ABBA

***ABBA*** were a Swedish pop group, formed in Stockholm in 1972 by members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad: the group name derived from the first letter in their names. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1982. ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 at The Dome in Brighton, UK, giving Sweden its first triumph in the contest. They are the most successful group to have ever taken part in the competition.

ABBA is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, the best-selling band of all time from continental Europe and from outside the English-speaking world. 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, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States.

During the band's active years, Fältskog & Ulvaeus and Lyngstad & Andersson were married. At the height of their popularity, both relationships were suffering strain which ultimately resulted in the collapse of the Ulvaeus–Fältskog marriage in 1979 and the Andersson–Lyngstad marriage in 1981. These relationship changes were reflected in the group's music, with later compositions featuring more introspective and dark lyrics in contrast to their usual pure-pop sound.

After ABBA disbanded in December 1982, Andersson and Ulvaeus achieved success writing music for the stage, while Lyngstad and Fältskog pursued solo careers with mixed success. ABBA's music declined in popularity until the purchase of ABBA's catalogue and record company Polar by Polygram in 1989 enabled the groundwork to be laid for an international re-issue of all their original material and a new Greatest Hits (ABBA Gold) collection in September 1992 which became a worldwide smash. Several films, notably Muriel's Wedding (1994) and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), further revived public interest in the group and the spawning of several tribute bands. In 1999, ABBA's music was adapted into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that toured worldwide. A film of the same name, released in 2008, became the highest-grossing film in the United Kingdom that year.

### Members

##### The Hootenanny Singers

The single "Gabrielle" was released in the UK in March, 1965, under the name of The Hooten Singers.

Under the name "The Northern Lights", the band released the UK singles "All My Trials" (1965), "No Time" (February 11, 1966), and "Through Darkness Light" (November 25, 1966).

### ABBA Discography

#### April 5, 1974: "Waterloo"

* UK #1; US #6
* Re-released February, 1978, and in 1986

#### March 19, 1976: "Fernando"

* UK #1 (Gold); US #13
* Re-released February, 1978

#### January 13, 1978: *ABBA: The Album*

***ABBA: The Album*** was released in conjunction with ABBA: The Movie, with several of the songs featured in the film. The album contained two UK number-one singles, "Take a Chance on Me" and "The Name of the Game", as well as European hits "Eagle" and "Thank You for the Music".

* UK #1, seven weeks, Platinum; US #14, Platinum
* Listen to *ABBA: The Album* on Deezer

#### January 27, 1978: "Take a Chance on Me"

***"Take a Chance on Me"*** is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA from their fifth studio album ABBA: The Album.

* UK #1, three week, Gold; US #3, Gold

#### November 13, 1980: *Super Trouper*

* Platinum

Singles

* "Lay All Your Love On Me": UK #7

#### September 21, 1992: Gold: Greatest Hits (1992)

* UK No 1 Album: October 3, 1992 (1 week); April 17, 1999 (1 week); May 1, 1999 (2 weeks); May 29, 1999 (2 weeks); also 2008 (2 weeks)
* Certified 13x Platinum

***Gold: Greatest Hits*** is a compilation album by the Swedish pop group ABBA. With sales of 30 million, Gold is the best-selling ABBA album, as well as one of the best-selling albums worldwide. Prior to its release, all previously released ABBA compilations had been deleted and only the original studio albums (along with the 1986 live album) remained in print. Since 1992, it has been re-released several times.

The original 1992 release included an edited version of "Voulez-Vous" and the US promo edit of "The Name of the Game." The 1999 re-mastered "signature edition", released to celebrate ABBA's 25th anniversary of winning the Eurovision Song Contest, includes the original versions of "Voulez-Vous" and "The Name of the Game".