ABBA

ABBA were formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1983. ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, giving Sweden its first triumph in the contest. The group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

About ABBA in brief

Summary ABBAABBA were formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1983. ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, giving Sweden its first triumph in the contest. They are the best-selling Swedish band of all time and are one of best- selling bands originating in continental Europe. In 1999, ABBA’s music was adapted into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that toured worldwide. In 2005, their hit \”Waterloo\” was chosen as the best song in the competition’s history. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2015, their song \”Dancing Queen\” was inducting into the Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall of fame. In 2018, it was announced that the band had recorded two new songs after 35 years of being inactive. A sequel, Mamma Mamma! Here We Go Again, was released in 2018, that same year it was revealed that ABBA had recorded a new song after 35. years ofBeing inactive. ABBA were honoured at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Euro Contest in 2005, when their hit “Waterloo’s’ was chosen for the bestSong of the Contest. The song was selected for the Swedish entry to the EuroVision Song Contest 1969, but re-voted to second place.

The song tied for first place with ‘Ljuva sextital’, recorded by Brita Borga and the Hep Stars’ 1969, ‘Speleman’ and ‘Hejjj’ (‘The Clown’) ABBA are the first group from a non-English-speaking country to achieve consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They had eight consecutive number-one albums in the UK, and recorded a collection of their hit songs in Spanish. During the band’s main active years, it consisted of two married couples: Fälskog and Ulveus, and Lyngstad and Andersson. The relationship changes were reflected in the group’s music, with latter compositions featuring darker and more introspective lyrics. After ABBA disbanded, Andersson achieved success writing music for the stage. He then pursued solo careers. The Hep Stars were known as “the Swedish Beatles’”. They also set up Hep House, their equivalent of Apple Corps. Andersson played the keyboard and eventually started writing original songs for his band, many of which became major hits, including ‘Sunny Girl,’ ‘Wedding’ and ‘Consolation’.