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After nearly 40 years, the legends are back.

The Swedish pop group, widely regarded as one of the all time best musical groups, will be releasing a studio album in November this year.

While we await their new release, here’s a look back on 5 of their classic hits that made them a household name.

Waterloo

ABBA’s iconic ‘Waterloo’ performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, led them to a huge win and catapulted the group to fame. The song went on to top the charts throughout Europe and was also in the top ten in the US. It’s a love song using references from the ‘Battle of Waterloo’, a historic battle that signified the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

SOS

46 years ago, ABBA released the song ‘SOS’. It became a number 1 hit in France, New Zealand, Australia, France, South Africa and West Germany (held the top spot for several weeks). It was also in the top 3 spot in Norway, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands. It’s a relatable heartbreak song, well written with a melancholic melody.

Mamma Mia

Mamma Mia was a massive hit, especially in the UK and Australia where it occupied the number 1 spot. It later went on to being the name of a 1999 Broadway musical that showcased ABBA’s songs. In 2008 and 2018, Mamma Mia American musical movies were released (also featuring the band’s iconic hits) and grossed over $1 billion.

Dancing Queen

Another chart-topping track around the world, a timeless masterpiece. While it has an upbeat tempo, this is actually a sad song about the best time of your life passing. For a large part of my life, I honestly thought the song was about a seventeen year old dancing queen having the time of her life. But that’s only part of it.

Knowing Me, Knowing You

When this song was released, it became yet another fan favourite. It landed number 1 spots in the UK, West Germany, Mexico, Ireland and South Africa. It was also Top 3 in Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada, Belgium and Austria.

This song happens to be my brother’s favourite ABBA song and coincidentally, his birthday is the same day as the song’s release date – February 18 (albeit many years apart).