Abba

[Dude#1279435]

There's plenty to not like in their music but Loving Me, Loving You, Name of the Game, and SOS stand out. There's more I'm forgetting but it's the enormity of their sound. To these ears I've never really heard that level since. I think the definition "super" group is pretty apt. I like the "2 songs in 1" description a fan once used. (It would be interesting to see how the live show compares to the studio, or not.)

 

[Dude#1279435]

DQ is the crystal diamond of the disco sound IMO.

 

[davidscott]

Back when I was in the USAF (late 70s) I had a Ukrainian born friend who absolutely adored ABBA. It seemed to be a European thing as none of my other friends or I really cared for them that much. Not dislike per say but no big deal.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yeah can't say Abba ever did anything for me. I have heard the comment about the sound before, so makes me curious who produces their recordings? Themselves or someone dedicated to them or ?

 

[RedCharles]

There's a certain amount of sadness and tragedy in their lyrics that's brokered by the upbeat disco, and that makes their music wonderful to me.

 

[Replicant 7]

Disco, makes me think John Travolta and that cheesy movie Saturday Night Fever.

 

[shadyJ]

Abba had some good songs for sure. The USA's backlash against disco in the 80's was unfortunate, it made us miss a lot of good Italo tunes that came out in the 80's. However, I guess that it did indirectly give birth to house music, and that was a pretty huge thing in the history of music.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Back when I was in the USAF (late 70s) I had a Ukrainian born friend who absolutely adored ABBA. It seemed to be a European thing as none of my other friends or I really cared for them that much. Not dislike per say but no big deal.

This probably had to do with the soviet iron curtain, which included a ban on anything American made, including culture and music. Sweden, France, or Italy for that matter never seems like much of a bother for the regime thus music was more freely allowed. So ABBA was one of the first foreign music bands to show on on records sold there and ergo popularity. I mentioned Italy and France since musicians like Patricia Kaas and Adriano Celentano (you'd probably have to google both) were madly popular there for the same reasons.

 

[Pogre]

Abba was my favorite band when I was a kid. I'm talking under ten years old. I discovered AC/DC at around ten years old and have been a metalhead ever since, but I think I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for Abba. "Take A Chance On Me" was the song that roped me in.

 

[Dude#1279435]

Yeah can't say Abba ever did anything for me. I have heard the comment about the sound before, so makes me curious who produces their recordings? Themselves or someone dedicated to them or ?

Best I could find but not sure if it's the definitive answer.....

ABBA - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

ABBA were perfectionists in the studio, working on tracks until they got them right rather than leaving them to come back to later on.[124] They spent the bulk of their time within the studio; in separate 2021 interviews Ulvaeus stated they may have toured for only 6 months[125] while Andersson said they played fewer than 100 shows during the band's career.[94]

The band created a basic rhythm track with a drummer, guitarist and bass player, and overlaid other arrangements and instruments. Vocals were then added, and orchestra overdubs were usually left until last.[124]

Fältskog and Lyngstad contributed ideas at the studio stage. Andersson and Ulvaeus played them the backing tracks and they made comments and suggestions. According to Fältskog, she and Lyngstad had the final say in how the lyrics were shaped.

When we gather around the piano to get our voices tuned up, we often come up with things we can use in the backing vocals.
— Agnetha Fältskog[124]

After vocals and overdubs were done, the band took up to five days to mix a song.[124]

Their single "S.O.S." was "heavily influenced by Phil Spector's Wall of Sound and the melodies of the Beach Boys", according to Billboard writer Fred Bronson, who also reported that Ulvaeus had said, "Because there was the Latin-American influence, the German, the Italian, the English, the American, all of that. I suppose we were a bit exotic in every territory in an acceptable way."[38]

 

[Replicant 7]

Abba was my favorite band when I was a kid. I'm talking under ten years old. I discovered AC/DC at around ten years old and have been a metalhead ever since, but I think I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for Abba. "Take A Chance On Me" was the song that roped me in.

Rush 2112 did it for, before them, Puff the Magic Dragon, was my favorite.

 

[Dude#1279435]

Effective video. Raw and naked emotion. The picture freezes are really good. There's rock/metal amplification, and while there's some electric guitar most of the volume seems to come from the keys and vocals etc. The keys really jump off the screen. There best tunes just sound HUGE. Great maybe for different reasons but Phillips from the Mamas & Papas. Superb vocal arrangements and production.

 

[Trebdp83]

F#%kin' love ABBA. I listened to the new album "Voyage" in Atmos. It was listenable, but not great. Their voices, though aged, are remarkably intact. The sound has not changed much and this is a good or bad thing depending on your point of view. I liked the "Dance Your Pain Away" song Agnetha put out a few years ago. It had a similar sound that you'd swear was released during ABBA's heyday.

 

[Trebdp83]

 

[davidscott]

Abba was my favorite band when I was a kid. I'm talking under ten years old. I discovered AC/DC at around ten years old and have been a metalhead ever since, but I think I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for Abba. "Take A Chance On Me" was the song that roped me in.

I remember when I was 14 or so CSN then CSNY were my favorites and still are on my list.

 

[Jeepers]

Yeah can't say Abba ever did anything for me. I have heard the comment about the sound before, so makes me curious who produces their recordings? Themselves or someone dedicated to them or ?

On the credits of their albums is mentioned : 'Produced by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus'.