Sample spotters

The most commercially successful pop group of the 1970s, the origins of the Swedish superstars ABBA dated back to 1966, when keyboardist and vocalist Benny Andersson first teamed with guitarist and vocalist Bjorn Ulvaeus. The two performers began composing songs together and handling session and production work for Polar Music/Union Songs. At the same time, both Andersson and Ulvaeus worked on projects with their respective girlfriends: Ulvaeus had become involved with vocalist Agnetha Faltskog, while Andersson began seeing Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
In 1974, as ‘ABBA’ (an acronym of the members’ first names), the quartet submitted the single “Waterloo,” and became the first Swedish act to win the Eurovision competition. In 1975, ABBA issued “S.O.S.,” a smash not only in America and Britain but also in non-English speaking countries. A string of hits followed, including “Mamma Mia,” “Fernando,” and “Dancing Queen” (ABBA’s sole U.S. chart-topper). ABBA’s popularity continued in 1977, when both “Knowing Me, Knowing You” and “The Name of the Game” dominated airwaves. That year Andersson and Lyngstad married, as had Ulvaeus and Faltskog in 1971, although the latter couple separated a few months later; in fact, romantic suffering was the subject of many songs on the quartet’s next LP, 1979’s Voulez-Vous. Shortly after the release of 1980s Super Trouper, Andersson and Lyngstad divorced as well, further straining the group dynamic; The Visitors, issued the following year, was the final LP of new ABBA material, and the foursome officially disbanded after the December 1982 release of their single “Under Attack.”

“Dancing Queen”

JAMS - “The Queen and I” (via)

“The Name of the Game”

Fugees - “Rumble in the Jungle”

“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!”

Madonna: Hung Up