Abba

About Abba

The disco quartet ABBA,are a certified world-wide phenomenon and the biggest Swedish export since Ikea. They ruled the charts in the late 70's and are responsible for putting an irresistible pop spin on dance-oriented disco beats. Disco's earliest hits were all about excess and nightclubs, which made sense to their sub-cultural audience, but could be intimidating to a broader public less familiar with the velvet rope culture. ABBA's lyrics and perfect melodies universalized disco and got the whole world dancing. The group has sold over 350 million records world-wide, making them one of the most popular acts of all time. It was an early goal of the Swedes, who consisted of two girls and two boys, to be the first Norwegian act to break into the American market. Their submission to the campy Eurovision song contest, "People Need Love", made a splash in the UK and charted modestly in the US. In 1974, they tried out for Eurovision again, this time submitting the song "Waterloo". It was the first in their memorable string of pure pop singles. It was filled with frothy choruses and giddy-feel-good lyrics that offered a shinny, cheerful respite from the heavy psychadelia and glam rock songs then dominating the charts. Dancers on every continent ate up ABBA tunes like the candy they were. ABBA shut down early critical implications of one-hit-wonderdom by releasing "SOS", "Mamma Mia", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", and "Take A Chance On Me." Their signature tune, "Dancing Queen", locked up ABBA's reputation as pop gods from another planet. Today their Greatest Hits discs still sell consistently, as new generations discover their timeless tunes.