Why are Abba so popular?

BBC ^ | 10/21/2014 | Andrew Harrison

[Dr. Sivana]

I thought Queen outsold the Fab Four. Nothing against ABBA. They had a hot blond chick and catchy tunes. Just not music for me.

I think Abba does better worldwide than Queen, who are huge huge in UK, Huge in the U.S. and popular in the EU and among Iranian Zoroastrians. Also, despite a hot run in the early '80s, Queen was an album group, while ABBA was know for singles. There's probably a dozen ways to rank groups, so both of you could be "right".

[Gulf War One]

Beats the crap out of me. It’s like a parody of real R&R.

[ronniesgal]

blech. No thanks!!

[bakkentom]

Heart came out at the same time. I think they still perform as well.

Barracuda is a classic.

[faithhopecharity]

ABBA is singular reading forward and plural reading in reverse.

[MasonGal]

Ha... I see what you did there.

Right now, I am playing that song, and just finished listening to “Waterloo”.

[Borges]

It isn’t rock at all. Rather it’s rock through a bunch of European filters.

[BeauBo]

One of the A's, from ABBA:

(Agnetha)

[xp38]

I saw them when they finally did a North American tour in 1979. The tix were a gift from a customer of mine. Show was fine but once the 80s rolled around and they broke up and that was all she wrote until recently. They apparently have recorded 5 new songs but their release keeps getting delayed. Latest is next year maybe.

[A Navy Vet]

Easy. They write and sing melodic songs that are memorable.

[csvset]

What’s not to like, hot Swedish chicks that sing in that wonderful accented English. I have one of their songs on my phone, Comes up first in my playlist.

[Fungi]

So it should read “Why is ABBA so popular.” If it was plural it would be “why are the ABBA so popular,” same as “why are the Beatles so popular.” With Aerosmith, would it be “Why are Aerosmith so popular?”

[clintonh8r]

In proper British English collective nouns are treated as plural.

[dakine]

Detroit rock and roll fan here - greatly enjoy ABBA’s fun music - and totally enjoyed the Stage show Mamma Mia!, seen it twice.

I think I’m suppose to end this reply with: “Fight Me.”

[Rebelbase]

1974 was the Allman Brothers, Skynyrd, Clapton, some fag named Elton, Jethro Tull, Zepplin, Yes, Who, Stones and several others on my turntable.

[nomorelurker]

“I like Heavy Metal and Power Rock, but I am also a Karen Carpenter and ABBA fan. I love classical and classic country like Chet Atkins.”

No Heavy Metal for me but yes on Power Rock. Love ABBA and Karen Carpenter was a class of her own. Classic Country good, never a Chet Atkins fan.

[clintonh8r]

Me, too. I guess that means we can’t eat lunch with the kewl kids....

[SaxxonWoods]

Gotta be the outfits.

[Rebelbase]

So they could have just as easily been named BAAB or BABA or ABAB?

[nesnah]

You forgot BBAA.