ABBA announces new album after nearly four decades

Members of the Swedish group ABBA are seen on a display during their Voyage event at Grona Lund, Stockholm, yesterday prior to their release of the first new album after nearly four decades.

Swedish pop supergroup ABBA said yesterday that they would release their first new album in four decades and stage virtual concerts in London next year. The group’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson said via a video presentation in London that “We have made a new album with ABBA”. The group, which rose to global stardom before splitting in 1982, said Voyage would come out on November 5. “First it was just two songs,” Andersson said. “Then we said ‘maybe we should do, I don’t know, a few others. “What do you say girls?’ And they said ‘yeah’ and then I asked ‘why don’t we do a full album?’” The band streamed one of the new songs – I Still Have Faith In You – during the launch. “I knew when Benny played the melody it just had to be about us,” Ulvaeus said. “No imagination could dream up that, to release a new album after 40 years and still be the best of friends and enjoy each other’s company, and have total loyalty.” The group, known for a string of 1970s and early 1980s hits such as Waterloo, Dancing Queen and Take A Chance On Me, sold more than 385mn albums. A second song, Don’t Shut Me Down, was also released yesterday.