On April 6, 1974 it will be exactly 40 years since Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest and became a part of music history.
The anniversary has not gone unnoticed by their record label Polar Music International, now part of the Universal Music Group.
Universal plans on rolling out a year of celebrations for Abba with numerous reissues, bonus tracks and activities.
Abba won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with their song ‘Waterloo’. The impact of broadcast of the song contest from Brighton, England that year made ‘Waterloo’ an international hit reaching number one across Europe in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland. ‘Waterloo’ also reached no. 1 in South Africa, no. 4 in Australia and no. 6 in the USA.
‘Waterloo’ was the first single and title track off Abba’s second album. It was also the first Abba release to use the Abba name. Abba’s first album ‘Ring Ring’ was credited as Björn, Benny, Agnetha, Frida. In later years the artist name was changed to Abba.
The song ‘Waterloo’ was written by Abba’s Benny Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus with their manager Stig Anderson.
‘Waterloo’ was recorded on December 17, 1973 at Metronome Studios in Stockholm. It was released on March 4, 1974.
The statement from Universal Music today reads, The year 2014 marks the 40th Anniversary of ABBA’s spectacular win at the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, England.
