ABBA was a record and pop quartet formed in 1972 in Stockholm. It had an official career of 10 years during which it released more than 70 successful singles, dominating the music charts on all continents and selling hundreds of millions of records, becoming the second most commercially successful band as well as one of the greatest pop icons of all time. The group’s name was created by joining the initials of its four members, Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni Lyngstad.During the 1960s all four members already enjoyed individual musical success in Europe and decided to come together in 1972 to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest, but only won in the 1974 edition with the song “Waterloo”, which became the group’s first international hit and the best music of the festival, chosen by them, and later with the success of the single “Fernando”, which sold over 10 million copies, the band’s success was assured. In the following years, ABBA launched a sequence of world hits that include hits that are still remembered today as “Mamma Mia”, “SOS”, “Money, Money, Money”, “Super Trouper”, “Take a Chance on Me”, “Chiquitita” and “The Winner Takes It All”. In 1976 “Dancing Queen” was released, which would become the group’s most successful song, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and the charts in 12 other countries, having also sold more than 6 million copies around the world.In 1979 the band announced their first tour in America where they performed a series of concerts throughout North America, and in 1981 the group released their eighth and final album, The Visitors, and with the final single, “Thank You for the Music”, in 1983. The decision to close the band was never made, the members agreed on the need for a break for some time, but the initiative to return was never taken and by many is considered the end of the band. During the second half of the 80’s the band was totally forgotten, only in 1992 the band returned to the limelight with the release of ABBA Gold one of the greatest collections of all time with over 28 million copies sold worldwide, when interest in the band was again increasing and released in 1993 More ABBA Gold which would be a continuation of the successful Gold. At the turn of the millennium, the band’s sales already exceeded 300 million copies worldwide. In 1999 the band’s discography was adapted to the musical Mamma Mia!, which debuted in London and later won versions in dozens of countries, many of which are permanently playing; until today the musical has been watched by more than 42 million people and had a worldwide turnover of about 2 billion dollars, being the most successful theatrical play of all time. The success of the musical led to an adaptation for the cinema in 2008, also titled Mamma Mia!; the film had a total box office of over 600 million dollars, also becoming the most successful musical film of all time. Another ABBA record includes the success of the 1992 Gold: Greatest Hits collection, which sold over 30 million copies and became the third best-selling collection in music history.Today, the group’s sales are already close to 400 million copies worldwide, which makes ABBA the fourth largest record salesman in history. In addition, the World Phonographic Industry (IFPI) estimates that the band still sells 2 to 3 million records per year, making ABBA the inactive band that makes the most money today. Even though ABBA is not as popular as it was in the 1970s, they still have the title of the largest POP band of all time.
Discography
1973 – Ring Ring
1974 – Waterloo
1975 – ABBA
1976 – Arrival
1977 – The Album
1979 – Voulez-Vous
1980 – Super Trouper
1981 – The Visitors
Collections
1975 – Greatest Hits
1979 – Greatest Hits Vol. 2
1982 – The Singles – The First Ten Years
1992 – ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits
1993 – More Abba Gold (More Abba Hits)
1999 – The Complete Singles Collection
1999 – ABBA Oro – Grandes Exitos
2001 – The Definitive Collection
2005 – The Complete Studio Recordings
2006 – Number Ones
2008 – The Albums
2010 – The Vinyls
