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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2020 18:37:15 GMT
With the beginning of a new year 2020, I ask myself the inevitable question " WILL WE FINALLY HEAR THE "NEW" SONGS AT LAST ? " Let us hope that we at least see a fleeting glimpse of a reformed ABBA announcing the forthcoming new material ( albeit a couple of songs ). We keep referring to the songs as new but they were recorded in 2017, therefore already 3 years old. So, the songs are not new technically speaking. Personally, I don't think ABBA are at fault with all these delays and setbacks. As far as I am aware they have encountered problems with recording contracts etc and that is where the blame lies. Please, please let 2020 be the year of ABBA's return albeit brief. Feel free to correct me if I haven't researched my information correctly.
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Post by gazman on Jan 20, 2020 21:08:24 GMT
I see that the Whitney Houston hologram tour is due to be performed across the UK in February/March 2020.
This might gives us some interesting visual clues as to what technology can do, ahead of any annnouncements from ABBA. I am tempted to buy a ticket...
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Post by nadine on Jan 21, 2020 15:37:55 GMT
oh pardon .... mais .. je veux juste entendre leur voix encore une fois... désolée pour les abbatars... 3 ans maintenant qu'ils nous ont annoncé leurs chansons... J'ai attendu 38 ans 😭...maintenant je veux juste les entendre chanter ensemble ... j'ai encore (et toujours) foi en vous😘
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Post by Zeebee on Jan 23, 2020 20:48:26 GMT
oh pardon .... mais .. je veux juste entendre leur voix encore une fois... désolée pour les abbatars... 3 ans maintenant qu'ils nous ont annoncé leurs chansons... J'ai attendu 38 ans 😭...maintenant je veux juste les entendre chanter ensemble ... j'ai encore (et toujours) foi en vous😘 Nadine, please post in English. |
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Post by josef on Feb 1, 2020 14:29:40 GMT
Latest from Benny. He reckons the new songs will be released after the summer, posibly September. A LONG way off, if you ask me. Then there'll probably be more delays. And he's also vague about making any promises about the songs being released this year at all.
It's actually a joke now. Just shut up and say nothing and release the songs. This has been handled very badly indeed.
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Post by gazman on Feb 1, 2020 15:52:39 GMT
My guess for the first new song release was November, actually - so if it does turn out to be September, I will be pleasantly surprised.
I think the only thing you can take away from this clip is that it will definitely not happen before the summer. Presumably, even if the first new song/videoclip is ready, all the other ABBA classics have got to be perfected in an 'ABBA-tar setting' before they can be confident enough to launch ticket sales for the show. And Benny did want to link the new song releases to the ticket sales...
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Post by richard on Feb 1, 2020 16:31:49 GMT
What about being flexible - is that too much to ask of Benny and Bjorn? Adapting or changing their plans because of all the delay. Releasing these two songs as a double A-side single now and then still deploying them later in the abbatar show?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 17:07:08 GMT
Thanks for posting the latest news on the "forthcoming" new songs, Josef. So, all of us fans will continue to be kept in the dark. Disappointing but beyond our control. As I previously mentioned these songs are no longer new. They were recorded in 2017. What is happening ?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 17:38:40 GMT
Josef - Thanks for the 'New Songs Up-Date'. I was not expecting anything until at least November, so September
would be a 'surprise' for me, as it would be for Gazman etc. They are not 'New' Songs anyhow, as ABBA Recorded
them in June 2017 - over 2.5 Years ago. Over a Quarter of a Decade ago! They are 'Old' Songs really. It is like
talking about Tracks off the 'Super Trouper' Album in April or May 1983!
I'm still wondering what happens to any 'New' ABBA Songs, if The ABBAtars don't work out? If that happens, will
the 'New' Songs get put into 'The Vault', next to 'Just Like That' etc? I wonder how ABBA Fans will react, if that
happens? Part of me thinks that we'll never see them released. Another part of me is far more optimistic...
Some good ABBA News - 'Lay All Your Love On Me' has just been awarded a Silver Sales Disk by The BPI, for over
200,000 UK Sales, since November 2004. That is more than it sold in 1981, when the 12 Inch only Single reached
No.7 and sold around 136,000 copies - not enough to be in the UK's Year End Top 100 Singles List. It's the 6th ABBA
Single to get a UK Download Sales Award, since November 2004. The other 5 are: 'Dancing Queen' - Platinum - 600,000,
'Mamma Mia' - Gold - 400,000, 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!' - Gold - 400,000, 'Waterloo' - Silver - 200,000 and 'The Winner
Takes It All' - Silver - 200,000...(The BPI is The British Phonographic Industry. They share the same London Headquarters
as the Official UK Charts Company).
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 18:05:12 GMT
It is good to know that finally quite a few ABBA classics are receiving the accolades that they deserve. Thanks for your interesting and informative statistics.
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Post by gazman on Feb 1, 2020 20:36:47 GMT
What about being flexible - is that too much to ask of Benny and Bjorn? Adapting or changing their plans because of all the delay. Releasing these two songs as a double A-side single now and then still deploying them later in the abbatar show? Because it is all about business marketing first, Richard. Massive interest in the songs as they are released is anticipated, and they will be hoping that then translates into immediate ticket bookings, and hopefully, some 'SOLD OUT' scenarios. If the songs are released several months before the ABBAtar experience is ready to launch, all impetus from the 'new' songs goes out of the window. Fans might feel it harsh, but it is reality....it's all about the 'money, money, money'... |
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Post by josef on Feb 1, 2020 21:15:34 GMT
Unfortunately, gazman is right. It's all about the green stuff. I just hope it's all done right. As in, I don't want to be fobbed off. I'm not so interested in the avatars- it's mostly about the music for me- but I would like proper interviews, photoshoots and glossy magazine spreads. I want The International ABBA Magazine to come back. Hell, I want a return to the glory days. I want a return to simpler times...without global warming, Brexit, horrendous politicians and mutating flu viruses. Yeah, I know - rose-tinted spectacles.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2020 21:41:15 GMT
I'm told that ABBA Songs have now reached 2 Billion Streams on Spotify, which is very good for an 'Old' Act,
as it is really the 'Modern' Acts, who get gigantic Streams - Drake, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber & Ariana Grande etc.
Drake had 28 Billion Spotify Streams in the 2010 to 2019 Decade. That shows how far ahead 'Modern' Acts
are, when it comes to Streaming...
I know that Queen must have far more Spotify Streams than ABBA. In 2019, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' alone became
the 1st Pre-2000 Song to reach 1 Billion Spotify Streams - and that is just 1 of their 100's of Songs...
From what I've read around The Internet, the majority of ABBA Fans are not really interested in The ABBAtars. ABBA
want us to 'have' them, alongside the 'New' Songs. It seems that we can't have one without the other. I'm looking
forward to seeing The ABBAtars in ABBA Videos. They will be the first ABBA Promo Videos to be made with Modern
Technology. So, there will be some very good 'Special Effects' in them. Let's hope that the Songs are as interesting as
the Videos. If ABBA wanted to they could release a New Album - on DVD - with Modern Videos for every Track. Such
DVD's are allowed into the Album Charts of several Countries. The Record Company merely has to request that they
be regarded as Albums, by the Chart Compilers. The UK and Germany allow DVD's to get into the Album Chart...
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Post by jj on Feb 2, 2020 7:01:16 GMT
What if the real reason for these constant delays is because ABBA needs extra time to finish eight other songs for their new album?
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Post by stepalm on Feb 2, 2020 10:00:54 GMT
I am happy with the news from Benny. Even during the eightes I was used to hear about songs about to be released and then there were delays and some songs where never released. If they release one of the songs in september and maybe the other one for christmas it would be a perfect plan for me. Hoping that the song "I still have faith in you" could be a massive christmas hit. It would be like in the old times when Abba released songs and albums just Before christmas but with a pro single in the summer/autumn. The name of the game, Summernight city, Gimme gimme gimme and The Winner takes it all. I remember When all is said and done was supposed to be released late summer 1981 but since they released the 12 tum single of Lay all your love on me they decided not to. In the first version of the Dick Cavett show shown in Sweden they present WAISAD as their new single.
If there would be a big surprise with a complete album at the end of the year i hope fans would forget about all the delays. |
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Post by josef on Feb 2, 2020 10:28:25 GMT
Oh gosh if it were true that a WHOLE NEW ALBUM was going to be the result of all this delay then all would be 'forgiven'.
It's just frustration. We love the group so much and are just so keen to hear Agnetha and Frida sing together once more. To hear the words Björn has put together and marvel at Benny's melodic structures. And because life is pretty grim sometimes (well, a lot of the time, actually) some of us hold on to this as a sign of hope, something to hold dear and lift us out of the gloom of existence. I'm not exaggerating when I say that for me ABBA has been "the love of my life" in many ways. Their music has, I mean. It's been with me through everything. We've never really ''broken up", if that makes any sense? So this means a lot. Who amongst us could truthfully say they ever thought we'd get NEW songs from ABBA? Time and time again they'd said no, that was it, no more ABBA. So this is like one last Hurrah! for them and the icing on the cake for us fans.
It just can't come soon enough, that's all. And it has been over 2 years (?) so it's not just a slight delay or anything.
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Post by richard on Feb 2, 2020 10:55:46 GMT
That would great, wouldn't it, if a new album turned out to be true?
But unless we think Benny and Bjorn are a pair of teasers and spinners, unreliable, with often no substance to their words, then I feel that's just wishful thinking from we fans. Hope I'm wrong about that! Unfortunately, it seems that thinking first of fans who are primarily interested in hearing new songs is not 'their' key motivation. But it's a difficult issue because the songs probably wouldn't even have been written and recorded at all without the commercial 'project' providing the stimulus.
I definitely think 'they' - whoever they are - are assuming too much about the pulling power (for the general public) of two unfamiliar - and thus taken to be more appealing? - songs for the avatar show. I'm guessing it will be the show itself, including the old hits, that will attract the audience - or not. However, I think releasing these two songs in advance would serve a useful purpose to pique interest in the avatar show - provided the show soon follows.
Of course, not all musicians will have a passionate desire or need - or the wherewithal - to engage with music into old age, free of monetary blandishments. So it's unfair of me to think that ABBA are different in that respect - though they don't need the money, obviously.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2020 17:22:35 GMT
Could the delays be an excuse for a brand new ABBA studio album ? If so, I would welcome this "WITH OPEN ARMS AND MOUTH WIDE OPEN TOO". Bjorn did hint that all four had been in the studio in an interview ( last autumn ). I think a new album could be a possibility as things are very hush hush at the moment. We can only hope.
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Post by foreverfan on Feb 2, 2020 17:36:31 GMT
We tend to get carried away with what nots being said, ie New Album, it’s human nature I guess, as I can’t recall once anyone of importance saying there is going to be a New Album.
On a personal note, my frustration has all but gone now, as let’s be honest there’s nothing anyone of us can do about it apart from have a moan, and wait...
Of course I hope there’s more than these two tracks coming, and even in a perverse optimistic sort of way I hope the ABBAtars are a huge success, as ultimately it’s probably going to be the last thing new that we get, of course we should never say never..but it will throw them into the spotlight once again...
Autumn seems forever away on a dreary February day.. so we carry on waiting, we cant even have a countdown..
Underneathi it all though there’s that excitement slowly growing.... we hope...
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2020 19:10:24 GMT
Regarding The ABBAtars - Technology is moving very fast, these days. I saw a very disturbing Video on
You Tube, the other day. A fellow was giving a lecture - in front of an Audience - about how Technology
is now so advanced, that 'they' can make one person's face turn into another person's face in Videos etc.
This technology used to need a lot of equipment to create, but it is now already available to everyone, by
them simply having the App on their Desktops or Laptops. It is called 'Deep Fake Technology''. I'm not sure,
but I think that the technology can also be used in a 'Live' setting - to 'Project' one person's face - and voice
onto another person's. So that there is a 'Fake Copy' talking - pretending to be someone else. It is now possible
to make 'Fake Copies' of of 'Real' Politicians, Film Stars, Music Stars - anyone they like. Then 'they' can use other
technology to imitate their voices. 'They' can make the 'Fake Person' say whatever they like, and the Public will not
know that it is not the 'Real' person. Using such technology, it is possible to 100% destroy anyone 'they' like, by
making 'Fake Copy's admit to really bad - criminal - things. It is very scary really. So, I wonder where The ABBAtars
fit in with such technology? It is possible to put 4 'Real' people on Stage and turn their faces into ABBA! As well as
perfectly copying the voices of ABBA. If they wanted to they could put Agnetha and Frida's faces on the Benny & Bjorn
'Copies' and Benny & Bjorn's faces on the Agnetha & Frida 'Copies'! That really would be weird. Where will it all lead?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2020 16:18:54 GMT
I was never convinced with this "ABBAtars" project from the beginning. In today's world I am not at all surprised. People will resort to all measures for the sake of earning money. I am completely exonerating ABBA and thinking of ruthless music moguls who are to blame and will stop at nothing. Michal pointed out that so called ABBA demos were just put together by heartless You Tube pranksters to make fans believe that these were genuine lost archives. What a world we live in !
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Post by richard on Feb 3, 2020 16:20:58 GMT
Like you, Colin, I'm very interested in this. And of course, the planned ABBA avatar show is the benign side of things we hope to see. But the bio/techno/AI future, depicted as offering wonderful possibilities for mankind, will mostly turn out just the opposite, I'm sure. Right now there are young kids, who must have their smartphones by their bedsides, already on the way to mental illness - and that's the tip of the iceberg.
The 1970s and the heyday of ABBA... Forward to the past! 😀
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Post by foreverfan on Feb 3, 2020 16:52:12 GMT
Mixed emotions^^ love the past present is important and future who knows..
As the “ oldies” say everything in moderation, and oh so true it is, the young generation know nothing different, but are storing up for so many issues to come, life was simpler, back then 😮 gosh I’m a oldie😂😂
even i cant live without my tablet/ phone and I’m a complete novice really using them and funnily enough wish to stay that way.. it’s takes control otherwise... nothing more frustrating seeing people walk down the street looking at the pavement , there’s a big wide world out there....
I really am getting old...😂
back to topic...while I can still remember😂
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2020 17:09:32 GMT
I completely agree as I often see people walking by with heads bent down. All this modern technology at their fingertips ! What can I say ! Bring back proper songs in the charts, 7 inch singles and LP's and hearing those ABBA songs more frequently on the radio. A world where it was more laid back and no one appeared to be overwhelmed and stressed as they are now. Yes, restore " The International ABBA Magazine " as Josef had pointed out previously. I can remember when I ordered mine from a local newsagent and always looked forward to the next one at the beginning of a new month. I prefer the simple old fashioned things to the new fangled gadgetry of today ! We can look back on those times.
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Post by Zeebee on Feb 3, 2020 21:43:12 GMT
What if the real reason for these constant delays is because ABBA needs extra time to finish eight other songs for their new album? Those two songs were recorded in June 2017, so they have already had more than enough time to record an album. In fact, they've had enough time to record two or three albums. |
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Post by bennybjorn on Feb 3, 2020 22:45:13 GMT
Could the delays be an excuse for a brand new ABBA studio album ? If so, I would welcome this "WITH OPEN ARMS AND MOUTH WIDE OPEN TOO". Bjorn did hint that all four had been in the studio in an interview ( last autumn ). I think a new album could be a possibility as things are very hush hush at the moment. We can only hope. IIRC Bjorn, didn't hint. He said clearly that they had been! He also said the others didn't want him to reveal any more... |
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Post by gazman on Feb 4, 2020 1:00:32 GMT
I thought that Benny had clearly said 'There will be no studio album' on the part of the audio guide linked to the room for 'The Visitors' at the current Super Troupers exhibition? Did he not say that? I never got that far on the guide as I was taking photos...
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2020 12:12:52 GMT
As bennybjorn says, Bjorn did not 'hint' that ABBA had been recording in 2019, he clearly said that they had been. That, (or those), 2019 recording session(s), were, (obviously), nothing to do with the 2 'New' Songs, that ABBA recorded in June 2017. So, there will definitely be more than 2 Songs. Gazman -- We may or may not get a New ABBA Album, but ABBA are certainly going to give us more than just 2 Songs. Why else would they need to go into the Recording Studio, in 2019, when the 2 'New' Songs were recorded in June 2017? How much extra recording work could the 2017 Songs need? The UK's Smooth Radio has - somehow - decided that we are 100% getting a New ABBA Album! It has interpreted Benny's 'New Music after the Summer' Interview, as Benny saying that we are getting an entire New ABBA Album! Even though, it is impossible to interpret Benny's Interview that way! Here is the Link to the Smooth Radio Article. It was only put onto their Site today - Tuesday 4th February...
link It was in a September 2019 Interview, on ITV News, (UK), that Bjorn confirmed the 2019 recording session(s). Here is the ITV News Video. Bjorn admits to the 2019 recording session(s) at around the 1.40 mark:
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2020 16:59:26 GMT
The word " hint " can interpret so many different meanings. I don't think we have had official confirmation as to what is going on with the release of the " new songs " and possible others. No actual date and very lacklustre detail-wise. And as I previously commented during an earlier post of mine that both ISHFIY and DSMD are now technically not new before others pipped me to the post. ( January 20 at 6.37 pm. ) I think some of you guys, bennybjorn and onlyabba4me derive pleasure from ganging up on me.
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Post by josef on Feb 4, 2020 17:50:51 GMT
One small thing that's come about as a result of all this (which pleases my heart) is the fact that ABBA's Wikipedia entry changed from "ABBA was a pop group formed in Sweden. ...." to "ABBA is a pop supergroup...."
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