Editing ABBA (section)

==== Resurgence of public interest ====
The same year the members of ABBA went their separate ways, the French production of a "tribute" show (a children's TV musical named ''[[Abbacadabra]]'' using 14 ABBA songs) spawned new interest in the group's music.

After receiving little attention during the mid-to-late-1980s, ABBA's music experienced a resurgence in the early 1990s due to the UK synth-pop duo [[Erasure (duo)|Erasure]], who released ''[[Abba-esque]]'', a four track [[extended play]] release featuring cover versions of ABBA songs which topped several European charts in 1992. As [[U2]] arrived in [[Stockholm]] for a concert in June of that year, the band paid homage to ABBA by inviting Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to join them on stage for a rendition of "Dancing Queen", playing guitar and keyboards. September 1992 saw the release of ''[[Gold: Greatest Hits (ABBA album)|ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits]]'', a new compilation album. The single "[[Dancing Queen]]" received radio airplay in the UK in the middle of 1992 to promote the album. The song returned to the Top 20 of the UK singles chart in August that year, this time peaking at number 16. With sales of 30 million,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.ie/competitions/display.asp?CompID=7471|title=Win an ABBA GOLD 40th Anniversary Edition + The Singles CD Boxset – entertainment.ie|last=Entertainment.ie|access-date=18 September 2019|archive-date=27 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927234028/http://entertainment.ie/competitions/display.asp?CompID=7471|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Gold'' is the best-selling ABBA album, as well as one of the [[List of best-selling albums|best-selling albums worldwide]]. With sales of 5.5&nbsp;million copies it is the [[List of best-selling albums in the United Kingdom|second-highest selling album of all time]] in the UK, after [[Queen (band)|Queen]]'s ''[[Greatest Hits (Queen album)|Greatest Hits]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-best-selling-albums-of-all-time-on-the-official-uk-chart__15551/|title=The best-selling albums of all time on the Official UK Chart|author=Rob Copsey|work=Official Charts|date=11 April 2019|access-date=18 September 2019|archive-date=2 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002091415/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-best-selling-albums-of-all-time-on-the-official-uk-chart__15551/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[More ABBA Gold: More ABBA Hits]],'' a follow-up to ''Gold'', was released in 1993.

In 1994, two Australian [[cult film]]s caught the attention of the world's media, both focusing on admiration for ABBA: ''[[The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert]]'' and ''[[Muriel's Wedding]]''. The same year, ''[[Thank You for the Music (box set)|Thank You for the Music]]'', a four-disc box set comprising all the group's hits and stand-out album tracks, was released with the involvement of all four members. "By the end of the twentieth century," American critic [[Chuck Klosterman]] wrote a decade later, "it was far more contrarian to hate ABBA than to love them."<ref name="Klosterman quote">{{cite book|last=Klosterman|first=Chuck|title=Eating the Dinosaur|url=https://archive.org/details/eatingdinosaur00klos|url-access=registration|year=2009|publisher=Scribner|location=New York|isbn=978-1-4165-4421-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/eatingdinosaur00klos/page/172 172]|author-link=Chuck Klosterman}} ([https://books.google.com/books?id=T6cFBs1TU9gC&pg=PT203 online copy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516080545/https://books.google.com/books?id=T6cFBs1TU9gC&pg=PT203 |date=16 May 2016 }})</ref>

Two different compilation albums of ABBA songs have been released. ''ABBA: A Tribute'' coincided with the 25th anniversary celebration and featured 17 songs, some of which were recorded especially for this release. Notable tracks include Go West's "One of Us", Army of Lovers "[[Hasta Mañana]]", Information Society's "Lay All Your Love on Me", Erasure's "Take a Chance on Me" (with [[MC Kinky]]), and Lyngstad's a cappella duet with the Real Group of "Dancing Queen". A second 12-track album was released in 1999, titled ''[[ABBAmania]]'', with proceeds going to the Youth Music charity in England. It featured all new cover versions: notable tracks were by Madness ("Money, Money, Money"), [[Culture Club]] ("Voulez-Vous"), [[the Corrs]] ("The Winner Takes It All"), Steps ("Lay All Your Love on Me", "I Know Him So Well"), and a medley titled "Thank ABBA for the Music" performed by several artists and as featured on the Brits Awards that same year.

In 1998, an ABBA tribute group was formed, the ABBA Teens, which was subsequently renamed the [[A-Teens]] to allow the group some independence. The group's first album, ''[[The ABBA Generation]]'', consisting solely of ABBA covers reimagined as 1990s pop songs, was a worldwide success and so were subsequent albums. The group disbanded in 2004 due to a gruelling schedule and intentions to go solo. In Sweden, the growing recognition of the legacy of Andersson and Ulvaeus resulted in the 1998 ''B & B Concerts'', a tribute concert (with Swedish singers who had worked with the songwriters through the years) showcasing not only their ABBA years, but hits both before and after ABBA. The concert was a success and was ultimately released on CD. It later toured Scandinavia and even went to Beijing in the People's Republic of China for two concerts. In 2000 ABBA were reported to have turned down an offer of approximately one billion US dollars to do a reunion tour consisting of 100 concerts.<ref>{{cite news |last=Basham |first=David |date=2 February 2000 |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1424667/abba-nixes-billion-dollar-offer-to-reunite/ |title=ABBA Nixes Billion-Dollar Offer To Reunite |publisher=MTV News |access-date=16 December 2019 |archive-date=12 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190912210222/http://www.mtv.com/news/1424667/abba-nixes-billion-dollar-offer-to-reunite/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Since 2000, the official International ABBA Fan Club has held "International ABBA Day" celebrations on 12th April.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/community/the-cedars-celebrates-international-abba-day-5085562|title=The Cedars celebrates International ABBA Day|last=Selkirk|first=Jane|date=16 April 2025|work=[[Peterborough Telegraph]]|accessdate=16 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://thecareruk.com/the-cedars-celebrates-international-abba-day/|title=The Cedars celebrates International ABBA Day|date=16 April 2025|work=The Carer UK|accessdate=16 April 2025}}</ref>

For the semi-final of the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2004]], staged in [[Istanbul]] 30 years after ABBA had won the contest in Brighton, all four members made cameo appearances in a special comedy video made for the interval act, titled ''Our Last Video Ever''. Other well-known stars such as [[Rik Mayall]], [[Cher]] and [[Iron Maiden]]'s [[Eddie (mascot)|Eddie]] also made appearances in the video. It was not included in the official DVD release of the 2004 Eurovision contest, but was issued as a separate DVD release, retitled ''The Last Video'' at the request of the former ABBA members. The video was made using puppet models of the members of the band. The video has surpassed 13 million views on YouTube as of November 2020.

In 2005, all four members of ABBA appeared at the Stockholm premiere of the musical ''Mamma Mia!''.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4263745.stm|title= Abba Reunite for Musical Premiere|access-date= 16 July 2008|date= 14 February 2005|work= BBC News|location= London|archive-date= 12 October 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211012121232/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4263745.stm|url-status= live}}</ref> On 22 October 2005, at the [[Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest|50th anniversary celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest]], "[[Waterloo (ABBA song)|Waterloo]]" was chosen as the best song in the competition's history.<ref name=50th>{{cite news| work= BBC News| date= 23 October 2005| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4366574.stm| title= Abba win 'Eurovision 50th' vote | access-date= 20 July 2006| archive-date= 19 October 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061019212102/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4366574.stm| url-status= live}}</ref> In the same month, American singer [[Madonna]] released the single "[[Hung Up]]", which contains a sample of the keyboard melody from ABBA's 1979 song "[[Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)]]"; the song was a smash hit, peaking at number one in at least 50 countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4354028.stm|title=Madonna 'begged' Abba for sample|last=Bones|first=Susan|date=18 October 2005|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=23 June 2009}}</ref> On 4 July 2008, all four ABBA members were reunited at the Swedish premiere of the film ''[[Mamma Mia! (film)|Mamma Mia!]]''. It was only the second time all of them had appeared together in public since 1986.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7491246.stm|title= Abba Quartet at Mamma Mia Showing|access-date= 16 July 2008|date= 5 July 2008|work= BBC News|location= London|archive-date= 23 September 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080923035251/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7491246.stm|url-status= live}}</ref> During the appearance, they re-emphasised that they intended never to officially reunite, citing the opinion of [[Robert Plant]] that the re-formed [[Led Zeppelin]] was more like a [[cover band]] of itself than the original band. Ulvaeus stated that he wanted the band to be remembered as they were during the peak years of their success.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7491908.stm|title= Abba Will 'Never' Perform Again|access-date= 7 August 2008|date= 6 July 2008|work= BBC News|location= London|archive-date= 5 November 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081105112453/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7491908.stm|url-status= live}}</ref>

[[File:ABBA 2008 Av Daniel Åhs.jpg|thumb|Posing together with the actors from the motion picture ''[[Mamma Mia! (film)|Mamma Mia! The Movie]]'' on 4 July 2008, are the original ABBA members. Far left, Benny Andersson. Fifth from left, Agnetha Fältskog, with her hand on Anni-Frid Lyngstad's shoulder. Second from right, Björn Ulvaeus.]]

''Gold'' returned to number-one in the UK album charts for the fifth time on 3 August 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20080804_abba.shtml|title= Abba are No. 1|access-date= 7 August 2008|date= 4 August 2008|publisher= [[BBC Radio 6 Music]]|archive-date= 28 December 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081228060620/http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/news/20080804_abba.shtml|url-status= live}}</ref> On 14 August 2008, the ''[[Mamma Mia! (film)|Mamma Mia! The Movie]]'' film soundtrack went to number-one on the US ''Billboard'' charts, ABBA's first US chart-topping album. During the band's heyday, the highest album chart position they had ever achieved in America was number 14. In November 2008, all eight studio albums, together with a ninth of rare tracks, were released as ''[[The Albums]]''.<ref>Thomas, Stephen. (11-24-2008) [http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1453355 The Albums – ABBA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709211433/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-albums-mw0000805352 |date=9 July 2021 }}. AllMusic. Retrieved 30 April 2012.</ref> It hit several charts, peaking at number-four in Sweden and reaching the Top 10 in several other European territories.

In 2008, [[Sony Computer Entertainment]] Europe, in collaboration with [[Universal Music Group]] Sweden AB, released ''[[SingStar ABBA]]'' on both the [[PlayStation 2]] and [[PlayStation 3]] games consoles, as part of the [[SingStar]] music video games. The PS2 version features 20 ABBA songs, while 25 songs feature on the PS3 version.

On 22 January 2009, Fältskog and Lyngstad appeared together on stage to receive the Swedish music award ''"Rockbjörnen"'' (for "lifetime achievement"). In an interview, the two women expressed their gratitude for the honorary award and thanked their fans. On 25 November 2009, [[PRS for Music]] announced that the British public voted ABBA as the band they would most like to see re-form.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/6646768/Abba-is-the-band-most-people-want-to-see-reform.html |title=ABBA is the Band Most People Want to See Reform |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=25 November 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |location=London |archive-date=28 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128054854/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/6646768/Abba-is-the-band-most-people-want-to-see-reform.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 27 January 2010, ABBAWORLD, a 25-room touring exhibition featuring interactive and audiovisual activities, debuted at [[Earls Court Exhibition Centre]] in London. According to the exhibition's website, ABBAWORLD is "approved and fully supported" by the band members.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/mamma-mia-thats-a-lot-of-abba/ |title=Mamma Mia, That's a Lot of ABBA New York Times 23&nbsp;December 2010 |website=Intransit.blogs.nytimes.com |date=23 December 2009 |access-date=23 August 2010 |archive-date=28 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228133838/http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/mamma-mia-thats-a-lot-of-abba/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abbaworld.com/ |title=ABBAWORLD website |website=Abbaworld.com |access-date=23 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811014528/http://www.abbaworld.com/ |archive-date=11 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

"Mamma Mia" was released as one of the first few non-premium song selections for the online RPG game ''Bandmaster''. On 17 May 2011, "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" was added as a non-premium song selection for the Bandmaster Philippines server. On 15 November 2011, [[Ubisoft]] released a [[dancing game]] called ''[[ABBA: You Can Dance]]'' for the [[Wii]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/5YiHiKvwW_DHzJGfYt8cNAUTDsDjaqvY|title=ABBA You Can Dance|website=Nintendo.com|access-date=17 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119134416/https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/5YiHiKvwW_DHzJGfYt8cNAUTDsDjaqvY|archive-date=19 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://royalflushmagazine.com/gaming/uber-first-impressions-preview-just-dance-kids-just-dance-3-abba-the-black-eyed-peas-experience/|title=Uber First Impressions Preview – Just Dance Kids, Just Dance 3, Abba, The Black Eyed Peas Experience|date=25 September 2011|work=Royal Flush Magazine|access-date=6 February 2018|archive-date=6 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206161652/http://royalflushmagazine.com/gaming/uber-first-impressions-preview-just-dance-kids-just-dance-3-abba-the-black-eyed-peas-experience/|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2012, Universal Music announced the re-release of ABBA's final album ''The Visitors'', featuring a previously unheard track "From a Twinkling Star to a Passing Angel".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/abba-rebjorn-from-a-twinkling-star-to-a-passing-angel-with-new-deluxe-edition-of-the-visitors/story-e6frewyr-1226257614950|title=ABBA Rebjorn – From a Twinkling Star to a Passing Angel with new Deluxe Edition of The Visitors|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=30 January 2012|access-date=30 January 2012|archive-date=18 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118101709/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/abba-rebjorn-from-a-twinkling-star-to-a-passing-angel-with-new-deluxe-edition-of-the-visitors/story-e6frewyr-1226257614950|url-status=live}}</ref>

A book titled ''ABBA: The Official Photo Book'' was published in early 2014 to mark the 40th anniversary of the band's Eurovision victory. The book reveals that part of the reason for the band's outrageous costumes was that Swedish tax laws at the time allowed the cost of [[wikt:garish|garish]] outfits that were not suitable for daily wear to be tax deductible.