Ace of Base, Haddaway, Real Mccoy, Snap!, and No Mercy

Born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago before moving to Washington, D.C. at the age of nine, Haddaway was raised on an early diet of Louis Armstrong, and subsequently learned to play the trumpet. After graduating from high school and forming his first band known as the Chances, the singer moved to Cologne, Germany in 1987, and began working in bars and singing whenever the opportunity arose.

In 1992 Haddaway earned his big break signing with German label Coconut Records. A year later the singer issued his debut single “What Is Love”, which took Europe by storm, selling over 2.6 million records. Reaching No. 2 on the UK and German singles charts, the record became an instant club staple and has since earned a host of remixes. Haddaway subsequently released the single “Life”, another smash hit single, before issuing his debut Eurodisco full-length “The Album” in September 1993. Charting at No. 5 on the German Albums Chart and No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, the record also proved popular in Scandinavia, aided by its fun-loving Eurodance aesthetic. Released on Coconut Records, the album’s subsequent singles included “I Miss You” and “Rock my Heart”.

The dance-inspiring musician’s sophomore album “The Drive” was released in June 1995 led by the singles “Fly Away”, “Catch a Fire”, and “Lover Be Thy Name”. Whilst failing to prove as popular as his debut “Haddaway”, the album earned favourable reviews, later peaking at No. 32 on the German Albums Chart. Used as the soundtrack for Saturday Night Live’s Butabi brothers sketch by Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan, “What Is Love” enjoyed a resurgence of popularity, later charting at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Taken in a more soulful direction, Haddaway’s third and fourth albums “Let’s Do It Now” and “My Face” failed to chart despite the charting singles “What About Me”, “What Do You love”, and “Love Makes”. The non-album single “What Is Love Reloaded” followed in 2003, after which the singer released the studio album “Pop Splits” featuring the single “Spaceman”. Following a series of collaborations with the likes of Dr. Alban, Klaas, and The Mad Stuntman, Haddaway issued his sixth studio album “Gotta Be” in 2011.

Originally formed by the Frankfurt based duo Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti in 1986, Snap! has since transformed into a collective of dance-rooted, hip-hop influenced singers and rappers. The project’s debut output was the single “Where Are You?” in 1986, followed a year later by the independently released full-length “Inaxycvgtgb”. With members Anzilotti and Münzing using less German sounding aliases, Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III, Snap! earned their breakthrough in 1990 with the hit “The Power”. Featuring British-born rapper Turbo B. and American singer, Penny Ford, “The Power” combined hard-hitting house with elemental hip hop, and earned huge success, peaking at No. 2 in Germany. The single topped the charts in the UK, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and catapulted Snap! to international recognition. Penny Ford subsequently became the group’s full-time singer, later contributing the lyrics to Snap!’s second single “Ooops Up”. The singles “Cult of Snap” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” followed before the group issued its first official studio album “World Power” in 1990. Peaking at No. 7 on the German Albums Chart, the record gained international success for its club-friendly appeal.

The singer Thea Austin joined Snap!’s ranks in 1991, leading the recordings of the hit singles “Rhythm Is a Dancer” and “Colour of Love”. Featuring hip hop beats and rhythms combined with electro sensibilities, both singles were taken from the group’s sophomore album “The Madman’s Return”, released in March 1992. Snap!’s third full-length “Welcome to Tomorrow”, this time featuring the vocal talents of American singer Summer, was issued in September 1994. Reaching the Top 10 in both Germany and Switzerland, the album earned positive reviews aided by the singles “Welcome to Tomorrow (Are You Ready?)”, “The First the Last Eternity (Till the End)”, and “The World in My Hands”.

Snap! officially disbanded in 1996 and with the separation brought the compilation album “Snap! Attack: The Best of Snap” the same year. Four years later Münzing and Anzilotti, once again with rapper Turbo B, returned to release the track “Gimme a Thrill”, followed in 2003 by the remix album “The Cult of Snap!”.