ABBA was a highly successful Swedish pop group formed in 1972 consisting of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Renowned as one of the best-selling music acts in history, ABBA achieved widespread popularity and left an indelible mark on the landscape of popular music.
Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad was born on 15 November 1945 in Bjørkåsen in Ballangen Municipality, Norway.
Benny Andersson was born on 16 December 1946 in Stockholm, Sweden.
Agnetha Fältskog was born on 5 April 1950 in Jönköping, Sweden.
In 1963, Anni-Frid Lyngstad met Björn Ulvaeus briefly during a talent contest.
In 1965, Benny Andersson's song "No Response" hit number three.
In June 1966, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson decided to write a song together. Their first attempt was "Isn't It Easy to Say", later recorded by the Hep Stars.
In 1966, Benny Andersson had number one hits with the Hep Stars, including "Sunny Girl", "Wedding", and "Consolation".
Between 1967 and 1975, Agnetha Fältskog released five studio albums.
In 1967, Anni-Frid Lyngstad won a national talent competition with "En ledig dag", a Swedish version of "A Day in Portofino". The prize was a recording contract with EMI Sweden.
In 1968, Agnetha Fältskog released one of her four solo LPs which she released between 1968 and 1971.
In 1968, Benny Andersson wrote his first Svensktoppen entry, "Sagan om lilla Sofie", with Lasse Berghagen.
In early 1968, Anni-Frid Lyngstad met Agnetha Fältskog during a TV show.
On 1 March 1969, Anni-Frid Lyngstad participated in the Melodifestival, where she met Benny Andersson for the first time.
During filming of a Swedish TV special in May 1969, Agnetha Fältskog met Björn Ulvaeus.
In September 1969, Benny Andersson produced Anni-Frid Lyngstad's single "Peter Pan" which was the first collaboration between Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus as they wrote the song.
In 1969, Benny Andersson submitted "Hej, Clown" for Melodifestivalen, tying for first place but ultimately placing second after re-voting. He also met Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who also participated in the contest.
In 1969, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson wrote and produced some of their first real hits together: "Ljuva sextital" recorded by Brita Borg, and the Hep Stars' hit "Speleman".
In April 1970, the two couples went on holiday together to Cyprus. They sang for fun on the beach which then ended up as an improvised live performance in front of the United Nations soldiers stationed on the island.
In September 1970, Andersson and Ulvaeus released their first album together, Lycka.
On 1 November 1970, the foursome launched a stage act called "Festfolket" in Gothenburg.
After the 1970 release of Lycka, two more singles credited to "Björn & Benny" were released in Sweden, "Det kan ingen doktor hjälpa" and "Tänk om jorden vore ung".
In 1970, Andersson and Lyngstad added backing vocals to Fältskog's third studio album, Som jag är.
In 1970, as their respective bands began to break up, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus teamed up and recorded their first album together, called Lycka, which included original songs sung by both men.
In March 1971, Benny Andersson produced Anni-Frid Lyngstad's debut studio album, Frida.
On 6 July 1971, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus got married.
After two rejected entries in 1971, Stig Anderson encouraged Ulvaeus and Andersson to write a song for Melodifestivalen.
During 1971, the four artists began working together more, adding vocals to each other's recordings. Fältskog, Andersson, and Ulvaeus toured together in May, while Lyngstad toured on her own. Frequent recording sessions brought the foursome closer together during the summer.
In 1971, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus got married.
In 1971, Agnetha Fältskog released one of her four solo LPs which she released between 1968 and 1971.
In 1971, after Benny Andersson started to produce her recordings, Anni-Frid Lyngstad had her first number-one single, "Min egen stad", written by Benny and featuring all the future ABBA members on backing vocals.
In the middle of 1971, Fältskog and Ulvaeus, now married, started performing together with Andersson on a regular basis at the Swedish folkparks.
In March 1972, the Andersson and Ulvaeus single "She's My Kind of Girl" was released through Epic Records in Japan, becoming a Top 10 hit for the duo. The success in Japan marked the first signs of foreign success for the duo.
In June 1972, "People Need Love" was released, featuring guest vocals by Agnetha and Anni-Frid, who were given greater prominence. Credited to Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid, the song peaked at number 17 in the Swedish combined single and album charts.
From 1972, ABBA's active career began, marking the start of their journey into music.
In 1972, ABBA, a Swedish pop group, was formed in Stockholm by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
In 1972, Agnetha Fältskog starred as Mary Magdalene in the original Swedish production of Jesus Christ Superstar and attracted favorable reviews.
In 1972, Andersson and Ulvaeus submitted their new song "Säg det med en sång" for the Melodifestivalen contest, choosing newcomer Lena Anderson to perform. The song came in third place, but became a hit in Sweden.
In late 1972, Anni-Frid Lyngstad had a second number-one single with "Man Vill Ju Leva Lite Dessemellan".
On 10 February 1973, ABBA participated in Melodifestivalen with "Ring Ring", but the song came third and did not reach the Eurovision Song Contest. The group released their debut studio album, also called Ring Ring.
The earliest known written example of "ABBA" is on a recording session sheet from the Metronome Studio in Stockholm dated 16 October 1973. Initially written as "Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida", it was crossed out and replaced with "ABBA".
Between 1969 and 1973, Anni-Frid Lyngstad played in several revues and cabaret shows in Stockholm.
In 1973 ABBA entered the Melodifestivalen with "Ring Ring" but did not qualify as the Swedish entry.
In 1973, Agnetha Fältskog gave birth to her daughter Linda and was temporarily replaced by Inger Brundin on a trip to West Germany.
In 1973, Stig Anderson began referring to the group as ABBA, a palindrome. Initially a play on words due to its association with a Swedish fish-canning company, the name was officially announced in the summer after a competition. ABBA negotiated with the canners for the rights to the name.
On 9 February 1974, ABBA won Swedish television's Melodifestivalen 1974 with "Waterloo".
On 6 April 1974, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo". Afterwards, the band celebrated in the Napoleon suite of The Grand Brighton Hotel.
In November 1974, the airing of music videos for "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" and "Mamma Mia" on the TV pop show Countdown in Australia led to ABBA's rapid rise in popularity in the country, with the show becoming a key promoter of the group.
In 1974, ABBA became Sweden's first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo".
In 1974, Stig Anderson planned for the 1974 contest, seeing Eurovision as a way to promote ABBA as songwriters and publicise the band. They contributed the song "Waterloo" for Melodifestivalen 1974, inspired by the glam rock scene in England.
Until the middle of 1974, Björn Ulvaeus still occasionally recorded and performed with the Hootenanny Singers, and Benny Andersson took part in producing their records.
In January 1975, the Scandinavian leg of ABBA's European tour saw full houses and a positive reception, contrasting with the earlier part of the tour.
In 1975 ABBA's success was further solidified with "Mamma Mia" reaching number-one in the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia and the top two in a few other western and northern European countries. In the United States, both "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" and "SOS" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with the latter picking up the BMI Award.
In 1975, ABBA received its first international prize with the song "Fernando" being chosen as the "Best Studio Recording of 1975".
In 1975, after ABBA formed, Anni-Frid Lyngstad recorded another successful album, Frida ensam, which included the original Swedish rendition of "Fernando".
In mid-1975, ABBA released "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do", which reached number 38 in the UK, with little airplay on Radio 1, while also making top five in several northern and western European countries, and number one in South Africa. Later in 1975, the self-titled third album ABBA and single "SOS" brought back their chart presence in the UK.
In March 1976, ABBA released the compilation album Greatest Hits, which became their first UK number-one album and entered the Top 50 in the US. Also included on Greatest Hits was the new single, "Fernando", which reached number-one in at least thirteen countries and sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
In May 1976, ABBA's official logo, featuring a backward "B", first appeared on the French compilation album, Golden Double Album, released by Disques Vogue. The ambigram, designed by Rune Söderqvist, would be used for all official releases going forward.
By early 1976, ABBA had four Top 30 singles on the US charts, but their eponymous album struggled to make an impact, peaking at number 165 on the Cashbox album chart and number 174 on the Billboard 200 chart. Despite this, ABBA received positive reviews from the American press.
In 1976, ABBA participated in an advertising campaign to promote the National brand, owned by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., in Australia and Japan. Five commercial spots, approximately one minute each, were produced, featuring the "National Song" performed by ABBA using the melody and instrumental arrangements of "Fernando" with revised lyrics.
In 1976, ABBA received their first international prize, with "Fernando" being chosen as the "Best Studio Recording of 1975".
In 1976, ABBA's album, Arrival, was released
In 1976, ABBA's songs "Fernando", "Dancing Queen", and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" achieved astounding success in South Africa, ranking among the top 20 best-selling singles for the period of 1976-77.
In 1976, German photographer Wolfgang "Bubi" Heilemann's photo shoot for Bravo magazine inspired the official ABBA logo. Benny Andersson reversed his letter "B" in the photo, leading to the mirrored "B" design that was agreed upon by the band.
In January 1977, ABBA commenced their first major tour, opening in Oslo, Norway, on January 28. The spectacle included scenes from their mini-operetta The Girl with the Golden Hair and attracted media attention from across Europe and Australia. The tour continued through Western Europe, concluding with shows in the United Kingdom.
In March 1977, ABBA played 11 dates in Australia before a total of 160,000 people. On March 3, the opening concert in Sydney was marred by torrential rain, with Lyngstad slipping on the wet stage. The members recalled this concert as the most memorable of their career.
In April 1977, "Dancing Queen" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In December 1977, ABBA released their fifth album, ABBA: The Album, coinciding with the debut of ABBA: The Movie. The album spawned worldwide hits like "The Name of the Game" and "Take a Chance on Me".
During May 1978, ABBA traveled to the United States for a promotional campaign, performing alongside Andy Gibb on Olivia Newton-John's TV show.
In 1978, ABBA converted a vacant cinema into the Polar Music Studio, a state-of-the-art studio in Stockholm. The studio was used by several other bands.
In 1978, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad got married.
In mid-January 1979, Ulvaeus and Fältskog announced their divorce, causing media interest and speculation about ABBA's future. Andersson and Ulvaeus secretly traveled to Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, to concentrate on their next album's songs.
On January 9, 1979, ABBA performed "Chiquitita" at the Music for UNICEF Concert held at the United Nations General Assembly to celebrate UNICEF's Year of the Child. ABBA donated the copyright of this worldwide hit to UNICEF.
In April 1979, ABBA released their sixth studio album, Voulez-Vous. The album was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida. The lead single was "Chiquitita", and other singles included "I Have a Dream", "Does Your Mother Know" and "Angeleyes".
On September 13, 1979, ABBA began their ABBA: The Tour at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Canada. The performance was praised for the excellent vocal harmonies of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
In October 1979, ABBA continued their tour in the United States and Canada, with one concert cancelled due to emotional distress experienced by Fältskog. The tour concluded in Toronto, Canada, before resuming in Western Europe.
In 1979, ABBA released their second compilation album, Greatest Hits Vol. 2, featuring the new track "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)".
In 1979, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus divorced.
In July 1980, ABBA released the single "The Winner Takes It All", which became the group's eighth UK chart topper. It reached number-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and became ABBA's second Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one.
In November 1980, ABBA's seventh album Super Trouper was released, featuring a change in ABBA's style with prominent use of synthesizers and personal lyrics. The second single from the album, also titled "Super Trouper", hit number-one in the UK.
In January 1981, Ulvaeus married Lena Källersjö, and ABBA recorded the track "Hovas Vittne" as a tribute to manager Stig Anderson for his 50th birthday, releasing it on only 200 red vinyl copies for party guests.
In mid-February 1981, Andersson and Lyngstad announced they were filing for divorce.
In November 1981, Benny Andersson married Mona Nörklit.
In December 1981, "One of Us" became ABBA's last of nine number-one singles in Germany.
In 1981, "Lay All Your Love on Me" was released as a Twelve-inch single only in selected territories, topping the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and becoming the highest charting 12-inch release in UK chart history.
In 1981, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad divorced.
In December 1982, ABBA officially disbanded, leading Andersson and Ulvaeus to pursue music writing for stage, musicals, and movies, while Fältskog and Lyngstad started solo careers.
In 1982, ABBA's active career ended, marking a pause of their journey into music.
In 1983, "Thank You for the Music", the B-side of "Eagle", was belatedly released as an A-side single in both the United Kingdom and Ireland.
In 1988, Agnetha Fältskog mentioned in an interview with Fred Bronson, that ABBA had to ask permission from the fish-canning company to use the name 'ABBA', and the company agreed as long as they did not make them feel ashamed.
In 1992, after acquiring the group's catalogue, PolyGram added a crown emblem to variations of the ABBA logo for the first release of the ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits compilation.
In 1993, the compilation album "ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits" was first released in the US.
In 1999, ABBA Oro: Grandes Éxitos, the Spanish equivalent of ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits, was released.
In 1999, ABBA's music was adapted into "Mamma Mia!", a stage musical that toured worldwide.
In 2002, ABBA was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
In 2005, ABBA's song "Waterloo" was chosen as the best song in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest as part of the competition's 50th-anniversary celebration.
In August 2008, 15 years after its US release in 1993, the compilation album "ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits" topped the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums chart, becoming ABBA's first number-one album on any Billboard album chart.
In 2008, John McCain used the song "Take a Chance on Me" for his presidential campaign and publicly expressed his liking of the band ABBA.
In 2008, the film adaptation of the musical "Mamma Mia!" was released and became the highest-grossing film in the United Kingdom that year.
On 15 March 2010, ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Bee Gees members Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb at a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson represented the group.
In September 2010, Andersson and Ulvaeus criticized the Danish People's Party (DF) for using the ABBA song "Mamma Mia" (with modified lyrics) at rallies. The band threatened legal action, but Universal Music later stated that an agreement was reached.
In 2010, ABBA was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, becoming the first recording artists to receive this honor from outside an Anglophonic country.
By 3 November 2012, ABBA was ranked as the 3rd best-selling singles artist in the United Kingdom, with a total of 11.3 million singles sold.
In 2015, ABBA's song "Dancing Queen" was inducted into the Recording Academy's Grammy Hall of Fame.
In 2015, after a successful run, "Mamma Mia!" closed its Broadway production.
In 2016, ABBA reunited and started working on a digital avatar concert tour.
In May 2017, "Fernando" record of 14 weeks at the top position was overtaken by Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" as longest-running chart-topper in Australia. Before May 2017, Fernando was the longest-running chart-topper for over 40 years.
In 2018, the group announced that they had recorded new songs.
In 2018, the sequel to the "Mamma Mia!" film, titled "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again", was released.
In November 2021, ABBA received their first-ever Grammy nomination for Record of the Year, for the single, "I Still Have Faith in You" from the album, Voyage.
In November 2021, ABBA's album "Voyage" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, becoming their highest-charting album.
On 5 November 2021, ABBA released "Voyage", their first new album in 40 years, receiving positive critical reviews and achieving strong sales.
In May 2022, ABBA Voyage, a concert residency featuring ABBA as virtual avatars, opened in London.
In November 2022, the song "Don't Shut Me Down", from the album Voyage, was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy Award.
In May 2023, ABBA received the BRIT Billion Award, celebrating surpassing one billion UK streams in their career.
On 16 December 2023, Saturday Night Live featured a sketch promoting a fictional ABBA album, reworking lyrics to reference common Christmas traditions in the United States. The episode was hosted by Kate McKinnon and featured cast member Bowen Yang, along with former cast members Maya Rudolph and Kristin Wiig.
In August 2024, ABBA demanded that Donald Trump stop using their music and footage at campaign rallies. Universal Music stated they had not granted permission for the use of ABBA's music or videos and requested their immediate removal.
As of October 2024, the stage musical "Mamma Mia!" is still running in the West End, being one of the longest running productions.
In 2024, the United States Library of Congress included the album Arrival (1976) in the National Recording Registry.
PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned by Sony Interactive...
Ubisoft Entertainment SA is a French video game publisher with...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Cher an American singer actress and television personality is celebrated...
Ed Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter who started writing songs...
Sony Group Corporation is a Japanese multinational conglomerate with headquarters...
58 minutes ago Andrew and Tristan Tate Face Rape and Trafficking Charges in the UK
58 minutes ago Trump criticizes Putin over Ukraine, raising WWIII fears amidst US-Russia tensions escalating.
58 minutes ago Jeanine Pirro sworn in as interim US Attorney by Trump, vows strict justice.
59 minutes ago John Laurinaitis Removed as Defendant, Agrees to Help in Vince McMahon Case
59 minutes ago Autopen Controversy: Biden's Knowledge Questioned, Warren Accused on Crypto, and Sacks Slams Warren.
2 hours ago Danielle Collins defends outburst, addresses Raducanu incident after match victory.
Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter was an influential Australian zookeeper...
Cristiano Ronaldo often called CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a professional basketball player...
Eminem born Marshall Mathers III is a highly influential American...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...