New compilation: ABBA The Singles - The First 50 Years

That's not much more "sales" than GOLD last week.

I reckon actual real sales about 1,000.

In Sweden, failed to make charts (Top 60) but #7 on Physical Chart.

Alan -- The UK Charts are manipulated every Week, by 'Chart Rules'. Which is why I'm
nowhere near as fascinated by them, as I once was. The Singles Chart is even more false
than the Albums Chart. That's enabled Sabrina Carpenter, to be the 1st Female to have
the entire Top 3, this Year. As well as the No.1 and No.2, for several Weeks. Plus her
replacing herself at No.1, more than once. Plus, being only the 2nd Artist to spend
as many as 20 Weeks, at No.1, in the same Year. The 1st time it has been done since
Frankie Laine, in 1953. All of those 2024 Feats, are due to how Streaming affects the
UK Singles Chart.

It affects the Albums Chart too. The only way to stop the manipulation, is for the UK
Singles and Albums Charts, to close down. Because the UK Charts Company, has no
intentions of changing 'Chart Rules'. No intentions at all...

A lot of Albums Enter high, but then make massive falls. Such as 'Tension II', by
Kylie, being hailed as her 10th UK No.1 Album last Week - and falling to No.52,
this Week!!!

Many UK 'Chart Fans' know, that it is really Streaming, that keeps 'Hits' Albums, in
the Top 100, Year in Year out. They have long called for them, to be 'Banished' into
their own Chart. Which would be bad News for ABBA, as they will then hardly ever
be seen, in the UK Albums Chart. Except for a Week, (or so), every several Years,
when one of their Studio Albums, ('Deluxe'), may Chart for 1 Week - at a very low
Position. So, if the 'Banish Hits Albums!' People, get their way, ABBA will no longer
be seen much, in the UK Top 100 Albums...

Just realised that The Definitive Collection in 2001 also reached number 17 in the UK, but that was entirely in its own right as it was before streaming. The similar Essential Collection didn’t chart.

Fact: Love Isn’t Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough) - (fnarr fnarr) - is the only track on this compilation that hasn’t previously reached number one in the UK as part of a prior studio album or compilation (and still hasn’t).

All 37 other tracks have been number one on a studio album or compilation, and in many cases both (and some went a step further, being number one singles). And a few have been number one singles as well as part of a number one studio album and three number one compilations (primarily singles from Arrival and The Album).

I notice someone has edited Wikipedia to include The Singles 50 as an update of The Singles 10. I would disagree, it’s a second update of The Definitive Collection.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Singles:_The_First_Ten_Years

Meanwhile, I see a lot of online praise for the remastering and sound quality of this release, some calling it the best sounding digital version ever released.

I have every remaster that was done over the years, but personally I find myself going back more and more to the original, unremastered CD's from the eighties. Of course it's always a matter of personal taste but the consensus is that these are still the best sounding versions. After all, that's how the music was supposed to sound in the first place.

OK, I have my calculations...

GOLD last week #23, was on about 4,000 "sales". Almost all streaming of course. The #24 album was just over 3 900.
The Singles #17 on about 6,100 sales this week.

Only 2,100 more sales for this "new" album. Actually that's more than I thought but still derisory. The ABBA Voyage show gets more bums on seat per night. I would imagine streaming consisten so that extra would be mainly CDs. At only #34 in the vinyl chart, which is a niche market, not many willing to fork out £100 for this hideous monstrosity.


Failed to chart in their native Sweden, only #42 in Australia and the #5 German chart placing is flattering as that is a value-based chart. Also #17 in Ireland.
Really, was it even worth releasing?

In context, Voyage sold over 200k on its first week in the UK and about the same in Germany. Some streaming but almost all pure sales. It shipped a million. Sold probably 800k.

If sales distribution was similar for The Singles, global sales of 8 to 10,000. Wow!

Enough to fill the ABBA Arena for 3 nights!

Not too many comments about 'The Singles' so far have been about the actual listening experience, so - for what it's worth - I'll add in my 2p-worth...

I like the sound of the CDs. It must be a result of the remastering of the tracks. A little higher on the treble, seemingly, with a little less bass accordingly - it plays very well on my CD player, and to me the tracks sound better overall than on 'Gold'.

I am getting a little 'background hiss' on 'People Need Love' - that may be to do with the original tape - but haven't heard anything else yet that would detract from the enjoyment of the music.

It is right, in my view, that the Polar singles are all on one collection now. So, if I want to hear the hits on CD, I think this will be my 'go-to' package from now on.

A friend of mine emailed Miles Showell who is listed as having mastered the recent compilation. He sent a lovely reply back, confirming he did indeed remaster this set and explained in what form the songs were sent to him etc. Perhaps its worth getting for the sound after all!

Well, maybe, as I said earlier, it should have been promoted as better sound quality ...but then, why not before?

In the UK Monday Mid Week's, 'The Singles' falls from No.13 to No.18.

That's comparing last Monday's Mid Week Position, to this Week's Position,
in the Monday Mid Week's..

It really means, that it was at No.17, in Friday's Full Week Chart, and it
has only fallen 1 place since then. Which means that, it is holding up far
better, than I anticipated - so far.

It is obviously the Streams, that it is getting from 18 'Gold' Tracks,
that is supporting it. It does not seem, to be Selling very well, as a
CD, or on Vinyl. It only sold about 2000 Physical Copies, to be at
No.17,last Week. It may Sell 2000 more Physical Copies, this Week.

But, until it vacates the UK Top 100, 'ABBA Gold', will not be able
to return. It looks like 'The Singles' will get a 2nd Week, in the
UK Top 100. Whether it can stretch to 3 Weeks, is another matter...

Universal can allocate either 50 or GOLD as its ABBA GH album.

If they don't the best selling (phyical/downloads) gets the Streaming

GOLD only sold 325 last week, 50 on about 2,000.

It might take a few weeks for 50 to get lower sales than GOLD


OnlyAbba4Meagain, I take it Midweek charts from Monday morning to Sunday night. The #18 position then is for 4 days sales (Mon-Thurs) that was included in last week's full chart and won't be in this Friday's chart.

50 will probably have a bigger drop than this mid week implies but still safely in Top 100.

I don't mean to take this off topic, but this is an example of what could have been achieved in terms of celebrating 50 years of ABBA. The design and presentation on this is just exquisite. It's also a terrific balance of hits, deep cuts and unreleased/rarities.

That Bryan Ferry Vinul and CD set was really impressive looking.

I very much doubt it got converts. Nothing from Mamma Mia! or Voyage show that might have enticed casual fans.

Nothing for hard-core fans- remixes, unreleased Voyage songs etc.

And cover/design was horrible.