Sunrise Avenue
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 in Helsinki, Finland |
| Founder | Samu Haber, Jan Hohenthal |
| Defunct | 2022 |
| Headquarters | Helsinki , Finland |
| Products | Rock music, pop-rock, rock ballads |
| Website | sunriseavenue |
Sunrise Avenue was a rock ensemble originating from Finland, established in 2002 in Helsinki. Initially, the group went by the name Sunrise until 2003. Their musical approach incorporates elements of rock, pop-rock, and rock ballad genres. Among their prominent songs are "Hollywood Hills" (2011), "Fairytale Gone Bad" (2006), "Forever Yours" (2007), (2009), "Heal Me" (2007), "Welcome to My Life" (2009), and "Heartbreak Century" (2017). Over their career, they produced five studio albums, two live recordings, three live DVDs, a compilation album, and released 21 singles. The band garnered notable popularity throughout continental Europe, especially in Finland, Germany, and various Eastern European countries.
Formation and Initial Period (1992–2005)
Sunrise was established in April 1992 in Espoo, Finland by Samu Haber alongside singer-songwriter Jan Hohenthal. The band performed at pubs, festivals, and private gatherings until 1998 when Haber relocated to Spain. Early lineup members included bassist Sami Heinänen and drummer Antti Tuomela.
Following four years abroad with limited musical activities, Haber returned to Finland. In October 2001, during a gathering in Helsinki, the group adopted the name Sunrise Avenue. By this time, Tuomela had exited the band, leaving the drummer position vacant. Heinänen designed the band's distinctive American Street sign-inspired logo.
Hohenthal left the band in 2002 to pursue a solo path; he currently performs with Finnish folk ensemble Metrofolk. That same year, Heinänen introduced guitarist Janne Kärkkäinen. With Juho Sandman joining as drummer, the band concentrated on student events and smaller venues within Greater Helsinki. They worked alongside producers Jone Ullakko and Jani Saastamoinen before collaborating with in-house producer Jukka Backlund, whom Haber credits as an influential mentor musically.
Between 2002 and 2005, Haber made over 100 visits to record labels and agencies throughout Finland and Sweden, ultimately securing a contract with Scandinavian label Bonnier Amigo Music. Industry professionals frequently advised adopting a more mainstream rock image to achieve commercial success.
First and Second Album Era (2006–2010)
To support their first album On the Way to Wonderland, Haber developed the "Sunrise Avenue Business Plan," which he presented to Mikko Virtala. Virtala financed most of the recording sessions and a trip to the Midem Music Expo in Cannes. At Midem, Haber connected with future manager Bob Cunningham from the UK. Released throughout Europe in 2006, the album included the hit single "Fairytale Gone Bad", which reached top positions on various European charts. The band embarked on three sold-out tours across Europe and appeared on major festival stages such as Rock am Ring in 2007.
In 2007, amid challenging circumstances, Kärkkäinen was dismissed from the band. He initiated legal action claiming rights to perform under the name Sunrise Avenue. The Finnish courts ruled in favor of the band, culminating in a confidential financial settlement after three years of litigation. The band's name and trademark remain under original member Samu Haber's ownership.
In 2008, Haber and Backlund teamed up with producer Aku Sinivalo to acquire Sonic Kitchen Recording Studio located in Helsinki. Sunrise Avenue recorded their sophomore album Popgasm at this facility before selling their stake in 2010.
Acoustic Tour Live 2010 and Subsequent Releases (2010–2020)
In 2010, Sunrise Avenue unveiled Acoustic Tour Live 2010, a live album featuring recordings from their concerts in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
The band commenced production on their third studio album alongside Backlund and newly onboarded producer Jukka Immonen. The songwriting process spanned multiple locations including Helsinki, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Stockholm, Greece, and Germany. Samu Haber took on the role of executive producer. Following discussions with Scandinavian record labels, Sunrise Avenue secured a global contract with Universal Music, with the exception of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Distributed across 70 countries, Out of Style included the popular track "Hollywood Hills", which garnered significant radio exposure and sales throughout Europe.
Their fourth studio project, Unholy Ground (2013), achieved notable commercial success in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—earning platinum certifications in Germany and Switzerland and gold in Austria. The album's lead single, "Lifesaver," received widespread radio rotation. The accompanying tour attracted sold-out audiences in venues accommodating up to 12,000 attendees across various nations.
In 2014, Sunrise Avenue introduced their inaugural greatest hits collection, Fairytales, which debuted at number one on both German and Swiss charts and attained platinum status in Germany as well as gold in Switzerland.
The band released the single "Prisoner in Paradise" in 2016. Their 2017 album Heartbreak Century entered the German charts at number one and featured singles such as "I Help You Hate Me" and the title track. This release was supported by a European tour extending into mid-2018. In 2018, they followed up with another single named "Dreamer".
Closing Period (2020–2022)
Following a relatively quiet year in 2019, Sunrise Avenue announced on 2 December 2019 that they planned to disband after 2020. They issued a final single titled "Thank You for Everything" and embarked on a farewell tour comprising seven stops plus one festival appearance. Nevertheless, on 1 March 2021, the band reunited, unveiling a new website alongside fresh album material and merchandise offerings.
In 2022, Sunrise Avenue launched their Farewell Live Concert tour beginning in Finland with performances in Seinäjoki and Helsinki. They also released a documentary named This Is the End, chronicling their Helsinki show. The tour proceeded through Germany during autumn 2022 with concerts held in Hannover, Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf. Their concluding performance occurred in Düsseldorf on 18 September 2022.
Since 2020, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Samu Haber has focused on a solo career primarily delivering songs in Finnish.
Band members
- Final line-up
- Samu Aleksi Haber (born 2 April 1976) – lead vocals, guitar (1992–2022)
- Ilkka "Raul" Ruutu (born 28 August 1975) – bass guitar, backing vocals (2002–2022)
- Sami Tapio Osala (born 10 March 1980) – drums (2005–2022)
- Riku Juhani Rajamaa (born 4 November 1975) – lead guitar, backing vocals (2007–2022)
- Touring musicians
- Osmo Ikonen – keyboards (2009–2022)
- Former members
- Jan Hohenthal – guitar, vocals (1992–2002)
- Sami Heinänen – bass guitar, backing vocals (1995–2002)
- Teijo Jämsä – drums (2004–2006)
- Janne Kärkkäinen – guitar, backing vocals (2002–2007)
- Juho Sandman – drums, backing vocals (2002–2004)
- Jukka Backlund – keyboards (2005–2008)
- Olli Tumelius – drums (2005)
- Lenni-Kalle Taipale – keyboards (2010)
- Heikki Puhakainen – keyboards (2011)
Discography
- Studio Albums
- On the Way to Wonderland (2006)
- Popgasm (2009)
- Acoustic Tour 2010 (2010)
- Out of Style (2011)
- Out of Style – Live Edition (2012)
- Unholy Ground (2013)
- Fairytales – Best of 2006–2014 (2014)
- Heartbreak Century (2017)
- Live with Wonderland Orchestra (2021)
Honors
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2007 |
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| 2008 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2013 |
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External links
- Official website
- Interview with Samu Haber of Sunrise Avenue at FreeMagazine.fi
- Musical groups established in 2002
- Musical groups disbanded in 2022
- Finnish alternative rock bands
- 2002 establishments in Finland
- 2022 disestablishments in Finland
- English-language musical acts from Finland
- Finnish soft rock bands
- Finnish pop rock bands
- Finnish post-grunge bands
- Musical groups from Helsinki
- Musical groups disestablished in 2022