Discography

Published on December 3rd, 2018 | by Gerry Galipault

The ABBA Album Discography

ABBA unofficially disbanded more than 35 years ago, but you would never know it: The Swedish pop giants are seemingly as popular today as they were in their heyday when they were one of the biggest-selling acts of all time.

When their hits collection “Gold” became a global smash in 1993, 11 years after their breakup, it sparked a revival … just consider:

• Two movies in 1994 prominently featured ABBA songs (“Muriel’s Wedding” and “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”);

• ABBA tribute bands suddenly popped up everywhere;

• The blockbuster movie musical “Mamma Mia!” (2008) was centered around ABBA songs;

• The group – Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010;

• In 2015, their biggest hit, “Dancing Queen,” was inducted into the Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall of Fame;

• A “Mamma Mia!” sequel, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” was a hit in 2018.

After decades of staving off pleas to reform, the foursome are preparing their first new music since 1982 – two new songs, “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down,” are expected in 2019.

Now’s the time to thank ABBA for the music!

Ring Ring (Atlantic, 1973)

If you have this album, when they were originally billed as Björn Benny & Agnetha Frida, you have a big collector’s item. After the title track became an international hit, they changed their name to ABBA.

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Highlights: “Ring Ring,” “People Need Love,” “He Is Your Brother,” “Ring Ring (Bara Du Slog En Signal)”

Waterloo (1974)

The group’s popularity kicked into high gear after the title track won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest; it was a massive hit across Europe and then peaked at No. 6 in the U.S. (In 2005, during Eurovision’s 50th anniversary celebration, “Waterloo” was chosen as the best song in the competition’s history.)

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Highlights: “Waterloo (English Version),” “Waterloo (Swedish Version),” “Honey, Honey,” “My Mama Said”

ABBA (1975)

With their global success locked into place, their third album featured a trio of big hits: “SOS,” “Mamma Mia” and “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do.”

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Arrival (1976)

Just when you thought they couldn’t get any bigger, along came “Dancing Queen,” a timeless pop masterpiece. It was their only No. 1 smash in the U.S. Their fourth album garnered two more hits: “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “Money, Money, Money.” Side note: “Fernando” was another huge hit for them in 1976, but it was featured on a “Greatest Hits” compilation in most countries and was included on “Arrival” only in Australia and New Zealand.

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

ABBA: The Album (1977)

“Take a Chance on Me” and “The Name of the Game” topped the U.K. chart, as did “The Album” … which was released in conjunction with “ABBA: The Movie.”

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Other highlights: “Thank You for the Music,” “Eagle,” “One Man, One Woman”

Voulez-Vous (1979)

“Voulez-Vous” is French for “Do you want?” Well, do you want “Does Your Mother Know,” “Chiquitita” and “I Have a Dream”? This was the first album after the divorce of Ulvaeus and Fältskog.

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Super Trouper (1980)

Their seventh album featured the No. 1 U.K. singles “The Winner Takes It All” and “Super Trouper,” and was the top-selling album of 1980 in the U.K.

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Other highlights: “Lay All Your Love on Me,” “On and On and On”

The Visitors (1981)

Benny and Frida separated in 1980 and divorced in 1981, but that didn’t stop them from finishing what would be the group’s final album.

Producers: Andersson, Ulvaeus

Highlights: “When All Is Said and Done,” “One of Us,” “Slipping Through My Fingers,” “Head Over Heels,” “The Visitors”

As it goes with mega-popular groups, there are many hits packages … and ABBA is no exception. Over the years, there has been …

“Greatest Hits” (1975)

“Greatest Hits Vol. 2” (1979)

“The Singles: The First Ten Years” (1982)

“Gold: Greatest Hits” (1992)

“More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits” (1993)

“Love Stories” (1998)

“The Definitive Collection” (2001)

“Number Ones” (2006)

Tags: ABBA, albums, discography

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Gerry Galipault Gerry Galipault debuted Pause & Play online in October 1997. Since then, it has become the definitive place for CD-release dates — with a worldwide audience.