M2M were 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 which was considered to set them aside 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 (2000), was critically acclaimed and sold over 1.5 million units worldwide. Despite critical acclaim, their second album, The Big Room (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 (2003), was released after they disbanded. M2M sold over 2 million albums. Career 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 (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.