The Best of ABBA
Greatest hits album by
ABBA
ReleasedAugust 1975
Recorded1972–1975
GenrePop
Length36:16
LabelPolydor (Austria, Germany, India, Netherlands and Norway)
RCA owned by Sony Music Entertainment Australia (Australia and New Zealand)
ProducerBenny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA chronology
ABBA
(1975)		 The Best of ABBA
(1975)		 Greatest Hits
(1975)

The Best of ABBA is a compilation greatest hits album by Swedish pop group ABBA, first released in August 1975 in the Netherlands. It was then released in West Germany, and then in Australia and New Zealand in November 1975, before being released in Austria and India in 1976.[1][2] Despite not being released in Norway, imports led the album to chart. After import copies were being sold in Scandinavia, ABBA's Greatest Hits was rush-released there in November 1975. The album topped the charts in Australia, Austria and New Zealand, and went on to be certified 24× Platinum in New Zealand and 22× Platinum in Australia. The album is tied with Dire Straits' album Brothers in Arms for being the best-selling album in New Zealand.[3]

In Australia it spent 16 weeks at number one, and in New Zealand it topped the charts for 18 weeks. The Best of ABBA was one of the biggest selling vinyl albums in Australian history, selling over a million copies. At one stage RCA Records couldn’t keep up with the demand for the albums in the country's shops, and copies had to be pressed under licence by a rival record company. In both countries, this album charted better than all the other ABBA releases, and it also became the first ever album to be certified gold in Australia before it was even released.

The Best of ABBA was re-released in 1988 on vinyl and CD, but was only available for a short time.

Track listing & Personnel

All songs written and composed by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, except where noted.

Side 1

  1. "Waterloo" (written by Andersson, Stig Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 2:41
  2. "Ring Ring" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus, Neil Sedaka, Phil Cody) – 3:01
  3. "Honey, Honey" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 2:52
  4. "Mamma Mia" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:32
  5. "People Need Love" (written by Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:40
  6. "Nina, Pretty Ballerina" (written by Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 2:50

[4]

Side 2

  1. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:15
  2. "SOS" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:22
  3. "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)" – 3:12
  4. "Bang-A-Boomerang" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:00
  5. "Hasta Mañana" (written by Andersson, Anderson, Ulvaeus) – 3:05
  6. "So Long" (written by Andersson, Ulvaeus) – 3:06


[5]

Personnel

Agnetha Falkstög: Lead Vocals (8, 9, 11) Co Lead Vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12), Backing Vocals

Anni-Frid Lyngstad: Co Lead Vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12), Backing Vocals

Björn Ulvaeus: Guitar, Lead Vocals (5), Backing Vocals

Benny Andersson: Piano, Synthesizers, Backing Vocals

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20] 22× Platinum 1,210,000[21]
Germany (BVMI)[22] Platinum 500,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[23] Gold 10,000*
India — 50,000[24]
Netherlands — 500,000[25]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[3] 24× Platinum 360,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "ABBA: The Best of ABBA". Discogs. 1975. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  2. ↑ "The Best of ABBA". ABBA—The Releases. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts 1966–2006. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. ISBN 978-1-877443-00-8. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  4. ↑ RCA Victor VPL1-4020A LP recording 1975 Polar Music AB
  5. ↑ RCA Victor VPL1-4020B LP recording 1975 Polar Music AB
  6. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – ABBA – The Best of" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – ABBA – The Best of" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – ABBA – The Best of" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Charts.nz – ABBA – The Best of". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – ABBA – The Best of". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – ABBA – The Best of". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  13. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 428. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1976" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1976. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1976 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1977. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1977" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1977 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  20. ↑ Baker, Glen (8 November 1979). "Billboard Magazine Volume 91, No. 36". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510.
  21. ↑ "The Music Australia Loved". Sydney Morning Herald. 1 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (ABBA; 'Best Of ABBA')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  23. ↑ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1977". IFPI Hong Kong.
  24. ↑ Baker, Glenn (18 July 1981). "India: Sleeping Giant Awakes" (PDF). Billboard. p. 70. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  25. ↑ Hoos, Willem (8 September 1979). "Abba The World". Billboard. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
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