ABBA
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ABBA is considered to be the most successful pop group of the 1970’s to come out of Sweden. They topped the worldwide charts from mid 1970s to the early 1980s. They brought us the hit singles "Mamma Mia", "Fernando" and "Dancing Queen".
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About
In 1966, keyboardist and vocalist Benny Andersson teamed with guitarist and vocalist Bjorn Ulvaeus began composing songs together. They handled session and production work for Polar Music / Union Songs, a publishing company owned by Stig Anderson. During this time, the two worked with their respective girlfriends: Ulvaeus with vocalist Agnetha Faltskog and Andersson with Anni-Frid Lyngstad, a jazz singer.
The following year, Ulvaeus and Andersson gained international achievement with ‘’People Need Love’’ which featured Faltskog and Lyngstad on vocals. Their success led them to an invitation to join the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest. They submitted ‘’Ring Ring’’ under the name of Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida. Unfortunately, this entry placed only third.
In 1974, the band was introduced under a new name ABBA which was an acronym coined from the members’ first names. Their entry ‘’Waterloo’’ to the Eurovision Song contest garnered the first place.
From 1975 until late 1980s, [[ABBA] held consistent top positions in US and UK charts. Their last LP, The Visitors, was released in 1980. The group disbanded after the December 1982 release of their single ‘’Under Attack’’.
Ulvaeus and Faltskog married in 1971 and separated after a few months. While Andersson and Lyngstad married in 1978.
'BAND LINEUP:
- Benny Andersson - Keyboards, Vocals, Piano, Moog synthesizer, Mellotron
- Agnetha Fältskog - Vocals
- Anni-Frid Lyngstadr - Vocals
- Björn Ulvaeus - Acoustic guitar, Guitar, Vocals
Awards & Certifications
Evidence of their phenomenal success is the sales figure of their corresponding singles as documented in ABBA Express Magazine Issue 20, 1989:
| Album | Sales |
|---|---|
| Waterloo | 800,000 copies |
| Dancing Queen | 1,100,000 copies |
| Knowing Me, Knowing You | 540,000 copies |
| The Name of the Game | 560,000 copies |
| Take A Chance On Me | 1,000,000 copies |
| Year | Album | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Arrival | Gold |
| 1977 | ABBA – The Album | Platinum |
| 1979 | Voulez-Vous | Gold |
| 1980 | Super Trouper | Gold |
Chart Toppers
| Year | Title | Cashbox Singles |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Waterloo | 84 |
| 1976 | I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do | 95 |
| 1977 | Dancing Queen | 3 |
| 1978 | Take A Chance On Me | 47 |
| 1981 | The Winner Takes It All | 74 |
News
Discography
Albums
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 ABBA
1975 Atlantic Records |
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Compilations & Live Releases
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Other artists
Similar artists
Influences
Contemporaries
Trivia
- ABBA is an acronym coined by Stig Anderson, the band’s manager from the first letters of each group member's name (Agnetha, Benny, Björn, Anni-Frid).
- “People Need Love” was their first single but was credited to “Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid”. The record reached #17 in the Swedish charts.
- British success was further solidified with “Mamma Mia” reaching the UK #1 spot in January 1976 and knocking Queen's biggest hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” from the top (incidentally, the only time a song has contained in its lyrics the name of the song that replaced it in the No. 1 spot).
- Songwriters Andersson and Ulvaeus were unable to write notated music on paper. Only Fältskog could do so (as revealed in a Dick Cavett interview with the group from 1981).
- The foursome officially disbanded after the December 1982 release of their single “Under Attack.”
- As of 2006, their 1976 hit single "Fernando" still held the record for the most weeks spent at number one in Australia (along with The Beatles' "Hey Jude").
Reviews
External Links
Categories: Artist | Pop
