Last updated Feb 13th 1999
ABBA are a Swedish group who dominated the 1970's with their catchy tunes and dazzling outfits. They formed in 1972 after Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson became songwriting partners in the late sixties. The two of them and their respective partners Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad became a quartet and began performing together in the ealy 70's. However, they weren't always that good. their first gig was in Stockholm in 1972, and quite frankly, they sucked. Luckily they mustered up the courage to perform together again, because they were soon to conquer the world! The name "ABBA" is derived from their first initials: Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid.
Their manager Stig Anderson had thought from the beginning that they were good enough musicians to one day have a world-wide hit. He encouraged them to enter the EuroVision song contest which they attempted to do in 1973. They entered the song "Ring Ring" which failed to get them through the Swedish heats. Agnetha was heavily pregnant at the time, and it is thought by some that it was the reason they didn't qualify. Everyone thought they would, except the judges, so in following years, the judges weren't used as the final decision makers. As it turned out, their song and album "Ring Ring" did very well in Sweden and Scandinavia, giving them their first number one on the Swedish charts. However it was regarded as a flop in the United Kingdom.
ABBA, left to right............................................................................................ABBA in 1972............
Benny, Frida (Anni-Frid), Agnetha and Björn.
After "Waterloo", came ABBA's third album entitled simply "ABBA". This album really reflects the high level of musical ability ABBA possessed and still possess which made them so world famous. Included on the album include the number 1's: Mamma Mia, SOS, and I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do. (In Europe, the UK, and Australia - except for I Do I Do which was no. 1 only in Australia).
