Introduction
Before ABBA became a worldwide phenomenon, each member was already established in the Swedish music scene. Benny Andersson was part of The Hep Stars, a popular band often called “the Swedish Beatles,” and met Björn Ulvaeus, sparking their songwriting partnership. Benny later met Anni-Frid Lyngstad, a talented singer, whose solo album he produced. Agnetha Fältskog was also a successful solo artist with chart-topping hits.
ABBA’s formation began with the song “People Need Love,” leading to their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. After an unsuccessful attempt in 1973, they rebranded as ABBA and won Eurovision in 1974 with “Waterloo,” which later became voted the best song in the contest’s history.
Despite initial struggles after “Waterloo,” ABBA reconnected with their roots by playing in Swedish folk parks and released their third album, “ABBA,” featuring hits like “SOS” and “Mamma Mia,” which brought them international fame, particularly in Australia. 1976 solidified their status with the album “Arrival,” including their only US number one hit, “Dancing Queen.” They embarked on massive tours, filmed “ABBA: The Movie,” and established the iconic Polar Music Studio.
However, personal tensions grew with their fame. Agnetha and Björn divorced in 1979, followed by Benny and Frida’s divorce in 1981. Despite these personal setbacks, they continued to produce emotionally rich music, such as “The Winner Takes It All.” Their final tour was in Japan in 1980, and they released “Super Trouper,” moving away from disco. Benny and Björn also collaborated on the musical “Chess.”
After ABBA’s hiatus, Agnetha pursued a solo career before largely retreating from the spotlight, while Frida achieved commercial success with her solo album and later became a princess.
In recent years, ABBA had a nostalgic reunion at “Mamma Mia! The Party” in 2016 and announced a groundbreaking project involving lifelike avatars. In 2021, they released two new songs, “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down,” followed by their first album in 40 years, “Voyage,” and a concert residency featuring digital avatars. While the “Voyage” show premiered in 2022 to acclaim, Benny Andersson hinted that this might be the end of their group collaborations. The video concludes by mentioning the passing of their guitarist in 2023 and ABBA receiving a prestigious honor from the King of Sweden in 2024.