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1992

 

ABBA - The Album on CD

 

German record company "Polydor" released "ABBA The Album" on CD under two different numbers in 1992. The first CD had number 0040 150 and the second one 821 217-2. The latter was distributed even in Australia.

 

 

 

 

ABBA-esque

 

There was something in the air in 1992 when the Swedish press announced that Björn and Benny together with Michael B. Tretow are back in the studio preparing a re-release of the biggest ABBA hits in digitally remastered versions. Exactly 10 years after the group split up the big ABBA revival started all over the world when the British pop duo Erasure released "ABBA-esque" with covers of four ABBA songs: "Lay All Your Love On Me", "SOS", "Take A Chance On Me" and "Voulez-Vous". Always big fans of ABBA, performing various songs in concert for years, Erasure (Vince Clarke and Andy Bell) released this EP, which was originally intended as a full album.

The ABBA-esque entered the UK chart on June 13th, 1992 and stayed there for 12 weeks reaching #1.

 

7"

 

 

12"

 

CD single

 

 

 

 

A special video band with videos for all four songs was released. The funniest was the video for "Take A Chance On Me" which was a parody on the original ABBA video for the same song filmed in 1977.

 

 

Erasure came to Stockholm and played two concerts at Cirkus on August 29 and 30, 1992. A special compilation album entitled "Take a Chance On Me" featuring the 1992 summer hits was released at the same time.

 

 

 

 

Erasure Club

 

As a follow-up to the ABBA-esque, Erasure released maxi single entitled "Erasure Club" which contained four ABBA songs from the esque in special remixed versions.

 

 

 

 

 

Dancing Queen - the single

 

First out was of course the biggest ABBA hit "Dancing Queen" which was released in Europe on August 24, 1992. It entered the UK chart on September 5 and stayed there for 5 weeks reaching #16. The single was released as 7", 12" and CD maxi single. The 7" featured "Lay All Your Love On Me" on the flipside, the 12" "Dancing Queen" and "Lay All Your Love On Me" on the side A and "The Day Before You Came" and "Eagle" on the side B. The CD maxi single hade the same contents as the 12".

 

7"

 

12"

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA Gold

 

The compliation "ABBA Gold - Greatest Hits" featured 19 newly remastered hits of ABBA. The CD/2LP saw its release on September 21st, 1992. It entered the Swedish album chart one week later on #10. In the UK "ABBA Gold" entered the chart on October 3rd, 1992 and stayed there for unbelievable 328 weeks reaching #1.

 

CD

 

LP

 

 

 

 

 

The Swedish album chart, September 30, 1992.

 

 

 

 

On TV

 

Swedish TV broadcasted ads for "ABBA Gold" during the autumn 1992. Even Björn Ulvaeus was interviewed by both SVT 1 and TV 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA The Tribute

 

Already at the end of January the Swedish newspaper "Expressen" informed about forthcoming recordings for a special ABBA tribute album. Several well-known Swedish pop and rock artists would participate in this project. The album "ABBA The Tribute" was released in autumn 1992 in Sweden and featured 12 songs performed by: Army of Lovers, Sanne Salomonsen (Denmark), Pelle Almgren, Freda, Rob'n'Raz, Papa Dee, Irma, Sator, Stonecake, Beagle, Mats Ronander and Electric Boys. The album became quite huge success in Sweden.

 

 

 

Björn Again - Erasure-ish

 

The release of the Abba-esque EP by Erasure earlier in 1992 was a reason for the release of a similar EP, Erasure-ish, by ABBA tribute band Björn Again, which featured two Erasure tracks ("A Little Respect" and "Stop!") performed in the style of ABBA as an answer record. The single entered the UK chart on October 24th, 1992 where it stayed for 3 weeks peaking at #25.

 

 

 

 

 

Voulez-Vous - the single

 

The second single promoting the "ABBA Gold" album was "Voulez-Vous" with "Summer Night City" on the flipside. The maxi version of the single had even "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" and "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do" as bonus tracks. The single saw its release on October 26th, 1992.

 

7"

 

12"

 

CD maxi    

 

In the UK the single was even released as a cassette single with Voulez-Vous and Summer Night City on the both sides.

 

 

 

 

 

Selma & Sabina

 

One more exciting tribute project which saw its release in autumn 1992 in Sweden was a whole CD performed by Pakistani sisters Selma and Sabina. The CD featured 8 songs sung in Hindi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You For The Music

 

The third and last single promoting "ABBA Gold" was a "Christmas" single featuring the ABBA anthem "Thank You For The Music" as well as "Happy New Year" and "The Way Old Friends Do". The single saw its release on December 14th, 1992.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1993

 

More ABBA Gold

 

The smashing success of "ABBA Gold" encouraged the record company Universal to releasing a follow up compilation which got a title "More ABBA Gold". This compilation featured one previously unreleased track "I Am The City" recorded in 1982. The song in the ABBA 1982 style remained of "Under Attack" and "You Owe Me One" - probably not the best ABBA song but the presence of it on this compilation made "More ABBA Gold" to a very valuable album for all ABBA fans. Besides "I Am The City" there were 19 other songs - both bigger and minor chart hits as well as some tracks from B-sides of ABBA singles. "More ABBA Gold" was released on May 24th, 1993.

 

CD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gold becomes platinum

 

On October 5th, 1993 Frida, Björn and Benny represented ABBA by receiving the Platinum Record for selling of 5 millions "ABBA Gold" album. The ceremony took place at Café Opera in Stockholm.

 

     

 

...wishful thinking...

 

 

 

1994

 

Thank You For the Music - the box

 

The first official ABBA Box entitled "Thank You For The Music" containing 4 CDs saw its release on October 31, 1994. The box featured 3 CDs with ABBA songs recorded between 1972 and 1982 as well as one CD with rare songs and previously unreleased stuff which was mixed together in a medley. Among unreleased songs there were parts of: "Just Like That", "Rubber Ball Man", "Hamlet" and many others. Even other previously unreleased songs as "Put On Your White Sombrero", "Dream World" and the Doris Day version of "Thank You For The Music" saw their release on this box. A 66-side-booklet contained hundreds of rare pictures as well as the story of the group

 

 

 

The release of the box was promoted in media.

 

 

 

 

A special video entitled "Thank you ABBA" was released the same year.

 

 

 

 

1995

 

Brasil

 

A special exclusive picture disc compilation album saw its release in Brasil in 1995. The compilation featured 12 songs - the greatest hits from the period 1973 - 1979.

 

 

 

 

1996

 

ABBA Gold & More ABBA Gold compilations from 1992 were rereleased as a double CD entitled "Forever Gold" on October 18th, 1996. The compilation stayed on the German chart for 17 weeks peaking at #50 and in Belgium for 7 weeks peaking at #20.

 

   

 

 

 

1999

 

Görel Hanser 50

 

In June 1999 all four former members of ABBA met each other at Görel Hanser's 50th birthday party in Stockholm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2000

 

ABBA The Stamp

 

A new stamp featuring ABBA was issued in Sweden on 17 March 2000 in the series "Our 20th Century part 3". It was the second stamp with ABBA issued in Sweden (the first issue in 1983). The 2000-edition featured ABBA in the "Waterloo" costumes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2001

 

The Definitive Collection - CD

 

"The Definitive Collection" saw its release on November 2nd, 2001 as a double CD/MC and as a DVD with 35 videos which followed in the spring 2002. On the CD/MC there were 35 tracks and two bonuses: "Ring Ring" in the remixed single version from 1974 and the extended US promo mix of "Voulez-Vous". "The Definitive Collection" entered the Swedish album chart on November 16th and stayed there for 29 weeks peaking at #26. The compilation was very successful in  Denmark where it reached #3 and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks. "The Definitive Collection" was released world-wide.

 

CD

 

     

 

MC

 

   

 

The Australian edition

 

The Australian version of the compilation featured two Australian bonus tracks on the CD 1: "Rock Me" and "Hasta Mañana" - the songs which had been successful just in Australia. "The Definitive Collection" stayed on the Australian chart for 53 weeks peaking at #10. In New Zealand the album stayed on the chart for 10 weeks peaking at #9.

 

     

 

 

2002

 

The Definitive Collection - DVD

 

The DVD released in the spring 2002, featured 30 videos made for all single hits and 5 bonus tracks. The bonus tracks were "When I Kissed The Teacher", the song which had never been released as a single and "Dancing Queen" - the performance at the Stockholm Opera in June 1976 on the Royal Gala. Even three songs performed in Spanish were added as a bonus on this release: "Estoy soñando" filmed in the studio at the same time as "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Felicidad" and "No hay a quien culpar".

 

     

 

 

2004

 

ABBA in concert - DVD

 

The DVD "ABBA in concert" saw its release on March 29th, 2004 (UK). The DVD contained the footage made by Sveriges Television broadcasted on TV in 1980 and later released on VHS. The bonuses on the DVD release were: "The Way Old Friends Do" previously shown in the 1980 documentary "Words and Music", an unedited version of "I Have a Dream" and previously unreleased live version of "Thank You For The Music".

 

     

 

 

The last ABBA video

 

 

 

 

 

The last video was created at the beginning of 2004 in order to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ABBA's victory in Brighton with "Waterloo". All former members of the group participated in the filming of the video though not at the same time. Several well-known Swedish actors played different roles in the video which was screened for the first time during the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul (Turkey). The premiere was followed by DVD release of the clip together with some other classical ABBA videos.

 

 

 

Gold - the 30th anniversary edition

 

The compilation "ABBA Gold" saw its re-release in the UK in its 30th anniversary edition. The design of the cover was partly changed but the track listing remained the same as an the original 1992-release.

 

 

 

2006

 

Number Ones

 

The compilation "ABBA Number Ones" saw its international release on Noveember 24th, 2006. The compilation was released as a CD, limited double-CD and DVD. The CD contained 18 songs which had reached #1 on the charts in various countries. The extra CD in the double CD edition featured 12 songs never released as a single on the A-side.

 

 

 

2CD

 

     

 

The main attraction on the DVD was previously unreleased material from ABBA's performances in three TV shows: Top of the Pops (1974), Hei Sveis! from Norway (1975) and The Late Late Breakfast Show in England (1982).

 

   

 

Promotion

 

     

 

2007

 

ABBA in Russia

 

New compilation double CD saw its release in Russia. The compilation entitled simply "Greatest Hits" featured 39 songs.

 

 

 

Mamma Mia - Berlin

 

On October 20-21, 2007 Frida and Björn were in Berlin attending the premiere of "Mamma Mia" togehter with most of the German celebrities. Several German TV channels interviewed both.

 

 

 

2008

 

ABBA The Album

 

To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the long-playing record, Universal Music Group released 80 titles (in four batches) on much-loved 30cm black vinyl across 2008, starting with the first batch of 20 titles in July 2008. All were exact replicas of the original packages. Abba The Album Deluxe Gatefold 180 gram Audiophile Vinyl LP was released on August 4th, 2008 (remastered version from 2001).

 

 

 

 

2009

 

ABBA in Japan DVD out

 

The DVD ABBA in Japan was released in Sweden on October 26th, 2009. The special edition of the DVD contains 2 discs. The special edition features even special attachments as the tour sticker and three photo cards and a special booklet with the Japanese story of ABBA. The running time is: 1 h 21 m (disc 1) and 36 m (disc 2).

Disc 1
The TV show 1978
Eagle, Take A Chance On Me, Money, Money, Money, SOS, That's Me, Tiger, Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Fernando, Summer Night City, The Name Of The Game, Knowing Me, Knowing You, If It Wasn't For The Nights, Thank You For The Music

Behind The Scenes Documentary 1978

If It Wasn't For The Nights (Alternate Mix)


Disc 2
Behind The Scenes Documentary 1980
Photo Gallery

Single And Album Sleeve Gallery

 

 

 

 

 

The complete ABBA

A new ABBA book has been issued in the UK at the beginning on October 31st, 2009. "The Complete ABBA" written by Simon Sheridan gives information about all ABBA single and album releases as well as the most important TV shows featuring the group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2010

 

ABBA world

 

Frida and Björn attended the premiere of the ABBA world exhibition in London on 26 January 2010.

 

 

 

 

ABBA in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

 

Anni-Frid and Benny attended the 25th Annual Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria on March 15, 2010 in New York City. Benny said: "I just think it's quite a flabbergasting thing... It's like being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was not on the map, really. And I think we're the only non-Anglo-Saxon act ever to be inducted. I'm not sure, you have to check that - but I think that's true."

Anni-Frid has ruled out a much-anticipated band reunion, insisting it's "too late for that". The other half of the band, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog, missed the event due to prior engagements - ruling out a reunion at the ceremony. And, despite constant reports of a get together, Reuss insisted the chances of an Abba reunion are slim.
She said, "We haven't performed or sang together for 28 years; we broke up in '82. And I never think we will reunite again - it's a bit too late for that."
Andersson teamed up with Faith Hill and the house band to perform Abba classic The Winner Takes It All at the ceremony, where Jimmy Cliff, The Hollies, The Stooges, Genesis and music boss David Geffen were also inducted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ABBA guide to Stockholm

 

The ABBA guide to Stockholm written by Sara Russel and issued in April 2010. A very nice book with some rare photos of ABBA. The guide book covers main ABBA related places in the capital of Sweden.

It is nice that raffem. com was a kind of inspiration in this case (and not only) as we started our ABBA related places section already in February 2002.

 

 

 

 

More ABBA related books

 

The book "ABBA in America" (in two language versions: Swedish and English) is an extended version of the book "Succen på världsscenen" which was issued in Scandinavia in 1979 by the journalist Leif Schulman and photographer Charles Hammarsten (both from the weekly "Hänt"). The book had 96 pages with rare pictures and a reportage mainly from the American leg of ABBA's tour. The 2010 edition has 160 pages and surprisingly contains several pictures from the Japan where ABBA toured in March 1980. A little mystery why the title is "ABBA in America" and not "ABBA The Tour 1979/80"?

 

The well-known book "From ABBA to Mamma Mia" originally issued in 1999 has a new updated version now. The new edition of the book came out in February 2010. There are some differences comparing to the 1999 edition. Mostly lay-out changes, several pictures included in the first issue are missing in the new one. The musical Mamma Mia section is extended with some new pictures from the Stockholm set-up of the musical

 

Schulman and Hammarsten in 1979

 

 

 

 

Voulez-Vous Deluxe edition

 

The "Deluxe" version of the 1979 album "Voulez-Vous" was released on May 31, 2010. This one year and 1 month delayed release contains one CD and one DVD. The CD features 10 tracks from the original album and 5 bonus tracks - all of them well-known and released before.

The DVD contains: a 39-minute-special ABBA in Switzerland filmed at the beginning of 1979. There are even videos for Chiquitita from Unicef, I Have A Dream live (long version), If It Wasn't For The Nights from BBC, Chiquitita from Snowtime special. A Björn and Benny interview from BBC (Swap shop) is added as well as two commercials for Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (but not Voulez-Vous). The booklet contains a couple of alternative shots from the Voulez-Vous session.

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA Gold

 

The 2010 version of ABBA Gold package contains one CD and one DVD with new remasters of ABBA videos and an alternative cartoon version of the video "Money Money Money". There are even 5 videos in a split version where you can see difference between the old version of the video and the new remastered one.

The booklet is written by Elisabeth Vincentello and not by Carl Magnus Palm like it used to be. Most of the pictures of the group in the booklet are well-known but there are even two nice pictures from the recording sessions in 1977 added. Not totally unknown but nice, one of them featuring Frida sleeping in the couch in the studio.

The release date in Sweden was December 6th, 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA Thank You for the Music

 

ABBA Thank You For the Music has been issued in the UK and its limited edition was distributed by WHSmith stores. The book features the story of ABBA and the presentation of the members as well as tons of rare and previously unseen ABBA pictures from various periods.

 

 

 

 

Learn English with ABBA

Czech newspaper "Dnes" released textbook and CD "English in the car with ABBA". Lyrics to 8 ABBA hits are analyzed in the 39-side-textbook and the CD contains all songs and a pronunciation course. The songs are: The Winner Takes It All, Thank You For The Music, Does Your Mother Know, Fernando, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Knowing Me Knowing You, Mamma Mia and Money Money Money.

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA Icon

 

A compilation CD entitled "Icon" was released in September 2010. It contains 11 early ABBA hits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA Treasures

 

New ABBA book written by Elisabeth Vincentelli is unique and interesting because it is different. Whilst some "ABBA-writers" repeat themselves with new releases of the same old ABBA story but with some different pictures, Vincentelli got a good idea to make a new kind of ABBA book. She mixes the ABBA story with a kind of analysis of the group's development during the glory years of its career. There are lots of pictures - most of them well-known for old ABBA fans but even some rare shots can be seen here and there. The new idea is to attach 20 removable memorabilia and reproductions of stickers, trading cards, tickets to ABBA concerts and other stuff. It is real fun to have a possibility to read the reproduction of "Expressen" from the day after the Eurovision victory in 1974 or to see the ABBA stationery from the period 1980-1981.

The only thing that feels very wrong are reversed ABBA pictures as well as wrong years and descriptions under many pictures. It is for instant stated under a picture of ABBA taken  on Danish TV in 1975 that the picture had been taken in 1977. Two famous pictures from with classical and well-known photo session from late 1978 are described as ABBA 1977 when they started recording sessions for ABBA The Album. But the funniest thing is the description of a well-known photo from USA in autumn 1974, in which it is stated that the picture had been taken in... 1979.

So 10 points out of 10 for the idea but only 5 out of 10 for the research and the contents.

 

 

 

 

 

The Voulez-Vous picture disc single

 

On November 25th, 2010 an unofficial picture disc maxi single saw its release in Germany and probably France. The record featured extended versions of "Voulez-Vous" (6.22), "Waterloo" (3.34), "Dancing Queen" (4.43) and "Take a Chance on Me" (4.46).

 

     

 

 

The vinyl collection

 

A special fan box entitled "ABBA The vinyl collection" saw its release on December 6th, 2010.

The box set contains ABBA’s eight studio albums, originally released 1973–1981: Ring Ring, Waterloo, ABBA, Arrival, ABBA: The Album, Voulez Vous, Super Trouper and The Visitors. An extra album, entitled ABBA Tracks contains the five single A-sides not included on the original studio albums. The B-side of ABBA Tracks features a further five non-album songs, personally selected by Benny.

The albums in the box have been remastered for vinyl especially for this release. The track listings of the albums is exactly the same as on the original Swedish releases, as originally planned and conceived by ABBA. Similarly, the eight studio albums are presented in replica covers featuring the original art work and inner sleeves – exactly as they looked when they first hit record shops back in the '70s and early '80s.

 

 

 

 

 

2011

 

ABBAWORLD in Prague

The members of ABBA are happy to see ABBAWORLD arrive in the blooming capital of the Czech Republic in springtime. The exhibition, which will premiere on May 6, 2011 at Slovansky Dum in the centre of the Czech capital, is presented by Sony Music Prague, in cooperation with Viva Art Music. The exhibition stayed in Prague until the end of August.

 

go.to/ABBAworld
 

 

 

Super Trouper - the deluxe edition

 

A Deluxe Edition of ABBA’s seventh studio album, Super Trouper, was released on May 9, 2011. Super Trouper Deluxe Edition is a 2-disc release, featuring a CD with a remastered version of the original album along with relevant bonus tracks, plus a DVD of rare television performances and interviews from the archives, including previously unseen footage.

 

The CD features several bonus tracks featuring previously unavailable stereo version of the full-length "On and On and On" as well as "Elaine", "Put on Your White Sombrero" and the Spanish versions.

 

One nice surprise on the DVD is the documentary "Somewhere in the crowd there's you" featuring rare footage from October 3rd, 1980. You can see incredibly clearly that something is wrong between Frida and Benny - they don't touch each other, they don't talk to each other which means that their marriage had been already dead

 

The Show Express performance from ZDF is well known and available in HQ since many years ago as ZDF broadcasted the ABBA Kultnacht. Pity that the French TV performance of Super Trouper and The Winner Takes It All does not appears on this release.

 

Words and Music - a quite short TV special with short interviews with the band members and some video clips. The SVT version of "Happy New Year" around the piano which is available in top quality on fan DVDs as it has been shown several times by SVT during last years. Remastered videos for Super Trouper and Happy New Year (but not The Winner Takes It All and not Felicidad either) has been added as well to fill the DVD up to its full capacity. Two Super Trouper commercials and the picture gallery close the DVD.

The booklet contains the story of the album and some alternative shots from well-known 1980 photo sessions.

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA Collected

 

An ABBA Box containing 3 CDs with totally 50 songs saw its release on July 12th, 2011. The songs featured are both greatest hits and B-sides as well as unreleased during ABBA's active period "Put on Your White Sombrero".

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA exhibition in Vallentuna

 

The local authorities in Vallentuna outside Stockholm promote the municipality with ABBA's help. The ABBA members lived in Vallentuna between 1972 and 1975 and the authorities promote the commune by among others an ABBA exhibition in Vallentuna center in autumn 2011. Earlier in the autumn 2011 there was a big ABBA feature in Vallentuna's local newspaper with several previously unpublished pictures of the group taken just in Vallentuna in the early days.

 

 

 

The Arrival cover in new version

 

The Spanish artist Antonio de Filipe opened his exhibition in the series "LPoP" in Malmö/Sweden on Saturday November 26th, 2011. The exhibition showed his famous paintings with mixes of well-known LP covers. One of the latest works features the famous cover of ABBA's album "Arrival".
 

 

 

Raffem in the ABBA magazine

 

The December issue of the International ABBA magazine is being distributed by the Official International ABBA Fan Club in the week 49. The main feature in this issue is Raffem's story about ABBA in Poland which I wrote this autumn especially for this edition. I hope you'll find it interesting. There can be even seen original clippings from Polish newspapers from the time when ABBA paid the visit in Poland in 1976 as well as ABBA (+ solo after ABBA) on Polish radio power play chart. Totally 5 pages.

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year - the single

 

New vinyl single featuring "Happy New Year" b/w "The Way Old Friends Do" was released on November 30th, 2011. This was a limited edition item released in 500 pieces.

 

 

 

 

2012

 

Happy New Year on the chart

 

The single "Happy New Year" re-entered the Swedish chart on January 6th, 2012 at #51

 

 

 

Voulez-Vous one more time...

Almost exactly 33 years after the release of the "Voulez-Vous" album a 12" single featuring an extended version of "Voulez-Vous" b/w probably one of the best songs from the album "If It Wasn't For The Nights" saw its release in a limited edition of 5000 pieces on April 19th, 2012.

Here is the record number 1974 (!!!) in this limited edition.

 

 

 

 

 

The Visitors - the deluxe edition

 

On the day of the 33rd anniversary of the release of the album "Voulez-Vous" (April 23rd, 1979) there was time for releasing the deluxe version of ABBA's last studio album "The Visitors" (from December 1981). Great joy for all fans finding an previously unknown demo material "From a Twinkling Star to a Passing Angel" which is a mix of several versions of the song which would finally be entitled "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room".

The CD contains 9 track from the original album release in 1981, the single B-side track "Should I Laugh Or Cry", 5 tracks from the 1982 recording sessions and the above mentioned demo-mix. Two songs - the Spanish language versions of "When All Is Said and Done" and "Slipping Through My Fingers" belonging to "The Visitors" sessions were though omitted on this release. The natural explanation is of course lack of place on the CD but it makes this deluxe edition incomplete. The big question is: do the songs from the 1982 recording sessions belong to this release. Isn't it so that they belong to "The Singles - The First Ten Years" and this compilation should be released in a deluxe version as well? I am generally against mixing different recording periods on ABBA album rereleases as for instance adding Spanish language versions recorded in 1980 as bonus tracks on the remasters of the albums from the period 1974-79. It feels the same here with putting together songs from two different recording periods.

The DVD contains two cuts from the Dick Cavett show - Slipping Through My Fingers and Two For The Price of One. I partly understand the idea to pick up only these two songs but it is still strange that we cannot have the whole show in one piece. There is the original promo video for "When All Is Said and Done" included on this edition as well as two TV shows: ABBA in London November 82 and ABBA in Stockholm November 82. The last ABBA appearance on British TV recorded in the TV studio in Stockholm in December 82 is though missing as well as the performance in West Germany during the same period.

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA join Beatles and Queen in U.K. Chart's Five Million Club

ABBA's 1992 greatest hits album Gold has become the third record to sell five million copies in the U.K in May 2012. The disc now joins the exclusive club alongside The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Queen's Greatest Hits. Britain's Official Charts Company boss Martin Talbot says, "This is another incredible record in a career of extraordinary achievements for Abba, who are unquestionably one of British music fans' all-time favourite acts.
"Over the past 20 years, one in every five households has bought a copy of Gold, which is a truly remarkable statistic."

 

 

The Essential Collection

 

The Essential Collection saw its release in Germany on May 28th, 2012. The set contains two CDs and one DVD with all English and Spanish language videos featuring two previously unreleased officially videos: "Conociendome Conociendote" and "Gracias por la musica". The release is partly connected with a big 4-hour-TV special on German TV Vox broadcasted on Saturday June 2nd, 2012.

 

 

 

40 Jahre ABBA

The German TV channel "VOX" broadcasted a-four-hour ABBA special on Saturday, June 2nd, 2012. The show featured various ABBA performances, videos, footage from tours and much more mixed with interviews with German celebrities and people once connected to ABBA. The show is a part of promotion of the new CD/DVD box "The essential collection" already available in Germany. The box was released in other countries in September 2012.

   

 

Die Storys zu allen Songs

Robert Scott's book "Thank You For The Music" originally issued in 2002 (in Germany 2004) saw its re-issue in Germany with different cover and smaller size.

 

     

 

 

Die Audiostory

 

The 40th anniversary of ABBA is celebrated in Germany with one more new release in 2012. "ABBA Die Audiostory" is an audio book featuring two CDs filled with the story of ABBA with total length of 157 minutes. The two CDs contain tons of rare audio material including previously unheard demos, interviews with the ABBA members, Stikkan Andersson and other people around the group during the active years. You can hear among others rare demos recorded by Agnetha and Frida, the very first demo recording by Björn and much more. The original voices are dubbed in German so it's good to know the German language.

 

 

 

 

 

ABBA at Madame Tussauds

ABBA’s wax figures were revealed at Madame Tussauds London, where they will take up a short term residency in our interactive Music Zone. The ABBA figures will go on world tour later in the autumn 2012.

 

Swedish Hall of Fame

Björn attended special press meeting about the Swedish Hall of Fame (opening spring 2013)on October 3rd, 2012 where he talked about ABBA being a big part of the exhibition

     

 

Same Tree different Fruit

The album "Same Tree Different Fruit" was released on October 17th, 2012. It features twelve ABBA classic hits performed in a jazz tior format. The musicians are Anders Wihk, STeve GAdd and Svante Henryson and producer Bernard Löhr, who has recorded and mixed everything that Benny Andersson has done the past 20 years.

   

 

 

Abba - the deluxe edition

The deluxe edition of the 1975 "Abba" album saw its release on November 19th, 2012 (Scandinavia). The CD containes 11 songs from the original album and 3 bonus tracks: Crazy World, Medley (recorded in 1975 and released as a B-side of the single "Summer Night City" in 1978) and Spanish version of "Mamma Mia" recorded in 1980 for the album "Gracias por la musica". The DVD features the TV show "ABBA in Australia", three songs from the Swedish show "Made in Sweden for export", "SOS" from Seaside special (BBC), "Mamma Mia" from Top of the Pops (BBC) as well as commercials for "The best of ABBA" LP and "Greatest Hits" LP (with some unknown footage with ABBA pretending to be in a recording studio). The DVD running time 77 minutes.

     

 

 

2013

 

Ring Ring - the deluxe edition

 

The deluxe edition of ABBA's first album "Ring Ring" saw its release in Sweden and other European countries on October 14th, 2013.  The CD features the original 12 songs which were released on the LP in 1973 and bonus tracks. The DVD features two videos (People Need Love from Swedish TV and Ring Ring from Austrian TV) and a short TV special where Benny is telling about recording of the album.

 

 

 

 

 the opening May 6th, 2013

 

Frida, Benny and Björn attended the big inauguration of ABBA The Museum on Monday evening May 6th, 2013 in Stockholm.

 

   
   

 

 

 

 

ABBA The Museum had its official opening ceremony on Monday May 6th with participation of Frida, Benny and Björn. Frida paid the first visit at the museum already on Sunday May 5th. She met fans outside the museum.

 

 

 

ABBA in Poland - new book

 

A new ABBA book was issued in Poland on September 25th, 2013. The book is entitled "ABBA in Poland" and describes ABBA's two-day-long stay in Warsaw in October 1976. ABBA promoted their forthcoming new album "Arrival" with a TV show "ABBA in Studio-2" recorded by Polish TV as well as a press-conference with journalists from both East and West Europe. The book features interviews with people who were working with ABBA during those two hectic days as well as many rare previously unseen pictures taken by Polish photographers. The book has 207 pages.

 

 

 

Ring Ring - the deluxe edition

 

The deluxe edition of ABBA's first album "Ring Ring" saw its release in Sweden and other European countries on October 14th, 2013.  The CD features the original 12 songs which were released on the LP in 1973 and bonus tracks. There are two types of bonus tracks specified: seven bonus tracks and sex "extra" bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are the songs which weren't released on the LP and appeared only on B-sides of the singles as well as songs performed in other languages than English and the famous greeting to the park managers before the group's tour at the beginning of 1973 (originally released as a single). The "extra" bonus tracks is a quite bisarre choice of songs written by the ABBA members but performed mostly by other artists. The thought behind this choice seems to be the fact that the ABBA members are background singers on most of these tracks. It is very strange to have other artists on an ABBA release.

The DVD is probably the shortest DVD in the DVD history and features two videos (People Need Love from Swedish TV and Ring Ring - without Agnetha!!! - from Austrian TV) and the "TV-Special" where Benny is telling about the recording of the Ring Ring album. The "TV-Special" has 5 minutes and 21 seconds and is only a part of a bigger TV special broadcasted on Swedish TV in 2012. So the DVD has totally 11 minutes material and the sleeve gallery. We can just inform that there is much more video material available from this period just in case the creators of this deluxe edition did not know it. Thanks God we've got both Youtube and our private DVD collections. With other words the DVD is a pure disappointment.

 

 

 

 

2014

 

Waterloo - 40 years - the press-more-money series

 

The first release in the 2014 series is the book "The backstage stories" which seems to be a copy of the "ABBA The treasures" released by Omnibus press a couple of years ago. This time it is ABBA's make-up artist Ingmarie Halling who with help of Carl Magnus Palm wrote a book.

 

 

 

 

ABBA The photo book

 

ABBA The photo book was issued at the end of March 2014. It contains about 600 both well-known and unknown pictures of ABBA.

 

 

 

Waterloo - the deluxe edition 2014 & other releases

 

A new deluxe edition of the album "Waterloo" saw its release in Sweden on April 7th, 2014. This is the 40th anniversary edition which has different tracking list on CD and different contents on DVD comparing to the first deluxe version released ten years later as the world celebrated the 30th anniversary of the victory in Brighton in 1974.

 

   

 

The 40th anniversary of "Waterloo" was celebrated by two more releases - the anniversary picture disc containing the Swedish and English language versions of "Waterloo" and a new version of "ABBA Gold" featuring three CDs.

 

   
     

 

 

 

London - Tate

 

The celebration of the Waterloo-victory in 1974 at the Tate Museum in London on April 7th, was attended by Frida and Björn.

 

 
     

 

 

 

40/40 in Japan

 

Japan celebrated the 40th anniversary of the victory in Brighton in 1974 with a double CD complitation entitled "40/40 The Best Selection" which saw its release on March 26th, 2014. In the booklet there is a special message from Frida to the Japanese fans.

 

 

 

 

ABBA The Singles box

 

ABBA The singles box saw its release in Sweden on May 5th, 2014. The box contains 40 singles and 6 stories about 6 singles written by Björn. A real rarity is an alternate mix of "Andante Andante" from the replica of the Portugese single "Happy New Year" / "Andante Andante".

ABBA The Singles box - WHAT IS DIFFERENT

Here is the current list of all differences to the original recordings discovered in the ABBA The Singles box so far:

1/ Different mix of "Andante Andante" - B-side of the single "Happy New Year"

2/ Benny (?) can be heard saying "four" just before "Soldiers" starts.

 

 

 

 

 

The ABBA Live promotion

 

Benny and his son Ludvig promoted the forthcoming release of "ABBA Live" (out on September 29th) at Benny's studio on Skeppsholmen in Stockholm on Wednesday September 3rd. Around 20 journalists from Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria and Australia attended the promotional meeting. Ludvig worked with the mixing of the material for the album.

 

 

   

 

 

ABBA Live at Wembley Arena

 

The long awaited (about 35 years...) ABBA Live album saw finally its release on September 29th, 2014 (Sweden). The 2CD/3LP released features the complete November 10th, 1979 ABBA show - totally 25 songs. Absolutely stunning ABBA performance which the fans can finally hear.

 

     
       

 

 

Gracias por la musica - the deluxe edition

 

The deluxe edition of the Spanish album "Gracias por la musica" was released on November 10, 2014. It contains 10 recordings which from the original 1980 album and 5 bonus tracks. The DVD contains some performances from Spanish TV from 1979 and 1980 as well as some video clips.

 

     

 

 

ABBA Gold - the limited steel box edition

 

One more release of ABBA Gold in connection to the 40th anniversary saw its release on November 11th, 2014. The steel box edition with magnetic lenticular cover.

 

   

 

 

 

ABBA the monopoly

 

The final 40th anniversary product issue was ABBA the monopoly available from December 10th, 2014.

 

   
   

 

 

2015

 

ABBA in silicon

ABBA The Museum is launching a new attraction since opening in May 2013. Four life-size replicas of ABBA members Frida, Agnetha, Björn and Benny in silicon, dressed in their stage clothes from 1979. Work on the figures has been ongoing for just over a year, headed by a make-up artist Göran Lundström at Effektstudion in Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm. The members of ABBA themselves have been intricately involved in the production of their replicas, with detailed measurements taken on all four, in order to come as close as possible to the way they looked back then.

     

 

 

 

2016

 

ABBA together again

 

Agnetha, Frida, Björn and Benny stod together on stage on January 20th, 2016 after the premiere of the show "Mamma Mia - The Party" at the restaurant Tyrol in Stockholm. All four members posed for photographers.

 

 

 

ABBA on stage... again

 

A big party celebrated the 50 years of collaboration between Björn and Benny was held at "Berns" in Stockholm at the beginning of June. Lots of artist performed B&B compositions on stage. Agnetha and Frida performed live "The Way Old Friends Do". After the performance all former ABBA members appeared together on stage.

 

   

 

 

Arrival - 40 years

 

The 40th anniversary of the LP Arrival (1976) was celebrated by re-release of the original album in half speed mastered version on two vinyl discs. Replicas of four singles connected to the album were released in two versions - as coloured vinyl singles and picture discs. Below the Arrival 40 years celebration gallery.

 

 

The 2016 LP

 

 

 

 

The 2016 SPs

 

Fernando

 

     

 

Dancing Queen

 

     

 

Money Money Money

 

     

 

Knowing Me Knowing You

 

     

 

 

The Arrival single box - 4x 7"singles on coloured vinyl

 

         
         
         
         
         

 

 

 

Classic Pop presents ABBA a celebration

 

The 132-page special takes an in-depth look at one of the biggest pop bands in music history, from their early days in Sweden and their breakthrough as winners of the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest through to their years as one of the world’s best-selling acts in the 1970s. Available now in Ireland, in stores in Europe, the USA and Australia and the rest of world in November 2016.

 

     

 

 

2017

 

Retro - France

 

ABBA was featured in the French magazine "Retro" in October 2017.

 

   

 

 

ABBA The Album - 40 years

 

 

The 40th anniversary of ABBA The Album was celebrated by releasing on November 3rd, 2017 a half speed mastered 2 LP, 3 picture discs and a boxset with 3 coloured 7" from ABBA The Album.

 

The LP

 

 
 
 

 

 

The singles boxset

 

 
   
   
   

 

 

Picture discs

 

     
     
     

 

 

2018

 

ABBA is back - April 27th, 2018

 

ABBA recorded two new songs in June 2017. The songs are: "I Still Have Faith in You" and "Don't Shut Me Down" and the first one will be performed on NBC and BBC TV show in December 2018.

Read the press release below.

 

 

 

ABBA fever in Swedish press - April 28th, 2018

 

after ABBA

 

 New 2-CD compilation entitled "After ABBA" can be purchased at ABBA The Museum. It contains 37 songs/compositions created by the ABBA members after 1982. Among the hits - 8 performed by Agnetha and 8 performed by Frida as well as Björn & Benny's compositions for Gemini, Ainbusk Singers, Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla and Benny Anderssons Orkester and many more. Same rarities are included as Frida's lastest recording of "Andante Andante" and some other songs released only as singles or on other artists records. Definitely very nice album.

 

   

 

 

ABBA releases in France

In France ABBA is celebrated by a new book "ABBA cèdaire" (ABBA dictionary) written by Jean-Marie Potiez.

 

 

 

 

The French quarterly "Retro" released a 98-side-special devoted to ABBA (April-June 2018).

 

     

 

 

2019

 

Voulez-Vous 40 years

 

The 40th anniversary of the release of the album "Voulez-Vous" was celebrating by re-release of the album on two LPs half-speed remastered and all the singles from the period on coloured vinyl as well as picture discs. The package was released on June 14th, 2019.

 

   
 
 

 

 

The Voulez-Vous picture disc collection

 

 

 
 
 
     

The box

     
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

 

ABBA feature in "Expressen Sunday magazine"

"Expressen - Sunday magazine" published a big feature "ABBA as they live today" (December 29th, 2019). The article features lots of pictures (most of them well-known from Swedish newspapers from different years). Agnetha on the cover as well as a well-known shot from the "Waterloo" period".

 

 

 

 

2020

 

 

ABBA The Studio Albums Box

 

The box contains all eight studio albums on 180 gram heavyweight coloured vinyl. Release on July 24th, 2020.

 

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Super Trouper - 40 years

 

The 40th anniversary of the "Super Trouper" album (originally released on November 3rd, 1980) was celebrated by rereleasing the double LP half-speed remastered, a box containing three singles on coloured vinyl and three picture disc singles. The "Super Trouper" package saw its release on October 30, 2020.

 

LP

 

   
 
 

 

The singles box

 

     
     
     
   

 

 

The singles - picture discs

 

 
 
 

 

 

Happy New Year - the single

 

The final ABBA release in 2020 was a blue vinyl single featuring "Happy New Year" b/w "Feliidad". It saw its release at the beginning of December.