On 18 February 2025, the video for “Take On Me” passed one billion views on YouTube, according to Classic Pop. That is a remarkable number for a clip made in 1985, and it explains why Morten Harket’s name still comes up whenever people ask what 1980s pop stars are worth today.
The answer depends on whom you ask. Celebrity Net Worth puts his fortune at USD 80 million. Norwegian tax records point to something much smaller. This article explains why the two figures differ and which numbers can actually be verified.
Morten Harket Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Morten Harket |
| Born | 14 September 1959, Kongsberg, Norway |
| Age (October 2026) | 67 |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter |
| Best known for | Lead vocalist of a-ha (“Take On Me”) |
| Solo albums | Six to date; seventh, Human Grace, due 27 November 2026 |
| Estimated net worth | USD 80 million (Celebrity Net Worth, June 2025; unverified) |
| Tax-list wealth, 2024 | Just over NOK 32 million (Nettavisen; see note above) |
| Company | Compass Point AS |
Morten Harket’s Net Worth in 2026: What Can and Can’t Be Verified
The USD 80 million estimate
Celebrity Net Worth published its Harket profile in June 2025 and gives a figure of USD 80 million. The page lists no financial filings or tax data behind the number. It describes its figures as estimates built from public sources.
We could not find a Forbes profile or a Kapital net worth estimate to cross-check it. Other sites list anything from USD 10 million to USD 60 million, usually with no sourcing, so we have not relied on them.
What Norwegian tax records show
Norway publishes tax lists, which gives us harder evidence. According to Nettavisen’s coverage of the 2024 lists, Harket’s taxable wealth was just over NOK 32 million. The same report describes him as the second best-paid Norwegian artist of 2024.
Older records show how his finances developed. In 2016, a big touring year, NRK reported an income of NOK 13,065,201 for Harket, tax of NOK 4,474,706 and wealth of NOK 12,653,337. Kapital reported (republished by Finansavisen) that his assessed wealth had been zero until 2015. It then jumped above NOK 12 million in 2016, after the album Cast in Steel and its tour.
Why the numbers differ
Tax-list wealth is not net worth. Norwegian lists show net figures after debt. As NRK notes, a person’s own home is valued for tax at well below market price. Royalty rights and company holdings can also be valued very differently from what a buyer would pay.
Still, a gap between roughly NOK 32 million and USD 80 million is large at any exchange rate. Our reading is that USD 80 million is a generous headline estimate, and that Harket’s real net worth is not publicly confirmed. Treat any single figure with caution.
Early Life and Background
Harket was born in Kongsberg and grew up in Asker, south of Oslo. According to Wikipedia, his father was a chief physician and his mother taught economics. Before a-ha, he sang with the Oslo blues outfit Souldier Blue.
Career: From Oslo Clubs to Global Pop
The a-ha breakthrough
Harket joined Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen in 1982, and the trio moved to London to chase a recording career. Their debut album Hunting High and Low followed in 1985. Sales estimates vary by source: Store norske leksikon says more than eight million copies, while Celebrity Net Worth says over ten million.
The same source credits a-ha with well over 70 million albums and singles sold. Celebrity Net Worth cites over 100 million records. Treat both as approximate.
Break-up, reunion and farewell
a-ha paused in 1994 and reunited in 1998 at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, per Wikipedia. In 2009 they announced a farewell tour, and the last show took place in Oslo on 4 December 2010.
The farewell tour grossed around NOK 500 million in turnover, according to DN as cited by Nettavisen. That is tour revenue, not profit, and it was divided among the band, promoters, crew and management.
The “farewell” did not last. The band returned with Cast in Steel in 2015, and their 11th album, True North, followed in October 2022. Their last known concert was at the Hollywood Bowl on 31 July 2022.
Solo albums
Alongside a-ha, Harket has released six solo albums, including Wild Seed (1995), Letter from Egypt (2008) and Brother (2014), per Wikipedia.
How Harket Earns: Touring, Royalties and His Company
Much of his income flows through Compass Point AS, and its accounts have been covered closely in the Norwegian business press.
- Dividends. Finansavisen reported that he took out NOK 29.1 million from the company over six years, 2015 to 2020. That is money moved from the company to him, not total wealth.
- Pandemic dip. In 2020, company revenue fell to NOK 1.2 million, because his income comes largely from live events and appearances such as judging on The Voice.
- Rebound. In 2022, revenue rose to NOK 5.7 million, from NOK 432,000 in 2021. Net profit was NOK 5.1 million, and no dividend was taken in 2021 or 2022.
- 2023. Registry data on 180.no show operating revenue of NOK 410,000 and a net result of NOK 6.6 million, helped by financial income.
We found no verifiable data on endorsement deals or property holdings, so we leave those out rather than guess.
Parkinson’s Diagnosis and Its Impact on His Career
In an interview published on a-ha’s website on 4 June 2025, Harket revealed that he has Parkinson’s disease. He underwent deep brain stimulation surgery at the Mayo Clinic in June and December 2024.
His voice has been affected. Asked whether he can still sing, he told the band’s biographer, “I don’t really know.” On touring income, the implication is plain: live work has been the main driver of his earnings, and none is currently planned.
The Next Chapter: Human Grace
Harket is releasing a new solo album, Human Grace, on 27 November 2026 through Warner Records Germany. It is his first solo record since Brother in 2014 and has ten tracks. On it he sings with his daughter Tomine. An album will not replace years of touring income, but it keeps his catalogue and royalties active.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Morten Harket’s net worth in 2026?
It is not publicly confirmed. Celebrity Net Worth estimates USD 80 million, while Norwegian tax lists show taxable wealth of just over NOK 32 million for 2024. The two figures measure different things.
How old is Morten Harket?
He was born on 14 September 1959, so he is 67 as of October 2026.
How much did Morten Harket earn in 2016?
Tax records show an income of NOK 13,065,201 and tax of NOK 4,474,706 for 2016.
Is Morten Harket still performing?
a-ha’s last known concert was at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2022. After his Parkinson’s disclosure, his return to the stage is uncertain, though a new solo album is due in November 2026.
Who is richer, Morten Harket or his bandmates?
We can’t say. Furuholmen and Waaktaar-Savoy have no verified, comparable net worth figures, and Waaktaar-Savoy has no Norwegian company because he lives in the US, as Finansavisen reported.
Conclusion
Harket’s career is one of Norway’s biggest music export stories, and his catalogue still earns. A confirmed net worth figure is another matter. The USD 80 million estimate is unsupported by any filing we could find, while Norwegian records show a more modest, though incomplete, picture. Until a rigorous source publishes better data, the honest answer is “wealthy, but not publicly confirmed.”
Sources & References
- Celebrity Net Worth: Morten Harket (published 4 June 2025, modified 5 June 2025)
- NRK: Dette tjente norske artister i 2016
- Nettavisen: Kurt Nilsen økte inntekten (2024 tax lists)
- Finansavisen: Morten Harket opp millionutbytte til seg selv
- Finansavisen (via Kapital): Morten Harket sikret seg ti millioner i utbytte
- Nettavisen: Morten Harket med millionoverskudd
- 180.no: Compass Point AS financials
- Nettavisen: Comeback verdt millioner
- Store norske leksikon: a-ha
- Wikipedia: Morten Harket
- a-ha.com: Ending on a High Note – The Final Concert
- TODAY: Parkinson’s disclosure
- Variety: Parkinson’s and Hollywood Bowl 2022
- Classic Pop: “Take On Me” reaches one billion views
- ms-aktuell: Human Grace announcement
Note: We could not locate a Forbes or Kapital net worth estimate for Harket. Figures were verified through the sources above as of 14 October 2026.
