Topic summary
Happy Nation
- "Wheel of Fortune"
Released: 29 May 1992 - "All That She Wants"
Released: 31 August 1992 - "Happy Nation"
Released: 7 December 1992 - "Waiting for Magic"
Released: 12 April 1993 - "The Sign"
Released: 1 November 1993 - "Don't Turn Around"
Released: 14 March 1994 - "Living in Danger"
Released: 4 October 1994
Happy Nation is the debut studio album by Swedish pop group Ace of Base. It was initially released in Denmark on 2 November 1992 through Mega Records. During the album's development, the group was significantly influenced by a Jamaican reggae band that was recording in a nearby studio. 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. By 1998, Happy Nation/The Sign had sold approximately 21 million units, including 9 million in the U.S. alone. Happy Nation/The Sign remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.