ABBA began their global craze 50 years ago with “Waterloo”: the story of the song, the recording and who inspired it

This Saturday marks the legendary Swedish quartet’s 50th anniversary ABBA he triumphed Eurovision music competition since 1974 with the catchy love song Waterloo.

To celebrate the anniversary, the song was played on Saturday in London Waterloo railway station – which also takes its name from the 1815 battle that defeated Napoleon – where a choir sang for pedestrians and travellers.

Furthermore, a the English seaside town of Brightonwhere the 1974 competition was held, fans threw a party to commemorate the anniversary.

The victory at Eurovision made ABBA a giant of popthe most successful band of the pan-continental music competition, which will celebrate its 68th edition in May in Sweden, home country of the group formed by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, whose initials are their names they accumulate forming ABBA.

Thanks to the fans

In a thank you message to fans, the four band members said it was “somewhat dizzying and deeply humbling” to know that their songs have been passed down from generation to generation and “still resonate around the world.”

“The music you discover or learn to love as you grow up, or even as an adult, ultimately stays with you forever,” they said in a text posted on their Instagram account. “We share this experience with you, and knowing that our music has become a constant in your lives is something wonderful.”

To continue the celebrations, this Saturday evening there will be a concert entitled “Party for ABBA” in Stockholm, featuring performances by leading Swedish artists, a 21-person band and a large choir. Organizers say it will be a tribute to the band that changed the music of the Nordic country “forever”.

Swedish public broadcaster SVT, which will broadcast the concert live and streamed, said that “April 6, 1974 is considered by some to be the day National Swedish Music Day”.

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