Here they go again! The Swedish pop quartet are set to return with Voyage, their first record in 40 years.

https://ew.com/music/abba-announce-new-voyage-album-virtual-concert-livestreaming-event/

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAzEY1MfXrQ

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWGWFa3jznI

Before I listen I sure hope they are fun and upbeat, at least one of them.

From a music standpoint, I don't know if ABBA can create the same magic like they did in the 1970's, but the two ladies still sing well and I have to give ABBA credit for re-forming after all this time to give some new music to the world. The new album is scheduled for November release, just in time for the holiday season and I imagine many people will have it on their Christmas gift wish list.

From a music standpoint, I don't know if ABBA can create the same magic like they did in the 1970's, but the two ladies still sing well and I have to give ABBA credit for re-forming after all this time to give some new music to the world. The new album is scheduled for November release, just in time for the holiday season and I imagine many people will have it on their Christmas gift wish list.

Yeah, it’s never possible to recapture the zeitgeist moment. But on the bright side, we’ll now have new songs for Mamma Mia! 3.

ABBA is making a comeback album? I'm surprised because Mom and I have been ABBA fans for awhile and ever since I saw Mamma Mia in the theater I began my ABBA kick and still like them. It's hard to believe that this new album will be their first album since their last album The Visitors debuted in 1981 announcing their split and Anni-Frid went on to be a solo artist and had a hit with I Know There's Something Going On and the guys went to create the musical Chess with Tim Rice. I do hope this album is lots of fun and maybe introduce new fans to their music
Bestie

Yeah, it’s never possible to recapture the zeitgeist moment. But on the bright side, we’ll now have new songs for Mamma Mia! 3.

Will have to wait and see what the entire album sounds like, but "Don't Shut Me Down" has that classic ABBA sound and I'm quite impressed with it.

Will have to wait and see what the entire album sounds like, but "Don't Shut Me Down" has that classic ABBA sound and I'm quite impressed with it.

I agree, Don't Shut Me Down definitely has the classic ABBA sound. Very catchy chorus, too. I Still Have Faith in You is too slow for me.

The music video for I Still have Faith in You, with the holograms of the band members, makes me wonder if such a thing could ever be done for Ace of Base, since Linn won't appear in public, but enjoys singing.

I agree, Don't Shut Me Down definitely has the classic ABBA sound. Very catchy chorus, too. I Still Have Faith in You is too slow for me.

"Don't Shut Me Down" sounds like it could be an ABBA song from the early 1980's, it's amazing how they sound exactly the same after all this time, it's like they never left. I'm curious to find out what the entire album sounds like.

"Don't Shut Me Down" sounds like it could be an ABBA song from the early 1980's, it's amazing how they sound exactly the same after all this time, it's like they never left.

I totally agree.

I'm curious to find out what the entire album sounds like.

I'm also wondering!

I'm looking forward to this. Hopefully it will be happy, upbeat stuff like the did in their early years rather than the sad melancholy stuff they did towards the end.

Well I listened to ABBA's new album Voyage today, listened to all 10 songs on You Tube, and aside from the great track "Don't Shut Me Down" and "Just A Notion" which is also a decent tune, the rest of the album didn't really impress me. The two ladies still sing well enough, but the overall songwriting is lacking, too many songs are slow in tempo and the melodies aren't very catchy. I had planned to purchase this album but now I'm not so sure, I'll have to think it over.

Well I listened to ABBA's new album Voyage today, listened to all 10 songs on You Tube, and aside from the great track "Don't Shut Me Down" and "Just A Notion" which is also a decent tune, the rest of the album didn't really impress me. The two ladies still sing well enough, but the overall songwriting is lacking, too many songs are slow in tempo and the melodies aren't very catchy. I had planned to purchase this album but now I'm not so sure, I'll have to think it over.

I listened on on of my music apps. ‘I Can Be That Woman’ was good. And ‘Little Things’ now gives us an ABBA Christmas song.

I listened on on of my music apps. ‘I Can Be That Woman’ was good. And ‘Little Things’ now gives us an ABBA Christmas song.

"Don't Shut Me Down" is clearly the best song on the album, and I think it was released early to get people all hyped up for the album, but after listening to the album yesterday on You Tube, it unfortunately didn't meet my expectations.

Three other music veterans have released albums this year, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, and Suzi Quatro. I have also listened to these albums on You Tube, and while they all have some good moments, nothing really grabs me that makes me want to rush and buy these albums. I guess they are OK for a free listen on You Tube but that's about it.

The German metal band Accept also released an album this year, titled Too Mean To Die, that is a good album and I did buy that one.

"Don't Shut Me Down" is clearly the best song on the album, and I think it was released early to get people all hyped up for the album, but after listening to the album yesterday on You Tube, it unfortunately didn't meet my expectations.

Three other music veterans have released albums this year, Cheap Trick, Night Ranger, and Suzi Quarto. I have also listened to these albums on You Tube, and while they all have some good moments, nothing really grabs me that makes me want to rush and buy these albums. I guess they are OK for a free listen on You Tube but that's about it.

The German metal band Accept also released an album this year, titled Too Mean To Die, that is a good album and I did buy that one.

That’s how I felt when I listened to the latest Who album (back in 2019). Blah.

I really want a new Billy Joel album, but the realist in me says maybe, just maybe, it’s for the best if it never happens. It’s like the great athlete who retires but eventually attempts a comeback. It rarely works out.

That’s how I felt when I listened to the latest Who album (back in 2019). Blah.

I really want a new Billy Joel album, but the realist in me says maybe, just maybe, it’s for the best if it never happens. It’s like the great athlete who retires but eventually attempts a comeback. It rarely works out.

I understand what you are saying. Music artists from yesteryear that are still active today, their new releases generally aren't as good as their older stuff. I think the songwriting was better and more inspired in the 1970's compared to today.

Despite being disappointed, I still have to give ABBA an E for effort for re-forming after 40 years to give some new music and a new album to the world, even if the album doesn't exactly sound the way I hoped it would. Not much to recommend aside from the great track "Don't Shut Me Down", but ABBA has always generally been most popular as a singles band compared to their albums. My favorite ABBA album is probably Arrival, that album for the most part is consistently good all the way through. Super Trouper would be my second favorite album.

Heard an interview last night on NPR with one of ABBA founders, Bjorn......I believe I heard him saying he's 79....loved that group. Often go to listen to them on youtube.

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/05/1052651014/abba-is-back-with-new-music-and-plans-for-a-high-tech-stage-show

Happiest times in my life was when I was dancing and ABBA right in there for me.

As far as I know, ABBA's Voyage album is to be their last recording and a follow up album is not planned. The singer Agnetha might record an album of her own but it's unknown at this time if the project will proceed or not.

As far as I know, ABBA's Voyage album is to be their last recording and a follow up album is not planned. The singer Agnetha might record an album of her own but it's unknown at this time if the project will proceed or not.

Never fear, they’ll be back together again in another 40 years :wave:

Speaking of ABBA (and that’s a bonus clue here), this was tonight’s Final Jeopardy


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Mamma Mia is the answer to the Jeopardy question. I didn't know that the song was a #1 hit in the UK, in the USA it peaked at the #32 spot on the Billboard chart.

Mamma Mia is the answer to the Jeopardy question. I didn't know that the song was a #1 hit in the UK, in the USA it peaked at the #32 spot on the Billboard chart.

Mamma Mia is correct

:music: Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia, let me go :music:


Would you have gotten it on the show, where you wouldn’t have specifically known the answer was an ABBA song?

Mamma Mia is correct

:music: Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia, let me go :music:


Would you have gotten it on the show, where you wouldn’t have specifically known the answer was an ABBA song?

I would have come up with the answer, I just didn't know that Mamma Mia was a #1 hit in the UK, that part of the clue was a surprise to me.

Here's something interesting, ABBA and SOS, band name and song title, both are palindromes, spelled the same way forwards or backwards.

I would have come up with the answer, I just didn't know that Mamma Mia was a #1 hit in the UK, that part of the clue was a surprise to me.

Yeah, here’s a chart from Wikipedia of the songs peak positions. I wonder why of all the countries we liked it least

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I see that Mamma Mia peaked at the #12 spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, that sounds more accurate to me. Peaking at the #32 spot on the hot 100 chart is too low, I could see it on the hot 100 as a top 20 hit, peaking at one of the "teen" spots, from #13 to #19, somewhere in there.

Hey Hey Helen is a song on ABBA's third album, it sounds like it should have been a radio hit but as far as I know it was not released as a single.

Hey Hey Helen is a song on ABBA's third album, it sounds like it should have been a radio hit but as far as I know it was not released as a single.

You give the ‘Voyage’ album a second listen yet? (I haven’t)

You give the ‘Voyage’ album a second listen yet? (I haven’t)

I gave it another listen but my overall opinion is the same, the two ladies still sing well but too many songs are slow in tempo and the melodies aren't all that catchy. Don't Shut Me Down is the standout track, I also like Just A Notion, and Keep An Eye On Dan is an interesting track also.

Having said that, the band members are in their 70's now so maybe it's unrealistic to expect this new album to be a complete throwback to the glory days. Perhaps ABBA themselves say it best with their lyrics in Don't Shut Me Down:

"I am not the one you knew, I'm now and then combined, and I'm asking you to have an open mind. I'm not the same this time around, I'm fired up don't shut me down".

And ‘Little Things’ now gives us an ABBA Christmas song.

ABBA to Release First-Ever Christmas Single (https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/ABBA-to-Release-First-Ever-Christmas-Single-20211116)

ABBA Achieves Highest-Charting Album Ever on Billboard 200 With Debut of 'Voyage'

Pop legends ABBA earn their highest charting album ever on the Billboard 200, and first top 10, as Voyage debuts at No. 2 on the chart dated Nov. 20. The set was released on Nov. 5 and is the quartet’s first new studio album since 1982’s The Visitors.

Until this week, ABBA’s highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 was 1978’s The Album, which peaked at No. 14 on the July 22, 1978-dated chart. The Album contains the hit single “Take a Chance on Me,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart. The Album was the follow-up to Arrival, which peaked at No. 20 and includes the act’s lone No. 1 Hot 100 hit, “Dancing Queen.”

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9659859/abba-voyage-billboard-200-highest-charting-album/

I got the Voyage album for my birthday and I can honestly say that ABBA really pulled off a comeback album that is really worth listening to. I heard I Still Have Faith In You and it reminded me of The Winner Takes It All and proves that ABBA can still sing ballads well. But one song that brings to mind 80's New Wave is the song Keep An Eye On Dan which tells about a woman and her son named Dan's visit to his father "I think the woman in the song is divorced" and that song will make you think of Gimme Gimme Gimme A Man After Midnight. But I think ABBA will recieve Grammy Awards for such a marvelous comeback album
Bestie