WITHOUT a doubt ABBA is one of the biggest pop groups in history.
After forming in the early 70s, the group grew a huge fan base thanks to iconic songs like Mamma Mia! and Dancing Queen.
Who are ABBA?
ABBA is Sweden's biggest ever pop group and one of the most popular bands in history.
They started working together since 1972, when they were in their twenties.
They have sold over 380 million albums and singles worldwide and were the first group from a non-English speaking country to have consistent success in English speaking countries.
The band was named after the band members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
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They won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with their smash hit Waterloo before going on to enjoy worldwide success. Benny and Anni-Frid were married between 1978 and 1980, as were Bjorn and Agnetha married in 1971 but divorced in 1979; they had a son and a daughter together.
The band became well known for their 70s style outrageous costumes throughout their career, but sadly split in 1982.
In 2021, ABBA reunited after a long 40 year hiatus and released their ninth studio album Voyage.
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Since 2022, fans have been able to watch the virtual concert Voyage in London, which uses holograms of the band members.
The outfits for the show, which their "Abbatars" wear, have been designed by Dolce & Gabbana.
What have the band members done since?
Agnetha Fältskog
After ABBA split, Agnetha – who was born on April 5, 1950 – continued to have success as a solo artist after the split with three hit albums, but she then made headlines for the wrong reasons.
Two broken marriages, a horrific road traffic accident in 1983, her mum’s death in 1994, and being targeted by stalkers caused her to step away from the limelight.
Between 1989 and 2004 she withdrew from public life completely.
However, she sang with Gary Barlow at BBC Children in Need in 2013 in her first live performance in 25 years.
Fältskog now resides outside Stockholm on a farm.
In August 2023 it was revealed she had signed a major record deal with BMG.
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Frida – who was born on November 15, 1945 – Anni-Frid Lyngstad had great international success post-ABBA with her first album selling more than 1.5 million copies.
She married Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss von Plauen in 1992, but he died of lymphoma in 1999 aged just 49 – a year after she tragically lost her daughter Lise-Lotte in a car crash.
Anni-Frid reportedly inherited von Plauen's fortune of £75M.
She now lives in Switzerland with her British partner, Henry Smith, 5th Viscount Hambleden.
In 2004, Frida appeared with former bandmates Benny and Björn at London's fifth-anniversary performance of Mamma Mia! the musical.
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
Benny Andersson was born December 16, 1946, and Bjorn Ulvaeus was born on April 25, 1945.
Both men have remained great friends and have continued to work together after ABBA.
As well as some solo projects the pair collaborated together on Chess the musical with Tim Rice, which is best known for the song I Know Him So Well.
After this, the duo penned the global hit Mamma Mia! the musical which premiered on the West End in 1999.
They also worked together on the film evening making a cameo appearance – Benny as a piano-playing fisherman in the Dancing Queen scene, and Björn as a Greek god playing the lyre during the closing credits.
The pair won an Ivor Novello Award in 2008.
They both went on to remarry after ABBA, Benny remarried and had a son, while Bjorn had two daughters.
Benny and Björn continue to write new music together while also pursuing solo projects.
Bjorn lives in Sweden with Lena, and is believed to be worth at least £200M.
Benny’s the richest of the group – reportedly worth £230M.
The group has continued to have international success since the split with ABBA Gold, released in 1992, selling almost 30million copies worldwide, and musical Mamma Mia! grossing some $2billion since its debut.
Their Voyage virtual reality concert is also raking them in a huge fortune.
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