Who actually decided the order of track listings on all of the albums, and the bonus tracks ok CD? Was it down to running times on each side of the album?

Simon, UK

The original track listing for the studio albums was probably decided by Benny and Björn, perhaps also in collaboration with Michael B. Tretow and Stig Anderson. There are also limits to vinyl albums due to time available (maximum 30 minutes per side, through up to 20 minute is optimal), frequency response, and dynamic range that would have had some impact on the track lists. I recently read an interesting article that pointed out that the closer the needle tracks to the label, the lesser quality the sound due to the speed the needle is travelling the circumference of the disc.

Compilations were probably put together by the Polar office, taking into consideration what songs had been major hits somewhere in the world, or individual record companies around the world in the case of localised collections, with final approval by ABBA and Stig. Latter day reissues and bonus tracks have been compiled by Universal Music (either Sweden or UK), again with final approval by the ABBA members. One exception is the Tracks disc in The Vinyl Collection and last year’s two box sets – it was compiled by Benny.

Hello, will the CD/DVD-Deluxe Edition AGNETHA FÄLTSKOG “I STAND ALONE” ever be released? I hope…..

Regards and best wishes
Wolfgang, Germany

There were plans in 2017 to release a deluxe version of I Stand Alone, with bonus tracks and DVD, but this seems to have been dropped. Unconfirmed rumour has it that the original album master tapes could not be located.

I’ve seen there is a new Agnetha site. Is she releasing a new album?

John, UK

Yes, Agnetha is releasing a new album. But it’s not new music, it’s a “reimagined” version of her 2013 album A, with one new song, ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’. The single has its world premiere today (31 August), the album will be released on 13 October 2023.

See the Agnetha Fältskog – A+ feature page for all the information that’s currently available.

I was showing a friend that photo of Benny holding the Matchbox dollies of Björn, Agnetha and Frida, and he was wondering what the average price would be for them these days, as some places overvalue and undervalue what the average price would be if the seller actually doesn’t know that fans want them? (Eg: I saw a mint-condition copy of the Oz Ring Ring album at an antique shop in Junee NSW several years ago, for $1).

I’ve only found one Ebay example today of just the dollies’ boxes in good mint-condition for AU$79 each or AU$258.44 for all four boxes; and an online auction place that’s selling all four in all four boxes (where the supposedly actual image shows the dolls and the boxes in good condition, for AU$ 465.15, but I would have thought that the mint-condition dolls in mint-condition boxes would actually be much more.

Cheers,
Tony Rogers, Australia

The most recent prices I’ve seen have been well over $400 for a single doll without its packaging. I’ve also seen costumes still in their original packaging in the range of $300-400. Even modern replica packaging, without a doll, goes for hundreds of dollars these days.

Regular readers may recognize Tony’s name. He was a frequent contributor here, and a long-time online friend, before his untimely death in August 2021. This was the last question he submitted, which I hadn’t answered at the time. It is now answered in his memory.