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ABBA - Biography |
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ABBA were a Swedish pop group formed
in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny
Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are among the most renowned and
commercially successful musical groups in history, ranking as one of the
best-selling music acts in the history of popular music.
In 1974, ABBA became Sweden's first winner of the Eurovision Song
Contest with the song "Waterloo", which in 2005 was chosen as the best
song in the competition's history as part of the 50th anniversary
celebration of the contest. During the band's main active years, it
consisted of two couples: Fältskog and Ulvaeus, and Lyngstad and
Andersson. With the increase of their popularity, their personal lives
suffered, which eventually resulted in the collapse of both marriages.
The relationship changes were reflected in the group's music, with later
songs featuring darker and more introspective lyrics. After ABBA
disbanded in December 1982, Andersson and Ulvaeus continued their
success writing music for multiple audiences including stage, musicals
and movies, while Fältskog and Lyngstad pursued solo careers. Ten years
after the group broke up, a compilation, ABBA Gold, was released,
becoming a worldwide best-seller. In 1999, ABBA's music was adapted into
Mamma Mia!, a stage musical that toured worldwide and, as of October
2024, is still in the top-ten longest running productions on both
Broadway (closed in 2015) and the West End (still running). A film of
the same name, released in 2008, became the highest-grossing film in the
United Kingdom that year. A sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, was
released in 2018.
ABBA have record sales estimated to be between 150 million to 385
million sold worldwide and the group were ranked 3rd best-selling
singles artists in the United Kingdom with a total of 11.3 million
singles sold by 3 November 2012. In May 2023, ABBA were awarded the BRIT
Billion Award, which celebrates those who have surpassed the milestone
of one billion UK streams in their career. ABBA were the first group
from a non-English-speaking country to achieve consistent success in the
charts of English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom,
Australia, United States, Republic of Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and
South Africa. They are the best-selling Swedish band of all time and the
best-selling band originating in continental Europe. ABBA had eight
consecutive number-one albums in the UK. The group also enjoyed
significant success in Latin America and recorded a collection of their
hit songs in Spanish. ABBA were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of
Fame in 2002. The group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame in 2010, the first recording artists to receive this honour from
outside an Anglophonic country. In 2015, their song "Dancing Queen" was
inducted into the Recording Academy's Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2024, the
United States Library of Congress included the album Arrival (1976) in
the National Recording Registry, which recognises works "worthy of
preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or
aesthetic importance in the nation's recorded sound heritage".
In 2016, the group reunited and started working on a digital avatar
concert tour. Newly recorded songs were announced in 2018. Voyage, their
first new album in 40 years, was released on 5 November 2021 to positive
critical reviews and strong sales. ABBA Voyage, a concert residency
featuring ABBA as virtual avatars, opened in May 2022 in London. |
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Anni-Frid Lyngstad - Biography |
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Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad, born 15. November 1945, also known
simply as Frida, is a Swedish singer who is best known as
one of the founding members and lead singers of the pop band
ABBA. Courtesy titles Princess Reuss and Countess of Plauen
are also in use because of her third marriage. Born in
Bjørkåsen (in Ballangen Municipality), Norway, to a
Norwegian mother and a German father, she grew up in
Torshälla, Sweden, and started her first solo career there,
as a jazz singer in 1967, through a talent competition
called New Faces. |
| Birth
name: |
Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad |
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Nicknames: |
Frida |
| Born: |
15. November 1945 |
| Origin: |
Bjørkåsen, Norway |
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Occupations: |
Lead and backing vocals |
| Years
active: |
1958–present |
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Spouses: |
Ragnar Fredriksson / Benny Andersson /
Heinrich Ruzzo Prinz Reuss von Plauen |
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Instruments: |
Vocals |
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Genres: |
Pop jazz |
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Agnetha Fältskog - Biography |
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Agneta
"Agnetha" Fältskog, born 5. April 1950, is a Swedish singer,
songwriter, and a former member of the pop group ABBA. She
first achieved success in Sweden with the release of her
1968 self-titled debut album. She rose to international
stardom in the 1970s as a member of ABBA, which is one of
the best-selling music acts in history. |
| Birth
name: |
Agneta Åse Fältskog |
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Nicknames: |
Anna |
| Born: |
5. April 1950 |
| Origin: |
Jönköping, Sweden |
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Occupations: |
Singer songwriter |
| Years
active: |
1967–1988 / 2004–present |
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Spouses: |
Björn Ulvaeus / Tomas
Sonnenfeld |
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Instruments: |
Vocals and pianist |
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Genres: |
Pop schlager easy
listening children's music |
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Benny
Andersson - Biography |
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Göran
Bror Benny Andersson, born 16. December 1946, is a Swedish
musician, composer and producer best known as a member of
the pop group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals Chess,
Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia! For the 2008 film
version of Mamma Mia! and its 2018 sequel, Mamma Mia! Here
We Go Again, he worked also as an executive producer. Since
2001, he has been active with his own band Benny Anderssons
orkester. |
| Birth
name: |
Göran Bror Benny Andersson |
| Born: |
16. December 1946 |
| Origin: |
Stockholm, Sweden |
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Occupations: |
Musician, composer, producer, songwriter |
| Years
active: |
1964–present |
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Spouses: |
Christina Grönvall /
Anni-Frid Lyngstad / Mona Nörklit |
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Instruments: |
Keyboards, synthesizer, accordion, vocals |
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Genres: |
Folk, rock, Europop, Swedish folk, Euro disco, schlager |
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Björn Ulvaeus - Biography |
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Björn
Kristian Ulvaeus, born 25. April 1945, is a Swedish musician,
singer, songwriter, and producer best known as a member of
the musical group ABBA. He is also the co-composer of the
musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia! He
co-produced the films Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go
Again with fellow ABBA member and close friend Benny
Andersson. He is the oldest member of the group. |
| Birth
name: |
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus |
| Born: |
25. April 1945 |
| Origin: |
Gothenburg, Sweden |
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Occupations: |
Musician, singer, songwriter, producer |
| Years
active: |
1963–present |
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Spouses: |
Agnetha Fältskog / Lena Källersjö / Christina Sas |
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Instruments: |
Guitar, vocals |
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Genres: |
Europop, folk rock, Swedish folk, rock, Euro disco, schlager |
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ABBA - Discography |
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Studio albums:
Ring Ring (1973)
Waterloo (1974)
ABBA (1975)
Arrival (1976)
The Album (1977)
Voulez-Vous (1979)
Super Trouper (1980)
The Visitors (1981)
Voyage (2021) |
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ABBA - Related Links |
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Wikipedia:
ABBA
YouTube:
ABBA
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