ABBA

ABBA (1972?1983) was a Swedish pop music group. They remain the most successful Swedish music act and were one of the most popular groups in the world. Estimates of ABBA's total worldwide sales vary from 140 to 500 million (there seems to be no reliable source for this information) which could make them the second most successful band of all time after The Beatles.

Early years

By the early 1970s although Björn and Agnetha were married they pursued their own separate musical careers. However Stig was ambitious and determined to break into the mainstream international market, a feat previously achieved by Swedish instrumental guitar group The Spotnicks (their best known hit was "Orange Blossom Special"). As a result he encouraged Björn and Benny to write a song for the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest and it was performed by Lena Anderson. "Say It With a Song" won third in the contest selection rounds but was a huge hit in several countries, convincing Stig he was on the right track.

Related Topics:
1970s - 1972 - Eurovision Song Contest

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Björn and Benny persevered with their songwriting and experimented with new sounds and vocal arrangements which brought some success in Japan. One of the songs they came up with was "People Need Love," featuring guest vocals by the girls who were now given much greater prominence than previously. Everyone involved felt enthusiastic about the new sound and Stig released it as a single, credited to Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid. The record was a moderate hit, enough to convince them they were on to something.

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The following year they decided to have another crack at Eurovision, this time with the song "Ring, Ring." The studio work was handled by Michael B. Tretow who experimented with a Phil Spector-like "wall of sound" production technique that became the wholly new ABBA sound. Stig arranged an English translation of the lyrics by Neil Sedaka and they thought this would be a sure-fire winner. Yet again, it came in third. Nevertheless the proto-group put out an album called Ring Ring, still carrying the awkward naming of Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida. The album did well and the "Ring Ring" single was a hit in many parts of Europe but Stig felt the true breakthrough could only come with a UK or US hit. Around this time Stig, having tired of the unwieldy names, started to jokingly refer to the group privately and publicly as ABBA, which was also the name of a well-known fish cannery in Sweden. However, since the fish canners were more or less unknown outside Sweden Stig came to believe the name would work in international markets and it stuck.

Related Topics:
Michael B. Tretow - Phil Spector - Wall of sound - Neil Sedaka - Ring Ring

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