Editing Waterloo (album) (section)

== Critical reception ==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=":4" />
| rev2 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev2Score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2007 |publisher=Omnibus Press |location=United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84609-856-7 |page=31 |edition=5th Concise}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Cross">{{cite book|last=Cross|first=Charles R.|author-link=Charles R. Cross|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide|The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]]|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|chapter=ABBA|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/1 1]}}</ref>
| noprose = yes
}}
"Waterloo" swept to victory at the Swedish heats and the group represented Sweden in Brighton for the [[Eurovision Song Contest 1974]]. ABBA won the contest and "Waterloo" became not only a massive hit in Europe but all over the world (peaking at No.6 in the US for example).<ref name=":0" /> In Sweden, the album had already been released and topped the Swedish album charts for 12 weeks, becoming one of the biggest-selling Swedish albums ever to that point. In the UK the album made No.28,<ref name=":0" /> the first time a foreign Eurovision act had charted an album and it performed well in the rest of Europe.<ref name="cd" />

After the Melodifestovalen victory, Swedish tabloid newspaper [[Aftonbladet|Aftonbladet's]] Christer Faleij reviewed the album on 1st March 1974, before the release of the album.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Faleij |first=Christer |date=1 March 1974 |newspaper=Aftonbladet |title=Nu slår ABBA i utlandet — också |trans-title=Now ABBA is playing abroad - also |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/g0sw8f2s2gxhgt9/part/1/page/31 |access-date=2025-02-25 |via=Svenska tidningar |language=sv}}</ref> Faleij gave a positive review in Swedish-language about the album; an "incredibly professional production. Without necessarily making a fuss, it can be briefly stated that the quartet is still taking a giant leap towards the international market. It's about streamlined, practical music with stylish vocals and driven arrangements. Quite in keeping with the style, it starts with "[[Waterloo (song)|Waterloo]]" in Swedish and ends with the same song in English. In between, there are 10 tracks, of which at least a couple have as good a chance as "Waterloo" to really hit the spot. Personally, I believe "[[Honey, Honey|Honey Honey]]" will be another big seller. It would also have placed well in the Swedish selection. And "Watch Out" with its heavy accompaniment will also be a success. There are several themes running through the album: soft and heavy pop, a not-so-small nod to the [[The Supremes|Supremes]] in "[[What About Livingstone?|What About Livingstone]]", a hit in "[[Hasta Mañana]]". [[Benny Andersson]] together with [[Björn Ulvaeus]] is responsible for most of the material. In three melodies, [[Stig Anderson|Stikkan Anderson]] has stepped in as a lyricist, All lyrics except the Swedish version of "Waterloo" are in English. The majority of the songs creep in and stay. They are simple, uncomplicated melody loops that are easy to understand. "Waterloo" has already passed the so-called gold mark, even though the album is not yet available in stores. This is through pre-orders. I think it will be very exciting for Swedish people in [[Brighton]] on April 6".<ref name=":5" />

American magazine [[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]] reported the "album is a positive blast of inspirational music. The disk has all the potential to break big here in the U.S. as it has in England and the group sounds like an enthusiastic musical powerhouse. Particularly enjoyable are "Sitting In The Palmtree." "Honey, Honey," "Ring Ring." "Suzy Hang Around,- and "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)." If thegroup's sound begins to pick up the kind of response it has as a result of "Waterloo." look for another supergroup."<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1974/CB-1974-07-13.pdf |title=Cash Box album reviews |date=13 July 1974 |series=Cash Box |page=22}}</ref>

Reviews of the album were positive with ''[[Phonograph Record (magazine)|Phonograph Record]]''{{'}}s Greg Shaw stating that it "might just turn out to be one of the classic début LPs of the '70s". ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' also gave the album a favourable review.<ref name="cd" /> In a 3-star review, Bruce Eder from [[AllMusic]] said that the album was "unusual in the group's output" due to the "variety of sounds" and because "the guys are still featured fairly prominently in some of the vocals".<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Eder |first=Bruce |title=Waterloo |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/waterloo-mw0000174792 |access-date=25 January 2025 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> He wrote, in relation to "King Kong Song", that "when the women's voices jump in on the choruses, it's hard not to listen attentively; the quartet knew what a powerful weapon they had, but not quite how to use it".<ref name=":4" />