ABBA Reveals the Many Ways They Were Inspired by The Beatles
After The Beatles split in 1970, ABBA became another supergroup, reaching worldwide fame with many of their hit songs. However, the Swedish pop group owes some of their success to The Beatles, who they say were a significant influence on how the group wanted to perform.
ABBA was one of the most successful pop groups of the 1970s
ABBA was formed in 1972, but the group skyrocketed in popularity after winning the 1974 Eurovision contest with their song “Waterloo.” After that, ABBA became one of the best-selling musical acts of all time. Many of their songs are still popular today, including “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “S.O.S.”
The group’s popularity translated into other mediums, including the theater. Mamma Mia! is a hit jukebox musical that features the music of ABBA. The musical was a hit on Broadway and as a movie franchise, garnering a sequel with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. While the group disbanded in 1982, they recently made a comeback, releasing the album Voyage in 2021.
ABBA learned how to diversify their sound from The Beatles
In an interview with Record Collector, ABBA member Benny Andersson discussed how The Beatles influenced the Swedish group. He said the group was impressed by how different The Beatles’ music sounded. They never made the same song, and that was something that ABBA wanted with their music. They tried to make their music as versatile as possible, so their listeners could tell them apart.
“That’s something we learned from The Beatles,” he said. “They were always with their style in a way, much more than we were, but what they did was, you heard a song with them, then the next single was nothing close to the previous one, or the third, or the fourth, or the fifth. So, you have ‘Fernando,’ you want a song like ‘Dancing Queen’ or ‘My Mama Said,’ or whatever on that album, to give it some listening value.”
The group also was inspired to use multiple singers
Another critical element that ABBA learned from The Beatles was the utilization of multiple singers. The Beatles often switched lead singers between John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. Even Ringo Starr had a few moments to shine. With ABBA, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad shared singing responsibilities, which gave the group a variety of sounds and harmonies for each song.
“Another great thing, I have to say, that goes for many of the bands that I like, is that you have more than one singer; it helps you,” Andersson shared. “You have John [Lennon] and Paul [McCartney], or you have Fleetwood Mac, you have the Eagles: it’s great to have two singers because that makes a difference between the tracks as well.”
The Beatles’ legacy continues to be an influential part of music and many new artists today continue to be inspired by the band. ABBA has also become an influential group, with many pop groups trying to capture their catchy choruses and upbeat instrumentals.
