Duty
"It's Your Duty" is the debut single released by Scandinavia singer Lene. The song was released on 8 September 2003, as the lead single from her first and only album Play with Me...
", showed a clear change in her musical direction, dropping the bubblegum pop vocal in favour of a rock and R&B influenced sound. The single performed well, making #3 in the Danish charts, and #9 in Norway, but the album performed disappointingly, only making #74 in her native Norway. Although further singles like "Pretty Young Thing" and "Here We Go" were released from the album, none made much of an impact. Lene has not indicated any intention to release a second album in the near future, but did perform on a Danish charity single to benefit victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
that primaily hit Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
Søren continued producing material for other artists up until 2004, before starting the project Lazyboy
Lazyboy
Lazyboy is a musical project started by Aqua member Søren Nystrøm Rasted, also known as Lazy B in the UK. It is not to be confused with the British musical project also known as Lazyboy, which consists of Dan Carey and Rob da Bank...
. The project's first album Lazyboy TV
Lazyboy TV
Lazyboy TV is the 2004 album by pop music/spoken word project Lazyboy . The album contains trivia, philosophical advice, stand-up comedy and social commentary on American society spoken over contemporary hip hop-esque beats...
was released in late 2004 to good reviews, and the first single "Underwear Goes Inside the Pants
Underwear Goes Inside the Pants
"Underwear Goes Inside the Pants" is a song by Lazyboy, which is a musical project combining spoken word with hip-hop beats and other musical styles, with vocals on this track by stand-up comedian Greg Giraldo...
" made the top five of the Australian charts, also achieving airplay across Europe, Canada and the United States. In 2007, he started the musical duo, Hej Matematik
Hej Matematik
Hej Matematik is a Danish pop band, consisting of the Aqua-member Søren Rasted and his nephew Nicolaj Rasted.Hej Matematik has done well on the Danish charts and their debut album is being marketed as "an intelligent pop record" which is most likely a reference to the songs' equivocal lyrics and...
with his nephew, Nicolaj Rasted
Nicolaj Rasted
Nicolaj Bredkjær Rasted is a Danish musician and producer. He is a member of Hej Matematik.-Musical career:Nicolaj Rasted is a member of the Danish popduo Hej Matematik with his uncle Søren Rasted. Their #1 album "Vi Burde Ses Noget Mere" includes hits like: "Gymnastik", "Centerpubben", "Du &...
, Claus has been the quietest of the four members. He has also remained in the industry, remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ing material for other artists under the pseudonym, Danny Red. The lawsuit filed by Mattel over the song "Barbie Girl" was thrown out in 2002, with the judge refusing Mattel's claims that the song harmed the doll's reputation. The judge claimed that, as the song is a parody of the doll, it is legally acceptable. He also advised the parties involved "to chill". In 2004, Aqua: The Hits VCD Karaoke was released in India and Thailand. In 2005, a Danish director got the band together for a documentary film called Turn Back Time (named after the song of the same name
Turn Back Time
"Turn Back Time" is a song by Scandinavian dance-pop group Aqua, released as their seventh single overall, and the third UK release. The single is their third United Kingdom number one. The song featured on the soundtrack for the 1998 film Sliding Doors, and was released across the world the same...
). Filmed in a summer residence, the band stayed together inside for twelve hours, talking about subjects randomly picked by a computer, including Lene and Søren's marriage and René's book. In between the band talking about the subject, there were clips of music videos and live performances.
Reunion, Greatest Hits (2007–2010)
On 26 October 2007, Aqua reunited and promised a 25-concert tour that was to have commenced in the summer of 2008. Offers were received by the record company from locations in Denmark, Canada, United States & U.K. Aqua finally performed 8 concerts around Denmark as part of the "Grøn koncert" festival. They released their second greatest hitsGreatest Hits (Aqua album)
-Charts:-Certifications:- Release history :...
album on 15 June 2009, which includes 16 old remastered tracks and three new songs: "My Mamma Said
My Mamma Said
"My Mamma Said" is a song by Norwegian/Danish band Aqua. The song was written by members Søren Rasted and Lene Nystrom, and produced by Rasted, for their second greatest hits album...
", "Live Fast, Die Young" and their first single in eight years, "Back to the 80s", which was released in Denmark on 25 May 2009. "Back to the 80s" debuted at number one in Denmark where it stayed for six weeks, becoming the band's fifth number-one single. It has since been certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for sales of 30,000 copies in Denmark. Aqua has also toured Scandinavia between May and August 2009 and performed at several gigs in Germany, United Kingdom and France. The greatest hits album was released in North America and many European countries on 22 September 2009 and in the UK on 29 September 2009.
Megalomania (2011–present)
Aqua commenced the recording of Megalomania at the beginning of 2010, scheduled for a release in the spring of 2011. Aqua released the album's lead single, "How R U Doin?How R U Doin?
"How R U Doin?" is a song by Danish-Norwegian pop group Aqua from their upcoming third studio album, Megalomania. It was released as the album's lead single on March 14, 2011. The song peaked at number four in Denmark, becoming the group's tenth top-ten single...
" on 14 March 2011, after a preview of the song was posted onto the band's official Facebook page on 10 March 2011. Co-written by Thomas Troelsen
Thomas Troelsen
Thomas Troelsen is a composer and producer from Denmark.- History :Thomas Troelsen is a singer, songwriter, and producer responsible for chart-topping hits, like Junior Senior's "Move Your Feet", Monrose's "Hot Summer", PRIVATE's "My Secret Lover", and BoA’s “Eat You Up." He was also the lead...
, the song peaked at number four in Denmark, becoming the band's tenth top-ten single. It has since been certified gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for sales of 15,000 copies in Denmark. Aqua were originally set to release their third studio album on July 14, 2011, however the release was pushed back to September 5, 2011 with the record label citing bad timing. The album, titled Megalomania
Megalomania (Aqua album)
Jon O'Brien of Allmusic gave the album two and a half stars out of five writing: "Unsurprisingly, their previous squeaky, cartoonish pop sound is nowhere to be found on this record which, with its several expletive-laden lyrics and trashy electro production reveals a much more grown-up, if not...
, had then been rescheduled to be released on 3 October 2011. On 7 September 2011 Aqua released a preview of their new single, 'Playmate To Jesus', on their official Facebook page, which was released on 12 September 2011. On 8 September 2011 it was announced that 'Like A Robot' would also be released as a single on September 12, and would battle against 'Playmate To Jesus' in the charts.
Musical style
Aqua were musically influenced by the eurodanceEurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
genre that was popular in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
in the 1990s. Their influences include ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
, Ace of Base
Ace of Base
Ace of Base is a pop band based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Its original lineup consisted of Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg, and three siblings, Jonas "Joker" Berggren, Malin "Linn" Berggren and Jenny Berggren...
, and C+C Music Factory
C+C Music Factory
C+C Music Factory is a dance-pop and hip hop group formed in 1989 by David Cole and Robert Clivillés which stopped recording 1996, following Cole's death...
. The style of eurodance was dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
with a female singer and a male rapper. Aqua followed a more traditional verse-chorus structure. Usually, the verse would consist of Lene starting and finishing, while René would sing in the middle.
Aqua are best known for the dance tracks such as "Barbie Girl", "Doctor Jones", "Lollipop (Candyman)" and "My Oh My". Although they also made slower tracks such as "Turn Back Time", "Good Morning Sunshine" and "We Belong to the Sea". These tracks do not belong to the general bubblegum pop genre. There is also differences between the first album Aquarium and the second album Aquarius. Aquarium had many similar tracks whereas Aquarius experimented with acoustic instruments and genres like country and Latin music. At the end of the 1990s the interest for eurodance music was dropping. Aqua's second album, Aquarius, which was released in 2000, was therefore not as well timed as the first one. Their 2011 single "How R U Doin?" has electropop and dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
qualities.
Discography
- Aquarium (1997)
- AquariusAquarius (Aqua album)-Personnel:*Aqua – mixing*Stefan Boman – vocal engineer*Christian Møller Nielsen – additional programming*René Dif – lyricist, composer, lead vocals*Björn Engelmann – mastering*Nana Hedin – backing vocals*Michael Henderson – mixing...
(2000) - MegalomaniaMegalomania (Aqua album)Jon O'Brien of Allmusic gave the album two and a half stars out of five writing: "Unsurprisingly, their previous squeaky, cartoonish pop sound is nowhere to be found on this record which, with its several expletive-laden lyrics and trashy electro production reveals a much more grown-up, if not...
(2011)
External links
- Official Aqua Facebook
- Official Aqua Twitter
- Official Aqua MySpace
- Aqua at Bubblegum Dancer
- Aqua at My Aquarium
- Aquarama
- UnOfficial Russian FanClub "Aquarius"
- Aqua 2001
- Aqua at Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...