ABBA

"Abba" redirects here. For other uses, see Abba (disambiguation).

ABBA
ABBA in 1974; from left: Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA in 1974; from left: Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus
Background information
Also known as
  • Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid/Frida (1972–1973)
OriginStockholm, Sweden
Genres
DiscographyABBA discography
Years active
  • 1972–1982, 2016–2022
Labels
Spinoff of
Past members
Websiteabbasite.com

ABBA[a] was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time,[3] and are one of the best-selling music acts in the history of popular music.

In 1974, ABBA were Sweden's first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Waterloo", which in 2005 was chosen as the best song in the competition's history as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the contest.[4] During the band's main active years, it consisted of two married couples: Fältskog and Ulvaeus, and Lyngstad and Andersson. With the increase of their popularity, their personal lives suffered, which eventually resulted in the collapse of both marriages. The relationship changes were reflected in the group's music, with later songs featuring darker and more introspective lyrics.[5] After ABBA disbanded in December 1982, Andersson and Ulvaeus continued their success writing music for multiple audiences including stage, musicals and movies,[6][7] while Fältskog and Lyngstad pursued solo careers.[8][9] Ten years after the group broke up, a compilation, ABBA Gold, was released, becoming a worldwide best-seller. In 1999, ABBA's music was adapted into Mamma Mia!, a stage musical that toured worldwide and, as of October 2024, is still in the top-ten longest running productions on both Broadway (closed in 2015) and the West End (still running). A film of the same name, released in 2008, became the highest-grossing film in the United Kingdom that year. A sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, was released in 2018.

ABBA are among the best-selling music artists in history, with record sales estimated to be between 150 million to 385 million sold worldwide[10][11] and the group were ranked 3rd best-selling singles artists in the United Kingdom with a total of 11.3 million singles sold by 3 November 2012.[12] In May 2023, ABBA were awarded the BRIT Billion Award, which celebrates those who have surpassed the milestone of one billion UK streams in their career.[13] ABBA were the first group from a non-English-speaking country to achieve consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, United States, Republic of Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.[14] They are the best-selling Swedish band of all time[15] and the best-selling band originating in continental Europe. ABBA had eight consecutive number-one albums in the UK. The group also enjoyed significant success in Latin America and recorded a collection of their hit songs in Spanish. ABBA were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.[16] The group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, the first recording artists to receive this honour from outside an Anglophonic country.[17] In 2015, their song "Dancing Queen" was inducted into the Recording Academy's Grammy Hall of Fame.[18] In 2024, the United States Library of Congress included the album Arrival (1976) in the National Recording Registry, which recognises works "worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage".[19][20]

In 2016, the group reunited and started working on a digital avatar concert tour.[21] Newly recorded songs were announced in 2018.[22] Voyage, their first new album in 40 years, was released on 5 November 2021 to positive critical reviews and strong sales in numerous countries.[23] ABBA Voyage, a concert residency featuring ABBA as virtual avatars, opened in May 2022 in London.[24]

  1. ^ Moskowitz, David V. (31 October 2015). The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World. GREENWOOD Publishing Group Incorporated. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-4408-0339-0. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  2. ^ Ray, Michael, ed. (2013). Disco, Punk, New Wave, Heavy Metal, and More: Music in the 1970s and 1980s. Britannica Educational Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-6153-0912-2. The Swedish Europop quartet ABBA was among the most commercially successful groups in the history of popular music.
  3. ^ Harrison, Andrew (21 October 2014). "Why are Abba so popular?". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference 50th was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Youtube video". 1:10. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Benny Andersson". Biography. 2 April 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Björn Ulvaeus". Biography.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Agnetha Fältskog". Biography.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Anni-Frid Lyngstad". Biography.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  10. ^ Trauth, Beti (28 February 2012). "ABBA music enhances 'Mamma Mia!' at the Van Duzer". Times-Standard. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  11. ^ Farmbrough, Heather (17 May 2018). "New Abba Exhibition Launched as Abba Sells More Music than Ever". Forbes. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  12. ^ "The Official Top 20 biggest selling groups of all time revealed!". Official Charts. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  13. ^ "Lewis Capaldi, Mariah Carey and more honoured with new BRIT Billion award". Official Charts. 4 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Celebrities". Lifetimtv.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  15. ^ "ABBA Tribute Announced for River Moselle". The Luxembourg Chronicle. 19 January 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  16. ^ "ABBA – Music Inductees". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  17. ^ "ABBA Makes Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Los Angeles Times 16 December 2009". Los Angeles Times. 16 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 December 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  18. ^ "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Class Of 2015". 16 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  19. ^ "National Recording Registry Inducts Sounds of ABBA, Blondie, The Cars, The Chicks, Juan Gabriel, Green Day, The Notorious B.I.G. and Lily Tomlin". Library of Congress. Washington, D. C. 16 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  20. ^ Grein, Paul (16 April 2024). "The Notorious B.I.G., The Chicks, Green Day & More Selected for National Recording Registry (Full List)". Billboard. New York. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Abba to reunite for 'new entertainment experience'". BBC News. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  22. ^ "ABBA Reunite, Announce New Songs". Pitchfork. 27 April 2018. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  23. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben & Brown, Mark (2 September 2021). "Abba reunite for Voyage, first new album in 40 years". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  24. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (26 May 2022). "Abba Voyage review — Holograms are fine but the real thing is still best". The Times. London. Retrieved 9 May 2024.


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