ABBA 880 226180026 2008-07-17T05:07:30Z Blnguyen 435516 /* External links */ {{Congratulations (Eurovision)}} {{redirect|Abba}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | Name = [[Image:ABBA logo.svg|60px]] | Img = | Img_capt = | Img_size = | Landscape = yes | Background = group_or_band | Alias = | Origin = [[Stockholm, Sweden]] | Genre = [[Rock and roll]] <br /> [[pop music|Pop]] <br /> [[Europop]]/[[Disco]] | Years_active = [[1972]]—[[1982]] | Label = [[Polar Music|Polar]] ([[Sweden]])<br>[[Polydor Records|Polydor]] ([[United Kingdom|UK]])<br>[[Philips Records|Philips]] (UK)<br>[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] ([[United States|USA]])<br>[[Universal Music Group|Universal]] (USA)<br>[[Epic Records|Epic]] (USA)<br>[[Disques Vogue|Vogue]] ([[France]])<br>Discomate<br>[[RCA Records|RCA]]<br>[[PolyGram]]<br>Carnaby<br>Sunshine<br>Ariston/Dig It<br> | Associated_acts = [[Hep Stars]], [[Hootenanny Singers]], [[Benny Anderssons Orkester]] | URL = [http://www.abbasite.com www.abbasite.com] | Past_members = [[Björn Ulvaeus]]<br />[[Benny Andersson]]<br />[[Agnetha Fältskog]]<br />[[Anni-Frid Lyngstad]] }} '''ABBA''' was a [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[Eurovision Song Contest]]-winning [[pop music|pop]] music group active between 1972 and 1982. The quartet was formed through the friendship of [[Benny Andersson]] and [[Björn Ulvaeus]] and also consists of [[Anni-Frid Lyngstad]] (usually known as '''Frida''') and [[Agnetha Fältskog]]. They topped the charts worldwide from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. The name "ABBA" is an [[Acronym and initialism|acronym]] formed from the first letters of each of the group member's given name ('''A'''gnetha, '''B'''jörn, '''B'''enny, '''A'''nni-Frid).<ref name="official_bio_2">{{cite web|title= ABBA's biography, page 2|work= www.abbasite.com|url= http://www.abbasite.com/people/bio.php?id=395&page=2|accessdate= 2008-01-16}}. At one time, Benny was married to Anni-Frid, and Bjorn was married to Agnetha, but both couple divorced. </ref> ABBA gained immense international popularity employing catchy song [[Hook (music)|hook]]s, simple [[lyrics]], and a [[Wall of Sound]] achieved by [[overdubbing]] the female singers' voices in multiple harmonies. As their popularity grew, they were sought-after to tour [[Europe]], [[Australia]], and [[North America]], drawing crowds of near-hysterical fans, notably in Australia. Touring became a contentious issue, being particularly unpopular with Agnetha, but they continued to release studio albums to great commercial success. At the height of their popularity, however, both marriages of the band members (Benny with Anni-Frid, and Bjorn with Agnetha) failed, and the relationship changes were reflected in their music, as they produced more thoughtful lyrics with different compositions. They remain a fixture of radio playlists and are one of the world's best selling bands, having sold almost 400 million records world wide;<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23673187/ Former ABBA drummer found dead in garden] Amol Rajan; ''[[msnbc]]''; accessed 18 July 2008; claims 370 million </ref><ref>[http://abbathebook.online.fr/accueil.html ABBA, The Book] Potiez, Jean-Marie; [[15 August]] [[2005]]; accessed December 2006; claims 410 million records sold as of 2000</ref><ref> [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2140612,00.html It's ABBA on the phone making a lot more money, money, money] Sherwin, Adam; ''[[The Times]]''; [[April 19]], [[2006]]; accessed December 2006; claims over 750 million </ref> they still sell two to three million records a year.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.thelocal.se/10536/20080317/|title= ABBA drummer found dead in pool of blood|accessdate= 2008-03-30|date= 2008-03-17|publisher= [[The Local]]|quote= Despite having broken up a quarter of a century ago, the group still sells between two and three million albums a year.}}</ref> ABBA was also the first pop group from [[Continental Europe|mainland Europe]]<!--to distinguish from Europe including the UK--> to enjoy consistent success in the charts of the English-speaking countries, mainly the [[UK Singles Chart|United Kingdom]], the [[Hot 100 Singles Sales|United States]], [[Canada]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], South Africa, [[ARIA Charts|Australia]], and [[RIANZ|New Zealand]]. Their enormous popularity subsequently opened the doors for other Continental European acts.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 527 </ref> The music of ABBA has been re-arranged into the successful musical ''[[Mamma Mia!]]'' that has toured worldwide and a [[Mamma Mia! (film)|movie version]] was released in July 2008. All four of the former members of ABBA were present at the Stockholm premieres of both the musical (2005) and the film (2008). The film premiere took place at the [[Benny Andersson]]-owned Rival theatre at [[Mariatorget]], [[Stockholm]] on [[4 July]] [[2008]]. == Before ABBA (1960s)== [[Benny Andersson]] (born in Stockholm, Sweden on [[December 16]] [[1946]]) was a member of a popular Swedish pop-rock group that performed covers of international hits named [[The Hep Stars]] from the age of 18. He played keyboards and eventually started writing original compositions for his band, many of which became major hits including "No Response" that hit #3 in 1965, "Sunny Girl", "Wedding", "Consolation", all of which hit #1 in 1966.<ref>[http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 86-87 </ref> Andersson also had a fruitful songwriting collaboration with [[Lasse Berghagen]], with whom he composed his first [[Svensktoppen]] entry "Sagan Om Lilla Sofi" in 1968. [[Björn Ulvaeus]] (born in Gothenburg, Sweden on [[April 25]] [[1945]]) also began his musical career at 18, when he fronted [[The Hootenanny Singers]], a popular Swedish [[folk music|folk]]-[[skiffle]] group. Ulvaeus started writing English language songs for his group, and even had a brief solo career alongside. The Hootenanny Singers and The Hep Stars sometimes crossed paths while touring, and on one occasion in June 1966 Ulvaeus and Andersson decided to write a song together. Their first attempt was "Isn't It Easy to Say", a song later recorded by The Hep Stars. [[Stikkan Anderson|Stig Anderson]] was the manager of The Hootenanny Singers and founder of the [[Polar Music]] label. He saw potential in the collaboration, and encouraged them to compose more. Both also began playing occasionally with the other's bands on stage and on record, although not until 1969 did the pair write and produce some of their first real hits together: "Ljuva Sextiotal" ('Merry Sixties'), recorded by Brita Borg and The Hep Stars' 1969 hit "Speleman". Andersson wrote and submitted the song "Hej, Clown" for the 1969 [[Melodifestivalen]], the Swedish [[Eurovision Song Contest]] finals. The song tied for first, but re-voting relegated Andersson's song to second place.<ref>[http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 110 </ref> . On this occasion, Andersson briefly met his future spouse; singer [[Anni-Frid Lyngstad]] (born on November 15, 1945 in Bjørkåsen in Ballangen, Norway), who also participated in the contest. A month later, the two had become a couple. As the two bands began to break up, Andersson and Ulvaeus teamed up and eventually recorded their first album together in 1970, called ''Lycka'' ("Happiness" in Swedish), that included original compositions sung by both men. Ulvaeus still occasionally recorded and performed with The Hootenanny Singers until the summer of 1974, and Andersson took part in producing their records. [[Agnetha Fältskog]] (born on [[April 5]] [[1950]] in Jönköping, Sweden) had a #1 record in Sweden when she was only 17, and was soon noted by the critics and songwriters as a talented singer/songwriter of ''[[schlager]]'' style songs. Fältskog's main inspiration in her early years were singers like [[Connie Francis]]. Along with her own compositions, she recorded [[cover version|covers]] of foreign hits and performed them on tours in Swedish [[folkpark]]s. She submitted an original song for Melodifestivalen at 17&nbsp;years old, titled "Försonade", but it was rejected. She briefly met Anni-Frid Lyngstad for the first time during a TV show in January 1968, and Björn Ulvaeus at a concert venue a few months later. During filming of a Swedish TV special in May 1969, Fältskog met Ulvaeus again, and they eventually became romantically involved and they married in 1971. Fältskog and Ulvaeus eventually got involved in each other's recording sessions,<ref>[http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 162 </ref> and soon even Andersson and Lyngstad added backing vocals to her 1970 album "Som Jag Är" (As I Am). In 1973, Fältskog starred as [[Mary Magdalene]] in the original Swedish production of ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' and attracted favourable reviews. Between 1967 and 1975, Fältskog released five studio albums.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 112-129 and 135-6 </ref> [[Anni-Frid Lyngstad|Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad]] (born on [[November 15]], [[1945]] in Bjørkåsen in [[Ballangen]], [[Norway]]) sang from the age of thirteen with various dance bands and worked mainly in a jazz-oriented cabaret style. She also formed her own band named Anni-Frid Four. In the summer of 1967, she won a national talent competition with the song "En Ledig Dag", included in the EMI Compilation [[Frida 1967-1972]]. The first prize was to perform live on the most popular TV show in Sweden, and included was a recording contract with [[EMI]]. This first TV performance is included in "Frida the DVD. Lyngstad released several singles on EMI and had many hits in the Swedish charts. When Benny Andersson started to produce her recordings in 1971, she got her first #1 single, "Min Egen Stad" (My Own Town), when all four future ABBA members sang the backup vocals. Lyngstad toured and performed regularly in the folkpark circuit and made appearances on radio and TV. She met Björn Ulvaeus briefly in 1963 during a talent contest, and Agnetha Fältskog during a TV show in early 1968. Lyngstad finally linked up with her future bandmates in 1969. On [[March 1]] [[1969]], she participated in the Melodifestivalen, where she met Andersson for the first time. A few weeks later they met again during a concert tour in southern Sweden and they soon became a couple. Andersson produced her single "Peter Pan" in September 1969; the first collaboration between her and Benny & Björn -as they had written the song. Later Andersson produced Lyngstad's debut album, ''Frida'', which was released in March 1971 and praised by critics. Lyngstad also played in several revues and cabaret shows in Stockholm between 1969 and 1973. After ABBA formed, she recorded another successful album in 1975, ''[[Frida Ensam]]'', which included the original Swedish rendition of "[[Fernando (song)|Fernando]]", which became a huge hit in Scandinavia before the English version was recorded.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 41-58</ref> ===First live performance and the start of "Festfolk" === An attempt at combining their talents occurred in April 1970 when the two couples went on holiday together to the island of [[Cyprus]]. What started as singing for fun on the beach ended up as an improvised live performance in front of the [[United Nations]] soldiers stationed on the island. Andersson and Ulvaeus were at this time recording their first album together, "Lycka", which was to be released in September 1970. Fältskog and Lyngstad added backing vocals on several tracks during June, and the idea of them all working together saw them launch their own stage act, "Festfolk", which translated from Swedish to mean both "Party People" and "Engaged Couples", on [[November 1]], [[1970]] in [[Gothenburg]]. The cabaret show attracted positive reviews. The foursome performed the Andersson and Ulvaeus hit "Hej, Gamle Man"; the first recording credited to all four- and solo numbers from respective albums, but the foursome did not feel like working together, and soon concentrated on individual projects again. === First record together "Hej, Gamle Man" === "Hej, Gamle Man"("Hello, Old Man") became the foursome's first hit, reaching no 5 on the sales charts, and no 1 on [[Svensktoppen]], staying there for 15 weeks. In the first half of 1971, the four artists worked more together, adding vocals to the others recordings. Fältskog, Andersson and Ulvaeus went on a tour together in May, while Lyngstad toured on her own. Frequent recording sessions brought the foursome tighter together during the summer.<ref>[http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 163-170 </ref> == Forming The Group (1970 - 1973)== After the 1970 release of Andersson and Ulvaeus' album "Lycka", two more singles were released in Sweden, "Det Kan Ingen Doktor Hjälpa" and "Tänk Om Jorden Vore Ung", with more prominent vocals by Fältskog and Lyngstad and moderate chart success. Fältskog released her fourth album in 1971 and married Ulvaeus on [[July 6]] [[1971]]. Andersson, Ulvaeus, and Fältskog started performing together on a regular basis during the summer of 1971. [[Stig Anderson]]<!-- Stig Anderson should be referred to as Stig or Stig Anderson, to avoid confusion with Benny Andersson -->, founder and owner of Polar, was determined to break into the mainstream international market with music by Andersson and Ulvaeus. "One day the pair of you will write a song that becomes a worldwide hit", he predicted.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 150 </ref> Stig encouraged Ulvaeus and Andersson to write a song for [[Melodifestivalen]], and after two rejected entries in 1971,<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 173 </ref> Andersson and Ulvaeus submitted their new song "Säg Det Med En Sång" ("Say It With A Song") for the 1972 contest, and they chose newcomer Lena Anderson to perform. The song won third place, encouraging Stig, and became a huge hit in Sweden.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 174 </ref> The first signs of foreign success came as a surprise, as the Andersson and Ulvaeus single "She's My Kind of Girl" was released by chance by [[Epic Records|Epic]] in [[Japan]] in March 1972, giving the duo a Top 10 hit. Two more singles were released in Japan, "Merry-Go-Round" and "Love Has Its Ways".<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 182 </ref> ===Their first hit === [[Image:People Need Love Merry Go Round.jpg|thumb|Cover of [[People Need Love]].]] Ulvaeus and Andersson persevered with their songwriting and experimented with new sounds and vocal arrangements. "[[People Need Love]]" was released in June 1972, featuring guest vocals by the women, who were now given much greater prominence. Stig Anderson released it as a single, credited to Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid. The song reached #17 in the Swedish combined single and album charts, enough to convince them they were on to something.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 185 </ref> The single also became the first record to chart for the quartet in the United States, where it peaked at #114 on the [[Cashbox]] singles chart and #117 on [[Record World]]'s singles chart. Billed as Björn & Benny (with Svenska Flicka), it was released there on [[Playboy Records]]. However, according to Stig Anderson, "People Need Love" could have been a much bigger American hit, but a small label like Playboy Records did not have the distribution resources to meet the demand for the single from retailers and radio programmers.<ref>Interview with ''Songwriter'' magazine, 6, 1981, pp.23-25.</ref> The foursome decided to record their first album together and sessions began on [[September 26]] [[1972]]. The two women then shared lead vocal on "Nina, Pretty Ballerina", and their voices combined in harmonies for the first time gave them an idea of the qualities of their combined talents. === "Ring Ring" === For 1973, the band and their manager Stig Anderson decided to have another try at the Melodifestivalen, this time with the song "[[Ring Ring (song)|Ring Ring]]." The studio sessions were handled by [[Michael B. Tretow]], who experimented with a "[[wall of sound]]" production technique that became the wholly new ABBA sound. Anderson arranged an English translation of the lyrics by [[Neil Sedaka]] and Phil Cody and they thought this would be a surefire winner, but in the Melodifestivalen, on [[February 10]], [[1973]], it placed third, and thus never reached the international contest. Nevertheless the proto-group put out their first album, called ''[[Ring Ring (album)|Ring Ring]]''. The album did well and the "Ring Ring" single was a hit in many parts of Europe, but Stig Anderson felt the true breakthrough could only come with a UK or US hit.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 191-211</ref> === Official naming === [[Image:ABBA logo.svg|thumb|right|The ABBA logo.]] In early 1973, Stig Anderson, tired of unwieldy names, started to refer to the group privately and publicly as ABBA. At first, this was as a play on words, as [[Abba Seafood|Abba]] was also the name of a well-known fish-canning company in Sweden. However, since the fish canners were unknown outside Sweden, Anderson came to believe the name would work in international markets. A competition to find a suitable name for the group was held in a Gothenburg newspaper. The group were impressed with the names "Alibaba" and "Baba", but in the end all the entries were ignored and it was announced in the summer that the name "ABBA" was official. Later the group negotiated with the canners for the right to the name.<ref>[http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 210</ref> "ABBA" is an [[Acronym and initialism|acronym]] formed from the first letters of each group member's name: Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid (Frida).<ref name="official_bio_2" /> The first 'B' in the [[logo]] version of the name was reversed on the band's promotional material from 1976 onwards and became the group's [[registered trademark]]. The first time the name is found written on paper is on a recording session sheet from the Metronome Studio in [[Stockholm]], dated [[October 16]], [[1973]]. It was first written as "Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida", but was subsequently crossed out with "ABBA" written in large letters on top. The official logo was designed by Rune Soderqvist, used for the first time on "Dancing Queen" single in August 1976, and subsequently on all later original albums and singles. In 1992 Polygram redesigned the logo and it had a different font along with a crown emblem. Many fans were relieved to see the original logo return consistently from 2001 onwards. == Breakthrough (1973 - 1976) == === Eurovision victory === Ulvaeus, Andersson, and manager Stig Anderson believed in the possibilities of using the [[Melodifestivalen]] and [[Eurovision]] TV contests as a way to make the music business aware of the band and Andersson, Ulvaeus and Stig as composers. In late 1973, they were invited by Swedish television to contribute a song for the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1974|1974 contest]], and from a number of newly written compositions, the foursome chose the upbeat "[[Waterloo (song)|Waterloo]]"; the group was now inspired by the growing [[glam rock]] scene in [[England]]. "Waterloo" was an unashamedly glam-style pop track produced with [[Michael B. Tretow]]'s wall-of-sound approach. ABBA won their national heats on Swedish TV on [[February 9]] [[1974]], and with this third attempt were far more experienced and better prepared for the international contest. With an album's worth of material released when the show was held at the [[Brighton Dome]] in [[England]] on [[April 6]], [[1974]], the song won and catapulted them into British consciousness for the first time&mdash;and to the top of the charts all over Europe.<ref>[http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 218-248 </ref> Winning the Eurovision Song Contest gave ABBA the chance to tour Europe and perform on major TV shows; thus the band saw the "Waterloo" single climb the charts in many European countries. "Waterloo" was ABBA's first UK #1 single. In the US, it reached #6 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart, paving the way for their first album there that was their second album, ''[[Waterloo (album)|Waterloo]]'' &mdash;although it only peaked at #145 on the [[Billboard 200]] album chart. ABBA's follow-up single, "[[Honey, Honey]]", reached #27 in the US, and was a Top 3 hit in Germany. However, in the UK, a cover version of the song by the act Sweet Dreams made #10 because ABBA's British record company, Epic, decided to re-release a remixed version of "Ring Ring" instead. It failed to reach the Top 30, increasing growing speculation that the group were simply Eurovision [[one-hit wonder]]s. === 1974 Tour === In November 1974, ABBA embarked on their first European tour, playing dates in [[Denmark]], [[West Germany]], and [[Austria]]. It wasn't as successful as the band had hoped, since most of the venues didn't sell out, and due to a lack of demand, they were even forced to cancel a few shows, including a show scheduled concert in [[Switzerland]]. The second leg of the tour which took them through [[Scandinavia]] in January 1975 was entirely different. They played to full houses and finally got the reception they hoped for. For three weeks in the summer of 1975, ABBA compensated for the planned 1974 Swedish tour they were forced to cancel after their Eurovision triumph. They played sixteen open-air dates in Sweden and [[Finland]], attracting huge crowds. Their [[Stockholm]] show at the [[Gröna Lund]] amusement park was seen by an estimated audience of 19,200.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 268</ref> === Reception in Australia === <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Abba sos.jpg|200px|left|thumb| A video clip from the song “[[SOS]]” (1975) ]] --> The release of their third album, ''[[ABBA (album)|ABBA]]'', known to fans as "The Limo Album", and their single "[[SOS (ABBA song)|SOS]]" brought back their presence in the UK, where the single hit #6 and the album reached #13. Huge success was further solidified with "[[Mamma Mia (song)|Mamma Mia]]" reaching the #1 spot in the UK at the end of January 1976. In the US, "SOS" reached #10 on the [[Record World]] Top 100 singles chart and #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, picking up the [[Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI]] Award along the way as one of the most played songs on American radio in 1975. Yet the success of the group in the [[United States]] remained uneven. While they managed to break into the US singles market where, by early 1976, they already had four Top 30 singles, the album market proved to be tough to crack. The eponymous ''ABBA '' album generated no fewer than three real American hits, but it only peaked at #165 on the ''Cashbox'' album chart and #174 on the Billboard 200 chart. Opinions were voiced, by ''[[Creem]]'' in particular, that in the US ABBA had endured "a very sloppy promotional campaign". In [[Australia]], the airing of the videos for "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" and "Mamma Mia" on nationwide TV in August 1975 started an immense interest for ABBA, resulting in #1 positions on both the single and album charts for months. The 1976 compilation album 'The Best of ABBA' is still the biggest selling album ever in Australia, selling 1.1 million&nbsp;copies and spending 16&nbsp;weeks at #1. On Saturday, [[March 20]], [[1976]], at 6.30 pm, Australian TV's Channel 9 broadcast "The Best of ABBA", filmed during the group's visit the week before. The transmission had more than half of the population watching: 54&nbsp;percent of viewers according to contemporary reports, a record previously held by the [[moon landing]] in 1969. The record remains unbeaten as of 2007.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 290 </ref> == Superstardom (1976 - 1981)== In March 1976, the band released the compilation ''[[Greatest Hits (ABBA album)|Greatest Hits]]'', despite having had only six Top 40 hits in the UK and the US. Nevertheless, it became their first UK #1 album, and also took ABBA into the Top 50 on the US album charts for the first time, eventually selling more than a million copies there. Also included on ''Greatest Hits'' was a new single, "[[Fernando (song)|Fernando]]". This song had first been written by Ulvaeus and Andersson in Swedish for Lyngstad's Nr 1 1975 solo album ''[[Frida ensam]]'' (''Frida alone''). After Lyngstad's major success with the song in Scandinavia, the group decided to record an English version. With "Fernando" hitting #1 in twelve countries worldwide, it occupied the top position in Australia for 15 weeks, tying [[The Beatles]] for longest number one for "[[Hey Jude]]", making it one of the best-selling singles of all time in that country. That same year, the group received its first international prize, with "Fernando" being chosen as the "Best Studio Recording of 1975". In the US, "Fernando" reached the Top 10 of the Cashbox Top 100 singles chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the [[Billboard Adult Contemporary]] chart, ABBA's first American number one single of any kind. The group's next album, ''[[Arrival (ABBA album)|Arrival]]'', represented a new level of accomplishment in both songwriting and studio work, prompting rave reviews from more rock-orientated UK music weeklies such as ''[[Melody Maker]]'' and ''[[New Musical Express]]'', and mostly appreciative notices from American critics. In fact, hit after hit flowed from ''Arrival'': "[[Money, Money, Money]]", "[[Knowing Me, Knowing You (single)|Knowing Me, Knowing You]]", and "[[Dancing Queen]]". In 1977, ''Arrival'' was nominated for the inaugural [[BRIT Awards|BRIT Award]] in the category "Best International Album of the Year". By this time ABBA were very popular in the UK, most of Western Europe and Australia. Their popularity in the US would remain on a comparatively smaller scale, and "Dancing Queen" became the only Billboard Hot 100 #1 single ABBA ever had there (they did, however, get three more singles to the #1 position on other ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' charts, including Billboard Adult Contemporary and [[Hot Dance Club Play]]). Nevertheless, ''Arrival'' finally became a true breakthrough release for ABBA on the US album market where it peaked at #20 on the [[Billboard]] album chart, while reaching [[platinum]] sales there as well. === European and Australian tour === [[Image:Abba 28011977 15 200.jpg|thumb|left|[[Agnetha Fältskog]] at the opening concert in [[Oslo]], [[January 28]], 1977.]] In January 1977, ABBA hit the road. The group's status had changed dramatically and they were clearly regarded as superstars. They opened their much anticipated tour in [[Oslo]], [[Norway]], on [[January 28]], and mounted a lavishly produced spectacle that included a few scenes from their self-penned mini-operetta "The Girl With The Golden Hair". The concert attracted immense media attention from across Europe and Australia. They continued the tour through Western Europe visiting Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Essen, Hanover, Hamburg, and ended it with shows in the UK in [[Manchester]], [[Birmingham]], [[Glasgow, Scotland|Glasgow]] and two sold-out concerts at [[London]]'s [[Royal Albert Hall]]. Tickets for these two shows were available only by mail application and it was later revealed that the box-office received 3.5 million&nbsp;requests for tickets, enough to fill the venue 580 times. There were, however, complaints about the group's performance lacking the same intriguing qualities on stage as what was presented in the studio, as an article in ''[[The Times]]'' accused the show of being boring.<ref>Williams, Richard ([[February 15]] [[1977]]). "Performance: ABBA – Albert Hall." ''The Sunday Times'' (London); p.&nbsp;9)</ref> One of the Royal Albert Hall concerts was filmed as a reference for the filming of the Australian tour for what became ''[[ABBA: The Movie]]'', though it's not known exactly how much of the concert was filmed. After the European leg of the tour, in March 1977, ABBA played eleven dates in Australia before a total of 160,000 people. The opening concert in [[Sydney, Australia|Sydney]] at the [[Sydney Showground]] on [[March 3]] before over 20,000 was marred by torrential rain and Frida slipped on the wet stage during the concert. However, all four members would later recall this concert to be the most memorable of their career. Upon their arrival in [[Melbourne, Australia|Melbourne]], a civic reception was held at the Town Hall and ABBA appeared on the balcony to greet an enthusiastic crowd of 6,000&nbsp;people. In Melbourne, ABBA played three concerts at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with 14,500 at each including the [[Australian Prime Minister]] [[Malcolm Fraser]] and his family. At the first Melbourne concert, an additional 16,000&nbsp;people gathered outside the fenced-off area to listen to the concert. In [[Adelaide, Australia|Adelaide]], the group performed one concert at [[AAMI Stadium|West Lakes Football Stadium]] before 20,000&nbsp;people with another 10,000 listening outside. During the first of five concerts in Perth, there was a bomb scare with everyone having to evacuate the concert hall. The trip was accompanied by mass hysteria and unprecedented media attention, and is vividly captured on film in ''[[ABBA: The Movie]]'', directed by [[Lasse Hallström]]. The Australian tour and its subsequent ''ABBA: The Movie'' produced some ABBA lore, as well. Agnetha Fältskog's blonde good looks had long made her the band's 'pin-up girl', a role she disdained. During the Australian tour, she performed in a skin-tight white jumpsuit, causing one Australian newspaper to use the headline "Agnetha's bottom tops dull show". When asked about this at a news conference, she replied: "Don't they have bottoms in Australia?"<ref>DVD documentaries: ''The Winner Takes It All'' (2002) and ''Super Troupers'' (2004)</ref> In December 1977, ABBA followed up ''Arrival'' with the more musically and lyrically ambitious fifth album ''[[The Album]]'', which was released to coincide with ''ABBA: The Movie''. Although the album was less well-received by the critics in the UK, it did spawn more worldwide hits: "[[The Name of the Game]]" and "[[Take a Chance on Me]]", both of which topped the UK charts, and reached #12 and #3, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US. Although "Take a Chance on Me" did not top the American charts, it has actually proved to be ABBA's biggest hit single in the United States, selling more copies than "Dancing Queen".<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 382 </ref> ''The Album'' also included the ABBA signature tune, "[[Thank You for the Music]]", released as a single in the UK in 1983, and had been the B-side of "[[Eagle (song)|Eagle]]" in countries where the latter had been released. === Polar Music Studio formation === By 1978, ABBA was a megagroup. They converted a vacant theatre into the [[Polar Music]] Studio, a state-of-the-art studio in [[Stockholm]]. The studio was used by several other bands; notably, [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]]' ''Duke'' and [[Led Zeppelin]]'s ''[[In Through the Out Door]]'' were recorded there. During May, the group went to the US for a huge promotional campaign, and performed on [[Olivia Newton-John]]'s TV show. However, a lot of effort was put into the new recording studio in Stockholm. The recording sessions for "[[Summer Night City]]" were an uphill struggle, but upon release the song became another significant hit for the group. The track would also set the stage for ABBA's foray into [[disco]] with their upcoming album.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 383-386</ref> Several years ago, the original Polar Music Studios (by that time renamed Polar Studios) were closed because the landlord of the building had increased the rent required. The site is now a Fitness First gymnasium, and there is a display in its foyer acknowledging its history as Polar (Music) Studios. On [[January 9]] [[1979]], the group performed [[Chiquitita]] at the [[Music for UNICEF Concert]] held at the [[United Nations General Assembly]] to celebrate UNICEF's Year of the Child. ABBA donated the [[copyright]] of this worldwide hit to the [[United Nations Children's Fund|UNICEF]]; see [[Music for UNICEF Concert]].<ref>"Bee Gees, Olivia were a hit with the VIPs" ([[January 11]], [[1979]]). ''Courier Mail'' (Brisbane); p.&nbsp;30</ref> The single was released the following week, and reached #1 in ten countries. === Expense of success === In mid-January 1979, Ulvaeus and Fältskog announced they were getting divorced. The news caused a massive interest from the media, and led to speculation about the band's future. ABBA assured the press and their fanbase they were continuing their work as a group, and that the divorce would not affect them.<ref>"ABBA divorce – Agnetha moves out" ([[January 17]] [[1979]]). ''The Sun'' (Sydney); p.&nbsp;1)</ref> Nonetheless, the media continued to confront them with this in interviews. The group's sixth album, ''[[Voulez-Vous]]'', was released in April 1979, with two [[background]] tracks recorded in the famous [[Criteria Studios]] in [[Miami]], U.S. with the assistance, among others, of the [[recording engineer]] [[Tom Dowd]]. The album topped the charts across Europe and in Japan and Mexico, hit the Top 10 in Canada and Australia and the Top 20 in the US. None of the singles from the album reached #1 on the UK charts, but "[[Chiquitita]]", "[[Does Your Mother Know]]", "[[Angeleyes]]", the Double A-side in UK for the single "[[Voulez-Vous (song)|Voulez-Vous]]", and "[[I Have a Dream (song)|I Have a Dream]]" all charted no lower than #4. In Canada, "I Have a Dream" became ABBA's second #1 on the [[RPM]] Adult Contemporary chart, after "Fernando" hit the top previously. Later that year, the group released their second compilation album, ''[[Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (ABBA album)|Greatest Hits Vol. 2]]'', which featured a brand new track: "[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)]]". In Russia during the late 1970s, they were paid in oil commodities because of an [[embargo]] on the [[Soviet ruble|ruble]].<ref>Rodgers, Peter ([[March 16]], [[1980]]). "Pop goes ABBA's $2m oil gamble: ABBA may lose enormous amount of money following venture into oil market." ''The Sunday Times''; Business News, p&nbsp;53)</ref> On [[September 13]] [[1979]], ABBA began their first (and only) North American Tour at the [[Northlands Coliseum]] in [[Edmonton]], Canada, with a full house of 14,000. During the next four weeks, they played a total of seventeen sold-out dates, thirteen in the U.S. and four in Canada. The last scheduled ABBA concert on U.S. soil, in [[Washington, DC]], was canceled due to Agnetha Fältskog's emotional distress suffered during the flight from New York to Boston, when the private plane the group was on was subjected to [[Windsor Locks, Connecticut Tornado|extreme weather conditions]] and was unable to land for an extended period. The tour ended with a show in [[Toronto]], Canada at [[Maple Leaf Gardens]] before a capacity crowd of 18,000. The shows also generated the same type of complaints that were expressed during the group's 1977 tour: many fans regarded ABBA as more of a studio group than a live band. On [[October 19]] [[1979]], the tour resumed in Western Europe where the band played 23 sold-out gigs, including an unprecedented six sold-out nights at London's [[Wembley Arena]]. === Progression === In March 1980, ABBA traveled to Japan where upon their arrival at [[Narita International Airport]], they were besieged by thousands of fans. The group played eleven concerts to full houses, including six shows at [[Tokyo]]'s [[Budokan]]. This tour was the last "on the road" adventure of their career. The same year saw the release of ABBA's seventh album ''[[Super Trouper (album)|Super Trouper]]'', which reflected a certain change in ABBA's style with more prominent use of [[synthesiser]]s and increasingly more personal lyrics. It set a record for the most pre-orders ever received for a UK album after one million copies were ordered before release. Anticipation for the album had been built up by "[[The Winner Takes It All]]", the group's eighth UK chart topper (and their first since 1978). In the US, the single reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became ABBA's second Billboard Adult Contemporary #1. The song was allegedly written about Ulvaeus and Fältskog's marital tribulations. The next single from the album, "[[Super Trouper (song)|Super Trouper]]", also hit #1 in the UK, the group's ninth and final UK chart-topper. Another track from ''Super Trouper'', "[[Lay All Your Love on Me]]", released in 1981 as a 12-inch single only in selected territories, managed to top the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and peaked at #7 on the UK singles chart becoming at the time the highest ever charting 12-inch release in UK chart history. Also in 1980, ABBA recorded a compilation of Spanish-language versions of their hits called ''[[Gracias Por La Música (album)|Gracias Por La Música]]''. It was released in Spanish-speaking countries as well as Japan and Australia. The album became a major success, and along with the Spanish version of "Chiquitita", this signaled the group's breakthrough in [[Latin America]]. == The final album and performances (1981–1982)== In January 1981, Ulvaeus married Lena Källersjö, and manager Stig Anderson celebrated his 50th birthday with a huge party. For this occasion, ABBA recorded the track 'Hovas Vittne' as a tribute to him, and released it only on 200 red vinyl copies, to be distributed to the guests attending the party. This single has become a most sought-after collectible. In mid-February, Andersson and Lyngstad announced they were filing for divorce. Information surfaced that their marriage had been an uphill struggle for years, and Benny had already met another woman, Mona Nörklit, whom he married in November the same year. Andersson and Ulvaeus had songwriting sessions during the first months of 1981, and recording sessions began in mid-March. At the end of April, the group recorded a TV special, [[Dick Cavett meets ABBA]] with the US talk show host [[Dick Cavett]]. ''[[The Visitors (album)|The Visitors]]'', ABBA's eighth and final studio album, showed a songwriting maturity and depth of feeling distinctly lacking from their earlier recordings but still placing the band squarely in the pop genre, with catchy tunes and harmonies. Although not revealed at the time of its release, the album's title track, according to Ulvaeus, refers to the secret meetings held against the approval of totalitarian governments in Soviet-dominated states, while other tracks address topics like failed relationships, the threat of war, aging, loss of innocence, and a parent watching a child grow up. This change of content was reflected in the relative commercial decline, mostly evident in the UK, after the release of the #3 single "[[One of Us (ABBA song)|One of Us]]" in December 1981. Although it topped the charts across most of Europe, entered the Top 20 in France and Japan and the Top 30 in the US and Australia, ''The Visitors'' was not as commercially successful as its predecessors. A track from the ''The Visitors'', "[[When All Is Said and Done (song)|When All Is Said and Done]]", was released as a single in North America, Australia and [[New Zealand]], and fittingly became ABBA's final Top 40 hit in the US, while reaching #4 on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart in Canada. The song's lyrics, as with "[[The Winner Takes It All]]" and "[[One of Us (ABBA song)|One of Us]]", dealt with the painful experience of splitting up from a long-term partner, though it looked at it more optimistically. With the now publicized story of Andersson and Lyngstad's divorce, speculation increased of tension within the band. Also released in the US was the title track of ''The Visitors'', which hit the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. === Last recording sessions === [[Image:ABBA The Singles.jpg|thumb|Cover of [[The Singles: The First Ten Years]].]] In the spring of 1982, songwriting sessions had started and the group came together for more recordings. Plans were not completely clear, but a new album was discussed and the prospect of a small tour suggested. The recording sessions in May and June were a struggle, and only three songs were eventually recorded: "[[You Owe Me One]]", "[[I Am the City]]", and "[[Just Like That (song)|Just Like That]]". Andersson and Ulvaeus were not satisfied with the outcome, so the tapes were shelved and the group took a break for the summer.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 455-56 </ref> Back in the studio again in early August, the group had changed plans for the rest of the year: they settled for a Christmas release of a double album compilation of all their past single releases to be named ''[[The Singles: The First Ten Years]]''. New songwriting and recording sessions took place,<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 456-57 </ref> and during October and November, they released the singles "[[The Day Before You Came]]"/"[[Cassandra]]" and "[[Under Attack]]"/"[[You Owe Me One]]", the A-sides of which were included on the compilation album. There was little interest in the singles in the UK, though both singles became Top 5 hits in The Netherlands and Belgium. The album went to #1 in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and [[Belgium]], Top 5 in the [[Netherlands]] and West Germany and Top 20 in many other countries. "I Am the City" and "Just Like That", were left unreleased on ''The Singles: The First Ten Years'' for possible inclusion on the next projected studio album from ABBA, though this never came to fruition. "I Am the City" was eventually released as a bonus track on the compilation album ''[[More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits|More ABBA Gold]]'' in 1993, while "Just Like That" has been recycled in new songs with other artists produced by Andersson and Ulvaeus. A reworked version of the verses ended up in the musical ''Chess''.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 490 </ref> The chorus section of "Just Like That" was eventually released on a retrospective boxset in 1994. Despite numerous requests from fans, Ulvaeus and Andersson are still refusing to release ABBA's version of "Just Like That" in its entirety, even though the complete version surfaced on bootlegs. The group travelled to London to promote ''The Singles: The First Ten Years'' in the first week of November 1982, appearing on ''[[Saturday Superstore]]'' and ''[[The Late, Late Breakfast Show]]'', and also to West Germany in the second week, to perform on Show Express. On [[November 19]], [[1982]], ABBA appeared for the last time in Sweden on the TV programme Nöjesmaskinen, and on [[December 11]], [[1982]], they made their last performance ever, transmitted to the UK on [[Noel Edmonds]]' ''The Late, Late Breakfast Show'', via a live link from a TV studio in [[Stockholm]]. === Last performances === Andersson and Ulvaeus began collaborating with [[Tim Rice]] in early 1983 on writing songs for the musical project ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'', while Fältskog and Lyngstad both concentrated on international solo careers. While Andersson & Ulvaeus were working on the musical, a further cooperation between three of them came with the musical ''[[Abbacadabra]]'' that was produced in France for television. It was a children's musical utilising 14&nbsp;ABBA songs. [[Alain Boublil|Alain]] and Daniel Boublil, who wrote ''[[Les Miserables (musical)|Les Miserables]]'', had been in touch with Stig Anderson about the project, and the TV musical was aired over Christmas 1983 on the British channel [[ITV]]. Lyngstad, who had recently moved to Paris, participated in the [[French language|French]] version, and recorded a single, "[[Belle]]", a duet with French singer [[Daniel Balavoine]]. The song was a cover of ABBA's instrumental 1976 track "[[Arrival (song)|Arrival]]". As the single "Belle" sold well in France, [[Cameron Mackintosh]] wanted to stage an English language version of the show in London, with the French lyrics translated by [[David Wood (actor)|David Wood]] and [[Don Black]]; Andersson and Ulvaeus, got involved in the project, and contributed with one new song, "[[(I Am) The Seeker|The Seeker]]". "Abbacadabra" premièred [[December 8]] [[1983]] at The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London, to mixed reviews and full houses for eight weeks, closing on [[January 21]] [[1984]]. Lyngstad was involved in this production as well, recording 'Belle' in English as "Time"; a duet with actor and singer [[B. A. Robertson]]: the single sold well, this time produced and recorded by Andersson and Ulvaeus. All four members made their last public appearance, as four friends more than as ABBA, in January 1986, when they recorded a video of themselves performing an acoustic version of "Tivedshambo", which was the first song written by their manager, Stig Anderson, for a Swedish TV show honouring Anderson on his 55th birthday. The four had not seen each other for more than two years. That same year they also performed privately at another friend's 40th birthday: their old tour manager, [[Claes af Geijerstam]]. They sang a self-composed song titled "Der Kleine Franz" that later was to surface in ''Chess''. The same year ''[[ABBA Live]]'' was released, featuring selections of live performances from the group's 1977 and 1979 tours. Their last appearance as a group was filmed privately by Anders Glenmark. They were guests on the 50th birthday of Görel Hanser in 1999. Hanser was a long-time friend of all four, and also former secretary of Stig Anderson. Honouring Görel, ABBA performed a Swedish birthday song "Med En Enkel Tulipan" [[a cappella]].<ref>[http://www.raffem.com/BjornUlvaeusBiogr.htm] ABBA's last known appearance (1999)</ref> Benny Andersson has on several occasions performed old ABBA songs. In June 1992, he and Björn Ulvaeus appeared with [[U2]] at a Stockholm concert, singing the chorus of "[[Dancing Queen]]", and a few years later during the final performance of the B & B in Concert in Stockholm, Andersson joined the cast for an encore at the piano. Andersson frequently adds an ABBA song to the playlist when he performs with his [[Benny_Anderssons_Orkester|BAO]] band. He also played the piano during new recordings of the ABBA songs "Like an Angel Passing Through My Room" with opera singer [[Anne Sofie von Otter]], and "When All Is Said And Done" with Swede [[Viktoria Tolstoy]]. Andersson and Ulvaeus both did an a capella rendition of the first verse of "Fernando" as they accepted their Ivor Novello award in London in 2002. Frida Lyngstad performed and recorded an a cappella version of "Dancing Queen" with the Swedish group [[The Real Group]] in 1993, and has also re-recorded "[[I Have a Dream (song)|I Have a Dream]]" with Swiss singer Dan Daniell in 2003. ABBA has never officially announced the end of the group, but the group has long been considered dissolved. However, all four members were reunited at the Swedish premiere of ''Mamma Mia!'' on [[July 4]], [[2008]] but in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, following the premiere, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, confirmed that there was nothing that could entice them back on stage again. "We will never appear on stage again," Ulvaeus said. "There is simply no motivation to re-group. Money is not a factor and we would like people to remember us as we were. Young, exuburent, full of energy and ambition. I remember [[Robert Plant]] saying [[Led Zeppelin]] were a cover band now because they cover all their own stuff. I think that hit the nail on the head.<ref>[http://http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/07/05/bmabba105.xml] Hastings, Chris, Sunday Telegraph, 5 July, 2008 </ref> == After ABBA == === Andersson and Ulvaeus === {{main|1=Björn Ulvaeus|2=Benny Andersson}} In the mid 1980's, the two former ABBA members had invited [[Alla Pugacheva]], the top Soviet superstar, to Stockholm, and collaborated on an album titled "Alla Pugacheva in Stockholm." The result was a number of hit songs such as 'Love Can Hurt,' 'What Was I Looking For?' and ' Superman.' These had received great success in parts of Europe and won Alla Pugacheva some awards. They travelled to Moscow to visit Pugacheva in 1987 and participated in a concert starring her as she performed her current hits such as 'Allo' and 'Koroleva.' [[Image:Björn Ulveaus.JPG|thumb|left|120px|Björn Ulveaus at [[Gothenburg Book Fair]] 2007.]] In October 1984, Ulvaeus and Andersson released the musical concept double album ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'', The singles "[[One Night in Bangkok]]" and "[[I Know Him So Well]]" (later also recorded by Whitney Houston) were both huge successes. In May 1986, the musical premièred in the [[West End theatre|West End]] of London, and ran for almost three years. On [[Broadway theater|Broadway]] it opened in April 1988, but closed within two months due to very bad reviews. The musical has been staged regularly on small scale to great success, and even the concert version is popular. In Stockholm, the composers staged ''Chess På Svenska'' ('Chess in Swedish') in 2003, with new material. What is considered to be Andersson and Ulvaeus' masterpiece, however, is ''[[Kristina från Duvemåla]]'', a Swedish epic musical, which the composers premiered in [[Malmö]] in southern Sweden in October 1995, directed for the stage by Lars Rudolfsson and based on the ''[[The Emigrants]]'' [[tetralogy]] by Swedish novelist [[Vilhelm Moberg]]. The musical ran for five years in Stockholm, and an English version has been in the works for a long time, and it had been reported that the Broadway pre-production is in its earliest stage.<ref>[http://www.icethesite.com/kristinanews.htm icethesite | kristina - the musical | news<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Image:Benny Andersson ABBA.jpg|thumb|right|Benny Andersson during a performance in [[Minnesota]] 2006.]] Since 1983, besides ''Chess'' and ''Kristina Från Duvemåla'', Benny Andersson has continued writing songs with Björn Ulvaeus. The pair produced two English language pop albums with Swedish duo [[Gemini (band)|Gemini]] in 1985 and 1987. The same year, Andersson released his first solo album on his own label, a collection of his own folk music material called ''Klinga Mina Klockor'', and followed it with ''November 1989''. In the 1990s, Benny wrote music for the popular Swedish cabaret quartet Ainbusk Singers, giving them two massive hits: "[[Lassie]]" and "Älska Mig", and later produced ''[[Shapes]]''&mdash;an English language album by the group's Josefin Nilsson&mdash;with all-new material by him and Ulvaeus. Andersson has regularly written music for films (most notably to [[Roy Andersson]]'s ''[[Songs from the Second Floor]]''), and in 2001 put together his own band, [[BAO!]], which has released three successful albums in 2001, 2004 and October 2007. Benny Andersson has the record of staying in the longest ever run in the [[Svensktoppen]] charts in April 2007 (the song "Du Är Min Man", sung by [[Helen Sjöholm]] is still there, in its ''209th'' week as of [[July 6th]], 2008 <ref>[http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/p4/programsidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2023&Artikel=454899 Rekord på Svensktoppen - sr.se<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Andersson has released his 3rd album [[BAO 3]] [[October]] [[2007]] with new material with his band [[BAO!]] and vocalists [[Helen Sjöholm]] and [[Tommy Körberg]] -as well as playing to full houses at two of Sweden's largest concert venues in October and November 2007 with an audience of 14,000. Björn Ulvaeus has not appeared on stage performing music since ABBA, but had a reunion with his co-members of The Hootenanny Singers on [[July 16]] [[2005]] at a music festival in his hometown of [[Västervik]], singing their 1966 hit "Marianne". Andersson and Ulvaeus are highly involved in the world wide productions of the musical [[Mamma Mia!]], alongside Lyngstad attending premieres. They are also involved in the production of the film version of the musical, which opened in [[July]] [[2008]]; Benny Andersson produced the Soundtrack using the musicians ABBA used on their albums and tours. In 2008 it was reported that Ulvaeus was suffering from long-term memory loss and could hardly remember his days with ABBA.<ref>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23516594-details/Abba+star+Bjorn%27s+shock+admission:+%27I%27m+battling+long+term+memory+loss%27/article.do</ref> === Fältskog and Lyngstad === {{main|1=Agnetha Fältskog|2=Anni-Frid Lyngstad}} Both female members of ABBA pursued solo careers on the international scene following the break-up of the band. In 1982, Lyngstad chose Genesis drummer and singer [[Phil Collins]] to produce the album ''[[Something's Going On]]'' and unveiled the single and video "I Know There's Something Going On" in autumn of that year. The single became a #1 hit in France, where it spent five weeks at the top, Belgium, Switzerland and Costa Rica. The track reached #3 in Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Poland, and was also a Top 10 hit in Germany, Italy, South Africa and Finland. In the United States, the single reached #13. In all, "I Know There's Something Going On" sold 3.5 million copies worldwide and is the biggest selling single any of the four members have had outside ABBA. Lyngstad's album sold 1.5 million copies internationally.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 452 </ref> Frida's second solo album after ABBA was the experimental ''[[Shine (Frida album)|Shine]]'' (produced by [[Steve Lillywhite]]), released in 1984. The album proved a big success in Sweden, reaching #6 there. It was also Frida's final studio album release for twelve years. Agnetha Fältskog followed in 1983 with the album ''Wrap Your Arms Around Me''. This included the hit single "The Heat Is On", which was a hit in Europe and Scandinavia. In the US, Fältskog scored a Billboard Top 30 hit with "Can't Shake Loose". In Europe, the single "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" was another successful hit, topping the charts in Belgium and Denmark, reaching the Top 5 in Sweden and the Netherlands and the Top 20 in Germany and France. Her album sold 1.2 million copies worldwide.<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 470 </ref> Fältskog's second post-ABBA solo album was ''Eyes of a Woman'', released in March 1985, which reached #2 in Sweden and performed reasonably well in Europe. The first single from the album was "I Won't Let You Go". In November 1987, Fältskog released her third post-ABBA solo album, the [[Peter Cetera]]-produced ''[[I Stand Alone (Agnetha Fältskog album)|I Stand Alone]]'', (which also included the Billboard hit "I Wasn't The One"). The album sold very well in Sweden, where it spent eight weeks at #1. Later that year, however, Fältskog withdrew from public life and halted her music career for a while. In 1996, she released her [[autobiography]], ''As I Am'', and a compilation album featuring her solo hits alongside some ABBA classics. In 2004, she made a successful comeback, releasing the critically acclaimed album ''[[My Colouring Book]]'', which debuted at #1 in Sweden (achieving triple-platinum status), #6 in Germany, and #12 in the UK, winning a silver award, and achieving gold status in Finland. The single "If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind" became Fältskog's biggest solo hit in the UK, reaching the #11 position. The single saw the #2 spot in Sweden and was a hit throughout Scandinavia and Europe. In January 2007, she sang a live duet on stage with Swedish singer Tommy Körberg at the after party for the final showing of the musical, ''Mamma Mia!'', in Stockholm, at which Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus were also present. In 1992 Frida was asked and chosen to be the chairperson for the environmental organisation "Artister för miljön" (Artists for the Environment) in Sweden. Frida accepted and became chairwoman for this organisation from 1992 to 1995. To mark her interests for the environment, she recorded the [[Julian Lennon]] song ''Saltwater'' and performed it live in Stockholm. She arranged and financed summer camps for poor children in Sweden, focussing on environmental and ecological issues. Her environmental work for this organisation led up to the decision to record again. ''[[Djupa andetag]]'' (''Deep Breaths'') was released towards the end of 1996 and became a huge success in Sweden, where it reached #1 and Scandinavia. The lyrics for the single from this album, "Även en blomma" (Even a Flower), deal with environmental issues. In 2004, Lyngstad recorded a song called "The Sun Will Shine Again", written especially for her and released with former [[Deep Purple]] member [[Jon Lord]]. The couple made several TV performances with this song in Germany. The following year, she released a career retrospective DVD, "Frida the DVD" and also a boxset, The "Frida Box Set". Lyngstad lives a low-profile life but occasionally appears at a party or charity function. On [[August 26]], [[1992]], she married Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss von Plauen, of the German Reuss family. Von Plauen died of [[lymphoma]] at the age of 49. In addition to losing her husband, Lyngstad had also lost her daughter in a car crash a year earlier. == Revival == The same year ABBA went separate ways, the French production of a 'tribute' show; a children's TV musical named ''[[Abbacadabra]]'', using 14 of ABBA's songs, spawned new interest in the groups music. The London staging of the musical had stars like [[Elaine Paige]], and [[Finola Hughes]] singing new lyrics to the old hits. After receiving little attention during the mid 1980s, ABBA experienced a major resurgence in 1988 when the Australian Band [[Björn Again]] was formed. UK synth-pop duo [[Erasure]]'s then released an [[Extended play|EP]] featuring cover versions of ABBA's songs, which topped the charts in the spring of 1992. As [[U2]] arrived in [[Stockholm]] for a concert in June of that year, the band paid homage to ABBA by inviting Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to join them on stage for a rendition of "Dancing Queen", playing guitar and keyboards. The September 1992 release of ''[[ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits]]'', a new compilation album, ended up selling massively worldwide and setting chart longevity records. In the U.S., the album became the most popular ABBA release ever there, selling more than six million copies to date. The enormous interest in the ''Gold'' compilation saw the release of ''[[More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits]]'' in 1993. This collection also contained the bonus track "I Am the City", one of the unreleased songs from the 1982 recording sessions. In 1994 two [[Australian]] movies caught the attention of the world's media, both focussing on admiration for ABBA: ''[[The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert]]'' and ''[[Muriel's Wedding]]''. The same year, ''[[Thank You for the Music (album)|Thank You for the Music]]'', a four-disc box set comprising all the group's hits and stand-out album tracks, was released with the involvement of all four members. For this release, several demo versions and odd tracks were discovered in the Polar vaults. ABBA were soon recognised and embraced by other acts: [[Evan Dando]] of [[The Lemonheads]] recorded what fans consider the best cover version of "[[Knowing Me, Knowing You]]",<ref> [http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/blds.html] Palm, Carl Magnus, page 504 </ref> [[Sinéad O'Connor]] and Boyzone's [[Stephen Gately]] have recorded "[[Chiquitita]]", [[Tanita Tikaram]], and [[Blancmange (band)|Blancmange]] paid tribute to "[[The Day Before You Came]]", Cliff Richard covered "[[Lay All Your Love On Me]]", while Dionne Warwick and Peter Cetera recorded their versions of "[[SOS (ABBA song)|SOS]]". U.S. alternative-rock musician Marshall Crenshaw has also been known to play a version of "Knowing Me, Knowing You" in concert appearances. Swedish metal guitarist [[Yngwie Malmsteen]] covered "[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)]]" with slightly altered lyrics. Tribute albums were released both in Sweden and the UK. In Sweden, the growing recognition of the legacy of Andersson and Ulvaeus resulted in the 1998 ''B & B Concerts'': a tribute concert (with Swedish singers who had worked with the composers through the years) showcasing not only their ABBA years, but even hits from the 1960s and after ABBA. The concert was a huge success, released on CD, and later toured Scandinavia and even went to [[Beijing]] in the [[People's Republic of China]] for two concerts. In 1999, Sweden saw the birth of ABBA Teens, later re-named [[A*Teens]], recording techno-pop versions of ABBA songs to huge success worldwide: not only the English original versions, but ABBA's Spanish versions also. In April 1999, the ''[[Mamma Mia!]]'' musical opened in London, and soon premièred in cities worldwide to huge success. In 2000 ABBA were reported to have turned down an offer of approximately US$1,000,000,000 (one billion US dollars) to do a reunion tour consisting of 100 concerts.<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1424667/20000202/abba.jhtml] Basham, David. "ABBA Nixes Billion-Dollar Offer To Reunite." MTV News. </ref> For the 2004 semi-final of the [[Eurovision Song Contest]], staged in Istanbul thirty years after ABBA had won the contest in Brighton, all four members of ABBA appeared briefly in a special comedy video made for the interval act, entitled "Our Last Video Ever". Each of the four members of the group made a brief cameo role, as did others such as [[Cher]] and [[Rik Mayall]]. The video was not included in the official DVD release of the Eurovision Contest, but was issued as a separate DVD release, retitled "The Last Video" at the request of the former ABBA members. It was billed as the first time the four had worked together since the group split. In fact, they each filmed their appearances separately. In 2005 all four members of ABBA appeared at the Stockholm premiere of the musical Mamma Mia <ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4263745.stm|title= Abba reunite for musical premiere|accessdate= 2008-07-16|date= 2005-02-14|publisher= [[BBC News]]}}</ref>. With ''Mamma Mia!'''s huge success worldwide, and the 2008 [[Mamma Mia! (film)|film]] starring [[Meryl Streep]] and [[Pierce Brosnan]], there is a huge interest in ABBA's music. However, in a November 2004 interview with the German magazine ''Bunte'', Ulvaeus said a reunion would not satisfy ABBA's many fans, even though there are legions of them around the world often clamouring for one. In 2008 all four ABBA members were reunited at the Swedish premiere of the film ''Mamma Mia!'' on [[July 4]]. It was the second time all of them appeared together in public since in 1986.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7491246.stm|title= Abba quartet at Mamma Mia showing|accessdate= 2008-07-16|date= 2008-07-05|publisher= [[BBC News]]}}</ref> During the appearance, they re-emphasized that they intended never to officially reunite, citing the opinion of [[Robert Plant]] that the re-formed [[Led Zeppelin]] was more like a [[cover band]] of itself than the original band. They wanted to be remembered for who they were in their prime, and could not live up to that now. [[Image:ABBA 2008 Av Daniel Åhs.jpg|thumb|400px|centre|[[ABBA]] Posing together with the actors from the motion picture "Mamma Mia!" July 4th 2008. Foto: [[User:Danielåhskarlsson|Daniel Åhs Karlsson]]]] ==Fashion, videos, and advertising campaigns== ABBA were widely noted for the colourful and trend-setting costumes its members wore. The videos that accompanied some of their biggest hits are often cited as being among the earliest examples of the genre. Most of ABBA's videos (and ''ABBA: The Movie'') were directed by [[Lasse Hallström]] who would later direct the films ''[[My Life as a Dog]]'', ''[[The Cider House Rules (film)|The Cider House Rules]]'' and ''[[Chocolat (movie)|Chocolat]]''. ABBA made videos because their songs were hits in so many different countries and personal appearances weren't always possible. This was also in an effort to minimize travelling, particularly to countries that would have required extremely long flights. Fältskog and Ulvaeus had two young children, and Fältskog, who was also [[Fear of flying|afraid of flying]], was very reluctant to leave her children for such a long time. ABBA's manager, Stig Anderson, realized the potential of showing a simple video clip on television to publicize a single or album, thereby allowing easier and quicker exposure than a concert tour. Some of these videos became classics because of the 1970s era costumes and early video effects, such as the grouping of the band members in different combinations of pairs, overlapping one singer's profile with the other's full face, and the contrasting of one member against another. In 1976, ABBA participated in a high-profile advertising campaign by the [[Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.]], which was designed to promote the brand [[National (brand)|"National"]]. This campaign was designed initially for Australia, where "National" was still the primary brand used by Matsushita, who had not introduced the "[[Panasonic]]" brand to Australia yet, despite its widespread use in other parts of the world such as the U.S. However, the campaign was also aired in Japan. Five commercials, each approximately one minute long, were produced, each using the "National Song" sung by ABBA, which used the melody and instrumental arrangement of [[Fernando (song)|Fernando]], adapted with new lyrics promoting National, and working in several slogans used by National in their advertising.<ref>[http://www.abba-world.net/phenomenon/national/national.htm ABBA: The National Commercial]</ref> == Discography == {{main|ABBA discography}} ==Awards and recognition== {{main|List of ABBA awards and recognition}} ==Bibliography== * Potiez, Jean-Marie (2000). ''ABBA - The Book'' ISBN 1-85410-928-6 * Palm, Carl Magnus (2002). ''Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA'' ISBN 0-7119-9194-4 * Palm, Carl Magnus (2004). ''From "ABBA" to "Mamma Mia!"'' ISBN 1-85227-864-1 ==See also== ===ABBA-related=== * [[ABBA unreleased songs]] * [[ABBAMAIL]] * [[A*Teens]] ===Lists=== * [[List of number-one hits (United States)]] * [[List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)]] * [[List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)]] * [[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart]] * [[List of Number 1 singles (UK)]] * [[UK Best selling singles artists of all time]] * [[List of artists who reached number one in Ireland]] * [[List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart]] * [[List of Swedes in music]] * [[Best selling music artists]] - World's top selling music artists chart. * [[The Complete Studio Recordings (ABBA album)]] ===Other=== * [[Music of Sweden]] ==Notes== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{commonscat}} * [http://www.abbasite.com/ ABBA - The Site] - Official site. This site is owned and maintained by [[Universal Music Group|Universal Music]] AB in Sweden. *{{Discogs artist|artist=ABBA}} * {{Last.fm|ABBA|ABBA}} * [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/abba ABBA] at RollingStone.com * [http://www.abba4therecord.com/singles_results.php/ ABBA - for the record] - Collector site and discography. {{start box}} {{succession box | before=[[Anne-Marie David]] | title=[[Eurovision Song Contest|Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest]] | years=1974 | after=[[Teach-In]] }} {{end box}} {{ABBA}} {{Eurovision winners}} {{Congratulations (Eurovision)}} [[Category:ABBA| ]] [[Category:Dance musical groups]] [[Category:Disco musicians]] [[Category:Swedish musical groups]] [[Category:Swedish dance musicians]] [[Category:Swedish pop music groups]] [[Category:European music groups]] [[Category:Eurovision Song Contest winners]] [[Category:Swedish Eurovision Song Contest entrants]] [[Category:Melodifestivalen contestants]] [[Category:Melodifestivalen winners]] [[Category:Musical groups founded by married couples]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1972]] [[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1982]] [[Category:Quartets]] [[Category:RCA Records artists]] [[af:ABBA]] [[ar:آبا]] [[zh-min-nan:ABBA]] [[bar:ABBA]] [[bs:ABBA]] [[bg:АББА]] [[ca:ABBA]] [[cs:ABBA]] [[cy:ABBA]] [[da:ABBA]] [[de:ABBA]] [[et:ABBA]] [[es:ABBA]] [[eo:ABBA]] [[eu:ABBA]] [[fa:آبا]] [[fo:ABBA]] [[fr:ABBA]] [[ga:ABBA]] [[gl:ABBA]] [[ko:아바]] [[hr:ABBA]] [[id:ABBA]] [[is:ABBA]] [[it:ABBA]] [[he:אבבא]] [[ka:აბბა]] [[sw:ABBA]] [[lt:ABBA]] [[li:ABBA]] [[hu:ABBA]] [[nah:ABBA]] [[nl:ABBA]] [[ja:ABBA]] [[no:ABBA]] [[nn:ABBA]] [[pl:ABBA]] [[pt:ABBA]] [[ro:ABBA]] [[ru:ABBA]] [[scn:ABBA]] [[simple:ABBA]] [[sk:ABBA]] [[sl:ABBA]] [[sr:АББА]] [[sh:ABBA]] [[fi:Abba]] [[sv:ABBA]] [[th:แอ็บบ้า]] [[vi:ABBA]] [[tr:ABBA]] [[uk:ABBA]] [[bat-smg:ABBA]] [[zh:ABBA]]