Waterloo 50th / BBC Documentary / Other Anniversary Events

They did attend a CBS sales conference in Bournemouth in 1981. There are some photos from it but it was more of an internal record company event and not a promotional drive for ABBA. The ABBA Magazine covered it. I think they just flew in for it and then flew back out again.

They were also due to appear on the Mike Yarwood Christmas Show in 1980 (following their 1978 appearance) but it got cancelled late on due to kidnap threats in Sweden made against Björn and Agnetha’s children.

Yes, a significant one was the Thank You For The Music set in 1994, which contained previously unreleased recordings. It was released on 31 October that year, nearly seven months after the Eurovision anniversary.

The premiere of "Sagan om ABBA (swedish version of ABBA: against the odds)" will premiere on SVT April,6 , here the trailer of the documentary:


link 

Where's the source for this?

I've now seen the statement from the German fan club, and there is no mention of it kick starting a full year of suprises. Where did this statement come from?

It's in all News covering "The Piano Moment" for the 50th Anniversary:

www.lifeonstage.de/abba-starten-ins-50-jubilaeum-mit-waterloo-ueberraschung-in-berlin-am-6-april/49665/

I hope ABBA WON'T be at ESC. It would over shadow other peoole's big day.

ABBA's anniversary is 6th Aoril. It would be like a couple not celebrating their wedding anniversary but instead gate crash somebody else's wedding.

Plus with issues around Israel the whole event could be subjected to disruption from protests to much worse.

1).. I'm very sorry that I upset Joseph, with my 'Negative' Points about Agnetha, last December.
I never meant to upset anyone. I did send him an Apology Message on December 29th, but he
has never read it, as he was last 'Signed In' to this Site on December 17th.

2).. Whatever the thoughts of some ABBA Fans, about the Group not 'Over-Shadowing' the 2024
ESC, it is going to happen. It is the 50th Anniversary, of their 1974 Win, and it will play a big part
at the 2024 Event. Of course it will. ABBA do not even have to attend. At present, it looks like there
will be a sort of 'Tribute Concert', inserted into the 2024 ESC, where 'Big Stars', will Sing ABBA Songs.
They will not all be Swedish Artists. Perhaps Blondie, Madonna, Robbie Williams, and so on. Of course
some ABBA Fans will be angry, if Robbie performs! 'He's a nobody!' and so on. He's actually had more
UK and German No.1 Albums than ABBA. (Not that I can stand him!). Debbie Harry told the UK Music
Press, Years ago that: 'ABBA are only in it for the money'. So, she certainly had little time for ABBA.

3).. I just wish that something was done to Promote 'More ABBA Gold', to cash in on their 2024 Global
Celebrations. It never has reached the UK Top 10 -- No.14 in 1993 and then No.13 in 1999. The 19 ABBA
Songs on 'Gold' are the only ABBA Songs, to reach the Top 10 of the UK Album Chart, since January 1983!
The UK Chart of the W/E 15th January 1983, saw 'ABBA -- The Singles' having its 9th - and final - Top 10 
Week at No.9. That was the final time, (so far), that Non-Gold ABBA Songs were in the UK Top 10 - such
as 'Ring Ring', 'So Long', 'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do', 'Summer Night City', and several more. Instead, it
is only 'Gold', and its 19 Tracks, that get Re-Promoted. Never 'More ABBA Gold'...

4).. ABBA are not the 'Biggest Selling Act' to Win The Eurovision Song Contest. Celine Dion Won in 1988, and
she has sold more Albums and Singles than ABBA. She managed to be far bigger, than ABBA in the USA, and
France, as well being huge, in all of ABBA's other Markets. She really has outsold ABBA. Although her popularity
is much less now, than it once was.

5).. I'd advise all ABBA Fans to accept their huge Promotion this Year. They deserve it. If some 'Critics' had their
way, ABBA would never be allowed on TV - anywhere. Many Critics look down on them and despise them. There
is still a great deal of snobbery against ABBA. I know 2 UK Scientists, who created a UK Chart Points System, to 
work out the 'Most Successful' UK Chart Acts of each Year, and also of each Decade. By adding Singles Points and
Albums Points together. Elvis Presley 'Won' the 1950's. The Beatles Won the 1960's. ABBA Won the 1970's. Madonna
Won the 1980's. Celine Dion Won the 1990's. But, the 2 Men were not happy that ABBA Won the 1970's. They said
that it, 'Was not right that a Swedish Pop Group' Won that Decade. They said that they'd rather that the Act in 2nd
place beat ABBA - which was Rod Stewart. They also compained about Celine Dion Winning the 1990's. They wanted
the 2nd Act to be 1st - Oasis. So, no respect for ABBA and Celine from them! They said that ABBA were: ‘The same as The Carpenters -- 'Music For Mums'.

The talk about ABBA appearing/not appearing at Eurovision has taken an interesting twist. I've seen two separate mentions of the ABBAtars in this context and, while I'm sure it might well be speculation/wishful thinking/hypothesis, it would be an amazing coup if they could pull it off. I agree with the sentiment that this years entrants shouldn't be overshadowed and, as johnny mentions, there is the murkiness of Israel's involvement and the negativity and protests that attracts.

If they were somehow able to pull it off, an ABBAtar appearance would be amazing though. Imagine being able to place it in the actual show afterwards, and replace the old footage with a zingy new "performance"?! The second anniversary would be a great moment for that - with B&B on the premises. It would also be after the Eurovision, meaning that its "world premiere" would not be derailed. Also, ABBA as people would be at a bit of a remove from any possible negativity surrounding the broadcast.

That's all centred around an extremely big IF, of course.

I totally get onlyabba4meagain 's point about snobbery. It just sucks the joy out of everything. These scientist dudes need a good 20 minutes on a bouncy castle, to get the hell over whatever ails them. At this distance, it stinks a bit of xenophobia, sexism and fragile masculinity. Colin's right@ we should revel in every minute of joy this anniversary year brings us. 

More ABBA Gold's 20th anniversary seems like a no-brainer to celebrate. Pop it out on white vinyl (with the correct ABBA logo) and I'll part with my cash immediately. 

I don’t think they are fond of ESC anyway, and I couldn’t imagine Agnetha being comfortable appearing on stage to speak at the event in front of 10k in the arena and millions watching from home.

BAAB, valid (not so) "devil advocate" position. On global sales the focus is usually Western, and in particular songs in the English language.

I don't know anything about the Chinese or Indian music scene but there are surely big sellers in both.

Global market shares are based on value not units so will diminish sales where music is cheap.

Bit off topic but responding to a post.

HOMETIME: In my post I didn't want to accuse or offend anyone, but just wanted to point out,that very often, the old Western World speaks for "the whole World" but ignoring huge parts of it.

If you look up the list of "Most selling Artists" on e.g. Wikipedia, there is no mention, that the list is only counting Artists from the Western World and therefore the list is incomplete.
It doesn't matter, if we know the Output of Russian, Asian, Indian or Chinese musicians or not, they are simply ignored although the absolute major part of the world population origins from these countries nowadays.

Will ABBA make any impact on the new mega markets?
I believe, Björn with his Pop House company already works on it, to place the ABBAtars there.

BAAB, those lists of All Time Best Selling Artists or Albums should mention "in the English language" if they ignore countries you mention.

Btw, I am sceptical about these worldwide lists.

Most countries didn't have reliable data

Often a claim gets reported as fact and repeated in even respected media

Gold and Platinum discs are often not updated

Or in case of USA a double album has double the sales

Streaming complicates matters. Different countries have differrent methodologies in converting to "sales"

And so on

I do not believe the alleged Sales of the 'Foreign' Artists mentioned. Far too high.Their
Countries do not even have huge Record Markets. Their claimed Sales are up there with
the hilarious claim of 16 Million to 18 Million for 'Yes Sir I Can Boogie', by Baccara, (1977),
which I've long since calculated to have really sold about 5 Million to 5.5 Million copies. Or
the hugely exaggerated claim of 105 Million to 107 Million for Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
Album, from 1982. (More like about 70 Million to 72 Million copies were sold).

Another big exaggeration, is that Blondie's 'Parallel Lines' Album, (1978), sold 20 Million
Globally. No it did not. It has been worked out that it really sold 8,500,000 to 8,700,000.
So, that's an inflated Sales claim of 11,300,000 to 11,500,000! It was only No.1 in a tiny
number of Countries. (Including the UK). It only made No.6 in the huge USA Market.

The Countries that Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, ABBA, Queen, Elton John,
Michael Jackson, Madonna, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Taylor Swift
etc. sold in, did have large and developed Record Markets. Those Acts sold very well in a
great many of them.