How popular were Abba in the seventies, and how popular have they been since then?. I know they have been very popular here in the UK.
Do you know if the American cast members of this film had heard much of their music before they did this film?.
i'm from england so this doesn't apply to me but i do recall someone saying that 'dancing queen' was the only number 1 hit in america for them so i'm guessing not that popular. they were incredibly popular in australia though
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Less popular than in the UK but still they were known and had a fan base (in the 70s). I hear Abba every once in a while now. Take a Chance on Me, Dancing Queen, and the Winner Takes it All I hear when I'm out shopping or on a friend's stereo, etc.
shareWell actually ABBA were still pretty successful in North America despite their success here being less extravagant than in other parts of the world. They were one of the first groups from Sweden to leave a mark on the Billboard charts.
They actually had four songs reach number 1 in the Billboard Charts.
Dancing Queen was # 1 (Singles chart-Hot 100)
"Fernando" and "The Winner Takes it All" both reached #1 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts
"Lay All Your Love on Me" reached # 1 in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts
In the singles charts they had 20 singles reach the Billboard Hot 100 between 1974-1982 out of which 14 reached the Top 40. Their biggest hits were:
Dancing Queen # 1 and sold over a million copies in the US
Take a Chance on Me # 3 and was another Gold single - Selling over a million copies and it has been stated this outsold Dancing Queen in America
Waterloo # 6
The Winner Takes it All # 8
While "Fernando", "Knowing Me Knowing You", "The Name of the Game", "I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do", "SOS" and "Does Your Mother Know" reached the Top 20.
Their albums Greatest Hits and ABBA The Album were certified Platinum in America (both selling over a million units).
While their albums "Arrival", "Voulez-Vous", "Greatest Hits Vol 2", "Super Trouper" and "The Millennium Collection" were certified Gold in the US.
Their biggest selling album in the US is ABBA GOLD which has been certified 6x platinum as per several years ago. Not sure if this certification has been revised.
Their success in Canada is quite similar. The main difference being is most of their singles charted higher. For instance, "Dancing Queen", "Fernando", "Knowing Me Knowing You", "Take a Chance on Me", "SOS", "Does Your Mother Know" and "The Winner Takes it All" all reached the top 10. The same can be said about their albums in Canada. For instance the album "Voulez Vous" was certified GOLD in the US but was certified 2x platinum in Canada and ABBA GOLD which is 6x platinum in the US is certified DIAMOND in Canada.
Hopes this helps
Great post. I will add that “I Do, I Do” was also on the radio a lot in the US.
shareIn Canada, I was in high school late 70s, I could not get enough of ABBA.
shareAmerican here. I love Abba and just about everyone I know did and still does.
"Stupid closet full of bugs!!"
I'm portuguese, they were super popular in Portugal.
shareI'm Romanian, old enough, and this is still my favorite band.
shareHaving grown up in the era, and been a high school student in the 70s, I will confirm that ABBA was extremely popular during that time, and that their music is still played on 70s channels and dance channels here in the US.
Cheers!
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