The Definitive Collection

It's hard to add anything new to what has already been written in other reviews, but I am approaching this CD as a new ABBA fan. I was in my thirties when ABBA was in their heyday during the 1970's, but wasn't much into music during this decade. However, with the release of "Mamma Mia" I had the chance to see the play twice in New York City and I became hooked on the music of ABBA. I play this CD repeatedly and just love the songs. If you are not familiar with ABBA give their songs a chance and I'm sure you will become addicted to their music just as I am. Their DVD's "ABBA-The Definitive Collection" and "Super Trouper" are equally rousing and sure to provide you with several hours of musical pleasure. Print out the lyrics from a web site and have a sing along with these very singable lyrics.

This is one of the best career synopsis double CD collection ever put together. Needless to say I am an ABBA fan. They are quite the premier breakout group for the 1970's. They sure deserved the Eurovision Award for their hit single Waterloo. This double CD contains tracks that were popular all over the planet. It also contains some of their hits that never quite hit the US shores. Songs like Under Attack, & The Day Before You Came, really are the whipped topping of the Definitive Collection. ABBA is still my favorite group of all time. This is proof positive great things are Scandinavian. After all members hail from Norway, as well as Sweden. This is worth the money to sit back, and enjoy great memories of the late '70s, and early '80's. I was fortunate enough to see them in concert in Europe, and United States. The collection also contains some newsworthy backround as well. Wish they could reunite for a worldwide tour. Again, this is ABBA, A to Z!

dont listen to people who say you gotta drink to enjoy abba. that reminds me of the idiots that say you gotta be high to listen to floyd. this band is awesome and their list of hits seems endless. viva abba.

A victim of American ethnocentricism and stereotyping, the great genius of this Swedish band has never truly been realised in the U.S. even after all this while. Why this band isn't in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Songwriter's Hall of Fame just beggars belief. Maybe with the Bee Gees recently getting the latter honour, things might change soon but it appears if you don't make music in the U.S. or England or are good-looking blondes, your music will never be taken seriously in the U.S.

Anyways, for those of us in the know, the greatness of Abba is captured in all its fullness here in this great 2-cd compilation. With very well remastered sound, the band has never sounded better too. The track selections are just great and if you've never heard the band before or have just become a fan after the musical but don't want to get all the albums, I guess this is just about the best alternative there is.

The tracks also have a very nice flow about them starting with "People Need Love" and ending very appropriately with "Thank You For the Music" unless you consider the two bonus tracks. After all these years of having grown up to their music, one thing this compilation makes clear is the truly great songwriting abilities of the group. If pop songs have ever come close to being works of art, much of the material in this cd must come close as working examples.

I hope that someday the band receives the just recognition it deserves for this great body of work. I forsee a lifetime achievement Grammy award....

Come on you know you know that somewhere in your Mp3's there is at least one ABBA song. Call it a guilty pleasure, call it what you want but there is not one person who has not at least enjoyed the catchy and energetic 70's pop of ABBA. The quartet comprised of two(divorced)couples, named themselves after their first intitals, not the Nordic rune meaning "leaky boat". However there was a Nordic fish company that named themselves after the rune, then sued ABBA for copyright infrindgement.

Taking a musical cue from Noridc folk, klesmer, om-pa-pa, and polka, they added a rock and pop twist to the music so that people old and young can listen, dance, and enjoy. Also with songs like "Take a Chance on Me (later covered by Erasure)", "Knowing me, knowing you","I Do, I do, I do", "The Winner Takes it all" the group also documented their relationships with each other as well as their demise. Today with cover groups like "Waterloo", and the musical "Mamma Mia", their music is still in motion and crowds near and far dance their tails off."

This album is the absolute and complete ABBA starting from 1974, and ending in 1981. Agnetha and Frida managed to have successful solo careers in Europe. In 1983, Frida had a number one single (which many had suspected was about her ex-husband Benny)called "I know there's something going on" which was produced by Phil Collins (who also plays the drums on the song).

This is a must have in any CD collection.