OVER 50 years ago, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest and they are a firm favourite with many people still today.
But some fans are having their minds blown by the meaning behind their iconic name and only just what it stands for.
The singing group made up of two married couples – Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – took the world by storm until their relationships came to an end.
They first formed in 1972, and were the first Swedish Eurovision winners in 1974 with their hit song “Waterloo” enabling them to secure the trophy.
But it is their name which has been causing a stir lately.
A clip was shared on TikTok showing the members previously talking about the origin of the name.
The singers explained that ABBA is an acronym of their first names.
The band confirmed that the sequence of the names goes Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid.
Anni-Frid added: “We all met because of our interest in music and also because the boys fell madly in love with us girls.”
Many people have been shocked by realising the name origin, with one saying: “So todays discovery is that I didn’t know the group name ABBA is actually an acronym of the first initial of their names!!
“How cool is that.”
Another added: “Yes, and it’s so cool how they do the backwards B.”
One viewer shared how they already knew the fact, and said: “As a true fan should.”
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 countries that spoke English.
The band became well known for their outrageous costumes throughout their career.
Andersson and Lyngstad were married between 1978 and 1980, and Bjorn and Agnetha married in 1971 but divorced in 1979. The latter couple had a son and a daughter together.
ABBA hit the big time after triumphing at the Eurovision Song Contest with their song Waterloo in 1974, but it's not their only banger.
Their compilation album Gold: Greatest Hits (released in 1992) has become one of the most popular albums worldwide, with sales of over 30million copies.
Their hit song Dancing Queen became ABBA’s only single to hit the no. 1 spot in the US and propelled them to international fame. Their 1978 hit, Take a Chance on Me, reached the no. 3 spot, but it was Waterloo that made ABBA a household name.
The song was performed on the Eurovision stage in 1974 and became a top hit when ABBA won the contest in a landslide. It was the first of their songs to become a hit in the US and reached the no. 6 spot.
Overall, ABBA had 20 top 10 hits throughout their career, and in 2021, they dropped their first album since 1982, titled Voyage. The album included their singles, I Still Have Faith in You and Don’t Shut Me Down.
At the time of the album’s release, USA Today reported the group had sold over 400million albums worldwide and their music was still receiving 16million streams per week.
The band never formally announced a split but stopped performing together in 1982 to focus on their solo careers.
Except for a TV appearance in 1986, they did not appear publicly together until 2008, when they reunited at the Swedish premiere of the Mamma Mia! movie.
The quartet confirmed they were launching a show called ABBA Voyage in August 2021, featuring “ABBA-tars” of their younger selves beaming on stage while performing their classic hits.
ABBA Voyage features a documentary-style film, following their comeback from making music to the creation of a purpose-built theatre in East London for their Holograms show, which opened on May 26, 2022.
During a live stream promoting their album in September 2021, Ulvaeus said, “It’s about realizing that it’s inconceivable to be where we are.
“No imagination could dream up that, to release an album after 40 years and still be the best of friends, and still be enjoying each other’s company, and have a total loyalty.”
Bjorn told The Sun that Voyage will be their final album but was thrilled that their music is still revered and fans were excited when their album was released.
“Above all, the fact that we can pull off a thing like this project, and that people still see us as relevant and listen to our music, that means we have something, the four of us, which I can’t describe other than a very, very special bond,” he said.
Bjorn added, “When you do a thing like that, you don’t know how people will receive it. It was with such pride that we released that album.
“I don’t think there will be any more music with ABBA. I think that was definitely our last album.”
