M2M

Biography

M2M is a Norwegian pop duo comprising Marit Larsen and Marion Raven. Larsen and Raven had been friends since the age of five and formed a music duo when they were eight. They released a children's album in 1996 when Larsen was 12 and Raven was 11, under the name "Marit & Marion". The album was nominated for a Spellemannprisen award and the band changed their name to M2M after signing a record deal with Atlantic Records in 1998. M2M were frequently praised for writing most of their songs and performing their own instruments, something that was considered to set them apart from the majority of teen pop music artists.
Their debut single, "Don't Say You Love Me" (1999), was both a critical and commercial success, and remained their biggest hit. Their debut album, Shades of Purple×Shades of Purple3 February 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Don’t Say You Love Me3:442The Day You Went Away3:413Girl in Your Dreams3:404Mirror Mirror3:205Pretty Boy4:396Give a Little Love3:577Everything You Do (new vocal up)4:028Don’t Mess With My Love3:399Dear Diary3:5610Do You Know What You Want4:0311Smiling Face4:1112Our Song3:5313Why4:1414Pretty Boy (Mandarin version)4:3815Don’t Say You Love Me (acoustic version)3:2316Mirror Mirror (acoustic version)3:1717Pretty Boy (acoustic version)4:1118Everything You Do (Groove Brothers remix radio edit)3:4619Everything You Do (Johnathan Peters radio mix)3:38 (2000), was critically well-received and sold over 1.5 million units worldwide. Despite critical success, their second album, The Big Room×The Big Room5 March 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Everything4:122Jennifer3:083Don’t3:284Payphone3:175What You Do About Me3:066Love Left for Me4:157Miss Popular3:068Wanna Be Where You Are3:269Leave Me Alone3:0810Sometimes2:5311Eventually3:0112Wait for Me3:06 (2001), did not perform as well commercially, and the duo broke up in 2002, with each pursuing a solo career. A greatest hits album, The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M×The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M5 May 2003 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1The Day You Went Away3:422Mirror Mirror3:223Pretty Boy4:404Don’t Say You Love Me3:475Everything3:086Everything You Do4:057Girl in Your Dreams3:398What You Do About Me3:219Don’t (acoustic)3:3110Wanna Be Where You Are3:2511Not to Me3:0912Is You4:0213Wait for Me3:0714Jennifer (acoustic)2:5215Love Left for Me (acoustic)4:1416Pretty Boy (Mandarin version)4:4117Everything (acoustic)3:4118Don’t Say You Love Me (Tin Tin Out remix)3:3319Todo Lo Que Haces4:0320Mirror Mirror (Power Dance mix)5:59 (2003), was released after they disbanded. M2M sold over 2 million albums.
After a 22-year hiatus, the duo reunited in September 2024, and announced a world tour in 2025. An EP of re-recordings of their greatest hits, titled Still in My Dreams×Still in My Dreams9 May 2025 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1The Day You Went Away (2025)3:392Don’t Say You Love Me (2025)3:183Everything (2025)3:474Mirror Mirror (2025)3:235Pretty Boy (2025)4:45, was released on 8 May 2025, marking their first release in over 20 years.

1996–1998: Formation and Synger Kjente Barnesanger

Marit Larsen and Marion Raven come from Lørenskog in the district east of Oslo. They met at a playground when they were five and became best friends. Discovering they had similar interests in music, they began singing together. The two girls formed a music duo when they were eight, naming it "Hubba Bubba" after their favourite bubble gum. At the time, Raven was learning to play piano, and Larsen was learning guitar. They also starred together in professional musical productions such as Annie and The Sound of Music. In 1996, when Larsen was 12 and Raven was 11, they released a children's album in Norway, Synger Kjente Barnesanger×Synger kjente barnesanger5 March 1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks110 Små syklister2:432Så rart2:183Hvis du ser en krokodille2:014Papegøyen fra Amerika3:1353 små fisk4:196Solen er så rød, mor3:027Tre små kinesere3:018Alle fugler2:169Det satt to katter3:0510Tuppen og Lillemor3:0311Alle hjerter banker3:0312Gubben og Gamla5:4113Liten sang0:15 (Sing Famous Children's Songs), under the name "Marit & Marion". The album was nominated for a Spellemannprisen award. After the record's release, they started writing their own pop songs and sent demo recordings out; one of the demos ended up at Atlantic Records and they were signed to a worldwide contract in 1998. Following being offered the contract they considered shortening their name to M&M, though decided against that after discovering there was a candy that uses that name in the United States. Instead, they held a competition for fans to come up with a name, and one girl suggested M2M.

1999–2000: Shades of Purple

As M2M, their first single was "Don't Say You Love Me". It was featured in the closing credits of the film Pokémon: The First Movie and was chosen as the lead single from the film's soundtrack, being released on 26 October 1999. Promoted by a "nonstop marketing effort", advanced airing on Radio Disney and the affiliation with Pokémon, the single experienced commercial success. It charted at No. 2 in Norway and No. 4 in both Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, it was certified Gold in both Australia and America, and was nominated for the year's best song at the 2000 Spellemannprisen awards. In November 1999, M2M performed the song on the episode "Band on the Run" of TV series One World. The duo released their debut album, Shades of Purple×Shades of Purple3 February 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Don’t Say You Love Me3:442The Day You Went Away3:413Girl in Your Dreams3:404Mirror Mirror3:205Pretty Boy4:396Give a Little Love3:577Everything You Do (new vocal up)4:028Don’t Mess With My Love3:399Dear Diary3:5610Do You Know What You Want4:0311Smiling Face4:1112Our Song3:5313Why4:1414Pretty Boy (Mandarin version)4:3815Don’t Say You Love Me (acoustic version)3:2316Mirror Mirror (acoustic version)3:1717Pretty Boy (acoustic version)4:1118Everything You Do (Groove Brothers remix radio edit)3:4619Everything You Do (Johnathan Peters radio mix)3:38, in early 2000. It was well received critically, and reached No. 7 in Norway, No. 89 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on Top Heatseekers chart. The second single from the album, "Mirror Mirror×Mirror Mirror22 February 2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Mirror Mirror3:232Don't Say You Love Me (acoustic version)3:14" (2000), was certified gold in the United States. A third single, "Everything You Do×Everything You Do5 December 2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Everything You Do4:052Mirror Mirror (live acoustic)3:153Don’t Mess With My Love (live acoustic)3:25" (2000), reached No. 21 on the United States Hot Dance Singles Sales.
Throughout 2000, M2M appeared on episodes of All That, Top of the Pops, Say What? Karaoke and MTV's Hot Zone. M2M performed live at Walt Disney World's Epcot park on 12 February 2000. Their performance was recorded and appeared on an episode of Disney Channel in Concert on 29 April, which focused on both M2M and BBMak. Following the Disney recording they were scheduled to perform a series of concerts at high-schools across America; in early April 2000 they had to cancel their performance at a high-school in Arlington Heights, Illinois, as they were obligated to return to Norway to meet high-schooling commitments. In June 2000, M2M were named "Discovery of the Year" by the Singapore Radio Association. In September that year, they toured the United States with Hanson, performing as the band's opening act. Despite having sold over 1 million copies of Shades of Purple and over 1.5 million singles by September 2000, M2M were still considered a risk by their investors, who at that time were only coming close to recuperating the down payment they had made to promote the duo.

2001–2002: The Big Room and break-up

In early 2001 they were featured in Atlantic Records' "Teensation" TV concerts, which were designed to promote "rising stars". Concerts were filmed at Hard Rock Live in Florida and aired on Music Choice. M2M's second album The Big Room×The Big Room5 March 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Everything4:122Jennifer3:083Don’t3:284Payphone3:175What You Do About Me3:066Love Left for Me4:157Miss Popular3:068Wanna Be Where You Are3:269Leave Me Alone3:0810Sometimes2:5311Eventually3:0112Wait for Me3:06, was released in Asia in late 2001 and had been released worldwide by April 2002. It was considered to have a more mature, less pop-oriented sound. The first single from the album was "Everything×Everything29 January 2002 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Everything3:46" (2001), which reached No. 6 in Norway and No. 27 in Australia. The second single, "What You Do About Me×What You Do About Me15 June 2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1What You Do About Me3:04" (2002), was less successful, only charting at No. 46 in Australia. Another track, "Don't", was made available as a promotional single in the United States. While giving a positive review of the single, Chuck Taylor said it was frustrating to see the lack of chart success of M2M's singles in America, considering the duo's talent "shines like a beacon high in the sky". The promotion for their second album included appearing on the 100th episode of Dawson's Creek and shortly thereafter they were selected as spokeswomen for the Pantene Pro-Voice concert series, a talent competition that promoted young, female songwriters in the United States. M2M were chosen as the opening act for Jewel's "This Way" tour, which commenced on 14 June 2002.

Despite The Big Room being critically acclaimed, it was not as commercially successful as their first album, which Verdens Gang attributed to a lacklustre promotion campaign by Atlantic Records. Halfway through their tour with Jewel in mid-July, M2M were removed as the opening act by Atlantic, who cited disappointing sales of The Big Room, which at that time had sold around 100,000 units in America. Shocked and disappointed by the decision, M2M returned to Norway, and ceased performing together. Raven was immediately offered a solo record contract from Atlantic, though she later withdrew from the offer.
Interviewed in 2007, Larsen said that while the break-up was peaceful, "when [they] decided it had to end, it really had to end", adding "we started to pull each other in different directions because I wanted to make really good pop music and Marion wanted to go rock". Interviewed in 2013, Raven said that she and Larsen had always agreed they would keep performing together as long as they were having a good time, and they ended because it was not fun anymore, also saying that while they had been inseparable as children, as 18-year-olds they had become quite different. A greatest hits album, The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M×The Day You Went Away: The Best of M2M5 May 2003 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1The Day You Went Away3:422Mirror Mirror3:223Pretty Boy4:404Don’t Say You Love Me3:475Everything3:086Everything You Do4:057Girl in Your Dreams3:398What You Do About Me3:219Don’t (acoustic)3:3110Wanna Be Where You Are3:2511Not to Me3:0912Is You4:0213Wait for Me3:0714Jennifer (acoustic)2:5215Love Left for Me (acoustic)4:1416Pretty Boy (Mandarin version)4:4117Everything (acoustic)3:4118Don’t Say You Love Me (Tin Tin Out remix)3:3319Todo Lo Que Haces4:0320Mirror Mirror (Power Dance mix)5:59, was released in 2003. M2M sold over 2 million albums; 1.5 million albums were sold in Asia by April 2002.

2004–2016: Solo careers

Both Larsen and Raven went on to pursue solo careers. Raven released her debut solo album Here I Am in 2005, an alternative rock album considered to be a major change from her musical style with M2M. Her debut single "Break You" (2005) remains her highest-charting solo song, reaching No. 9 in Norway. In 2006, she featured with Meat Loaf on a cover of the song "It's All Coming Back to Me Now", which found international success including reaching No. 1 in Norway. In 2014, she released Scandal Vol. 1, her third studio album. Scandal Vol. 2, the second part of the double album, was released the following year.
Larsen released her debut solo album, Under the Surface, in 2006. K. Ross Hoffman from AllMusic said the album drew equally from "folk, pop, and country". Her fifth studio album, Joni Was Right I / II, was released in 2016. Three of her singles have reached No. 1 in Norway, including "If a Song Could Get Me You" (2008), which also reached the top spot in Germany and Austria.

2024–present: Reunion and Still in My Dreams

On September 22, 2024, Larsen and Raven posted a viral video via Instagram of them singing an acoustic version of "The Day You Went Away×The Day You Went Away29 June 2018 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 30 tracks1The Day You Went Away3:422Pretty Boy4:393Mirror Mirror (Eddie's Power dance mix)5:564Don't Say You Love Me3:455Don't (unplugged)3:286Everything You Do4:017Dear Diary3:568Everything4:119Our Song3:5310Girl in Your Dreams3:3911Don't Say You Love Me (Tin Tin Out remix)3:3112Is You4:0013What You Do About Me3:0214Give a Little Love3:5715Wait for Me3:0516Todo Lo Que Haces4:0117Pretty Boy (Mandarin version)4:3818Not to Me (unplugged)3:0919Mirror Mirror3:2020Love Left for Me4:1421Everything (unplugged)3:4022Do You Know What You Want4:0423Jennifer3:0724Leave Me Alone3:0725Wanna Be Where You Are3:2526Don't Mess With My Love3:4327Miss Popular3:0528Smiling Face4:1429The Feeling Is Gone3:1730Why4:20", also sharing a new official Instagram account for M2M and an official website. The duo later confirmed they had reunited, and later announced a world tour titled "The Better Endings Tour", performing in Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Norway between April and June 2025. In April 2025, they announced an EP re-recording their greatest hits, titled Still in My Dreams×Still in My Dreams9 May 2025 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1The Day You Went Away (2025)3:392Don’t Say You Love Me (2025)3:183Everything (2025)3:474Mirror Mirror (2025)3:235Pretty Boy (2025)4:45; it was released on 8 May 2025, marking their first release of new recordings in more than 20 years.

Critical response, musical style and legacy

In contrast to many other mainstream pop acts of the time, M2M wrote many of their own songs and played their own instruments, even when performing live, which is considered rare among teen pop artists. In 1999, Ron Shapiro from Atlantic Records said "What was extraordinary about them from the beginning was that they had an incredibly accessible pop sound and contemporary visual for what's happening today, coupled with a truly organic songwriting, and musical instrument prowess... It's rare to find truly mainstream contemporary pop artists today who are also extremely skilled live performance artists and talented songwriters". That same year Stephanie McGrath from AllPop.com said M2M's music "breathes fresh, brusque Norwegian air into the world of pop music dominated by Britney Spears wannabes and Orlando-born boy bands", noting that instead of typical teen subjects like true love or candy, M2M's songs were about "taking things slow or not betraying your friends". Reviewing Shades of Purple, Michael Paoletta from Billboard said the album's tracks showed a "seasoned singing style that is, quite frankly, the antithesis of teen sensations like Britney Spears", concluding "Beautifully sun-kissed, Shades of Purple is poised to be the soundtrack of spring/summer 2000."
M2M recorded The Big Room in just six days, saying they wanted to be like the Beatles or Simon & Garfunkel, who also recorded their albums quickly. Commenting on The Big Room, Karen Tye from the Herald Sun praised M2M for using "down-to-earth tunes and thoughtful lyrics" instead of revealing outfits to propel them into the limelight, unlike many of their pop counterparts. M2M described their second album as "organic pop", as they used all non-electronic instruments in recording.
In 2020, Taylor Swift listed M2M among 51 female artists who had guided and influenced her career.