Updated 13 November 2024
The 50th anniversary of ABBA’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest on 6 April 1974 has been thoroughly celebrated all over the world – not just the triumph with ‘Waterloo’, but the group’s amazing accomplishments and their position as one of the world’s major pop bands. And the celebrations aren’t over yet! In October 2024, Polar Music International will issue a magnificent box set of ABBA’s single A-sides: The Singles – The First Fifty Years. The compilation brings together, for the first time, not only every ABBA single issued by Polar up until 1982 but also the singles released in conjunction with 2021’s Voyage album.
Building on ABBA’s classic double album The Singles – The First Ten Years, originally issued in 1982, this new box set expands the concept by bringing the story bang up to date, featuring every ABBA single released 1972–2022. Available as a four-vinyl disc set and a double-CD, The Singles – The First Fifty Years is a journey through some of the best pop music ever recorded. From the group’s 1972 debut single ‘People Need Love’ to the Voyage album’s ‘No Doubt About It’ in 2022, the 38-track box set features masterpieces such as ‘SOS’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘Fernando’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’, ‘Take A Chance On Me’, ‘Chiquitita’, ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’, ‘Super Trouper’, ‘One Of Us’, ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’, and all of ABBA’s other big hits.
To make the story more complete, The Singles – The First Fifty Years features four additional tracks not issued as Polar Music A-sides, but which were singles in some countries back in the day: ‘Hasta Mañana’, ‘Angeleyes’ (a double A-side with ‘Voulez-Vous’ in some countries), ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ and ‘When All Is Said And Done’. The package also comes with an illustrated booklet, featuring an essay by ABBA historian Carl Magnus Palm.
The Singles – The First Fifty Years is the ultimate celebration of ABBA’s pop music genius!
2CD: 00602465865202
SHM-CD Deluxe Edition: UICY-80518/9 (Japan)
SHM-CD: UICY-80520/1 (Japan)
2CD format is packaged as a hardcover media book with a 28-page illustrated booklet including liner notes and unseen band images.
4LP: 00602465776379
Vinyl format includes 4 x 140g black LPs housed in a soft cover perfect bound book with floating vinyl pockets and a 24-page illustrated booklet including liner notes and unseen band images.
Released 25 October 2024
SHM-CD Japan only:
Original Liner / Translation Included
Commentary / Lyrics / Parallel Translation Included
SHM-CD Deluxe Edition includes 7-inch paper jacket, double-sided poster, sticker sheet, disc holder with scanned version of Waterloo single
SHM-CD includes first-come, first-served benefit: A4 clear file (not available from all stores)
(Customers who have already made a reservation are also eligible)
Amazon.co.jp mega jacket (300×300 mm)
Order:
The Singles – The First Fifty Years – Choose music service
ABBA – The First Fifty Years – Choose your music service
ABBA – The Singles – The First Fifty Years – preorder
ABBA Fan Club Shop (Europe only)
ABBA Fan Club Shop (rest of the world)
Universal Music Store Japan SHM-CD Deluxe, available Japan only
CD Japan SHM-CD Deluxe, available to rest of world
Disk Union Japan SHM-CD Deluxe, available to rest of world
HMV & Books Online Japan SHM-CD Deluxe, available to rest of world
Neo Wing Japan SHM-CD Deluxe, available to rest of world
Tower Records Online Japan SHM-CD Deluxe, available to rest of world
Amazon.co.jp SHM-CD with bonus mega jacket, available Japan only
Amazon.co.jp SHM-CD Deluxe Edition with bonus mega jacket, available Japan only
Also available wherever good music is sold
Competitions:
Opens 2 October 2024, ends 12 October
ABBA世界デビュー50周年『ザ・シングルス』発売記念アンケート
ABBA’s 50th Anniversary of World Debut “The Singles” Launch Commemorative Questionnaire
ABBAの世界デビュー50周年を記念して発売される『ザ・シングルス』。この発売を記念してABBAの日本ファンの皆さんへのアンケートを実施。
是非皆さんの声をお聞かせください。応募頂いた方の中から抽選で10名様に、ABBA 40周年記念トートバッグをプレゼントします。
“The Singles” will be released to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s global debut. To commemorate the launch, we conducted a survey of ABBA’s Japan fans.
We’d love to hear from you. 10 winners will be selected by lottery to receive an ABBA 40th anniversary tote bag.
Enter here (Japanese residents only; ends 27 October 2024)
See also:
The Singles – The First Fifty Years gallery
The Singles – The First Fifty Years – ABBA Omnibus blog
ABBA Omnibus 