The ABBA name has always lived on, becoming one of the music industry’s strongest sources of income. It still continues to happen, with “ABBA Gold”…
Although they have not been active for 40 years, it is debatable whether there is another community that is much more effective than those alive. ABBA’s “Gold” compilation album, which has captured countless generations with its songs, was released on September 21, 1992. It has sold over 32 million copies worldwide to date, making it the second best-selling album of all time in the UK. It included big hits like “Dancing Queen”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, “Take A Chance on Me”, “Mamma Mia” and “The Winner Takes It All”. In honor of its 30th anniversary, “Gold” was reprinted, but this time in a slightly different way… The album, which was printed as a double record in gold and 180 gr, was also released on a gold cassette format. It was produced in a limited number and was released to the market by pre-order in certain stores.
ABBA took the first step in an adventure that lasted half a century in Sweden with the song “Waterloo” released in 1974. At that time, not many people thought that this group of two women and two men would soon conquer the heart of the world.
The community was founded by these two men who met in 1966. The duo wrote their first song just a few weeks later, then partnered up as composers. In the spring of 1969, Björn and Benny met two women who would become not only their fiancee but also the other half of ABBA. Björn and Agnetha were married in 1971, and Benny and Frida were married in 1978. Written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and performed passionately by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad, each song started climbing the charts one by one.
Initially, the four members were recording solo or duo. In 1970, he discovered the appeal of the four voices and decided to become an ensemble. Encouraged by the interest in the song “People Need Love” they recorded in 1972, they entered the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Ring Ring”. They placed third, but the song became a hit in many European countries. They auditioned again in 1974, this time the song was called “Waterloo”. They changed their name to ABBA, an abbreviation of their first name. ABBA was also the name of a Swedish canned fish company; Fortunately, the owners did not cause any problems. ABBA became famous when it won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974. “Waterloo” hit #1 on all European charts. But there was one obstacle in their way: their Eurovision image clouded their careers. They got rid of that label only in 1976 with the album “Arrival”. In fact, they went even further, not content with conquering all of Europe, but also set their eyes on the American market.
The king of Sweden was invited to the gala the day before the wedding of Carl Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath as the only pop ensemble, where ABBA sang the song “Dancing Queen” from the album “Arrival”. In fact, the song, which became a gay anthem 30 years after its release, was not written for a royal wedding.
In the following years, the ABBA fire burned, never to be extinguished. The albums and hit songs that were released one after the other were breaking records that were hard to break. Fame was not without its problems: Björn and Agnetha divorced in 1979. In February 1981, Benny and Frida… Fortunately that didn’t mean the end of ABBA, but the image of two happy, musical couples was shattered. At the end of 1982 ABBA decided to take a break. Even after 40 years, the merger did not happen. But the ensemble’s music lived on: in the 1990s, very good cover versions and the use of songs in soundtracks kept their names alive.
Then came “ABBA Gold”. “Mamma Mia!” consisting of ABBA songs The musical was a huge success. The movie broke box office records. The ABBA name has always lived on, becoming one of the music industry’s strongest sources of income. It still continues to happen, with “ABBA Gold”…
