ABBA STRIKES A CHART-TOPPING SIZZLE
ABBA has rocked the UK charts once again, landing No. 1 with Voyage—their much‑awaited record after a 40‑year hiatus. Sales exploded, 204,000 copies were snapped up in the first week, making it the fastest‑selling album of 2024 so far. If you’re wondering how hot this is, only a handful of acts—including Adele, Ed Sheeran, and One Direction—have topped the 200,000‑sales mark in the past decade.
Fact‑Check: Numbers That Matter
- 204,000 first‑week sales (UK Official Charts)
- 90% of those were physical copies—almost 30,000 sold on vinyl, the fastest‑selling vinyl release of the century
- Voyage is ABBA’s 10th No. 1 album in Britain
- Totalling 58 weeks at the top spot—second only to The Beatles and Elvis
The band’s first studio effort since 1981’s The Visitors, “Voyage” rumbled onto the scene with a mix of critics’ opinions. But ABBA seemed to shrug it off, saying, “We’re over the moon—our fans love it as much as we love making it!”
Vinyl: A Retro Boom
With 29,900 vinyl copies alone, Voyage reclaimed the spotlight for record‑collecting fans. The Official Charts Company even dubbed it the fastest‑selling vinyl of the entire century.
Golden Oldies Keep Rolling
During the summer, ABBA’s classic greatest‑hits compilation Gold celebrated its 1,000th week on the UK charts—a testament to the timelessness of songs like “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo.”
Will the Encore Continue?
Björn Ulvaeus hinted that “Voyage” could be the last hint of fresh Anthems from the 1980s lineup, but Anni‑Frid Lyngstad kept the door ajar, joking that “you never know” if ABBA will hit the stage again. In other words, a world of possibilities remains open, and fans are in for more of the unlikely magic the band is famous for.
