Jump to content

The Sign (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Ace of Base song. For the Lizzo song, see Special (Lizzo album).

"The Sign"
A close-up shot of an eyeball with an ankh inside. The text above reads Ace of Base – The Sign
European cover art. The North American cover art is a still from the music video (not pictured).
Single by Ace of Base
from the album The Sign / Happy Nation (U.S. Version)
B-side"Young and Proud"
Released1 November 1993
Recorded1992
StudioCheiron (Stockholm, Sweden)
Genre
Length3:08
Label
Songwriter(s)Jonas Berggren
Producer(s)
Ace of Base singles chronology
"Waiting for Magic"
(1993) 		"The Sign"
(1993) 		"Don't Turn Around"
(1994)
Music video
"The Sign" on YouTube

"The Sign" is a song by Swedish group Ace of Base from their first North American studio album, The Sign (1993), and their re-released debut studio album, Happy Nation (1992), titled Happy Nation (U.S. Version). The song was released by Arista and Mega as a single in Europe on 1 November 1993 and the US on 14 December 1993.[1] It was written by band member Jonas Berggren, who also produced the song with Denniz Pop and Douglas Carr. "The Sign" is a techno-reggae, Europop, and pop ballad with lyrics describing a couple contemplating the state of their relationship.

"The Sign" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six non-consecutive weeks in the United States, which allowed Ace of Base to become the first Swedish group to simultaneously have a number one song and album on the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 respectively. Consequently, the song was ranked as the number one song of 1994 on Billboard's year-end chart. It also reached number one in 14 countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, and New Zealand, and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Mathias Julien directed its music video which was filmed in Stockholm, Sweden. "The Sign" was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2023, Billboard magazine ranked it among the 500 best pop songs of all time.[2]

Background and development

[edit]

Ace of Base originally released their debut studio album Happy Nation in 1992, which did not include "The Sign", as it was intended to be for their next album. The head of Arista Records, Clive Davis, heard the song's demo, and in turn passed it to Swedish producers Douglas Carr and Denniz Pop, as he wanted something different from Happy Nation. The demo only contained the song's instrumental, which Pop thought that the verse was the chorus.[3] In contrast to their 1992 single "All That She Wants", Pop knew what he wanted to do with the song from the beginning.[4]

"The Sign" was recorded at Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, Sweden.[5] Ace of Base members Linn and Jenny Berggren re-arranged the song like they wanted to, so that it would become a duet between both women. Jenny played around with the chords at the end and composed the harmonies around it.[6] In an interview with Idolator, Jonas Berggren stated that Jenny and Linn split the chorus into two parts, with the former singing the second and fourth parts. He acknowledged that it "was hard to sing" since there was no breathing time. The song was recorded at a loud volume, which caused the producers Pop, Douglas Carr, and Jonas Berggren, to lower the sound by three decibels during audio mastering.[7]

Composition

[edit]

"The Sign" is a techno-reggae,[8][9] Europop,[10][11] and pop ballad.[12] The song's lyrics describe a couple contemplating the state of their relationship and deciding to split up as a result. During recording, Jonas Berggren added hums between the melody lines to become "major and minor" with the chorus being "mostly major", as he believed that the song was originally "too merry".[8] He added that the lyrics are "about thinking back on an old [relationship]", but are deliberately oblique to allow listeners to form their own meanings. Jenny Berggren compared the lyrics to the "road of life" metaphor, noting, "You see signs in your life, and that's why you change direction."[13]

"The Sign" is performed in the key of G major for the verses and chorus but in G minor for the intro and instrumental breaks. It follows a tempo of 97 beats per minute in common time. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, the group's vocals span from the low note of A3 to the high note of E5.[14] The song initially begins with the sounds of a hand clap, kick drum, and snare over a four bar beat, which was sampled from "Shack Up" by American funk group Banbarra. The melodic hook contains a synth flute, with a bass combining a Moog sub-bass and a Korg M1 bass. Throughout the verses, a Yamaha TG77 synthesizer is used to create a reggae rhythm guitar sound. During the bridge, the band's vocal range increases by an octave.[4]

Chart performance

[edit]

In Europe, "The Sign" reached number one in Denmark (4 weeks),[15] Finland (4 weeks),[16] Germany (3 weeks),[17] and Spain (1 week).[18] Additionally, the song was a top-10 hit also in Austria (3),[19] Belgium (5),[20] France (5),[21] Ireland (2),[22] Italy (9),[23] Lithuania (2),[24] the Netherlands (3),[25] Norway (5),[26] Scotland (2),[27] Sweden (2),[28] Switzerland (4),[29] and the United Kingdom (2). In the latter, it peaked in its second week at UK Singles Chart on 27 February 1994. It was held off reaching the top spot by Mariah Carey's "Without You" (1994), and spent a total of three weeks as number two on the chart and 16 weeks within the UK Top 100.[30] On 28 November, it entered the Eurochart Hot 100 at number 29 and peaked at number two eight weeks later.[31][32]

Outside Europe, "The Sign" peaked at number one in Australia (4 weeks),[33] Israel (2 weeks),[34] New Zealand (5 weeks),[35] Canada (5 weeks),[36] and Zimbabwe (2 weeks).[37] In the United States, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated 12 March 1994.[38] This allowed Ace of Base to become the first Swedish group to simultaneously score a number one single and album on the Billboard charts.[39] "The Sign" also topped the US Cash Box Top 100.[40] It was the number one song of 1994 according to Billboard magazine's year-end charts. The song was ranked at number 60 on "The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs" for the first 55 years of the Hot 100 chart,[41] and received a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 1995 Grammy Awards.[42]

In 1994, Music & Media published an assessment of the chart performance of "The Sign", which stated that it "entered Border Breakers at number ten on November 21, 1993, due to crossover airplay in Central Europe. It also peaked twice at number one; on December 18, staying for five weeks and again on March 9 for a two week stay. It entered the Eurochart November 28 at 29 and peaked at two eight weeks later", and that it "[...] also holds the record for longest-running single on Border Breakers—42 weeks before slipping off on August 20."[43]

Critical reception

[edit]

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated that the success of singles such as "The Sign" was attributed to "relentless" beats and an "incessantly catchy" hook.[44] Howard Cohen from Herald-Journal noted that it is flavoured with "faux reggae rhythms".[45] Chuck Campbell from Scripps Howard News Service claimed that "The Sign" "could be a bigger hit" than "All That She Wants", due to its "infectious Europop energy and cosmic synths set to a reggae beat".[11] Writing for the Dance Update column of Music Week, James Hamilton described it as a "US smash typical 96.7bpm cod-reggae jogger".[46] Jim Farber from New York Daily News compared the song's "dinky synths, impish dance beats and miniaturized vocals" to musicians from the 1980s such as A Flock of Seagulls and Falco.[47] Neil Strauss from The New York Times wrote that Ace of Base used "a deceptively mystical hook over a minimal bass line" to create the song.[12] A reviewer from People acknowledged that tunes like "The Sign" "prove Ace of Base to be more substantive than a mere ABBA clone."[48] Press-Telegram stated that it is "packed with unforgettable hooks".[49] The Rolling Stone Album Guide compared "The Sign" to Gloria Gaynor's 1978 song "I Will Survive", writing that it was "the wisest, catchiest, most triumphant kiss-off".[50]

Chuck Eddy of LA Weekly labeled the music video as "fun", but described "The Sign" as undistinctive.[51] Mario Tarradell from Miami Herald opined that the song was "annoyingly chirpy".[52] Alan Jones from Music Week wrote that Ace of Base's attempts to imitate "All That She Wants" by using a "shuffling reggae beat" was "less charming and effective", but believed "The Sign" was "bright enough" to chart in the top 20 on the UK Singles Chart.[53] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits gave "The Sign" two out of five in his review, stating that the reggae beat, saxophone, and tune were similar to "All That She Wants".[54] Writing for Entertainment Weekly, David Thigpen described it as "a wasteland of neutered hip-hop and lumbering dance rhythms", criticizing Linn Berggren's vocals as "inert" and "colorless".[55] Barry Walters for the San Francisco Examiner stated that the song "blankly chirps".[56]

Legacy

[edit]

In his retrospective review of the band's 1993 studio album The Sign, Eric Torres from Pitchfork named "The Sign" an "undeniable pop bauble that combines all the group’s best impulses—bobbing rhythm, eccentric production tics, lovably inane lyrics".[57] Amos Barshad of Vulture stated that it "is still a very good pop song" despite being outdated in production techniques, stating that it sounded analog.[58] American singer Katy Perry acknowledged in a 2009 MTV News interview that the song, along with the Cardigans' 1996 song "Lovefool", served as an inspiration for her recordings.[59] John Seabrook, a staff writer at The New Yorker, praised the song in his 2015 book The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory, stating that "the song is a three-minute, thirty-second sonic thrill rise of Swedish funk."[10] He also acknowledged that the song's success was due to three people: Denniz Pop, Clive Davis, and Clive Calder. Seabrook concluded that it had an influential impact on pop music, suggesting that "a Swedish hit factory for US and British artists had never happened before. ... 'The Sign' really was the sign that that could happen".[60] Annie Zaleski from The A.V. Club wrote that the song "is full of cheerful shade", noting that it combined a "breezy reggae vibe" with 1990s Europop.[61] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In (publication) noted that the song's lyrics "demonstrate[s] strength in the wake of romantic rejection".[62]

Idolator ranked "The Sign" at number one on their ranking of The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1994, with author Robbie Daw writing that it "was a straight-up smash that was tailor made for radio".[7] Rolling Stone placed the song at number 42 on their list of 50 Best Songs of the Nineties,[63] while BuzzFeed listed the song at number 28 on their 2017 list of The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s.[64] Billboard magazine ranked "The Sign" at number 65 on their 2018 ranking of All-Time Top 100 Songs,[65] stating in a separate article that it "led pop into a new era, putting Sweden on the map as a credible hitmaking hub, pushing electronic production closer to the forefront of popular music and helping ignite a collaborative approach to songwriting that has become an industry standard".[60] In October 2023, Billboard ranked it number 223 in their 500 Best Pop Songs of All Time list,[2] saying, "Sitting somewhere between Europop, techno and reggae pop, Ace of Base's monster smash remains a quintessential staple of ‘90s playlists."

Cover versions and usage in media

[edit]

In 1995, a cover of "The Sign" was featured in the American sitcom Full House in the final season episode "We Got the Beat". In the episode, Jodie Sweetin in character as Stephanie Tanner performs the song with her fictional band Girl Talk.[66] In 2010, "The Sign" was heavily featured in the season 6 American Dad episode "Great Space Roaster".[67] The song was sung by fictional a cappella group the Barden Bellas in the 2012 film Pitch Perfect and appears on the soundtrack for the movie.[68][69] The song was used as part of a commercial advertising campaign for Uncle Ben's in 2016.[70]

Indie rock band The Mountain Goats included a cover of "The Sign" by Ace of Base on their 1995 EP Songs For Peter Hughes.[71] The group has continued to play versions of it at live shows.[72]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Publisher Country Accolade Rank Ref.
1995 BMI United States "BMI Pop Awards" * [73]
2005 Bruce Pollock United States "The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944–2000" * [74]
2012 Porcys Poland "100 Singli 1990–1999" 55 [75]
2014 Idolator United States "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1994" 1 [7]
2016 Rolling Stone United States "50 Best Songs of the Nineties" 42 [63]
2017 BuzzFeed United States "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" 28 [64]
2018 Billboard United States "All-Time Top 100 Songs" 65 [65]
2019 Insider United States "Best Songs from the '90s" * [76]
2019 Max Australia "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" 688 [77]
2019 Stacker United States "Best 90s Pop Songs" 12 [78]
2019 Billboard United States "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s" 14 [79]
2020 Cleveland.com United States "Best Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Song of the 1990s" 54 [80]
2020 Glamour United States "53 Best '90s Songs That Are All That and a Bag of Chips" 48 [81]
2021 BuzzFeed United States "The 50 Best '90s Songs of Summer" 7 [82]
2021 Time Out United Kingdom "50 Best '90s Songs" 48 [83]
2022 Pitchfork United States "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s" 169 [84]
2023 Billboard United States "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time" 223 [2]
2024 Forbes United States "The 50 Best Songs of the 1990s" 22 [85]

(*) indicates the list is unordered.

Music video

[edit]

The accompanying music video for "The Sign" is directed by Mathias Julien and was shot on Filmhuset in Stockholm in November 1993. The opening of the video is a homage to Depeche Mode's 1990 song "Enjoy the Silence".[citation needed] It features the Ace of Base members singing amidst romantic and joyful images; "The Sign" was depicted as a computer generated ankh and a djed. Amid the images is a little story in black-and-white sequences of a man and woman (played by Jenny Berggren) sitting side by side in front of a crumpled backdrop until the man leaves, seemingly abandoning the woman.[86] However, he comes back with a rose and offers it to the woman. She graciously accepts and takes his hand. However, a bright light shines in the woman's face, drawing her away, abandoning the man and dropping the rose on the chair. There are also images of fire, candles, close-up of hands doing signs and the band standing on a spinning platform. The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[87] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[88] As of August 2023, "The Sign" has over 120 million views on YouTube.[89]

Reception

[edit]

Nanna Søndergaard Larsen from Danish Dagbladet Information remarked in her analyze of the music video for "The Sign", "The video for the ultimate 90's banger "The Sign" is very much the culmination of Ace of Base's video tools. The video manages to have both a kind of narrative track and a strong symbolic image side."[86] Chuck Eddy of LA Weekly labeled it as "fun".[51] Erric Torres from Pitchfork noted that "the charming, greenscreen-heavy video for "The Sign" secured constant rotation on MTV, a vital source of exposure that inspired impostor groups bearing names like Bass of Spades and Box of Laces."[57]

Track listings

[edit]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Sign.[5]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "The Sign"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[113] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[134] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[135] Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[136] Platinum 500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[137] Platinum 10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[138] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[140] Platinum 1,100,000[139]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Sign - Ace Of Base". Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  3. ^ Palmer, Tamara (11 March 2019). "Ace Of Base's "The Sign" Turns 25: How America Fell Back In Love With Swedish Pop". Grammy. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b Seabrook, John (14 October 2015). "Denniz Pop, Max Martin, and Cheiron Studios: The man who invented modern pop". Slate. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b Ace of Base (1993). The Sign (liner notes). Arista. 07822-18740-2.
  6. ^ Berggren, Jenny (12 March 2013). "Remembering the Song: Recording "The Sign" Was Anything But Romantic". Esquire. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Daw, Robbie (20 November 2014). "The 50 Best Pop Singles Of 1994 (Featuring New Interviews With Ace Of Base, TLC, Lisa Loeb, Real McCoy & Haddaway)". Idolator. Retrieved 14 July 2018.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b Partridge, Kenneth (16 March 2015). "Ace of Base Founder Discusses 'New' Album, Shares the Stories Behind the Band's 5 Biggest Hits". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  9. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 46. 13 November 1993. p. 8. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b Seabrook, John (2015). The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory. New York: W.W. Norton. p. 45. ISBN 9780393353280.
  11. ^ a b Campbell, Chuck (22 February 1994). "New Releases: Ace Of Base, Crash Test Dummies, Shonen Knife". Scripps Howard News Service.
  12. ^ a b Strauss, Neil (17 April 1994). "Pop Briefs". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  13. ^ Ace of Base (1994). The Sign: The Home Video (videotape). 6 West Home Video. At time 9:01. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Ace of Base "The Sign" Sheet Music in G Major". Musicnotes.com. 29 May 2002. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  15. ^ a b "The Sign" debuted at number one and spent 4 weeks at the top of the Danish singles chart in December 1993 and January 1994.
  16. ^ a b "The Sign" debuted at number one and spent 4 weeks at the top of on the Finnish singles chart in December 1993, and January and February 1994.
  17. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  18. ^ a b "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 14. 2 April 1994. p. 20. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  20. ^ a b "Ace Of Base – The Sign" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  21. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign" (in French). Les classement single.
  22. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Sign". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  23. ^ a b "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Ace Of Base".
  24. ^ a b "M-1 Top 40". M-1.fm. 16 January 1994. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  25. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  26. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign". VG-lista.
  27. ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  28. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign". Singles Top 100.
  29. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign". Swiss Singles Chart.
  30. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 27 February 1994 - 05 March 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  31. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 48. 27 November 1993. p. 17. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  32. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 6. 5 February 1994. p. 21. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  34. ^ "The Sign" spent 2 weeks at the top of the Israeli singles chart in November 1993.
    • Week 1: 16 November 1993
    • Week 2: 23 November 1993
  35. ^ a b "Ace of Base – The Sign". Top 40 Singles.
  36. ^ "The Sign" spent 5 weeks at the top of the Canadian RPM singles chart in March and April 1994.
  37. ^ a b Kimberley, Chris (2000). Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book. Harare.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  38. ^ McCabe, Kevin (12 March 1994). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 11. p. 95. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  39. ^ Bronson, Fred (2 April 1994). "Ace of Base: A 'Good' Sign for Sweden". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 14. p. 82.
  40. ^ a b "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. 16 April 1994. p. 6. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  41. ^ Bronson, Fred (8 February 2013). "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  42. ^ "The 37th Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. 6 January 1995. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  43. ^ Holt, Karen (19 November 1994). "Border Breakers: Monitoring The Impact Of Euro Talent" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 47. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  44. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ace of Base - The Sign". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  45. ^ Cohen, Howard (13 April 1995). "Beatles release shows group at working best". Herald-Journal.
  46. ^ Hamilton, James (19 February 1994). "DJ Directory" (PDF). Music Week. p. 7. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  47. ^ Farber, Jim (20 February 1994). "From land of Abba comes Ace of Base". New York Daily News. p. 22.
  48. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: The Sign". People. 28 February 1994. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  49. ^ "Snappy Pop Tunes Win With Reggae". Press-Telegram. 25 March 1994.
  50. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 4. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  51. ^ a b Eddy, Chuck (21 April 1994). "Music Reviews: Ace of Base – The Sign". LA Weekly. p. 83.
  52. ^ Tarradell, Mario (5 January 1994). "Album Reviews: Ace of Base, 'The Sign'". Miami Herald. p. 40.
  53. ^ Jones, Alan (26 February 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 16. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  54. ^ Doyle, Tom (16 February 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 41. Retrieved 27 April 2021 – via Flickr.
  55. ^ Thigpen, David (14 January 1994). "The Sign". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  56. ^ Walters, Barry (1 July 1994). "Soundbites: Happy sounds heard 'round the world". San Francisco Examiner. p. C-19.
  57. ^ a b Eric Torres (12 November 2023). "Ace of Base — The Sign". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  58. ^ Barshad, Amos (7 July 2011). "How Does Ace of Base's The Sign Hold Up?". Vulture. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  59. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (22 September 2009). "Katy Perry Wants To Make New Music Her Fans Can 'Roller-Skate To". MTV News. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  60. ^ a b Feeney, Nolan (8 February 2018). "How Ace of Base's 'The Sign' Kickstarted the Swedish Pop Machine". Billboard. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  61. ^ Zaleski, Annie (12 October 2018). "Fembots, dancing queens, and love fools: 60 minutes of Swedish pop". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  62. ^ Waliszewski, Bob. "The Sign – Plugged In Online Album Reviews". Plugged In (publication). Focus on the Family. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  63. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (28 August 2019). "The 50 Best Songs of the Nineties". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  64. ^ a b "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs Of the '90s". BuzzFeed. 11 March 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  65. ^ a b "The Biggest Hits of All: The Hot 100's All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  66. ^ "Stephanie Tanner singing Ace of Base is peak Nineties Full House". Me-TV Network. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  67. ^ "Top Five Pop/Dance Fusion Hits Of The '90s". DC Clubbing. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  68. ^ "'Pitch Perfect': How the music became aca-awesome". EW.com. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  69. ^ "13 Things 'Pitch Perfect' Has Ruined Forever, Because 'The Breakfast Club' Will Never Be The Same". Bustle. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  70. ^ "Good timing turned Ace Of Base's The Sign into the luckiest hit of the '90s". AV Club. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  71. ^ "Annotated - Songs for Peter Hughes". The Annotatated Mountain Goats.
  72. ^ "Mountain Goats - Zoop 2007 Concert". The Internet Archive. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  73. ^ "BMI Pop Awards" (PDF). Billboard. 27 May 1995. p. 16. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  74. ^ Pollock, Bruce (2005). The Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs of the Rock and Roll Era (2nd ed.). Routledge. ISBN 0-415-97073-3.
  75. ^ "100 Singli 1990-1999". Porcys (in Polish). 20 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  76. ^ "Best songs from the '90s". Insider. 17 September 2019.
  77. ^ "The 2019 Results: 1000 Greatest Songs Of All Time". Max. 2 November 2019. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  78. ^ Osborn, Jacob (30 April 2019). "Best 90s pop songs". Stacker. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  79. ^ "Greatest of All Time: Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s". Billboard. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  80. ^ Smith, Tony L. (21 October 2020). "Every No. 1 song of the 1990s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  81. ^ Moeslein, Anna (31 March 2020). "53 Best '90s Songs That Are All That and a Bag of Chips". Glamour. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  82. ^ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (29 June 2021). "The 50 Best '90s Songs Of Summer". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  83. ^ Kryza, Andy (20 August 2021). "50 Best 90's Songs". Time Out. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  84. ^ "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s". Pitchfork. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  85. ^ McIntyre, Hugh (9 March 2024). "The 50 Best Songs Of The 1990s". Forbes. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  86. ^ a b Søndergaard Larsen, Nanna (23 November 2018). "Levende lys, hænder og roser: Symbolikken hos Ace of Base er tom, og det hele er pragtfuldt". Dagbladet Information. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  87. ^ "Station Reports > MTV Europe/London" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 6. 5 February 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  88. ^ "Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 6. 5 February 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  89. ^ "Ace of Base - The Sign (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Mega Records Playground Music Scandinavia. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  90. ^ The Sign (back cover). Ace of Base. United States: Arista Records. 1994. 07822-12673-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  91. ^ The Sign (back cover). Ace of Base. United Kingdom: Metronome Records. 1993. 855 027-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  92. ^ The Sign (back cover). Ace of Base. Australia: Mega Records. 1994. PDSCD 547.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  93. ^ The Sign (back cover). Ace of Base. Japan: Arista Records. 1994. 07822-12673-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  94. ^ The Sign (back cover). Ace of Base. Germany: Metronome Records. 1994. 855 707-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  95. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2421." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  96. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2425." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  97. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2436." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  98. ^ "Top 10 Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 48. 27 November 1993. p. 14. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  99. ^ "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 5. 29 January 1994. p. 26. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  100. ^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 7. 12 February 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  101. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  102. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (07.01.1994 – 13.01.1994)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  103. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Ace of Base" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  104. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  105. ^ "Ace of Base: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  106. ^ "Ace of Base Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  107. ^ "Ace of Base Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  108. ^ "Ace of Base Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  109. ^ "Ace of Base Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  110. ^ "Ace of Base Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  111. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  112. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1993" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  113. ^ a b "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1994". Australian Record Industry Association Ltd. Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  114. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1994" (in German). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  115. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  116. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  117. ^ "RPM Top 100 AC tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  118. ^ "Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  119. ^ "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  120. ^ "Border Breakers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
  121. ^ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1994" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  122. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  123. ^ "Single top 100 over 1994" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  124. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1994" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  125. ^ "End of Year Charts 1994". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  126. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  127. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1994" (in German). Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  128. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1994" (PDF). Music Week. 14 January 1995. p. 9. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  129. ^ "The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. 24 December 1994. p. YE-26. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  130. ^ "1994 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. YE-68. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  131. ^ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1994". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012.
  132. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (25 December 1999). "1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s". Billboard. Retrieved 15 October 2010 – via Google Books.
  133. ^ Bronson, Fred (2 August 2012). "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  134. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Ace of Base – The Sign" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  135. ^ "Danish single certifications – Ace of Base – The Sign". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  136. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ace of Base; 'The Sign')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  137. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Ace of Base – The Sign". Recorded Music NZ.
  138. ^ "British single certifications – Ace of Base – The Sign". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  139. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 3. BPI Communications. 21 January 1995. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  140. ^ "American single certifications – Ace of Base – The Sign". Recording Industry Association of America.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sign_(song)&oldid=1257684701"