From Abba to Mamma Mia!: The Official Book

In the 1970s no group was more commercially successful than ABBA (an acronym of the first initial of each member), who are estimated to have sold over 100 million records worldwide. After winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid rose to international renown, their wholesome image and buoyant, catchy records helping them to top the charts with an unbroken string of hits that have become pop classics. Although the group disbanded in 1982, ABBA has enjoyed an unprecedented revival and is more popular than ever. The compilation ABBA Gold has sold millions of copies worldwide, and the phenomenal London success of the musical Mama Mia! –which has played to sold out houses since its debut in April of 1999 and is sold out until summer of 2001–has brought the group’s music to a whole new audience. From ABBA to Mama Mia! features more than 500 photos, most never before seen, by Anders Hanser, a close friend of the band with unprecedented access for more than 20 years. The text is written by Carl Magnus Palm, one of the world’s foremost ABBA historians, who had unrivalled access to the group and members of their entourage, including costume designers, sound engineers, and video directors. Palm offers a new perspective on ABBA, presenting a complete and vivid portrait of the group and its members from their days as the biggest pop music phenomenon of the 1970s, through the solo albums and musical projects of the 1980s, to the success of Mama Mia! This authorized book also features a foreword by the band members themselves, making it the definitive ABBA book.