Did you not see the video posted up from Jimmy Kimmel's show where they make fun of how Take On Me was their only hit and how nobody knows they are still around. When I think the worldwide success of their latest album (except in the US) shows that obviously they are still considered relevant globally, except in America. But a lot of Americans think if it's not on our radar, nobody knows who the artist is. Case in point, Kylie Minogue. She's a bigger star in Europe and Australia than Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson (who has never even had a #1 hit in the UK), but most American's won't believe that because we know Mariah and Janet as megastars while Kylie's had a couple hit songs and nothing more. Like Moz said in a song once, "America is not the world".

Try these:

I agree. Some sticks need to be removed from asses. You saw it on the Jimmy Kimmel clip and it's been on here and various boards. You don't have to be a fan of an artist, but I do think there's a difference with being ignorant and go "they're still around? they only had one hit!!!" and actually doing some research and realizing that they may not have had enduring success in this country but on a global basis they are regarded as superstars.

There are a number of artists that are total superstars in the US, but believe it or not, are considered unknown or flash in the pans in the UK. Try bringing up Garth Brooks or Journey to a British friend. Those artists are as unknown and irrelevant there as Robbie Williams and Oasis are here.

Quite true. And even then, I could understand the arrogance if it were some band whose popularity trailed off significantly and was only releasing their albums to a few thousand die-hards over the Internet or something. But a-ha are not only still popular elsewhere in the world, they are MONSTROUSLY HUGE (see my earlier citations of their world records). To ignore their continued success is, by definition, to be unaware of what's happening in the world of music outside of this country.

Yep, we're not talking about someone like The Human League or ABC that are still around but pretty much tour the 80's nostalgia circuit. a-ha is more on a level worldwide with R.E.M. and Depeche Mode. Not as big as they were 20 years ago but they still can fill up anyplace they play and their albums always go top 10 in several markets and each new album has at least one or two additions to the umpteenth Greatest Hits canon.

Same happened when Oasis split. But Oasis are more on the US radar than a-ha since they have more of a cult following. On boards that have a predominant UK populace, Oasis announcing their split is to these people similar to when the Beatles broke up. Oasis never trailed off in popularity in Europe and until the very end were guaranteed #1 albums and smash hit singles and sell-out tours wherever they played. But because in America, they never quite recaptured the brief popularity they had in 96-97, a lot of people acted blissfully ignorant to the fact that Oasis worldwide rival U2 and Coldplay because they haven't had a hit here in over ten years.

It's not just the public that are the problem. I read a recent interview with The Pet Shop Boys and they were talking about how radio stations love the new album, says it's great and refuse to play it. They want to keep them in the nostalgic bucket and not let them be anything other than the group who did West End Girls. They didn't give any satisfying explanation why they're treated this way, but they are.

I don't get how radio stations can love something like Love, Etc., yet refuse to play it. It's the same with A-ha. It doesn't matter what they release, they'll always be the guys who did Take On Me and it would be near impossible to get their newer music on the radio.

My interest in this thread has nothing to do with a-ha at this point.

I didn't watch the video, no. I also don't consider Jimmy Kimmel to be my voice in anything.

My only concern with what nothingfails was saying, was how he was calling me arrogant for not being aware that a band was still putting out music. The majority of the music that I seek out is metal, and the majority of that happens to be from Europe. If someone doesn't know that one of my favorite bands is putting out an album, and says just that, I don't consider them to be arrogant. Ignorant, maybe, but that sounds just as harsh. Uninterested or uninformed is more likely.

Nothingfails was also dumping this mentality solely on Americans, which obviously isn't the case. There are people all around the world that aren't aware of different artists releases.

I don't deny that people act this way. Lumping everyone together, though, is asinine. It just irritates me that because I haven't listened to every band out there, and kept up on their releases, I'm arrogant.

I wasn't specifically calling *you* out as arrogant, but just the general consensus I see from US posters regarding a-ha as well as many other artists who are successful worldwide, but in the US aren't on that level. There's a difference with not being a fan and at least doing your research and realizing they still continued to have success worldwide and just assuming because the only major hit they had here was in 1985 that the rest of the world only remembers them for that one song and that them breaking up is 22 years late.

I am American, but I do notice American music fans being more ignorant to what's popular in other countries than say, British people who actually might like Journey or KISS nevermind the fact that in the UK neither act has achieved 1/10th the success they had here. Europeans are quicker to accept how big Janet Jackson was here in the late 80's and the 90's even though she's only had a handful of hits there than we are to accept that Kylie Minogue is a Madonna-tier superstar overseas because she's only a three or four hit artist here.

^ who's Kylie Minogue ... ???

Those vids were okay. Kind of indifferent towards it, though. I'd guess they might have a few songs I'd enjoy.

This only goes to show the sad state of affairs good ole 80's style music is in these days.

That being said, Naked Eyes>>>>A-Ha

I thought one of them killed himeslf.

I thought one of them has a tail.