ABBA
ABBA were formed in Stockholm in 1972. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of pop music, topping the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982. ABBA sold over 375 million records worldwide.They still sell between 2 to 3 million albums a year. During the band's early years, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus were a married couple, as were Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson, although both couples later divorced.
At the height of their popularity, both relationships were suffering strain which led ultimately to the collapse of the Ulvaeus-Fältskog marriage in 1979 and the Andersson-Lyngstad marriage in 1981. In the late 1970s and early 1980s these relationship changes began appearing in the group's music, as they produced more introspective lyrics with different compositions.
After the band split, Andersson and Ulvaeus achieved success writing music for the stage while Lyngstad and Fältskog pursued individual solo careers with varying success. ABBA's music remained steadily popular until several films, notably Muriel's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, revived interest in the group, spawning several tribute bands. In 1999, ABBA's music was adapted into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that toured worldwide. A film titled Mamma Mia! released in 2008 became the highest grossing film in the United Kingdom that year. The group was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 15 March 2010.
ABBA's music has bridged many generation gaps over the years, and Waterloo is widely regarded as the best song to ever win the Eurovision Song Contest amongst many a fan and viewer alike.
