Happy Nation

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Happy Nation is the debut studio album by the Swedish pop group Ace of Base. It was released in Denmark on 2 November 1992 by Mega Records. During its recording, the band was influenced by a Jamaican reggae group that was working nearby.

For North America, Japan, and some Latin American countries, the album was released as The Sign with a revised track listing and three new tracks. In other places, it was issued as Happy Nation (U.S. Version), which included the new songs from The Sign while keeping the rest of the material.

The album was a huge success. In 1995, Guinness World Records called it the best-selling debut studio album ever, with over 19 million copies sold worldwide. By 1998, Happy Nation/The Sign had sold about 21 million copies, including 9 million in the United States. It remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Singles from the album included Wheel of Fortune, All That She Wants, Happy Nation, Waiting for Magic, The Sign, Don't Turn Around, and Living in Danger.

Release timeline: after the Denmark debut, the album rolled out across Europe throughout 1993 (Norway, Sweden, Germany, the UK) and also did well in Africa and Latin America. The U.S. version, The Sign, was released on 22 November 1993, adding The Sign, Living in Danger, and a cover of Tina Turner’s Don’t Turn Around, plus a remix of Waiting for Magic and a revised Voulez-Vous Danser. It also included Hear Me Calling, which did not appear on The Sign. Münchhausen (Just Chaos) and Dimension of Depth were removed. The UK edition arrived on 14 March 1994 and reached number one on the UK Albums Chart by 26 June.

In 2016, the Russian label Mirumir released an Ultimate Edition on vinyl, combining the original 1992 track list with the tracks from The Sign/Happy Nation (U.S. Version) releases and iTunes bonuses.

Reception noted the album as diverse and dance-oriented, with reggae influences alongside techno and house elements. While All That She Wants was the standout hit, there was potential for more hits with the right remixes.