#303 ABBA, 'The Definitive Collection' (2001)

Previously #179

ABBA are one of the biggest groups of all time. Their sales are estimated between 150 million and 380 million records sold, 11.2 million singles sold in the UK alone plus 8 consecutive #1 albums, once again in the UK. They are simply one of the best-selling artists of all time. Their songs are ubiquitous. I had them playing in my head simply by reading the tracklisting.

ABBA is a group that I’ve just never clicked with. The songs are well written pop songs, their harmonies perfect, yet the music drives me crazy. 2 hours and 37 minutes of ABBA is not my idea of a good time. But people love them and derive great joy from the music, so who am I to argue with that. ABBA – not for me, but loved by at least 380 million people around the world. Their other greatest hits collection, ‘Gold: Greatest Hits,’ is the third biggest-selling record in Australian history, with 1.2m copies sold (17x Platinum). That’s about 1 in 21 Australians that own the record (my maths isn’t great, so feel free to correct that). Anyway, thank you but no thank you for the music, or something like that, ABBA.

#rs500albums