Random ABBA Info

NOTE: I wrote this a while back (for what I can't remember) and just re-discovered it, so I thought I might as well post it...

----

I've never made any secret of the fact that my favourite music group is ABBA, and I just wanted to share a few random factoids. They were very successful around the world at the height of their careers. Although never nearly as successful in America as in, for example, Europe, the chart dominance that ABBA displayed during their time was quite remarkable nonetheless.

To give a sense of their success in the UK, ABBA are the eighth-highest selling singles artist in UK chart history. They had 9 number 1 UK charting singles (for a total of 31 weeks at the top spot), with all 18 singles released between 1975 and 1981 reaching the Top 10 in the UK charts (their other 6 singles all reached the Top 40). As a side note, when “Lay All Your Love on Me” was released as a single in 1980, it became the highest charting 12” single to date, reaching number 7. They also had 8 consecutive UK number 1 albums (49 weeks at the top spot), in addition to ABBA Gold, which has hit the number 1 spot 5 different times since its 1992 release, becoming the oldest album to reach number 1 in 2008 and the third highest selling album in UK chart history. Three of their albums have been the most successful album of the year in the UK: Greatest Hits in 1976, Arrival in 1977, and Super Trouper in 1980. The latter album held the record for most advance sales in the UK (about 1 million copies) until 1984, when it was surpassed. In addition, 4 other ABBA albums have been among the top 10 of a year, and 5 ABBA songs have been among the top 10 of a year.

ABBA were also very successful in Australia. “The Best of ABBA” was the best-selling album of 1976, while “Fernando” was the highest selling single of the year. In fact, “Fernando” became the highest-selling single in Australian chart history. 3 other singles and 3 albums were among the top 10 singles of a year. 6 singles (including “Fernando”) went to number 1, for a total of 42 weeks, and 4 albums went to number 1 (for at least 35 weeks).

In addition, ABBA had 16 number 1 singles in Belgium (for 61 weeks total), 9 in Germany, 13 in Ireland, 9 in Mexico, 8 in the Netherlands, 7 in South Africa, 7 in Switzerland, as well as number 1s in many other nations. “Fernando” was ABBA’s most successful international single, reaching number 1 in 13 countries (14 if you count the original Swedish-language solo single), and the top 10 in many other countries. “Dancing Queen” was ABBA’s second most successful single, hitting the number 1 in 13 countries. “Chiquitita” was a number 1 in at least 10 countries (remarkably, both the English and Spanish versions went to number 1 in Mexico on the respective language charts for 32 and 30 weeks). In addition, “Waterloo,” “Money Money Money,” “Take A Chance On Me,” and “The Winner Takes It All,” among others, were also worldwide hits. “ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits,” released in 1992, is ABBA’s highest-selling album, having sold at least 26 million units internationally, placing it among the top 40 highest selling albums of all time.

In the United States, ABBA were not as successful as they were around the world. Ultimately, they only had one number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 (Dancing Queen), and only 3 other singles made the top 10. Including these 4 singles, ABBA had a total of 15 Top 40 singles in the U.S. That said, ABBA also had three other number 1 singles on other Billboard charts: “Fernando” and “The Winner Takes It All” on the Adult Contemporary Chart and “Lay All Your Love On Me” (backed with "On And On And On" and "Super Trouper") on the Dance Charts.

In 1977, at the height of their success, ABBA toured Europe and Australia. Australia was one of the major focuses of the tour, with 11 shows played there to an estimated 160,000 people. Among the European shows, ABBA did two concerts in London’s Royal Albert Hall, for which tickets were only available by mail order. It was later revealed that 3.5 million requests were received, enough to fill the stadium 580 times. During their 1979 tour, ABBA played in North America and Europe, including 6 sold-out concerts at Wembley Arena in London.

An interesting and very random fact is that ABBA’s eighth and final studio album, The Visitors, was the first CD ever to be manufactured for commercial sale (in September 1982), and among the first titles released in the new format.

For those interested, ABBA’s 9 UK number 1 singles:

Waterloo (2 wks)

Mamma Mia (2 wks)

Fernando (4 wks)

Dancing Queen (6 wks)

Knowing Me, Knowing You (5 wks)

The Name of the Game (4 wks)

Take A Chance On Me (3 wks)

The Winner Takes It All (2 wks)

Super Trouper (3 wks)

P.S. See ABBA: The Worldwide Chart Lists for some more interesting info, including chart placing for all their singles in many countries, year-end rankings, etc.