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[[Image:Faro de La Serena.jpg|thumb|258px|Faro of The City]]
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
[[Image:La Serena-Coquimbo-02.jpg|thumb|258px|The city of La Serena with the port city of [[Coquimbo, Chile|Coquimbo]] in the background]]
| Name = [[Image:ABBA-logo.svg|60px]]
[[Image:Plaza de Armas - La Serena.jpg|thumb|250px|Plaza de Armas]]
| Img = ABBA_Article_Cover.jpg
| Img_capt = In 1979, (l-r): [[Björn Ulvaeus|Björn]], [[Agnetha Fältskog|Agnetha]], [[Anni-Frid Lyngstad|Frida]], [[Benny Andersson|Benny]]
| Img_size = 250<!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| Landscape = yes
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = {{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]]
| Genre = [[Europop]], [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Rock and roll]], [[Disco]]
| Years_active = 1969 – 1982
| Label = [[Polar Music|Polar]], [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], [[Epic Records|Epic]], [[Polydor Records|Polydor]], [[Universal Music Group|Universal]]
| Associated_acts = [[Hep Stars]],<br>[[Hootenanny Singers]],<br>[[Mamma Mia!]]
| URL = [http://www.abbasite.com Official ABBA site]
| Current_members = [[Björn Ulvaeus]]<br>[[Benny Andersson]]<br>[[Agnetha Fältskog]]<br>[[Anni-Frid Lyngstad|Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad]]
| Past_members =
}}
'''La Serena''' ("the serene one") is the second oldest city in [[Chile]]. The city, located 471 km north of [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]], has a population of 147,815, according to the 2002 census. There are also 12,333 inhabitants of the immediately surrounding countryside. It is one of the fastest-growing areas of Chile, witnessing a population increase of 32.6% between [[1992]] and [[2002]].
{{redirect|Abba}}
'''ABBA''' was a [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[pop music]] group active from [[1969 in music|1969]] until [[1982 in music|1982]].
It was first founded by Spaniard Captain [[Juan Bohón]] in [[September 4]] [[1544]] on the orders of [[Pedro de Valdivia]] in order to provide a sea link between Santiago and [[Lima]]. In [[1549]] the town was totally destroyed by local Indians and re-founded the same year by Captain Francisco de Aguirre in a safer ___location. The town has retained its historic architecture and this, along with a selection of beaches (known as Avenida del Mar, "Sea Avenue"), has caused the city to become a significant tourist centre, attracting many foreigners (most of them Argentines from San Juan and Mendoza provinces) during January, and later Santiago residents fleeing February heat.
ABBA is the most successful popular music group ever to come out of [[Scandinavia]]. The quartet topped worldwide charts from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. They remain a fixture of radio playlists and continue to sell [[ABBA discography|albums]]. The group has reportedly sold more than 370 million records, making them the sixth best-selling act after [[Elvis Presley]], [[The Beatles]], [[Bing Crosby]], [[Frank Sinatra]], and [[Michael Jackson]].<ref>[http://abbathebook.online.fr/accueil.html] ABBA sold 350 million albums (2000)</ref><ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2140612,00.html] ABBA sold 370 million albums (2006)</ref>
Its traditional architecture consists of a series of housing and public buildings, of late 19th-century vintage, built with wood from the [[USA|US]] state of [[Oregon]] brought to Chile as counterweight in sailing vessels coming to [[Coquimbo]], the nearby port, to load copper and other minerals for transport back to the US. This Oregon pine and the use of [[adobe]] create the genuine image of the city.
They were the first act from the European continent<!--to distinguish from Europe including the UK--> to enjoy consistent success in the charts of the anglophonic world (the [[UK Singles Chart|United Kingdom]], the [[Hot 100 Singles Sales|United States]], [[Canada]], [[Republic of Ireland]], [[ARIA Charts|Australia]], and [[RIANZ|New Zealand]]), and their enormous popularity subsequently opened the doors for many other European acts. ''See also [[ABBA#Legacy|Legacy]].''
==1969–1971==
[[Benny Andersson]] was a member of the immensely popular in the mid- to late 1960s Swedish rock/pop group [[Hep Stars]] (1964-1969). The band mostly performed covers of international hits. The strongest side of [[Hep Stars]] was their live shows that invariably created mob scenes, many of their fans being teenage girls. Andersson played keyboards and eventually started '''writing''' original compositions for his band, most of which became major hits: "No Response" (No.3, 1965), "Sunny Girl" (No.1 1966),"Wedding" (No.1 1966),"Consolation" (No.1 1966), and "Speleman" among others.
[[Björn Ulvaeus]] was fronting [[The Hootenanny Singers]] (1963-1973), a popular [[folk music|folk]]/[[skiffle]] group. Björn early started '''writing''' own material for his band, and also had a go at a solo carreer alongside the Hootenanny Singers. His band and Anderssons' [[Hep Stars]] sometimes crossed paths while out touring, and at such an occasion in [[June 1966]] decided to write a song together. This, their first attempt was "Isn't It Easy To Say", later recorded by The Hep Stars -and more songs were to follow. [[Stikkan Anderson|Stig Anderson]], manager of the [[Hootenanny Singers]] and founder of the [[Polar Music]] label, saw much potential in the collaboration of Andersson and Ulvaeus, and encouraged them to compose more. In [[1969]], Björn and Benny wrote and produced some of their first real hits together; Brita Borg singing "Ljuva Sextiotal" and The Hep Stars "Speleman"). As their respective bands broke up, they teamed up and eventually recorded their first album together in [[1970]], called ''Lycka'' ("Happiness" in Swedish), on which they included their own compositions and handled all lead vocals.
[[Agnetha Fältskog]], ABBA's youngest member, had a #1 record in Sweden when she was only 17 and was noted by the critics and songwriters as a talented '''composer''', most of her songs being in the ''[[schlager]]'' style. Along with her own compositions, she also recorded [[cover version|covers]] of foreign hits and performed them on tours in Swedish [[folkpark]]s. Eventually, she was established as one of the most popular Swedish female pop singers of the time. Agnetha briefly met Anni-Frid during a TV-show in early 1968, and Björn briefly at a concert venue a few months later. During filming of a Swedish TV special In 1969, she met [[Björn Ulvaeus]] again, and they eventually became a couple and they were married in 1970. In 1973, she starred as [[Mary Magdalene]] in the original Swedish production of ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' and attracted favourable reviews. Between 1968 and 1975, Agnetha released 5 studio albums.
There is also a number of remarkable and valuable small churches built of sedimentary stone quarried 5 km to the north of the [[Elqui River]], having a characteristic color and texture formed by myriad small shells. These churches are all roughly 350 years old and have undergone restoration to varying degrees, bringing them back to their original form. San Francisco, San Agustín, Santo Domingo are the names of a few of them.
[[Anni-Frid Lyngstad|Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad]] from her early teens sang with various dance bands and worked mainly in a jazz-oriented cabaret style. In the summer of [[1967]], she entered and won a national talent competition, and then signed with [[EMI]] and her professional musical career began in earnest. Anni-Frid released several singles and performed regularly in the folkpark-cirquit -and made appearances in radio and tv. She briefly met Björn way back in 1963 during a talent contest, and Agnetha during a TV-show in early 1968, but it was during the last year of the decade she would tie up with her future colleages. In 1969, she participated in ''[[Melodifestivalen]],'' and her entry, ''Härlig är vår jord,'' placed fourth. She there briefly met Benny Andersson in the tv studio, as he was the composer behind 'Hej, Clown' who ended up 2nd in the composition. A few weeks later they met again during a concert tour in southern Sweden and soon they became a couple. Andersson also invited Lyngstad to sing backing vocals with Fältskog on the '''Björn & Benny''' debut album ''Lycka'' (October [[1970]]), and during this time he also started producing Lyngstad's debut album "Frida", which was released in March [[1971]] and praised by the critics. After ABBA was formed, Anni-Frid recorded another successful album in [[1975]], "[[Frida Ensam]]", including the original, swedish version of [[Fernando]], which became a huge hit in Scandinavia '''before''' the english ABBA version was recorded.
The Cathedral, built from the same stone, dates from the 19th century. It must be said that although it lacks the same historical value as the older churches, this is a stone building in a country prone to seismic activity, and has survived various earthquakes. Indeed, during centuries of existence, there is almost no visible damage. All of these churches, along with others of minor importance, provide a unique urban landscape, an image for the city, giving it the nickname "''The City of Churches''."
==1972–1973==
[[Image:People_Need_Love_small.jpg|frame|left|The cover of "People Need Love," the first single released by the group in 1972.]]
By the early 1970s, although Ulvaeus and Fältskog were married, and Andersson and Lyngstad were engaged, they all four pursued their own separate musical careers. However, Stig Anderson was determined to break into the mainstream international market. He encouraged Ulvaeus and Andersson to write a song for the 1972 [[Eurovision Song Contest]], which would be performed by Lena Anderson. "Say It With a Song" won third in the contest selection rounds convincing Stig he was on the right track.
A few of the major sectors are: El Centro ("downtown"), Peñuelas (actually a suburb between La Serena and its sister city [[Coquimbo]]), San Joaquín (neighborhood on a hill overlooking the ocean), La Florida, Las Compañías ("the companies"), Cerro Grande ("big hill"), La Antena and the new El Milagro ("the miracle") development.
Ulvaeus and Andersson persevered with their songwriting and experimented with new sounds and vocal arrangements. 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. Everyone involved felt enthusiastic about the new sound and Stig released it as a single, credited to ''Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid.'' The record reached #17 in the Swedish charts, enough to convince them they were on to something. The single also became the first charting record for the quartet in the United States, where it peaked at #114 on the ''[[Cashbox]]'' singles chart and #117 on [[Record World]]'s singles chart. Billed as ''Björn & Benny (with Svenska Flicka),'' it was released there on [[Playboy Records]]. However, according to [[Stig Anderson]], ''[[People Need Love]]'' could have been a much bigger American hit, but a small label like Playboy Records did not have the distribution resources to meet the demand for the single from retailers and radio programmers .<ref>Interview with ''Songwriter'' magazine, 6, 1981, pp.23-25.</ref>
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The following year they decided to have a try at the [[Melodifestivalen]], this time with the song "[[Ring Ring (English version)|Ring Ring]]." The studio work was handled by [[Michael B. Tretow]], who experimented with a "[[wall of sound]]" production technique that became the wholly new ABBA sound. Stig arranged an English translation of the lyrics by [[Neil Sedaka]] and [[Phil Cody]] and they thought this would be a surefire winner, but it came third. Nevertheless the proto-group put out an album called ''[[Ring Ring (album)|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.
===The ABBA name===
In the spring of 1973, Stig, having tired of the unwieldy names, started to refer to the group privately and publicly as ''ABBA.'' This was done as a joke at first, since Abba was also the name of a well-known fish-canning company 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 so it stuck. Later the group negotiated with the canners for the right to use the name.
'''The very first time the name "ABBA" is found written on paper is on a recording session sheet from the Metronome Studio in Stockholm, dated 16th October 1973''' (interestingly, first it is written "Björn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida", then crossed out with "ABBA" written all over it).
The first single released as "ABBA" was 'Waterloo.'
''ABBA'' is an [[acronym]] formed from the first letters of each group member's name: '''A'''gnetha, '''B'''jörn, '''B'''enny and '''A'''nni-Frid (Frida). It is usually written '''ABBA''' but sometimes, mostly in the media, also as a word, '''Abba.''' The first ''B'' in the [[logo]] version of the name was reversed on the band's promotional material from 1976 onwards and became the group's [[registered trademark]].
==1974–1977==
[[Image:Waterloo Watch Out.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"[[Waterloo (English version)|Waterloo]]" (1974).]]
Just as in 1972 and 1973, Björn, Benny and manager Stig believed in the possibilities in [[Melodifestivalen]] and the [[Eurovision Song Contest|Eurovision]]. In late 1973, the composers were invited to contribute with a song for the 1974 contests, and among a couple of newly written songs, chose the upbeat "Waterloo": -now the group was inspired by the growing [[glam rock]] scene in [[England]]. "Waterloo" was an unashamedly glam-style pop track produced with Michael B. Tretow's wall-of-sound approach. ABBA won the Swedish heats, and in this third attempt was far more experienced and better prepared for the international contest. With an album's worth of material released when the show was held at the [[Brighton Dome]] in [[England]], the song won and catapulted them into British consciousness for the first time -and to the top of the charts all over Europe.
"[[Waterloo (English version)|Waterloo]]" was ABBA's first UK #1 single. In the [[United States|U.S.]], it reached #6 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart, paving the way for the first ABBA album there, although the album peaked at only #145 on the [[Billboard 200]] album chart.
ABBA's follow-up single "So Long" made the Top 10 in Sweden and Germany, but failed to chart in the UK. However, the next release, "[[Honey, Honey]]," managed to break into the Top 30 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart in the US.
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In November 1974, ABBA embarked on their first international tour, playing dates in [[Denmark]], [[West Germany]], and [[Austria]]. It wasn't as successful as the band had hoped, since most of the venues didn't sell out, and due to a lack of demand, ABBA was even forced to cancel a few shows, including a sole scheduled concert in [[Switzerland]]. The second leg of the tour that took ABBA through [[Scandinavia]] in January 1975 was entirely different: they played to full houses and finally got the reception they had waited for. During three weeks in the summer of 1975, ABBA compensated for the Swedish tour they tentatively scheduled for the previous summer, but had to cancel after their Eurovision triumph. They played 16 open-air dates in [[Sweden]] and [[Finland]], attracting huge crowds. Their [[Stockholm]] show at the amusement park [[Gröna Lund]] was seen by an estimated audience of 19,000.
The release of their second album '''"[[ABBA (album)|ABBA]]"''' and their single "[[SOS (ABBA song)|SOS]]" consolidated ABBA's presence in the UK, where the single was a Top 10 hit and the album reached #13. The bgroup were no longer regarded as a Eurovision [[one-hit wonder]].
"SOS" became the first song with a [[palindromic]] title recorded by a group with a palindromic name to hit the pop charts.<ref>[http://www.everyhit.com/record7.html EveryHit.com]</ref> British success was further solidified with "[[Mamma Mia (song)|Mamma Mia]]" reaching the UK #1 spot in January 1976.
In the US, "[[SOS (ABBA song)|SOS]]" made it to #10 on the ''[[Record World]]'' Top 100 singles chart and to #15 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart, picking up the [[Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI]] Award along the way as one of the most played songs on American radio in 1975.
Yet the success of the group in the [[United States]] remained uneven. While they managed to break into the US singles market where, by early 1976, they already had four Top 30 singles, the album market so far proved to be tough to crack. The eponymous ''[[ABBA (album)|ABBA]]'' album generated no fewer than three real American hits, and yet it peaked only at #165 on ''[[Cashbox]]'' album chart and #174 on the [[Billboard 200]] chart. Opinions were voiced, by ''Creem'' in particular, that in the US ABBA endured "a very sloppy promotional campaign".
{{see|ABBA in the United States}}
In 1976, the band released the somewhat hubristically titled ''[[Greatest Hits (ABBA album)|Greatest Hits]]'' compilation despite having had only six songs that were Top 40 hits in the UK and the US. It became ABBA's first UK #1 album and included "[[Fernando (song)|Fernando]]" (which had originally been written in Swedish for Lyngstad's 1975 Andersson-produced solo LP ''[[Frida ensam]]'', or ''Frida alone'', prompting a subsequent English-language recording by ABBA). One of ABBA's best-known and most popular tracks ever, "Fernando" did not appear on the Swedish or Australian releases of ''Greatest Hits''. In Sweden the song would wait until 1982's ''The Singles-The First Ten Years'' to appear on an album in an English-language version credited to ABBA; the track was later included in the Australian release of their 1976 album, ''[[Arrival (ABBA album)|Arrival]]''. ''Greatest Hits'' brought ABBA into the Top 50 on the US album charts for the first time and eventually went on to sell more than a million copies there.
In the US, "Fernando" reached the Top 10 of the Cashbox Top 100 singles chart and #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single also topped the [[Billboard Adult Contemporary]] chart, thus becoming ABBA's first single getting to the top spot on any American chart. In Australia, as of [[2006]] ABBA's 1976 hit single "[[Fernando (song)|Fernando]]" still held the record for the most weeks spent at number one (15 weeks) (along with The Beatles' "Hey Jude").<ref>[http://www.onmc.iinet.net.au/topspot/1976.htm onmc.iinet.net]</ref>
[[Image:Dancing Queen That's Me.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"[[Dancing Queen]]" (1976)]]
The next album, ''[[Arrival (ABBA album)|Arrival]]'', represented a new level of accomplishment in both songwriting and studio work for ABBA, prompting rave reviews from such more rock-orientated UK music weeklies like [[Melody Maker]] and [[New Musical Express]] and mostly appreciative notices from American critics. In fact, hit after hit flowed from "Arrival": "[[Money, Money, Money]]", "[[Knowing Me, Knowing You (single)|Knowing Me, Knowing You]]" and their most enduring and definitive hit, "[[Dancing Queen]]". In 1977, "Arrival" was nominated for the inaugural [[BRIT Awards|BRIT Award]] in a category Best International Album of the Year. By this time ABBA were widely popular in the UK, most of Western Europe and [[Australia]].
Their popularity in the US would remain on a comparatively smaller scale, and "[[Dancing Queen]]" became the only [[Billboard Hot 100]] No. 1 single ABBA ever had there (they did, however, get three more singles to No.1 position on other [[Billboard]] charts, including [[Billboard Adult Contemporary]] and [[Hot Dance Club Play]]). Nevertheless, "Arrival" finally became a true breakthrough release for ABBA on a US album market when it peaked at No.20 on [[Billboard]] album chart.
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|title="Dancing Queen" (1976)
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|title="Knowing Me, Knowing You" (1977)
|description= One of their first songs to deal with breaking up a relationship, though it has a happier and upbeat quality to it.
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{{multi-listen item
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|title="The Name Of The Game" (1977)
|description= The first song to be recorded for ABBA's fifth studio album, which wasn't as successful as their previous 1975 singles.
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{{multi-listen item
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|title="Take A Chance On Me" (1978)
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In January 1977, ABBA hit the road. By this time, the group's status changed dramatically and they were clearly regarded as superstars. ABBA opened their much anticipated tour in [[Oslo]], [[Norway]], and mounted a lavishly produced spectacle of a show that included a few scenes from their self-penned mini-operetta. The concert attracted immense media attention from across Europe and [[Australia]]. ABBA continued the tour through [[Western Europe]] and ended it with two sold-out concerts at [[London]]'s [[Royal Albert Hall]]. Tickets for these two shows were available only by mail application and it was later revealed that the box-office received 3.5 million requests for tickets. There were, however, complaints about the group's performance lacking "personality" and being "too polished" and "sterile".
After the European part of the tour, in March 1977, ABBA played eleven dates in [[Australia]]. The trip was accompanied by mass hysteria and unprecedented media attention, and is vividly captured on film in ''[[ABBA: The Movie]]'' directed by [[Lasse Hallström]].
The Australian tour and ''ABBA: The Movie,'' based on it produced an amusing bit of ABBA lore as well. Agnetha's blonde good looks had long made her the band's 'pinup girl', a role she disdained. During the Australian tour, she performed in a skin tight white jumpsuit, leading to one Aussie paper using the headline ''Agnetha's Bottom Tops Show.'' When asked about this at a news conference, she replied "Don't they have bottoms in Australia?" This anecdote is related in the DVD documentary movies ''Super Troupers,''2004 and ''The Winner Takes it All,'' 2002.
In December 1977 (January 1978, in many territories), ABBA followed up ''Arrival'' with the more musically and lyrically ambitious ''[[The Album]]'' which was released to coincide with ''[[ABBA: The Movie]]''. Although the album was less well-received by the critics in the UK, it did spawn several hits; "[[The Name of the Game]]" and "[[Take A Chance On Me]]" among them, both of which topped the UK charts, and reached No.12 and No.3, respectively, on [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart in the US. This album also included the ABBA signature tune, anthemic "Thank You for the Music" that later was released in the UK as a single (1983) and had been a B-side of "Eagle" in territories where that song was released as a single.
==1978–1979==
By 1978, ABBA were a megagroup. They converted a disused cinema into the [[Polar Music]] Studio, a new state-of-the-art studio in [[Stockholm]] which was used by several other bands (among others, [[Led Zeppelin]]'s ''[[In Through the Out Door]]'' and [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]]' ''Duke'' were recorded there).
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Their stand-alone single ''[[Summer Night City]]'', their last Swedish number one, stopped just short of topping the UK charts but set the stage for ABBA's foray into [[disco]] with the album ''[[Voulez-Vous]]'', which was released in April 1979. Notably, two [[background]] tracks for the album were recorded in the famous [[Criteria Studios]] in [[Miami]], [[United States|U.S.]] with the assistance, among others, of the legendary [[recording engineer]] [[Tom Dowd]]. The album topped the charts across Europe and in Japan and became the Top 10 hit in Canada and Australia and the Top 20 hit in the US. Somewhat surprisingly, none of the singles from the album achieved No.1 on UK charts, but "[[Chiquitita]]", "[[Does Your Mother Know]]", "[[Voulez-Vous (song)|Voulez-Vous]]" and "[[I Have A Dream (ABBA song)|I Have A Dream]]" all charted no lower than No.4.
In Canada, "I Have A Dream" became ABBA's second No.1 on [[RPM]] [[Adult Contemporary]] chart (the first one was "Fernando").
In January 1979, the group performed "Chiquitita" at the [[Music for UNICEF Concert]] held at the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. ABBA's performance at the concert was, however, [[lip-synching|lip-synched]]. The [[copyright]] for this worldwide hit was donated by ABBA to [[United Nations Children's Fund|UNICEF]]; see [[Music for UNICEF Concert]].
[[Image:Gimme_Gimme_Gimme.jpg|left|thumb|200px|"[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)|Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!]]" (1979)]]
Later that year, the group released their second compilation album, ''[[Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (ABBA album)|Greatest Hits Vol. 2]]'', which featured a brand new track "[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)]]", their best known [[disco]] hit in Europe. As a curiosity, while selling their music into Russia during the late 1970s, ABBA was paid in oil commodities because of an [[embargo]] on the [[Soviet ruble|ruble]].<ref> {{cite web|title =ABBA: Curious Facts|work =Music Stars|publisher =[[The Biography Channel]]|url =http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_facts/1709:0:3/ABBA.htm|accessdate =2006-09-23}}</ref>
On [[September 13]], [[1979]], ABBA opened their first (and only) North American tour at the [[Northlands Coliseum]], in [[Edmonton]], [[Canada]], with a full house of 14,000. During the next four weeks in North America, they played a total of seventeen sold-out dates, 13 in the [[United States|U.S.]] and 4 in [[Canada]].
The last scheduled ABBA concert on the US soil, in [[Washington, DC]], was cancelled due to Fältskog's extreme emotional distress suffered during the flight from New York to Boston when the private plane she was on was subjected to extreme weather conditions (see [[Windsor Locks, Connecticut Tornado]]) and could not land for a long time. The tour ended with a show in [[Toronto]], [[Canada]] at [[Maple Leaf Gardens]] before a capacity crowd of 18,000. The shows also generated the same type of complaints that were expressed during the group's 1977 tour; many fans were aware that ABBA were more of a studio band than a live band.
On [[October 19]], the tour resumed in [[Western Europe]] where the band played 23 sold-out gigs, including an unprecedented six sold-out nights at [[London]]'s [[Wembley Arena]].
==1980–1982==
In March of [[1980]], ABBA travelled to [[Japan]] where upon their arrival at [[Narita International Airport]] they were besieged by thousands of fans. The group played eleven concerts to full houses, including six shows at [[Tokyo]]'s [[Budokan]] . This tour was ABBA's last "on the road" adventure in their career.
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1980's ''[[Super Trouper (album)|Super Trouper]]'' reflected a certain change in ABBA's style with more prominent use of [[synthesiser]]s and increasingly more personal lyrics. It set a record for the most preorders ever received for a UK album after 1 million copies were ordered before release. Anticipation for the release had been built up by "[[The Winner Takes It All]]", the group's eighth UK chart topper (their first since 1978). In the US, the single reached No. 8 on [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart and became ABBA's second [[Billboard Adult Contemporary]] chart topper. This song was allegedly written about Ulvaeus and Fältskog's marital tribulations. The next single from the album, "[[Super Trouper (song)|Super Trouper]]" also hit No. 1 in UK but was only moderately successful in the US. "[[Lay All Your Love On Me]]", a track from ''Super Trouper'' released in 1981 as a 12-inch single only in selected territories, managed to top the [[Billboard]] [[Hot Dance Club Play]] chart and peaked at No.7 on the UK singles chart becoming at the time the highest ever charting 12-inch release in the UK chart history.
Also in 1980, ABBA recorded a compilation of Spanish-language versions of their hits ''[[Gracias Por La Música]]'' and released it in the Spanish-speaking countries, and, surprisingly, also in [[Japan]] and [[Australia]]. The album became a major success and along with ''Chiquitita'' single (Spanish version) signaled the group's breakthrough in [[South America]].
''[[The Visitors]]'' (1981), their final studio album, showed a songwriting maturity and depth of feeling distinctly lacking from their earlier recordings but still placed the band squarely in the pop genre, with catchy tunes and harmonies. Although not revealed at the time of its release, the album's title track, according to Ulvaeus, refers to the secret meetings held against the approval of totalitarian governments in Soviet-dominated states, while other tracks address topics like failed relationships, threat of war, ageing, loss of innocence, a parent watching a child grow up and so on. This change of style was reflected in the relative commercial decline, mostly evident in the UK, after the release of the hit single "[[One Of Us (ABBA song)|One Of Us]]" in December 1981.
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Although it topped the charts across most of Europe, entered the Top 20 in Canada, France and Japan and Top 30 in the US and Australia, commercially, ''[[The Visitors]]'' was not as spectacularly successful as its predeccessors.
The track from the "The Visitors" "When All Is Said And Done" was released as a single in North America and [[Australia]]/[[New Zealand]] and became ABBA's final Top 30 hit in the US, while reaching No.4 on [[RPM]] [[Adult Contemporary]] chart in Canada. Another US single release taken from "The Visitors" was the title track that hit Top Ten of the [[Billboard]] [[Hot Dance Club Play]] chart.
In the spring of [[1982]], songwriting sessions had started, and the group gathered to record again. Plans were sketchy, but a new album a small tour was discussed.
The recording sessions in [[May]] and [[June]] was an uphill struggle, and only a handful of songs were eventually recorded. Several tapes were shelved, and the foursome took a break for the summer.
Back in the studio in early [[August]], the group had changed plans for the rest of the year: they settled for a Christmas release of a double album compilation of all their past successes to be named ''[[The Singles: The First Ten Years]]''.
New recording sessions took place, and in [[October]], ABBA released the single "[[The Day Before You Came]]"/"[[Cassandra]]" -and in December", they released the single "[[Under Attack]]"/"[[You Owe Me One]]". (The a-sides from these two singles were included in the compilation album).
There was little interest in the singles, but the album went to [[no. 1]] in the [[UK]] and [[Belgium]], no.4 in [[Holland]], no.5 in [[Germany]] and a top 20 in many other countries.
The other songs recorded during these last sessions, "[[I Am the City]]" and "[[Just Like That]]", were at the time left in the can. "I Am the City" was eventually released as a bonus track on the compilation album ''More ABBA Gold'' in 1993.
ABBA went to London to promote ''[[The Singles: The First Ten Years]]'' the first week of November 1982, appearing in [[Saturday Superstore]] and [[The Late, Late Breakfast Show]] and to [[Germany]] the 2nd week, to perform in [[Show Express]].
On [[November 19th]], ABBA appeared for the last time in [[Sweden]] in the tv-programme [[Nöjesmaskinen]], and on [[December 11th]] made their '''last performance ever''' -transmitted to the [[UK]] on Noel Edmonds' [[Late, Late Breakfast Show]], via a live link from a TV studio in [[Stockholm]].
Although plans were to continue work as a foursome, ABBA never got together again.
Despite numerous requests from fans, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson are still refusing to release "[[Just Like That (ABBA song)|Just Like That]]" in its entirety, yet it has surfaced on bootlegs.
[[Image:Thank-You-For-The-Music.jpg|left|thumb|200px|ABBA's very last single, a re-issue of "[[Thank You For The Music]]" (1983)]]
Andersson and Ulvaeus had meetings with [[Tim Rice]] in [[December]] [[1981]], and in early 1983 started songwriting sessions for the concept music album ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'' while Fältskog and Lyngstad each concentrated on their international solo careers.
[[Agnetha]], [[Benny]], [[Björn]] and [[Anni-Frid]] made their last public appearance -as four 'friends' more than as ABBA, took place in [[January]] [[1986]], when they performed an acoustic version of "[[Tivedshambo]]", the very first song written by their manager [[Stig Anderson]], for a Swedish TV show honouring Anderson on his 55th birthday.
That year, the group also released their ''[[ABBA Live]]'' album featuring selections of live performances throughout their career.
On November 11 2002, Ulvaeus confirmed on German TV "Beckman" that ABBA's last known appearance (not filmed) as a group was as guests in 1999 on the 50th birthday of Görel Hanser, former secretary of Stig Anderson, performing a birthday song.<ref>[http://www.raffem.com/BjornUlvaeusBiogr.htm] ABBA's last known appearance (1999)</ref>
ABBA never officially announced the end of the group, but as years passed by, the chances of ABBA working together again became increasingly slim, and the group was considered dissolved.
==After ABBA==
In [[1984]], Ulvaeus and Andersson released a music concept album ''[[Chess (musical)|Chess]]'' that they created together with lyricist [[Tim Rice]]. It was later turned into a musical on [[West End theatre|West End]] (1986), on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] (1988) and in Stockholm (''[[Chess På Svenska]]'' - Chess in Swedish) (2003).
They followed ''Chess'' with ''[[Kristina från Duvemåla]]'' (1995), directed for the stage by [[Lars Rudolfsson]] and based on the ''Emigrants'' [[tetralogy]] by Swedish novelist [[Vilhelm Moberg]]. An English version of Kristina från Duvemåla has been in the works for a long time, and it had been reported that the Broadway pre-production is in its earliest stage.
''[[Mamma Mia!]]'', a musical built around ABBA's songs and produced by Ulvaeus, is a worldwide box-office blockbuster with versions in several languages currently being played in many countries, including UK (West End premiere in 1999), USA (Broadway premiere in 2001) and Sweden (Swedish language premiere in 2005). Songwriters Andersson and Ulvaeus were unable to write [[Musical notation|notated music]] on paper.<ref>[http://www.vh1.com/partners/vh1_music_studio/supplies/specials/abba-2.html "VH1 Music Studio: ABBA"], [[VH1.com]]</ref> This limitation would later affect the production of the musical as other musicians were brought in just to sit and listen to the existing recordings and notate everything that was considered for use in the musical - a demanding task that required six months as Andersson and Ulvaeus insisted on near-exact notation of their past performances.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/04/03/1017206222434.html smh.com]</ref>
After receiving little attention during the acme of punk and new wave in the mid and late 1980s, ABBA experienced a major resurgence. They were recognised as masters of their art, the three minute (or so) pop song. 1992 saw a revival of interest in ABBA, with the release of their [[ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits]] compilation album selling massively worldwide and setting chart longevity records.
In the US, the album became the most popular ABBA release there selling to date more than six million copies.
During the 1990s many ABBA tracks were rediscovered and covered by other artists, such as [[Erasure (band)|Erasure]], [[Ash (band)|Ash]] and the [[A*Teens]], among others. The avant-garde band [[Blancmange (band)|Blancmange]] had also covered ''The Day Before You Came'' in the mid-1980s, one of the first bands to cover an ABBA track.
Internationally released, 1994 Australian film "[[Muriel's Wedding]]" directed by [[P.J. Hogan]], featured an ABBA-loving protagonist.
In [[2000]] ABBA were reported to have turned down an offer of approximately $1,000,000,000USD (one billion) to do a reunion tour consisting of 100 concerts.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3044114.stm BBC]</ref><ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/News/02/02/showbuzz/ CNN]</ref>
In a November [[2004]] interview with the German magazine ''[[Bunte]]'', Ulvaeus said a reunion would not satisfy ABBA's many fans, even though there are legions of them around the world often clamouring for one. In February 2005, at the Stockholm premiere of ''[[Mamma Mia!]]'', for the first time since [[1986]] all four members of ABBA simultaneously appeared at the same public event.
===Post-band solo careers===
Both female members of ABBA pursued solo success on the international scene following the break-up of the band.
In 1982, Lyngstad released her [[Phil Collins]]-produced album ''[[Something's Going On]]''. This Top 20 UK and Top 40 US album included the hit single "I Know There's Something Going On" which reached No.13 on the [[Billboard]] [[Hot 100]] chart. The album sold 1 million copies internationally.{{Fact|date=January 2007}}
Fältskog followed in 1983 with the album ''Wrap Your Arms Around Me''. This album included the hit single ''The Heat Is On'' which was a big hit all over Europe and Scandinavia that year. In the US, Fältskog scored a Billboard top 30 hit with ''Can't Shake Loose''. In Europe, the single ''Wrap your arms around me'' was a big hit too. It reached number one in Belgium and Denmark, top 5 in Sweden and top 20 in Germany and France. Her album sold over 1.3 million copies worldwide. {{Fact|date=January 2007}}
Lyngstad's second solo album ''[[Shine (Frida album)|Shine]]'' (produced by [[Steve Lillywhite]]) was a moderate success in Sweden but was a big commercial failure elsewhere. Fältskog fared better with her second post-ABBA solo album ''Eyes of a Woman''. The album was number two in the Swedish charts and also did reasonably well in Europe. The lead-off single from the album ''I won't let you go'' was a single hit all over Europe.
After ''[[I Stand Alone (album)|I Stand Alone]]'' produced by [[Peter Cetera]] (which included the Billboard hit ''I wasn't the one''), in 1988 Fältskog withdrew from public life and refused to give interviews because she had stopped her career. In 1996 she released her [[autobiography]] called ''[[As I Am]]'' and a compilation featuring her solo hits alongside some ABBA classics. In 2004, she made a successful comeback. She released the critically acclaimed album "[[My Colouring Book]]", which debuted at No.1 in Sweden, No. 6 in Germany and No.12 in UK. The album went triple-platinum in Sweden (300,000 copies), gold in Finland, and silver in the UK.{{Fact|date=January 2007}} The lead-off single ''If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind'' became Agnetha's biggest solo hit in the UK reaching No.9 in the midweek sales, however finally achieving the No.11 position. The single was No.2 in Sweden and was a hit all over Scandinavia and did well in Europe. Lately, Agnetha has been seen more and more in public. She has recently (January 2007) sung a live duet on stage with the Swedish singer Tommy Körberg (of ''Chess'' fame). This happened at the after party of the final showing on the ABBA musical ''[[Mamma Mia!]]'' in Stockholm. Benny and Björn were also present during this event. It is rumoured that Agnetha is currently planning a new solo record to be released in 2008. Nowadays, Fältskog is living in the Swedish island of Ekerö.
Lyngstad released her last album to date in 1996, for Scandinavia-only, Swedish-language ''[[Djupa andetag]]'' (Deep Breaths). It was number one in Sweden, selling around 90,000 copies.{{Fact|date=January 2007}} All of the singles released from the album failed to reach the top 10 in Sweden. The album wasn't released outside of Sweden. In 2004, Lyngstad recorded a song called "The Sun Will Shine Again" with former [[Deep Purple]] member [[Jon Lord]]. In 2005, she released a career retrospective DVD which was released in Europe only. The UK department of her label was not interested in Frida's solo material. Nowadays, Lyngstad lives a low profiled life but every now and then shows her face at a party or charity. On August 26, 1992 Lyngstad married Prince Heinrch Ruzzo Reuss von Plauen (May 24, 1950–October 29, 1999), of the German Reuss family. Von Plauen died of [[lymphoma]] at 49 years old. Frida didn't only lose her husband, she also lost her daughter in a car accident. Today, Frida lives in Switzerland.
==Legacy==
ABBA's success subsequently opened the doors for many other European acts. Their lasting legacy is the legitimisation of the Swedish music industry as a mainstream player—Sweden considered by many as the third greatest exporter of music following the US and UK. In November 2006 plans for an ABBA museum in [[Stockholm]] were announced. The idea has the backing of the band and the museum is expected to open in 2008.<ref name="Yahoo.news">{{cite news
| title=Plans for ABBA museum
| date= 27 November 2006
| publisher=[[Yahoo!]]
| url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061128/ap_en_ce/music_abba_museum
}}</ref>
==Influence==
* In 1992, [[Erasure (band)|Erasure]] released an EP called "Abba-esque". It consisted of four covers of ABBA songs, "S.O.S.", "Lay All Your Love on Me," "Voulez Vous," and "Take a Chance on Me."
* The hit song "Bring Me Edelweiss" (1989) by [[Edelweiss (band)|Edelweiss]] features the tune and some lyrics from "S.O.S". This caused some controversy between Ulvaeus and Andersson, and manager Stig - Stig had granted approval to use the song without consulting the others.{{Fact|date=January 2007}}
* The ABBA [[tribute band]] [[Björn Again]] became so successful that as of 2004 there were five casts of Björn Again performing in various parts of the world. The original Björn Again had been touring for 15 years, longer than the original group.
* [[techno music|Techno]] and [[house music|house]] remakes of many original ABBA hits were released under the name [[Abbacadabra]].
* Oasis leader [[Noel Gallagher]] is a huge fan of the band.
* [[Elvis Costello]] included three lines from ''[[Dancing Queen]]'' in the lyrics of the title track of his 2002 album ''[[When I Was Cruel]]''.
* While on their [[Zoo TV Tour]] in [[1992]], [[U2]] performed ''Dancing Queen''. During one of their two concerts in [[Stockholm]], they were joined onstage for this song by Ulvaeus and Andersson, who played guitar and keyboard respectively.
* [[The Fugees]] sampled ABBA's "[[The Name Of The Game]]" for their contribution to the [[1996]] ''[[When We Were Kings]]'' soundtrack, ''Rumble in the Jungle''. It was the first time ABBA ever gave permission for one of their songs to be sampled.
* [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] sampled the group's ''[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)]]'' in her 2005 single ''[[Hung Up]]'' (only the second time ABBA gave permission for sampling). She subsequently honoured them during the finale of her [[Confessions Tour]] (2006) when she donned an outfit based on Fältskog's and Lyngstad's costumes from ABBA's 1979 world tour, and a sequined cape emblazoned with the legend ''[[Dancing Queen]]''. ABBA's ''[[ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits]]'' album was sold alongside her own merchandise during the tour.
* There is a [[heavy metal]] tribute album to ABBA entitled "A Tribute To Abba" featuring prominent Swedish metal bands such [[Therion (band)|Therion]] and [[Tad Morose]]. A number of ABBA hits are performed in the style of heavy metal. Swedish metal guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen covered "Gimme Gimme Gimme" as well.
* In the late 90's, the teenage band [[A*Teens]] was formed. Their entire first album was made up of ABBA covers, including ''Mamma Mia,'' ''Dancing Queen,'' and ''[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)]]''. Original singles of the band include artwork that listed them as the ABBA*Teens.
==Fashion and videos==
[[Image:ABBA-1979tour_cape.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Poncho worn by [[Agnetha Fältskog|Agnetha]] and [[Anni-Frid Lyngstad|Frida]] during ABBA's North American/European tour (1979)]]
ABBA were widely noted for the colourful and trend-setting costumes its members wore. The videos which accompanied some of their biggest hits are often cited as being among the earliest examples of the genre. Though The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who, Bob Dylan and others had made several videos, making promotional videos still hadn't become the industry standard by the early-to-mid 1970s.{{Fact|date=January 2007}} Most of ABBA's videos (and ''ABBA - The Movie'') were directed by [[Lasse Hallström]] who would later direct the films ''[[My Life as a Dog]]'', ''[[The Cider House Rules]]'' and ''[[Chocolat (movie)|Chocolat]]''.
ABBA made videos because their songs were hits in so many different countries and personal appearances weren't always possible. This was also an effort to minimize travelling, particularly to countries that would have required extremely long flights. Fältskog and Ulvaeus had two young children, and Fältskog, who was also [[Fear of flying|afraid of flying]], was very reluctant to leave her children for such a long time. ABBA's manager Stig Anderson realised the potential of showing a simple video clip on television to publicise a single or album, thereby allowing easier and quicker exposure than a concert tour. Some of these videos became classics because of the 1970s era costumes and early video effects, such as the grouping of the band members in different combinations of pairs, overlapping one singer's profile with the other's full face, and the contrasting of one member against another.
Nowadays, most of their videos can be seen on the DVDs ''ABBA Gold'' and ''The Definitive Collection''.
==Awards and recognition==
''Main article: [[List of ABBA awards and recognition]]''
==Lineup==
*[[Agnetha Fältskog]] - Vocals
*[[Björn Ulvaeus]] - Guitar, Vocals
*[[Benny Andersson]] - Keyboards, Vocals
*[[Anni-Frid Lyngstad|Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad]] - Vocals
==Bibliography==
*Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA by Carl Magnus Palm (2002) ISBN 0-7119-9194-4
*From "ABBA" to "Mamma Mia!" by Carl Magnus Palm (2004) ISBN 1-85227-864-1
*[http://www.abba-thephotobook.com/?aid=wiki ABBA photo book] Collection of band photography
*[http://www.thelocal.se/5637/20061128/ World's first ABBA museum to open in Stockholm] ([[The Local]])
==Notes==
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
==See also==
{{cleanup-section|October 2006}}
{{Citations missing|date=January 2007}}
===ABBA-related===
* [[ABBA discography]]
* [[ABBA unreleased songs]]
* [[ABBAMAIL]]
===Lists===
* [[List of number-one hits (United States)]]
* [[List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)]]
* [[List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)]]
* [[List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart]]
* [[List of Number 1 singles (UK)]]
* [[List of parodies and references of ABBA in the media]]
* [[UK Best selling singles artists of all time]]
* [[List of artists who reached number one in Ireland]]
* [[List of artists who have covered ABBA songs]]
* [[List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart]]
* [[List of Swedes in music]]
* [[Best selling music artists]] - World's top selling music artists chart.
===Other===
* [[Music of Sweden]]
==External links==
*[http://www.userena.cl// University of La Serena]
* [http://www.abbasite.com/ ABBA - The Site] - Official site. This site is owned and maintained by "[[Universal Music]] AB" in Sweden.
*[http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/85488.html/ weather forecast]
<br>
*[http://www.visit-chile.org/norte/h21.phtml Chilean tourist site for La Serena]
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*[http://www.intimahinatravel.cl travel agency]
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