At some point in the coming weeks, the biggest pop group in music history is due to release their first new single in thirty-five years. While the magnitude of reunions in general has lessened in recent years, with the practice of "getting the band back together" having become de rigeur for everyone from very-missed classic artists to very-forgotten one-hit wonders, the curiosity surrounding a potential reunification of Swedish songsmiths ABBA remains piqued.
More in demand than even long-shot reunions like Talking Heads or The Smiths, ABBA, the four-piece famously made up of chief songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus alongside vocalists Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, has allegedly turned down billion dollar offers to tour again. While the likelihood of the band hitting the road again grows lower with every passing year (barring rumours of a touring hologram show coming to fruition), this past April it was announced ABBA had recorded a pair of new songs.
Reportedly named "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don't Shut Me Down," the songs will be the first newly-recorded material from the group since two then-new singles were included on the ironically-titled The First Ten Years compilation just prior to the group's 1982 split. Rightfully wary of sullying their reputation as some of the pop canon's most celebrated contributors, ABBA has decided that now, after three and a half decades of inactivity, is the right time to return.
While it will be interesting to see how/if the group's new music resonates with modern audiences, Wet Thud is taking this opportunity to look backwards and trawl through ABBA's time-honoured back catalogue. Presented below is a countdown of our favourite forty songs from the seventies superstars. Did it end up just being the track listings of the ABBA Gold and More ABBA Gold compilations in a different order? Sort of, but no. While those are excellently curated collections, a number of the group's non-singles and deeper cuts also made our list. Hope you enjoy. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire countdown following number one below.
040. "Arrival" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)
039. "The Way Old Friends Do" (album cut from Super Trouper, 1980)
038. "Tiger" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)
037. "The King Has Lost His Crown" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
035. "Hey, Hey Helen" (album cut from ABBA, 1975)
034. "If It Wasn't For The Nights" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
033. "So Long" (single from ABBA, 1974)
032. "When All Is Said And Done" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
031. "The Day Before You Came" (single from The Singles: The First Ten Years, 1982)
030. "Ring Ring" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)
029. "Honey Honey" (single from Waterloo, 1974)
028. "Lovelight" (b-side from the "Chiquitita" single, 1979)
027. "Mamma Mia" (single from ABBA, 1975)
026. "Super Trouper" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
025. "Head Over Heels" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
024. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" (single from ABBA, 1975)
022. "I Have A Dream" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
021. "Money Money Money" (single from Arrival, 1976)
020. "Chiquitita" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
019. "Rock Me" (single from ABBA, 1975)
018. "SOS" (single from ABBA, 1975)
017. "The Visitors" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
016. "Thank You For The Music" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
015. "Lay All Your Love On Me" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
014. "On And On And On" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
013. "The Winner Takes It All" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
012. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" (single from Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, 1979)
011. "Waterloo" (single from Waterloo, 1974)
010. "Take A Chance On Me" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
009. "The Name Of The Game" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
007. "Does Your Mother Know" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
006. "Summer Night City" (single, 1978)
005. "Angeleyes" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
004. "Eagle" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
003. "Fernando" (single, 1976)
002. "Dancing Queen" (single from Arrival, 1976)
001. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (single from Arrival, 1976)
***** text-only version of the list *****
###. "Song Title" (release format from Album Title, release date)
040. "Arrival" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)
039. "The Way Old Friends Do" (album cut from Super Trouper, 1980)
038. "Tiger" (album cut from Arrival, 1976)
037. "The King Has Lost His Crown" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
036. "Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)
035. "Hey, Hey Helen" (album cut from ABBA, 1975)
034. "If It Wasn't For The Nights" (album cut from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
033. "So Long" (single from ABBA, 1974)
032. "When All Is Said And Done" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
031. "The Day Before You Came" (single from The Singles: The First Ten Years, 1982)
030. "Ring Ring" (single from Ring Ring, 1973)
029. "Honey Honey" (single from Waterloo, 1974)
028. "Lovelight" (b-side from the "Chiquitita" single, 1979)
027. "Mamma Mia" (single from ABBA, 1975)
026. "Super Trouper" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
025. "Head Over Heels" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
024. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" (single from ABBA, 1975)
023. "Voulez-Vous" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
022. "I Have A Dream" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
021. "Money Money Money" (single from Arrival, 1976)
020. "Chiquitita" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
019. "Rock Me" (single from ABBA, 1975)
018. "SOS" (single from ABBA, 1975)
017. "The Visitors" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
016. "Thank You For The Music" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
015. "Lay All Your Love On Me" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
014. "On And On And On" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
013. "The Winner Takes It All" (single from Super Trouper, 1980)
012. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" (single from Greatest Hits, Vol. 2)
011. "Waterloo" (single from Waterloo, 1974)
010. "Take A Chance On Me" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
009. "The Name Of The Game" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
008. "One Of Us" (single from The Visitors, 1981)
007. "Does Your Mother Know" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
006. "Summer Night City" (single, 1978)
005. "Angeleyes" (single from Voulez-Vous, 1979)
004. "Eagle" (single from ABBA: The Album, 1977)
003. "Fernando" (single, 1976)
002. "Dancing Queen" (single from Arrival, 1976)
001. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (single from Arrival, 1976)
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