Nearly 30 years after the album was released, Abbas’ compilation album “Abba Gold” is still one of the UK’s most popular albums. As of Friday, the album was at number 17 on the UK albums list, and became the first album to be in approximately 1000 weeks on the list, write BBC.
Eight of this week have been in first place.
It was released in 1992, nine years after Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad chose to separate the team, and is filled with the band’s biggest hits.
Worldwide, more than 30 million copies of compilation albums have been sold.
Most of Abba’s music was written and released in the 1970s. With 1,000 weeks on the charts, “Abba Gold” has been among the top 100 best-selling albums in the UK for a total of 20 years.
Timeless music
They have succeeded in creating something that is timeless, says senior lecturer Per Ole Hagen in the Department of Musicology at the University of Oslo.
Per Ole Hagen has, among other things, our music director at NRK P1, but is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Oslo. He highlighted music production as an important success factor for Abba.
Photo: Nadia Frantsen / NRK
– If you listen to music from the 70’s and 80’s, you often hear it live when it’s made. Abba has a more timeless voice. They look as fresh today as they did when the music first came out.
According to him one of the important reasons why it looks so fresh, is the work done in the recording studio.
– The song for Abba is brilliant. But we also have to highlight the music production. That was an important factor for Abba, he said.
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In the UK, only Queen’s “Greatest Hits” have sold more than “Abba Gold”. This shows how popular they are in the UK, says musicologist Audun Molde at Kristena University College.
– They are very big among the British. Abba has sold more records there than major groups and artists like The Beatles and Michael Jackson, he said.
Brand building
Another success factor is the way they maintain the Abba brand. In the last 20 years or so, there has been one musical and two films based on Abba’s music.
Music critic Audun Molde says Abba is a master at managing music rights and creating brands.
Photo: Heather rbeck Eliassen / NRK
In addition, there is an open-air entertainment restaurant with an Abba theme, and opened the Abba museum in Stockholm. And then there are plans to send a touring group with a hologram.
– They are very good at keeping Abba as a brand and keeping the group up to date, says Molde.
He thought more people might have something to learn from Abba, but what really mattered was the song material, he said.
– Abba has great songs that hold up well. That’s the most important thing.
Popular in Norway
The compilation album has kept it sharp on the Norwegian albums list as well. The list shows the 40 best-selling albums or streams each week.
Since 1992, “Abba Gold” has been on the list for a total of 103 weeks. The three of them above.
After being on the list for 17 straight weeks when he arrived, he has made a comeback with regards to both film and music screenings.
Abba’s music has been used in the musical «Mamma Mia», which premiered in London in 1999. Here’s a Norwegian foresight which premiered in 2009.
Photo: Lise Serud / NTB
When “Mamma Mia!” Musical had its world premiere with Lisa Stokke in the lead in London in 1999, the album was on the list for 24 weeks.
Ten years later came the first Norwegian films and screenings. Then it’s 25 weeks on the album list.
In the fall, ready for a new chapter of “Mamma Mia” at the Folketeateret in Oslo. And then maybe there will be more weeks on the album list.
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