40 Years of ABBA

After a 40 year wait, Swedish pop sensations, ABBA, have released their much anticipated new album, Voyage. The group's ninth studio album features 10 brand new tracks including the singles I Still Have Faith In You, Don’t Shut Me Down and Just A Notion.

Voyage has been pressed on standard black vinyl which is housed in a gatefold sleeve. The record also comes in three limited edition coloured versions, including two Record Hub exclusives in green and white.

Next spring, the fun continues for ABBA fans as the Voyage concert experience premieres at a custom built arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. The concerts will be performed by avatars of Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid which have been created following extensive motion-capture and modern performance techniques, carried out by George Lucas’ company Industrial Light & Design. The revolutionary concert is sure to provide a breathtaking and unique experience for fans after such a long wait!

Never short of a hit or two, ABBA have dominated the charts despite having not released a studio album in 40 years. ABBA’s greatest hits compilation Gold is the second biggest-seller in the UK of all time with sales of 5.61 million. Gold was also the first record to spend 1000 weeks in the UK’s album chart.

To celebrate the release of Voyage, we take a look at the album’s three singles as well as a selection of ABBA’s greatest hits.

I Still Have Faith In You
Don’t Shut Me Down
Just A Notion
Waterloo
Super Trouper
The Winner Takes It All
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
Does Your Mother Know
Dancing Queen
Voulez-Vous

I Still Have Faith In You

ABBA released the pop ballad ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ alongside the announcement that their new album Voyage would be released in November. The emotive comeback track generates instant goosebumps and is packed full of powerful and heart-warming lyrics.

Don’t Shut Me Down

ABBA treated us to the ecstatic ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’ back in September too, a warm powerhouse of a track with all of the components that we’d expect from the band's return. Flawless songwriting, stunning harmonies and an instantly recognisable ABBA groove.

Just A Notion

The Swedish hitmakers released their third single ‘Just A Notion’ before the release of Voyage at the end of October. The track has its roots in the late 1970s, when it was first conceived. With modern production, a sweet pop-swing rhythm and an infectious melody, the 2021 recording is an instant hit.

Waterloo

Moving onto the classics, there is no better place to start other than Waterloo! The band won the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo in 1974, propelling the band to major worldwide success. The track hit the top spot in the singles charts in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Finland, Denmark and South Africa.

Super Trouper

Named after a type of stage spotlight, Super Trouper was released in 1980 and reached number one in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands. Big dramatic keys, a funky synth bassline and rich vocal harmonies, Super Trouper has it all.

The Winner Takes It All

‘The Winner Takes It All’ is based around a fictional story about a divorce and of course, it has been questioned as to whether it is centred around the breakup of members Björn and Agnetha. Whether it is fact or fiction, the track remains one of the band’s most striking efforts.

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

A straight-up disco classic. ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)’ was released in 1979 and has been helping DJ’s fill dance floors ever since. Moulding a disco bassline and drum beat with electronics and the catchiest of vocal hooks resulted in this ABBA classic.

Does Your Mother Know

ABBA blended rock and roll with disco to create ‘Does Your Mother Know’. Featuring one of the band’s few male lead vocal tracks, the track was a major hit in 1979, landing in the top 5 of the singles chart in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands.

Dancing Queen

This Europop dance floor stomper was released in 1976 and with it, the Swedish group landed a number one in the US Billboard Charts. Full of pure joy from start to finish, ‘Dancing Queen’ remains a firm disco favourite and for good reason.

Voulez-Vous

By 1979, ABBA had certified them as disco superstars and ‘Voulez-Vous’ captured them in all their glory. Slick guitar licks, glitzy synths and funk bassline grooves are all combined for another infectious and euphoric hit.