Brighton, April 1974: ABBA storm to victory in the Eurovision Song contest with 'Waterloo', resplendent in their shiny satin costumes and silver platform boots. More than twenty-five years and 350 million record sales later, ABBA's popularity remains undiminished, even though the group have not recorded a note since they split up in 1983. ABBAmania has not been so strong since the 1970s.
This is the incredible story of how four unassuming folk singers from Sweden went forth to conquer the world. Between 'Waterloo' and the break-up, ABBA had nine No.1s in Britain and spent a total of 265 weeks in the charts. Worldwide, they are the second biggest-selling band of all time, surpassed only by the Beatles. From instant dancefloor-fillers like 'Dancing Queen' to sing-a-long ballads such as 'The Winner Takes It All', ABBA's legacy of classic pop music is unequalled, and their songs have been covered or sampled by artists ranging from the Corrs to the Fugees.
Drawing on exclusive interviews with the group and their manager and mentor, Stig Anderson, Jean-Marie Potiez has reconstructed the complete history of ABBA's glittering career: their early days as teen idols in Sweden, the heady rush of Eurovision success, the struggle to prove ABBA were not just one-hit wonders, the careful crafting of the unique (but much-imitated) ABBA sound, the nine massive hit albums, the world tours, the making of 'ABBA: The Movie', and the eventual break-up.
The book is fully illustrated throughout with hundreds of glorious photographs, many of which are from ABBA's private archive and previously unpublished. This complete pictorial record includes a sublime gallery of the group's most dazzling costumes, demonstrating that ABBA were definitely at the cutting edge of 1970s fashion as well as pop music. Finally, the comprehensive discography details all ABBA's album releases.
'ABBA: The Book' is a timely celebration of one of the most successful and influential pop groups of all time. It is the definitive ABBA book that every fan will treasure.
