Agnetha. Björn. Benny. Anni-Frid. All four are superstars in their own right, but when they came together in 1972 to form Swedish supergroup ABBA, they changed the world of music forever.
The group — consisting of then married couples Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad, and Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus — only existed for a single decade, from 1972 to 1982, before its reunion for the 2021 album Voyage. But even in that limited timeframe, ABBA created an enduring legacy that most artists only dream of.
ABBA sprung to international fame in 1974 after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Waterloo,” which in 2005 was named the greatest song in the history of the competition. From there, it was only up for ABBA, with the group releasing eight studio albums before its breakup in 1982 (due in no small part to the breakups of its two married couples).
Along the way, they penned some of the most iconic hits of the 20th-century, including “Dancing Queen,” “Take A Chance On Me,” and “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight),” and that’s barely scratching the surface.
Now, ABBA is renowned as one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, with more than an estimated 150 million records sold worldwide and a huge LGBTQ+ following. They remain the best-selling Swedish band of all time, and they’ve made their mark on other spheres of pop culture, too: In 1999, ABBA’s greatest hits were adapted into the wildly popular musical Mamma Mia!, which remains in Broadway’s top-ten longest running productions and spawned two hit film adaptations. No matter how you spin it, there’s no denying ABBA’s legendary status.
Now, lay all your love on me your eyes on these moments (and iconic outfits) from ABBA’s illustrious history, both on and off the stage.
ABBA performing “Waterloo,” their entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, in February 1974.
ABBA after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in April 1974, becoming the first Swedish entry to do so.
ABBA performing “Waterloo” on British music program Top of the Pops in May 1974.
The men of ABBA with the women on their shoulders in Brighton, England in 1974.
Composite studio portrait of the four members of ABBA taken in London in 1977.
ABBA posing by the Waterloo railway station.
ABBA in a park in London in September 1974.
ABBA holding silver records in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1974, representing 25,000 sales for their album Waterloo.
ABBA playing roulette while visiting London in 1974.
ABBA performing on Saturday Night Live in November 1975.
Agnetha and Anni-Frid recording at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden in May 1981.
ABBA arriving for a U.S. tour in October 1976.
ABBA performing on musical variety show The Midnight Special in 1976.
ABBA with an award for having the number one song on the Dutch Top 40 in November 1976.
ABBA in London at the February 1978 premiere of ABBA: The Movie, a mockumentary about the group’s Australian tour.
A publicity shot for ABBA: The Movie.
ABBA’s appearance on German game show Am laufenden Band in February 1978.
ABBA out and about in Stockholm in 1978.
ABBA performing at the 1979 Music for UNICEF concert.
ABBA in the music video for “Chiquitita,” released in 1979.
The women of ABBA rocking capes for a performance in Gothenburg, Sweden.
ABBA clad in spandex, performing in New York City in 1979.
ABBA performing in Paris in 1979.
ABBA before taking the stage in 1974.
ABBA and their manager Stig Anderson commemorating the band’s 10th anniversary.
ABBA performing in Edmonton, Canada in September 1979 at the first stop of their 1979 North American tour.
ABBA arriving at an airport in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in October 1979.
ABBA at the 2008 premiere of Mamma Mia! with stars of the movie including Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, and Pierce Brosnan. This was the first time the four members of ABBA were photographed together since 1986.
abfab
Fast forward to today.
ABBA The 2023 American Tour! ***
***Sorry sorry sorry to our Florida ABBA fans. Your governor has banned us due to our lavish costumes, exposed male nipples, women’s belly buttons and men in high heels.
eightinchnail
The captions for some of the pictures are sooo wrong. Badly researched article.
abfab
Lower your expectations w Q and have a teensy bit more fun. Which captions?
dbmcvey
I love ABBA! They are my childhood!
FridM
Where’s the “naked ABBA” photo with them wrapped in aluminum foil in front of the Swedish flag?…kinda cool.
abfab
In the ABBA Museum in Stocklolm, where else?! : )
”I don’t want to talk”
abfab
Music Info No big woop, talk amoungst yourselves….
How long are ABBA Voyage concerts? Start time and when the London shows end
ABBA Voyage shows will continue in London through to 2024
The shows will last 90 minutes and there are no intervals.
Doors open 1 hour 45 minutes before the start of the concert. The performance will start promptly and latecomers will not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance.
Discuss…I’m Barbra Richmond cawl me 555-4444 I’ll tumble for you.