ABBA – The golden age of disco music

It’s hard to pinpoint a single defining point of origin for Disco, but the first disco-style club was opened by New York City DJ David Mancuso at his home called The Loft in 1970. This was a private dance club for only for members and proved to be a precursor to disco-style clubs. The first disco songs were released in 1973; however, there are claims that Manu Dibango’s 1972 Soul Makossa was the first disco album to be recorded. Disco was first written about in September 1974 in Rolling Stone magazine by Vince Aletti and the first disco radio show was hosted on WPIX-FM in New York City in 1974.

Disco sounds have soaring, reverberating vocals over a steady beat and are known to be influenced by funk, soul music, and Latin or Hispanic salsa influences. Strings, electric guitars, horns, and electric pianos lend a lush background sound that made both singers and music producers equally famous and central to the entire disco theme. Some of the most famous disco groups of the 1970s are the Bee Gees, Diana Ross, The Jacksons, and the ABBA.

The history of one of the most famous groups began in 1966 when Bjorn Ulvaeus met Benny Andersson. Although they came from different musical genres, they became great songwriting partners. Bjorn was a member of the Hootenanny singers and his records were on the Polar Music record label, owned by Stig Anderson. Stig became ABBA’s manager and also contributed lyrics in the early years. In the spring of 1969, Bjorn and Benny met the two women who would become their fiancées and the other half of ABBA. Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad had their own solo recording careers before becoming part of ABBA. Agnetha and Bjorn married in 1971 while Benny and Frida waited until 1978 to get married.

At first the upcoming Swedish band called themselves Bjorn and Benny, Agnetha and Anni-Frid, and their first collaborative cabaret act Festfolk in 1970 flopped. Then, in the spring of 1972, their song “People Need Love” became a mid-size hit in Sweden. Encouraged by this, they continued to enter the Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Ring Ring’, although they placed third, the song became a hit in several European nations and competed for the top spot in Sweden. When they participated again in 1974, they called themselves ABBA and their song ‘waterloo’ became a hit that took them to the final in England. For them it was a roller coaster with songs like ‘SOS’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘Fernando’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ that became all the rage in the disco world. From 1976 to 1982, they released hit after hit; songs and albums and tours in Europe, Japan and USA. Although the couples divorced in 1979 and 1981, ABBA were perceived as happy couples making music together and continued to work together until 1982 when they decided to take a break.

Although ABBA haven’t had a very long career together, just over a decade, Disco wouldn’t have been the same without them. Even today, if you ask the DJ for a disco number, he’ll probably play ‘Take a chance on me’ or the ‘dancing queen’. Disco simply cannot be imagined without the melodious voice of ABBA.