ABBA blog

Thoughts and observations on the Swedish foursome

ABBA On Record. Projected publication date: 2021. English language. 448 pp. Hardback. CMP Text. ISBN: 978-91-519-0980-6 (or 9789151909806).

Notes about ABBA On Record

published February 13, 2020

I am just now working hard on my forthcoming book ABBA On Record - Packaged Promoted Reviewed (abbaonrecord.com), which will be published in 2021. As I'm writing, the format of the book is starting to take concrete shape, and since it's been a while since I said something more detailed about its contents, I thought now might be a good time.

As previously announced, the heart of the book is an annotated discography: using the Polar Music releases as the starting point, there will be commentary text about the way each release was packaged (backgrounds stories about the sleeves, and so on) and how it was promoted and what kind of success it achieved, primarily in Sweden/Scandinavia, the UK, the US and Australia. Each commentary text ends with the chart positions for the release in the territories mentioned, plus a selection of review excerpts (where available).

The commentary text will be factual, since that's the nature of the book, but I've also endeavoured to make it human and three-dimensional and to offer something new. For instance, through close study of vintage newspaper cuttings, and new interviews with the surviving main players, I've managed to put together a much more detailed story about how ABBA got their record contract in the United States. I found it fascinating, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Next Thursday, I shall reveal more details about the contents of the book.

If you want to support ABBA On Record by pre-ordering a copy (everyone who pre-orders will get their name printed in the book, plus their copy signed with a personal dedication), you can do so by clicking here. Your support matters!