New compilation: ABBA The Singles - The First 50 Years

I see that as being part of their reinvention of ABBA for the Voyage show. The video for I Still Have Faith In You doesn’t have any footage in it from after 1978 apart from the backstage 1979 tour scenes where they’re preparing to go on stage, and of course the Voyage show has them frozen in time mixing how they actually looked in 1977 with what they might have looked like had they emerged now.

They seem to want people to forget their 1980 and after image, even though the evidence is very easy to find.

Exactly. No one would put these posters on the wall, I guess. But I remember having that exact same image of Frida & Agnetha at Drottningholm as a big size poster around 1977/78 so it's nice to see it again.

The same goes for the sticker sheet. No one is going to use those stickers anywhere.

  At present, it looks as though 'The Singles...' will be a very low Entry, in the UK Top 100.

The 'Clue' is that, The Official Charts Company, has mentioned no less than 23 New Entries,
in the UK Albums Chart. The actual Top 100 Update, will not be shown until 5.45 pm, on
Monday. But, they have mentioned 23 New Entries. ABBA are not mentioned at all.

This either means that they did not think ABBA worth mentioning, but they have Entered
in the Top 30. Or - that ABBA have Entered so low, that The OCC see it all as a  huge flop,
and see no use in mentioning such a huge failure.

For those, who say that 'The Charts don't matter' - it is actually extremely embarrassing,
for one of the Best Selling Groups in Chart History, to have any kind of flop, or tiny Hit.
It does ABBA's image Zero favours. It would be far better, for 'The Singles', not to Chart
at all, than for it to enter very low. It can fade away - fast - if it is a complete flop. It is
better than it Peaking at No.56, or No.48, or something - for UK Chart Watchers to see
that it has bombed. (If it flops completely, many Chart Watchers, will not know that it
ever existed).

I may be wrong, and it may enter the Top 30 - we will see. But, even if it does, it will
only Chart for 1 or 2 Weeks. It is not going to hang around for long. I recall the 'Live', 
(at Wembley), CD/LP, in 2014. It entered the UK Top 100 at No.30, and some Fans
expected a big leap, in Week 2. Instead, it dropped from No.30, right out of the Top 
100 - because even most Fans, were not keen, on a 'Live' ABBA Release. I certainly
was not interested in it. It may as well have been a Led Zeppelin Album, for all I
cared!

Universal know, by now, that they can get the same Fans to buy these things, over 
and over, just by putting out ABBA CD's with 4, (or more), different Covers, in 4,
(or more), different Colours. It is sad, how many Fans fall for such gimmicks, when
the Music never, ever gets anything New or Rare added. I became an ABBA Fan for
the Music - not pretty Photos, that some Fans fawn over!!!

However, in this case, it looks like you can either buy it on CD or Vinyl, and that's
the limit of your choice. So, 'The Singles', is another stupid mistake, by Universal.
A mistake that does ABBA's reputation no good at all. It is embarrassing. They did
not even give it a secent Cover!!! Many Fans hate it. Including me.

Benny and Bjorn seem not to care. The Fans are far more loyal to them, than they
are to us. That is the truth. For some reason, the 'ABBA owe us nothing' Fans, never
quite get that. But, it is 100% true. Apparently, Fans like me, are not ABBA Fans, at
all. Some Fans think, that you either praise ABBA - non stop - or you are not a Fan.
A very childish way to look at it, but I was never that fanatical, anyhow. 

There is Zero excuse for Benny & Bjorn, to never let us have Alternate versions of the
Hits. Nor for not letting us have any left over Songs from 'Voyage'. Instead, they'd
rather let Universal, keep putting out ABBA Songs, that we all have many times over.
It is not very nice to their Fans. But, we still see some Fans, excusing and defending
it. Which is why being an ABBA Fan is so terribly dull and frustrating, these days...

Still - with every stupid Release, like 'The Singles', more and more Fans, realise that
they are far more faithful to ABBA, than ABBA are to us. It is very amusing, that some 
Fans refuse to criticise ABBA at all - when there has long been so much to criticise...

If it is expected to not chart or chart very low then it's clear Streaming WON'T be used - otherwise it would get Gold's streaming stats plus its own meagre real sales.

I guess then Universal have kept faith with GOLD as the nominated album for GH streams.

I think it deserves to flop big time and not make the Top 100.

One thing I find refreshing is that some of the more fawning accounts across social media have turned on this release. Increasing numbers of fans claim not to be buying it. And that kind of backlash is kind of unexpected in ABBAworld, I think. I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that a picture disc edition is probably waiting in the wings, ready to milk the fans/boost the album's fortunes [delete as appropriate]. If, as rumour suggests, more interesting tracklists were rejected by ABBA (or, let's be honest, Benny), then Universal should have had the integrity to say "let's not jeopardise Gold's position, let's just shelve this idea." From title to cover to tracklist, this release has "lame duck" written all over it.

If the Compilation had something new then so be it. I would have got it on the day it came out. I don't have Gold for the same thing. In the past 40 years the only abba records that I buy is if it has something different or new on it.

Where did the title My Story Ends With You originate from? We know Little Boots heard Hit By A Train and it's mentioned in CMP's book, however I've only ever heard this song title mentioned on fan forums.

First midweeks prediction from Official charts (UK) predicting is  a top 20... 13.. so streams must've been added ...
probably a fair bit lower by Friday.....

GOLD not in Top 100...streams used for The Singles.


www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart-update/

  1).. So, 'The Singles' is at No.13 in the UK's Monday Mid Week's. For Sales
        on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If it can retain that Position, in Friday's
        Full Week Chart, it will Sell about 5,700 copies, in Week 1. (Going by
        how many copies last Week's No.13 Album sold. Of course, the No.13
        Album does not Sell the same each Week. I know that).

  2).. If it does become a No.13 Album, it will equal the Peak of 'ABBA' in 1976.

  3).. So, it is doing better than I expected. However, it is almost certain that 
        it will not climb any higher, as the Week progresses. We will see, but it
        is doubtful. But, I'm not any kind of 'Chart Expert', and I've been wrong
        before, as I am keen to admit. i'm not Psychic, and I'd have long since
        Won The National Lottery, if I was!

  4).. What is interesting, is that Universal seem to have told The Official Charts
        Company, to direct the Streams of ABBA's Hits to 'The Singles' - and not
        to carry on giving them to 'ABBA Gold'. So, 'Gold'  has fallen from No.23,
        right out of the Top 100! There is now no trace of 'ABBA Gold' in the UK
        Album Chart. A situation that will only last while 'The Singles' is still in the
        Top 100. It will only be a few Weeks, until the Streams return to 'Gold', and
        that Album will Chart again. Of course it will. 'The Singles' will only Chart 
        for a few Weeks.

   5).. In the meantime, we will see how far 'The Singles' will fall in Next Week's
         UK Top 100. I can't see it stabilising, in the Top 20. In 1976, 'ABBA' held 
         at No.13 for 2 Weeks, but it is very unlikely that 'The Singles' can do that.
         Many Albums make big falls, in Week 2, these Days. Last Week Kylie Minogue
         had her 10th UK No.1 Album, with 'Tension II', but it has collapsed in Week 2,
         and it has dropped from No.1 to No.37, in the Monday Mid Week Chart...

    6).. Here is what 2 UK 'Chart Fans' have said, (Tonight), about the ABBA situation.

          Fan A  --  I'm no expert on how streams are allocated to GH albums when an artist has multiple,
          will they be redirected to Gold next week if its pure sales outstrip the new compilation?
          Or is it up to the label to redirect them everytime they wish?

          Fan B -- Redirected to Gold, it's based on the compilation with the highest pure sales each
          week (unless otherwise nominated by label I guess).

    7).. I know that some of my Posts here are 'Controversial' to some Fans. Perhaps even making some
          Fans rather angry, and annoyed at me. I just speak my Mind, and try to be honest. I don't read
          any Posts, that follow my 'Controversial' ones. The  Days are long gone, when I get into quarrels,
          with other ABBA Fans. It is pointless, to go too and thro, arguing with other Fans. I say what I 
          want to say, and then I walk away. I call it, 'Closing The Door'. It stops me getting tempted to
          Reply to any Fans, who dislike what I say. I want Peace in my Life, as I have enough grief in my
          everyday exiistence. So, I never, ever read any Replies to my Posts. It saves me much turmoil...

     8).. I'm truly not a horrible Person. I try hard to be kind in 'Real Life'. No matter what some ABBA Fans
           may think of me. I know that I'm not liked by some People. None of us can be liked by everyone, and
           I don't expect to be. I am sorry, if some of my Posts upset some ABBA Fans, but I must say what I
            think. It is the honest thing to do...

Universal might not have actively assigned The Singles as the nominated GH album

But as Colin says in that quote it's down to pure sales (not just physical but download too)

I expect in Pure Sales, GOLD sells 400-500 hundred a week and The Singles maybe 1000 this week.

There is indeed a very strong chance GOLD will outsell it next week. Certainly by week 3. So streams will revert to GOLD - unless Universal nominate The Singles as its GH choice.

If that happens GOLD will lose its status as longest running album in UK CHART history.

Depending on what figures you look at, there's about 16 weeks between Gold ( 1173 weeks ) and the next highest , Legend by Bob Marley, (1157weeks ). so approx 4 months.... regarding Gold longevity on the charts
it's all surmising of course , but it could all be over in a couple of weeks or 50 could be around for awhile

Baab, I take your point about the longevity of GOLD in the UK charts is not of an interest outside the UK...but maybe that's because it's only the UK where GOLD is currently the longest stayer in the album charts?

There was no need for the pointless release of The Singles. It won't get much sales, and in the age of streaming it's all about the song...and in some countries, GH albums are counted for streaming in the charts.

I agree with you about fans who think ABBA owe us. They don't.