Reviews (page 10 of 14)
Abba plays like a soundtrack to family vacations when I was just a lad. Undeniably fantastic vocal harmonies and some decent arrangements. Dancing Queen still slaps, even after hearing it at every dance I've ever been to. The hits on here are solid, the filler is pretty meh and even approaches annoying in its Abba disco-ness. Fernando ftw.
Den anden ABBA plade vi havde var federe, men det er altså stadig en banger-parade.
There's some timeless bangers on here, I just don't really enjoy this style too much.
Not great, but entertaining. 6/10
Dancing Queen, banger Knowing Me, Money, also bangers. Album growing on me 6 tracks in. Back half of the album not catching me as much. Solid 3 stars.
Contain classic bops that just hit right but the rest are easy to forget.
ABBA is fun.
Knew some, some catchy. Dancing Queen album
Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: 🚁🧔♂️👩🦰👱♀️👱♂️ Production: 🤔😐👍 Music: 💃👑💰 Rating: 🫎🫎(🫎)/5
Of course I liked it. It's ABBA.
Classic ABBA
ABBA being an Abba
This was fine to good. Some of the back half was pretty interesting. I liked The Visitors more though. 3/5
ABBA is one of those bands where the hit singles are better than the albums. This one is fine and it's fun but not really my thing. I do want to thank ABBA's music for inspiring some of my favorite pop stars of the 2010s though.
Heard across the country in town halls, country hotels and renovated barns at every wedding reception - a testament of the unbelievably wide net ABBA cast across the UK audience. The melodies are meticulously composed, infectious and difficult to get out of your head. This band & album are the epitome of 'innocent fun', which is great for parties/discos, but isn't quite gritty or meaty enough to keep me engaged for the whole record. Shame that I can't include 'Fernando' on this listen (as it was not on the original release), I expect the rating would've gone up 1 or 2 half points if so. Best Tracks: - Knowing Me, Knowing You - Dancing Queen Worst Tracks: - When I Kissed The Teacher Rating: 6/10
I enjoyed this quite a bit
The singles off of this album are great, but the rest of the songs fall flat for me.
These guys are alright. I'm not a big dance music fan but ABBA is always fun
One of the things I will never understand about language is about how accents don't translate to music (Outside of country drawls). If I didn't know these guys were from Sweeden I wouldn't know it from the way they sound. Maybe their uncomplicated lyrics demonstrate a loose grasp of the language but you know if they spoke to you it would sound like the Swedish chef, all "Shmorking da borking, flerfing das kerfing". Makes you think.
2.5/5
2,5
Good pop album like ABBA’s signature style, catchy songs ear worms infectious
"Arrival" is the fourth studio album by Swedish pop group ABBA. Pop and euro disco are the Wiki-listed genres. First euro disco album ✔️. The album became one of ABBA's biggest albums hitting #1 in the UK and #20 in the US. ABBA are/were Agnetha Fältskog (vocals), Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad (vocals), Björn Ulvaeus (guitar, vocals) and Benny Andersson (synths, marimba, chimes, accordions, piano and backing vocals). In 2024, it was selected for the US National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. "When I Kissed the Teacher" opens the album. A bouncy pop song with acoustic guitar and multiple layers of backing vocals. Agnetha on lead vocals as she had a crush on a teacher and kissed him. Pretty proactive for 1976. Well, the second song is "Dancing Queen." Disco beat, piano, a soaring synth and vocals. Strings and high production. Maybe, the definition of a catchy song. Ah, the joy of dancing. It was inspired by George McCrae's "Rock You Baby." They keep the hits coming with "Knowing Me, Knowing You." A wobbly synth melody. Anni-Frid with forceful vocals in a break-up song. I actually like this song (who cares?). The second side had songs I hadn't heard or, at least, I don't remember hearing. "Money, Money, Money" has a prancing piano which has a real Eastern European sound to it and, what do you know, the original song title was "Gypsy Girl." Anni-Frid singing about a hard working woman who needs a well-off man. No, the Survivor song is not the first time "eye of the tiger" is used in a song. ABBA does it in "Tiger." Their most rockin' song and an interesting guitar riff. A warning about the cities, drugs or both. Catchy, poppy, well-produced songs with great lead and backing vocals. It made them international stars. I was pretty unmoved by this album. It's fine, it's pop, there are songs I know and don't hate. I liked their other album "The Visitors" much more. But, hey, it's the album with "Dancing Queen," "Knowing You, Knowing Me" and "Fernando" on its 30th Anniversary CD/Vinyl. So, there you go.
The bangers are bangers and I indirectly owe my marriage to half of ABBA but,,, idk. (also, some surprisingly Celtic-y stuff in here as well!)
I don't really like ABBA. They have some great songs, but on average, their music is whatever (which is typical for popular pop artists, to be honest). This album is no exception. I don't hate it, but it's just so unremarkable. For every artist, I would rather them release less music and focus on the quality. I don't care how much great music a band made combined over their albums; the most powerful experience is a single album with a very high concentration of bangers (compilations don't count since the songs in them were not originally designed to go together). ABBA can make good music, but their albums tend to have a couple of good songs (Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You, and Money, Money, Money for this one specifically) and the rest is filler.
As my first real listen to ABBA I was expecting to be horrified by whatever it was that's given them their eternal mass appeal. But actually I was sort of encouraged at how creative and earnest all of this is. There are some strange moments. Tiger is the band's apparantly urgent PSA about the dangers of big city life, told through the eyes of a serial rapist. But if these quirks are the cost of having creativity in pop music, I'm here for it. I'm interested in how Abba was able to churn out so many enduring hits without becoming formulaic: I guess the Swedes really are just that good at pop. Fernando is probably my fave. High 3.
First off, check out that album art would ya. Isn’t it heinous? None of them look happy to be stuffed into that tiny helicopter. Come on guys, it’s only 1976! And you’ve just released an album with some of your biggest hits ever - far worse times are ahead for each of you, believe me. Also isn’t it weird to name a record ‘Arrival’ when you’ve already released a steady stream of chart toppers like Waterloo, SOS, and Mamma Mia? I’m pretty sure ABBA ‘arrived’ sometime around their Eurovision win in 1974. “But is the music any good?” I hear you say? Irrelevant. This is ABBA. The drunken gen Zers belting out Dancing Queen in the streets as you make your way home from a big night out renders that conversation meaningless. Money, Money, Money, Fernando - the songs on this album will endure long after we’re gone for the simple fact that they are brilliant, joyous pop music. However, if I’m ever choosing to put on an ABBA record, it’s certainly not one that opens with a playful dalliance between a teacher and smitten student. Arrival definitely shows its age here and there. And, also, what the hell was that Hawaii tribute as the closing track?? The listing of these songs sometimes felt entirely random. But hey, this is ABBA we’re talking. They’re getting decent marks. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's good but i feel like the only reason i like it sm is because of mamma mia not because i just like the music
Well made, but too sweet for me. I totally understand why they were so popular. Favorite song: tiger.
Solid, upbeat, a couple bangers. 3.5/5
Much better than I expected. ABBA is one of those bands that is really good at what they do, only what they do isn't very good. Some examples of this type of music include Metallica and The Mothers of Invention.
A few good songs and earworm hits; knowing me, knowing you was a surprisingly good song, still don't love abba
Three stars for Dancing Queen. Rest of the album is forgettable.
I actually kinda liked this more than I thought, some catchy mf'ers
Money Money Money and Tiger fuck so much harder than I expected. I get why this band is really popular, even if it's not really for me
Klink klassiker.
Det är helt okej Abba. 3 bra låtar av 10
Really poppy but super fun. Enjoyed it far more than I expected to, honestly. Not the type of music I have ever gotten into but it’s still worth a listen.
That’s an… interesting first track, I liked the album it was good if not a little tried and true sonically. Obviously we have the classic dancing queen which we all know, that’s a crazy big song right there, to me that wasn’t even close to the best song here which I respect since it’s always disappointing to listen to an album and have the only song you know already be the best, but yeah, It was a fun listen all the way through and I can see why this album made the list. Favorite Tracks: Fernando, Money Money Money, and Knowing Me Knowing You.
Shiny happy people singing ...
Not my favorite but a classic
Didn't know half of abba's greatest hits came from a single album. It's pop, it's inoffensive, I'm sure at the time the production and composition were stunning but I can't separate how much I've heard Abba from my review. It's got classics but they're not classics I would choose to gravitate toward.
Not really my style but I can hear why they were popular in the 70’s era. While listening I could hear how they may have been an influence for Belle and Sebastian.
Stone cold classic singles but a lot of the rest of the songs are pretty hokey ngl 😭 still 3/5
The hits are very good, but the lows of this album detract from the overall experience. Maybe the sugar sweet singing and disco-pop is too much extended over a full release for me to fully love.
High 3 2 massive bangers, 2-3 good songs and the rest is mehhh Sue me I hate dancing queen
There are singles bands and album bands and - despite what rock snobs may believe - neither is superior to the other. They are just working in two different idioms. ABBA is a singles band and some of the singles on this collection of songs are as good as singles get. But that doesn’t make this an album. That being said, ABBA rule. They are Swedish International Superstars.
I love me some ABBA, but I think there's a reason why I only listen to the hits. When they're good they're great (e.g. Fernando), but when they're bad... oof.
A few fun well done tunes. They def have their place. Just not in my rotation.
It’s fine — I got distracted. Cool that they kept working after the breakups, and the happy sound hiding sad songs is real, but I’m moving on.
Come for Dancing Queen, stay for Fernando and Happy Hawaii.
I dont know, ABBA is awesome but this whole album was 3 songs and all filler. Disappointed to say the least. Still enjoyed the harmonies and use of unique synths.
spoko pop piosenki tekst moze nie za bardzo wybitny ale nie jest zle
You'd think I'd like ABBA more given how much I love vocal harmony. Listening to this album, I better understand why folks love them. They're a lot more than a dance pop group. But I still feel like their music is strongly 70s, rather than a timeless classic.
So the singles are enough.
Nära 4
The first album so far where I already knew and loved a lot of the music-- mostly due to Mamma Mia and Mamma Mia 2. A collection of undeniable pop songs. Shout out to Tiger and Dum Dum Diddle for their gloriously, delightfully stupid lyrics. I cannot however get behind some of the production choices, to the point where I think My Love, My Life and Why Did It Have To Be Me sound better in their Mamma Mia versions. Next time I want to listen to Abba I'll probably stick to the Abba Gold compilation.
Yeah, that's good pop. A bit one-note, but pleasant while it lasts.
The moms were right - ABBA is cool after all. A fine example of a weird band that for whatever reason, the people adore.
So many classic hits. Enjoyable - insane bass!!
I don’t know what I think about ABBA. Sometimes I really enjoy their music, sometimes I can’t stand it. I had the same with this album: I liked the hits of it, but the rest didn’t do anything special for me really. “Why Did It Have To Be Me” surprised me though: I did not expect to hear such a bluesy song on an ABBA album.
Really really good and fun af. I do have to say though that the last few tracks here, while not terrible, were much weaker than the ones in the first half of the album. Liked 7 out of the 12 tracks. Fav tracks: Dancing Queen Money, Money, Money Knowing Me, Knowing You Eh: Arrival Happy Hawaii
Cheesy, but still fun. Great album cover too.
Прикольно, но не мое
This is a fun Pop album. I like how all the songs are distinctive from one another but still distinctly ABBA. There are some favorites like Dancing Queen and Fernando but I wasn’t overall wowed like I thought I would be.
This is quintessential pop, with all that implies, good and bad: efficient, overheard, too mellow, entertaining, too predictible. Easy to love I guess, hard to totally hate.
Basically a greatest hits album. Crystal-clear production and great songwriting…in the first half. Second half is definitely weak - Tiger and Arrival are notably bad. Still worth a listen
Pretty good, just not my favorite. 3/5
3/5. I've heard worse. Pretty good listen for the first time.
This was incredibly difficult to rate. On one hand I was reminded of cringe office parties in the early 200s, where Abba seemed to be de rigueur. On the other hand, I remember some of these hits being played on the radio when I was very little, and quite enjoying them. I'm going with 3 stars, for the nostalgia, and the fact that none of the songs are truly awful, which is what I was expecting to find.
ABBA isn’t my favourite thing to listen to, but it’s remarkable to hear this kind of ultra processed super catchy pop music, but done in the mid 70s and still basically just put together by a band. It takes like 150 people to make this kind of album now and it’s generally not as good. Something in the water in Sweden.
Good abba album. Which is good. But who cares.
I like ABBA way more in the abstract than I do in reality. The best moments of this remind me of the theatrics of The Cardigans, while the worst remind me of the sloppy surf rock of the Beach Boys (Bermuda, Bahama, oh pretty mama). The singles are great, and there’s catchy melodies here, but many of the instrumentals here feel kitsch to me.
Reviewing the songs i don’t know When i kissed the teacher-Aria pll is this a play about u? My love, my life-was this in Mamma mia? I think i know this one Dum dum diddle-never heard before, it’s fun, nothing wow Knowing me, knowing you-these songs are looong; That’s me-grl pwr Tiger-don’t understand this one Arrival-feels like arrival and Lepa Brena Happy Hawaii-me when i travel and write a song about it There is definitely a lot of material left for MM3!!!
I have always thought of ABBA as a singles act and Gold as being the only thing you need. A lot of that has to do with the amount of only good material available there. This album has shown me that their albums are enjoyable… no it’s not album oriented rock and interconnected into one overarching work, but it is solid and worthwhile. Solid pop music.
This record is delightful from top to bottom, however ABBA's sugary sweet brand of pop/disco is, at times, too sweet. Despite two massive hits ("Dancing Queen" and "Fernando") the rest of the album fails to hold up to the same quality, but it's still enjoyable.
I mean yeah it’s abba but it just felt kinda meh with not much too grabbing. Dancing queen and the title track were good but other than that just 3 stars
Disco....some catchy stuff but this is really a phase of music from my life that went out with body suits and rhinestones.
I didn't like this album at all on my first listen, but I came around to it much more on my second go. The vocal performances and dated instrumentals were initially a big point of contention, but this became a non-issue for me on the second go. No clue what lead to such a dramatic change of heart, but I'm glad that I now "get" Abba in some capacity. I think my enjoyment of this album is due to the high number of piano refrains. You can never have enough of those, especially in pop music. It's amusing to me that this album was recommended immediately after "Urban Hymns" by The Verve as I distinctly remember listening to one of the guitar sections on that album and thinking that it sounded like "Dancing Queen". On the subject of that song, it's very good. It's not entirely up my cup of tea, but I can confidently say that it's one of those songs where all of the musical choices come together and work with one another perfectly. "Why Did It Have to Be Me?" and "Tiger" felt like they went on for way longer than they were in reality. I got proper whiplash when I checked the track listing and realised they were only three minutes in length. I think a lot of this album's appeal is hedged on the melody, as the music itself is very repetitive. Those two songs moving at a much quicker tempo definitely hurt them in my eyes. I'm favourable to the idea of giving this album another listen sometime in the future. I'll see where the cards fall.
A classic
Some classics on this album. The other songs on here didn't hit as hard for me, but "Arrival" was a great interlude.
Look ABBA’s greatest hits is all you need to listen to from ABBA. Their greatest hits are awesome. Anything else from them is just mid.
put an abba best of on and you’ll probably be okay. could i write poetry to this? n fernando hits tho
Clean, crisp, and fun ’70s pop music. Arrival is ABBA doing what they do best. Overall, they’re not really my thing, but I can understand why people love them. The melodies are catchy, the production is polished, and it’s easy to see why this album has a lot of fans.
3.5 - fun album fav song Fernando
Poppy
Classic pop
I don’t know how I feel about this. It’s so goddamn catchy and bouncy it’s almost annoying. But it’s also just so goddamn catchy and bouncy! I feel like this is an album that grows on you after a bunch of listens. Then one day you just suddenly find yourself in your car blasting it and screaming it at the top of your lungs.
A lovely arrival of a Swedish Mafia with timeless tracks and others to enjoy.
It's Abba, it's exactly what I was expecting. You'd have to be pretty cold-hearted not to enjoy at least some of this, although honestly I would perhaps have just had one Abba album on the list.
Yay for valentines
This was a fun album, I'd forgotten about a few of the songs on here that I really like. Well done and a solid album overall.
A couple giant hits, but that doesn't make it a great album.
Not my listening taste, but still a great album. Friday night dinner party essential to keep everyone happy and entertained with lots of sing-along tunes.
Good pop album with some of the bands biggest hits on it. The album is fun, dynamic, easy to listen to, and there is not a single bad song on here. The songs are a bit similar at times, but this is not uncommon for pop. Was between 3 and 4, but I think the vocal centered mix prevailed in it being a 3, since it's not as balanced as it should be on a great album, in my opinion. Which is a bit of a shame really, since the melodies and riffs are quite good and deserve a bigger place on the album.
Abba is one of those artists that make great songs but not necessarily great albums. This isn't an exception to that but it seems like one since the biggest song on this album is so legendary. I am of course referring to "Dancing Queen". Easily the most popular Abba song but also one of the most iconic pop songs ever. Few songs have left as much of an impact on popular culture. My 16 year old sister who doesn't listen to any music from before she was born, likes Dancing Queen, because how can you not? It's that timeless. You throw that song on an album with "Money, Money, Money" and boom you got a classic on your hands. It doesn't even matter if the rest of the songs are good (most of them are pretty good anyways though). Favorite track: Dancing Queen, Money, Money, Money 3.5/5
Soon as I started playing it every single middle aged white woman I know appeared at my front door with a bottle of Prosecco, horrifying. Fernando a banger tho
Hate to say it but honestly, aside from the hits, this is kinda boring…
Is Abba overrated? Probably
Cool running basslines, interesting instrumentals
ABBA - Arrival Good album! It offers some classics from the 70's to listen to (especially with "Dancing Queen", that one's really iconic). It really has that distinct sound that ABBA offered that makes them unique from others, and while it doesn't really amaze as much, it does stand out at the time for making mainstream music sound enjoyable in the past. Overall, this is good! 1.- When I Kissed the Teacher = 7/10 2.- Dancing Queen = 10/10 3.- My Love, My Life = 8/10 4.- Dum Dum Diddle = 9/10 5.- Knowing Me, Knowing You = 7/10 6.- Money, Money, Money = 8/10 7.- That's Me = 9/10 8.- Why Did It Have to Be Me? = 8/10 9.- Tiger = 7/10 10.- Arrival = 6/10 FINAL SCORE: 7.9/10
70’s schlock but classic 70’s schlock. You know every word to most of the songs and when you hear them, they become earworms for days afterwards.
Okay
Arguably a great album with tons of abba hits. While I can enjoy it I doubt I’ll ever reach to put it on myself again.
vibe. but not hardcore my vibe. liked money money money and tiger. i don't like this less than the last album i listened to (gave it a 4) but i'm realizing my initial way of rating was swinging a bit too high.
classic. 3/5
This album runs hot and cold. The hits are great and I contend that Dancing Queen is one of the best pop songs ever recorded. The non-hit songs do very little to nothing for me sounding like something that would struggle to even make a mark on Eurovision. The ladies voices sound great together but their singing melody in unison is a signature sound that starts to make all the songs sound the same and pretty quickly grows fatiguing. ABBA is probably best consumed in smaller doses. The highs are high and the lows are low averaging out to a 3 for me.
Bit like Queen, Abba are definitely a 'Greatest Hits' band.
ABBA has been around long enough to be trendsetters, washed up has-beens, popular again, and now at the top of the mountain of the 70s sound. Arrival is very dated and had it not been for the musical Mama Mia including some of these songs into the play these songs could also sound very dated. 3.5/5
Напевно найвідоміший альбом ABBA. І що я хочу сказати - як альбом він немає жодного сенсу. Тут не відчувається якоїсь загальної концепції, або ідеї, окрім того, що усі треки, так чи інакше, можна назвати "Диско". Безумовно, ABBA вміють робити хіти, і тут, на мій погляд, такими є "Dancing Queen" та "Knowing Me, Knowing You", але окрім них на альбомі ще ПОВНО філерів. Нехай гарно спродюсованих, але все ж філерів, з доволі "нудним", сірим аранжуванням, ніж іншим. Тому, якщо вам хочется послухати ABBA у "всій красі", щоб зрозуміти за що їх, насправді, люблять - послухайте краще ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits (1992). Бо слухати цей гурт "альбомами", як мене, є просто втратою часу. Тому як альбом - ні, додати пару синглів в плейлист, однозначно - так. P.S: Я, бляха, всім серцем ненавиджу пісню Money, Money. Просто терпіти її не можу.
inte min favorit era av abba ksk
Saccharine and infectious.
Great album with several hit songs. I like it a lot but I hear these songs fairly often in pop culture so I don't see myself seeking out this album to listen to. Still great music though.
Not my thing but good enough for this list.
Dancing Queen and Fernando are dope. The rest is alright 1001 album worthy: Yes - 20/34
Teveel pop voor mijn doen
Kinda grew tired of it after hearing most of the songs so often. Never really been my type of music except some of the songs Money, money, money slaps nonetheless
Probs was alright can’t remember
Je n’ai jamais été un grand fan d’ABBA, mais je dois me rendre à l’évidence, ils ont le sens de la musique accrocheuse qui fait sourire et danser. Mon rappel à leur méga hit « Dancing Queen » a évolué avec le temps, de trop sucré et quétaine à trop sucré et quétaine, mais franchement réussi. Pour ce tube et aussi pour plusieurs autres chansons vraiment chouette (« Knowing Me, Knowing You » et ses « Haahaaa » tout doux et bien placés dans les refrains; la plus forte du disque « Money, Money, Money » avec ses orchestrations et ses changements de ton; « Tiger » et les plus rigolote « Fernando » et « Happy HawaII »), mais pour quelques chansons vraiment douteuses (« My Love, My Life »; « Dum Dum Diddle » et la chanson titre « Arrival »), je dois donner 3. On parle beaucoup de l’Eurovision dans le texte du livre, on est vraiment là. Mention spéciale à la pochette avec une photo du groupe dans un espèce d’hélicoptère en bulle transparente.
Love
Fun album but not really the vibe at work
OK
coulda sent this up with the voyager spacecraft instead of those gold records. it would have served the same purpose. timeless but frozen in the seventies. universal but swedish as hell. even at their corniest ("the tiger," "dum dum diddle") they've got more hooks than a barrel of monkeys. if i had written "knowing me knowing you" i'd retire and die happy.
very strange opening track for an album full of ABBA classics but this was still very enjoyable, also never knew that ABBA stood for Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-frid, the more you know I suppose
Abba! Man, I can't wait to read Joel's review of this... It's a fun album that brings out a smile while I'm listening to it. Dancing Queen slaps. The title track is cool. This isn't something I would vibe, but it is groovy at points. Kind of easy listening at other points. I'm going to give this a 3.
Abba did what they did well but I'm not sure that that included albums. Big Europop singles stuck together with filler is not a recipe for a great album, might as well just go straight to a greatest hits compilation. The singles are undeniably great though.
Just no. This has been overplayed by the girls of my household too much. I kind of enjoyed Mumma Mia the movie the first time I watched it, was bored the second time and have refused politely since then. It's really well made pop, that is very enjoyable if you're felt cheesy, so I can't bring myself to vote lower than 3 stars, but when I was listening to it I was feeling like giving one star.
Shamelessly baroque and terribly silly, but sort of golden and gilded and extremely over the top in terms of its execution. "Dancing Queen" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You" channel the '70s every bit as essentially as "Stairway to Heaven" or "More Than a Feeling." Its sheen and shine hasn't really dimmed down the years though it's harder to relate to.
I'd heard some of the songs, but not all. Enjoyed, but not sure I'll revisit.
Do you like 70's disco pop music or cheesy music? If so, this album is for you! If you've ever heard of the song "Dancing Queen," then you would know their voices. I kind of like this music, even though it's a little cheesy. I would still put it as one of my top-rated albums on here so far. I hope that you get a chance to listen to this album, and I highly recommend it.
great
Favourite song - Why did it have to be me
Yes dancing queen is a classic, I knew the song Fernando, but this album is just corny. One great song the rest is a whole lotta meh.
I appreciate this album. Complex harmonies. Not my jam. 3/5
Perfectly pleasant and innocuous pop music. Nothing challenging but nice to hear some of the less played songs. Particularly the title track.
I know why Abba is important but it's really tough for me to care. It's well-made though!
i appreciate it
Fun tunes but I don’t want anyone to see me listening to the first song
Nett, aber eher gewöhnlich.
Correction for previous album: underwater moonlight sucks. 3/10 ABBA: pretty good. 7/19
Good
Enjoyable
Super fun, very pop … tempted to rate this a 4 ( which would be my highest pop album ) but ultimately a pop rock as an album fails to impress me as much as other genres … At the same time i see high replay single value here and a fun time with a record I can put on in many happy occasions and singles I will certainly return to if there were a couple of more Fernando 🔥🔥🔥tracks this would be a serious 4
Fucking ABBA. Incredible songwriters that make it seem so easy to write strings of earworms. Top-notch production, too. Very questionable aesthetic choices, including this album cover (trademark (R) against the band name and all). How kind of sugary it all is, though. It really isn't my kind of music, but those earworms still work on me. Oh - Money, Money, Money is a great song. Tough to rate, because I'm fine never listening to this album ever again (except Money, Money, Money), but do think it's an achievement.
like an image passing by
I might like this one better than their other album. The one with the blue cover. 😐
Definitely fun to listen to but not really my genre. My favorites were “Dancing Queen” and “Tiger”. Also I feel like “When I Kissed The Teacher” wouldn’t have gone over so well today. 3.5/5
It’s so cheesy you gotta love it a little.
Catchy - annoying = 3
Dancing queen is lightning in a bottle. The rest of the album pales in comparison
I know that a ton of these songs are amongst their most popular, and whilst I appreciate their talent, they’re not songs I’m keen on.
3 classic singles but the rest generally annoys me for the most part:/
A good example of music that I don't particularly enjoy, but merits an inclusion on a list like this because you can't tell the history of Western popular music without mentioning them.
When I Kissed the Teacher was weird and not the best for an opening track. But then we get to Dancing Queen and while I don’t necessarily like the song, it’s hard not to sing along to. Money, Money, Money is a lot of fun. And I think that sums up ABBA - not good, but had not to sing or move to and kind of fun. Nothing innovative or great here, just bubblegum. And sometimes bubblegum is ok. 3
Pop songs that keep on shining. Their major flaw is being so overplayed that the highlights were the songs that don't end up on the radio. I won't revisit but it was not time wasted.
I think ABBA album are overrated. No more than industrial product, like soft drink or fries.
The singles on this album are fabulously crafted pop (though I've always disliked Fernando). The rest is really filler, so this is far from a great album. 3/5 for the singles.
Classic ABBA. Some questionable morals but different times etc.
- einfach Banger über Banger - Lieblingsband meiner Mutter, vielleicht kommt da die Affinität her, denn ABBA lief bei uns früher wirklich viel - tolles Album insgesamt, auch abseits der Hits - trotzdem kann ich das nicht immer und überall hören, weswegen die Bewertung etwas niedriger ausfällt, als wahrscheinlich verdient
i must renege on my prior abba hate…this wasn’t so bad!
classic abba. not much else I can say
During their heyday, I have to confess I was not a fan. I appreciate their infectious poppy, catchy tunes. I can sing along to those killer singles but with the passing of time, those sentiments and belief systems are a little bit suspicious and the filler tunes are just nonsense. I admire the longevity and the danceabillity of those singles though.
I want to like ABBA more than I do. As it is, they're indelibly seared into my music brain, and I actively like a couple of their songs (SOS comes to mind), but it's hard to get past the camp. It seems pretty earnest. Good on them for cementing their place in music history.
Just fine
Not my kind of jam but it was okay 3 stars.
3.5
Being born in the mid-80s and growing up in Scandinavia, it was impossible to avoid ABBA's music. Even though this is not my prefered style of music, they have a knack for good pop tunes and an undeniable musicality, but too me they are certainly a songs band, not an album band. On this album, I think \"Dancing Queen\", \"My Love, My Life\" and \"Knowing Me, Knowing You\" are great, but the rest is not as good in my opinion. 3 stars
Appropriate that they’re in a helicopter on the album cover because the quality of the tracklist gets almightily choppy. Singles like Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You and Money x3 outshine a hundredfold the rest of the songs which are at best pleasant or not even slightly pleasant at all like on the track where one of the two blokes takes over lead vocal duties. Light 3.5 stars.
Couple of good songs, not my favorite.
Good album, not great. But a couple major bops
What a cute album. It's such a fun and electric feel throughout that makes it very easy to listen to. "Dancing Queen" is such a huge hit and such a feel-good song that stands the test of time. The vocals blend so nicely with the charming and upbeat instrumentation. This is really nice.
Not my jam, but lots of memories from a few of these songs.
Fun
Can’t really knock ABBA, they knew how to make ridiculously catchy pop songs. The singles are far better than the other album tracks but still a reasonably enjoyable listen.
Great pop album
Other than Dancing Queen this really isnt great
Good
ABBA is like the ultimate singles band. The deep cuts on this thing are forgettable but those singles…just the best of the best
It's pretty conceptual. I definitely am old enough to appreciate what ABBA is without a trace of irony. I guess that I would say it fills the role it set out to perfectly. It is generally uplifting and even when it is sad and contemplative it isn't very deep about it. It is a candy apple but the apple is a granny smith variety. I like it in small doses but it is cloying and ultimately begins to agitate like apple flesh between my molars. Patently well made but not for me...picky fuck that I am.
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Fun catchy pop. Standout songs: Knowing Me Knowing you Money, Money, Money
#364. Pop music is pop music. It's always been the same. The music itself may sound slightly outdated, but add some synth sounds and some autotune and any of these could easily be a modern William Eyelash or Cathedral Moan song. Some things never change. 3/5: alright.
I like ABBA but I don't think they are very album-oriented. The standouts on this album all did well as singles and the rest of the album is filled with forgettable, cloying tracks that get old quickly. 5/10
Two amazing and timeless songs lift up an album where the rest sounds dated
I liked dancing queen and fernando, but the rest didn't resonate with me. I wouldn't seek it out but I wouldn't turn it off if it came on the radio.
3 out of 5. Definitely see how ABBA set a standard for pop music and lots of hits on this one.
Pretty good overall. I enjoyed the hits (dancing queen & money, money, money) as well as Dum Dum Diddle. Nothing else really stood out. I didn't dislike any of the songs though. 6/10
Epic opening (When I Kissed The Teacher). Feelgood. Some songs are a bit too kitsch (Dum Dum Diddle).
Fernando is a better song than Dancing Queen. fight me. also this album is mediocre but some bangers brought it up to 3 stars.
The pop-music-as-sugary-confection metaphor is perfected with these songs. As appealing as they are on the surface, by the end of three I need something substantive or I begin to feel queasy. And the lyrics are among the worst ever published. But as much as I'd like to detest it outright, there's no denying the other-worldly power of those hooks.
Took me until listening to this to understand why "Mamma Mia" was such a success. Sure, it's solidly from the disco era, of course, but all of these songs sound like they belong in a musical theater production -- from the harmonies to the largely "We're going to burst into song in random places" lyrics. "When I Kissed the Teacher" reads like a different take on "Don't Stand So Close to Me." It's bubblegum with an odd darkness behind it in places -- and far hornier than I remembered ABBA being.
Another album where the classic pop hits shine and the rest goes in the instantly forgettable bin
3.5
Some classics there but the rest was not for me.
Starting an album with “When I Kissed the Teacher” is certainly a choice. I now know that “Arrival” is apparently the song that The Darkness plays before every one of their shows, so there’s that.
Influential and really really well edited when you consider it was in the tape days. But a bit too bubblegum for over 3 from me.
Uff. Auf abba muss man glaube ich Lust haben um das zu hören…
It's a fine album, but ABBA isn't my cup of tea. Some classic songs, and as a complete album it's solid if you're into that 70s pop sound.
ABBA halt. 2,6
LIVE shout out to the swedes
Abba son los autores de las canciones mas pegadizas y odiosas del pop. Se salva dancing queen para las fiestas.
Some cute, lighthearted fun, with the absolute banger Dancing Queen thrown in too.
Feel nostalgic listening to this. I like the some of the songs but the sound of it gets a bit much for me.
Basically a greatest hits album lol
Favorite Track: Dancing Queen
Very enjoyable!
Fun. Keyboards. ABBA. Classic tunes.
Het zegt me altijd wat als de nummers die spotify automatisch na het album afspeelt me meer hyped maken. Prima, nothing special
It has a few dings I've heard before and didn't know it was ABBA. Has more of that sound, and it's interesting to hear it in different configurations. Some songs don't get as dramatic as I'd like.
er abba-maður. skemmtilegt og grípandi popp. 3,5.
When I Kissed the Teacher 3.5 Dancing Queen 4 My Love, My Life 3 Dum Dum Diddle 3.2 Knowing Me, Knowing You 3.4 Money, Money, Money 3.4 That's Me 3.3 Why Did It Have to Be Me? 3.4 Tiger 3.7 Arrival 3.6 Score: 3.45
Fun album. Not my fav type of music, but I can get down to it if needed.
Are they all great songs, no, but the album is fun and would love to have been at the disco listening to this in its prime
I’m torn. There’s good stuff here. There’s bad stuff here. There’s ridiculous series stuff here. It’s almost like disco ELO at times and then other songs are shitty pop from a musical. The lyrics are consistently terrible though. That I’m sure of. Money money money and dancing queen carry the album. Nothing else touches these tunes and dancing queen is timeless
I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. It's interesting to hear the hits in context of the album but in this case that didn't make them better or worse and they were the only stand-outs.
This album was fine. It's an ABBA album. It's not exactly the pinnacle of disco, but at the same time they wrote some great songs 3/4
I mean, I get it!
The hits slap, but I can see why I've never heard some of these tracks.
A legitimately fun album despite my misgivings. Like some other albums on this list, it suffers from overexposure - having heard most, if not all of the songs repeatedly (and pretty much never in situations when I’ve intentionally sought them out), it was hard to approach it with fresh ears and an open mind. It’s a very well-crafted pop album, though, and it’s easy to see why its popularity has endured. Maybe a score of 3 is a little unfair, but I just don’t see myself jumping to listen to this in full again. Favorite tracks: Fernando; Money, Money, Money
[…..and takes deep breath, grits teeth] Abba are really quite good aren’t they. There, I’ve said it. As pop goes it’s ridiculously catchy when they get it right and the singles are bangin. Some filler though and the first track needs a bit of a rethink!
Would have been awesome 40 years ago. It’s fun and lots of bounce to it but it’s just really dated for my taste. Not really my jam
Mamma Mia
Overall, it was just kind of boring. I think I just don’t get ABBA.
73% Best: Dancing Queen, Knowing Me Knowing You Must-Hear? Nah (DQ yes)
Besides the hits, these are some willy wonka ass songs.
I thought I’d hate it. But there are a few bangers on here and even some heady sophisti-pop vibes. There are a few moments that are hard to take and are so polished and manicured they sound like Disney animatronics singing these songs. It’s a sweet vibe and from a songwriting perspective it’s almost scientifically good:)
I know a small handful of ABBA songs, but this will be my first time listening to one of their albums. I don't really have any strong opinions about ABBA, other than that I think the Erasure version of "Take a Chance On Me" is far better than ABBA's version. People seem to be pretty high on this album, so I'm excited to immerse myself in some Scandinavian pop. Musically, this album is pure pop bliss. The arrangements are bright, wonderfully layered, and full of kick-ass harmonies. Theses songs were a blast to listen to, and they're really easy to bop along too. No two songs sounded the same, and each song was fresh and felt really original. The only song that was a total clunker to me was "My Love, My Life," which just wrecked the pace of the album in my opinion. Thankfully it was early enough in the album to where I wasn't able to enjoy the rest of it. As much as I enjoyed this album musically, the lyrics were... not my favorite. No offense to ABBA, but I don't think they're exactly known for great songwriting, and that's pretty evident from this album. The lyrics were pretty nonsensical ("Dum Dum Diddle") and on one occasion, really weird and cringe-worthy ("When I Kissed The Teacher"). Structurally, these songs were pretty bland as well. As much as fun as the music was, these songs never really developed much. I know that might be a bit nitpicky, but I know pop music can be deep and experimental, and this album is very much stuck in its time. Again, this isn't a bad album, but I found it to be just fine overall.
Hmm, some was good but not really for me
Una gran colección de hits
Classic architecture meets pop art
It's ABBA. What is there that anyone can add to the discussion of ABBA and this late date. Back when they were big, I was always pretty indifferent to them, but "Fernando" (from this album) has always been my favorite song of theirs.
ha vergesse dass abba jo immer bitz slappt. when i kissed the teacher isch en weeeirde song vom text her aber s tönt afoch suuper. dancing queen tanzt de grot vo super guete song zu nervig catchy. je noch dem nervter mi oder ich finden suuuper. my love my life isch seeeehr cheesy aber no schön. dum dum diddle isch chli arsch findi. knowing me knowing you het en seeehr coole bass. booooah und de refrain slaaaaappt. jooooo money money money aaaaah banger die lustig synthis jaaa und d giti vergesse gha. riese banger. de song hani scho öfter selber vor mich her gsunge als glost. lohnt sich. that's me hani nonie ghört glaub? isch cool halt sehr abba ich lieb die übermässige chords da chönds. why did it have to be me au nöd e offebarig tiger besser als eye of the tiger aber au nöd sooo geil etz. arrival isch sochli schottisch style type beat? no schöni melodie fernando baut huuuere uuf mit de flötibötis und so. happy hawaii au chli ass. immerno boppig ufgnoh bass isch geil aber jäääh. ah ghört au nöd zum album und fernando au nöd. egal. isch nöch amne vieri aber isch e 3.
Arrival finds ABBA at the height of their melodic powers, crafting polished pop with an almost mechanical precision. The album is filled with shimmering harmonies, lush arrangements, and that unmistakable Swedish pop shine. For all of its craft, though, it can sometimes feel a little too clean: beautiful, but a bit emotionally distant. “Dancing Queen” is the undeniable crown jewel, a perfect slice of pop euphoria that is both regal and irresistibly fun. It is the track that justifies the album’s legendary status. The rest of the songs are solid but don’t always reach the same heights. A few fade into the background, impressive in production but lighter in emotional pull. This album shows ABBA’s brilliance while also highlighting their limitations. It is pristine and expertly made, but that polish can come at the cost of connection. Still, when ABBA hits their stride here, they sound untouchable. Favorite Song: “Dancing Queen”
Vacation style of music. Something you feel like you caught a second of as you’re walking down the street. Love Dancing Queen, but the rest of the album was just alright. Standouts: Dancing Queen, My Love, My Life, and Tiger.
Arrival was a fairly good album. This is mostly the one with a lot of ABBA's biggest songs including stuff like Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You and Money, Money, Money and all of those tracks are pretty good. The regular album tracks were a bit more of a mixed bag with high points like Tiger and low points like Dum Dum Diddle. The album did move at just the right length for an album like this. This one is certainly a solid one. Best Song: Money, Money, Money Worst Song: Dum Dum Diddle
Half the songs were good half of them were dog ass
It’s a theatrical cheese fest. This album may have a few undeniable hits, but tracks like, “When I Kissed the Teacher”, “Dum Dum Diddle”, “That’s Me”, “Why Did It Have to Be Me”, and especially “Tiger” send me into a spiral of annoyance, restlessness, and boredom. I enjoy ABBA, or thought I did, but this album seems like a collection of songs pumped out and thrown together as filler for 70s teeny boppers and middle aged squares to tap a foot and sing along to.
Receiving an ABBA album as my first to review was a pleasant surprise. 𝑨𝑹𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑳 is a bit of a fever dream. I will always have a bit of bias when it comes to ABBA. They hold a special spot in my heart, as they were my Grandfather's favorite band. The overall mood of the album is generally happy. When I listen to songs like "Dancing Queen" or "Fernando" it makes me feel as if I am frolicking in an open grass field with a variety of cute forest creatures such as deer, foxes, squirrels, and docile raccoons. Hair flowing in the summer breeze, and not a car in the world. It's genuinely uplifting. My personal favorite on the album, "Money, Money, Money", stands out as a song that gives me more of a mischevious vibe. I could envision myself robbing a bank to this song, in the most innocent way possible. Dressed in a black and white striped long-sleeved shirt, black stocking cap, black pants, a bandit mask, and carrying an old knapsack over my shoulder that is marked with a large dollar sign, I imagine myself crawling through vents, lowering into the vault via cable and harness, stuffing my sack with righteous dollar bills, then tiptoeing out of the front entrance, leaving a money trail behind me that nobody seems to notice. One song I had never really gave the time of a day to that I became fond of was "Happy Hawaii". The piano and bass riff go very well together. Overall, I'd give this album a 3.1 out of 5 stars. The album cover, which I personally adore, edges this out of the high 2's for me. I can always count on my mood being improved a little after I listen to 𝑨𝑹𝑹𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑳.
Like the first song nothing else.
+: When I Kissed the Teacher, Dancing Queen, My Love, My Life, Money, Money, Money, That's Me, Tiger +-: Why Did It Have to Be Me?, Arrival -: Knowing Me, Knowing You --: Dum Dum Diddle 6,0/10
Fun upbeat songs but wow some of the lyrics are wild.
Better than the first ABBA dabba doo album we had. Dancing Queen and Fernando were really good. I saw poor Fernando didn't make the original cut. What a travesty! I can see how this was big in the 70s ..but in that fateful evening of July 12 1979...disco died a fiery death.
Pretty fun. But - I can’t dock Eminem a star for making me uncomfortable with “Stan,” and then ignore a song called “When I Kissed the Teacher”. This was common enough to be a pop song trope?! What was wrong with everyone?!
Got some good classics, but not my thing.
When I Kissed The Teacher should be retroactively renamed Entrapment: Making a Pedophile.
Some songs are fun but overall it's a 3.4 for me
I'd give it 3.5 if it were an option.
this is pretty fun. I mean, it's disco. But guilty pleasure I guess.
A few good songs, but definitely some filler.
Some definite classics and some other good songs, but a few head scratchers. Overall good
I am not that much into the slowy thing. I guess it is alright. Kind of enjoyed and bored at the same time.
If you've heard ABBA, it's off this album. Upbeat and catchy, just not really my thing.
Good album featuring some great songs like "knowing me, knowing you" and "money, money , money". Especially when you look at it from a musical perspective. The basslines are just perfect. On the other hand, "happy hawaii" and "Dum dum diddle" ruin it for me
When it comes to Abba, I am of the belief that all you really need is, Abba Gold-Greatest Hits. Even that could be trimmed down, they do have some bangers, absolutely they do, they do dance pop really well. Arrival bizarrely starts off with, When I Kissed the Teacher so that’s a weird note to kick off on. Money, Money, Money and Happy Hawaii are a couple fun tracks I hadn’t previously heard. This is a mix of bangers and trash. 2.5 stars
Very fun album that has some staying power due to wedding and events like that. But nothing felt to impactful or groundbreaking.
I totally get why people like ABBA. I’m also not really one of those people.
My wife gives it 4 stars since it’s in her wheelhouse. I would give it 2 so we’ll split the difference. Actually very catchy and poppy album.
Has so many hits.
Meh
Can't argue that it's done right. Amazing that this came out after their first greatest hits. Smells like a slightly cloying perfume and the hot vinyl seats in a late 70s family car.
Yep. That's Abba alright.
I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would, but it's still a solid album from a classic group. It does feel like a few hits surrounded by some filler, but the filler isn't bad enough to make me zone out. But the bangers bang. Except I don't like Money money money which surprised me, I thought I liked that song? Apparently not. Fav songs: - Dancing Queen - Fernando - Knowing Me, Knowing You
Good, but a bit cheesy. It's ABBA and didn't expect anything else, but man this album had a lot of hits.
Sneeringly dismissed by me when it came out, this has 5 well-known singles and the rest are decent pop songs
Reminded me of my childhood
Hmmm, very much on the fence with this one. Abba are obviously brilliant at their best but I didn't much want to sit through many of the more formulaic, cabaret-style tunes. Maybe just me, for today it's a 3
Best song: Fernando. I’ve heard ABBA enough tho.
Some bangers but also some shit ones soooooo meow
3.5 Steady away
not as good as I thought it would be. The songs that arent the greatest hits are not played for a reason. What is up with kiss the teacher, ick.
Catchy, well crafted songs, not ly go to, but I can see why they are so loved.
Schreckliche Erinnerungen kommen hoch. Aber wie sagt man? Irgendwie ganz ok? Handwerklich gut gemacht? 3 Punkte.
Well construed pop songs but probably could have left a couple of songs off for a tighter album. Not necessarily repetitive but all the songs are similar - you know it’s Abba somehow. I wonder if anyone in the country realm has covered “Why Did It Have To Be Me” - seems like a no brained hit single for someone. And we’ve come a long way from the mid 70s with a song like “When I Kissed The Teacher.” Surprisingly Arrival isn’t the first song on the album, kind of weird somehow.
Decent, fun. Sort of like Tabey said for an earlier album, it feels like I’m at a wedding reception. Fernando.
Maybe a controversial opinion, but I do enjoy ABBA. Solid 70s pop, with of course a disco vibe. I do think a little goes a long way, and sometimes I wish they’d switch up the sound a bit. It’s fun to think of what ABBA could sound like if produced by Brian Eno or Daniel Lanois.
It's fine, if a little boring, but with rare exception, very much not my style.
Viele Hits, die jeder kennt. Aber mieser Sound.
Great opener, energy carries. Not a fan of "Money."
barely a 3. Aside from the popular songs this isn't a great album. 2.5
Fernando almost but didn’t get this to a4
They have some classics for sure, and I know many people are crazy about them, but they aren’t really my preferred flavor of pop.
Part of me wants to appreciate ABBA more. I can see that they're talented, that they bring in a wide range of styles, and they certainly made something unique and far reaching. I get why they're popular but I can also see why some people hate them. It's campy in a serious way, which itself seems a bit ridiculous. It has a very important place in themed parties and wedding receptions. Not so much in my regular rotation I'm afraid.
The hits power the album. The harmonies are on high over top of piano and synths, with touches of electric guitar. The production is great and would have been a gen in true mid-70s.
Do all of their albums sound like soundtracks for a musical?
when i kissed the teacher
Enjoyable mid 80s with dancing queen
This album is pretty much what I thought it would be. I was already familiar with Dancing Queen and Fernando, and the rest of the album is very much the same. It has top notch production, and overall is very nice and makes for a pleasant listen. There is a reason that ABBA tops so many sales and favorites lists. However, it's a little too syrupy sweet for me and not something I see myself coming back to very often.
Meh
I've always been partial to a bit of ABBA, they were huge when I was growing up in the 70's. Like most people I know their biggest hits, and let's be fair they have a long list of hits, so I was expecting to find this album full of hits and strong lesser-known songs. I was a little disappointed, there were a handful of well known hits, but the rest of it was pretty boring.
Sænska bomban. Þarna eru slagarar og minna þekkt lög. Ég fílaði þetta alveg þótt ég muni seint kallast ABBA aðdáandi. Kannski þarf ég að vera í sérstöku stuði til að hlusta á ABBA svo það skori hærra en ég er alveg líklegur til að setja þessa plötu á fóninn ef andinn grípur mig.
Guilty pleasure as they say. 4 massive hits on here. Some of the others are a bit wet.
I mean, come on, it's fucking ABBA. the over-the-top, larger-than-life, with the chorus-like vocals, soaring synths, the odd xylophone here and there; it's all great. although I will say, I was worried about trying to get through a full album, but was pleasantly surprised to find a wide range of variety while also keeping a sense of cohesiveness. each song runs between 3 and 4 minutes, averaging at a comfortable 3m30s each, each song takes just enough time to play with its ideas and themes a bit before moving onto the next one. it's pop music, perfected.
Not guite bubblegum, but definitely pop disco.
There are some huge hits on this (Dancing Queen), but it is difficult for me to separate this piece of work from Mamma Mia.
ABBA is really good at making catchy pop melodies, but really not else beyond that. This album more or less embodies that, not that there is anything wrong with that because there is some very fun tracks. "When I Kissed The Teacher" has not aged well at all though lol
The hits are catchy songs for sure, and I think ABBA is pretty well respected even if they are often parodies, right? I honestly thought the production would be better. It's so cheesy and washed out, I don't even know if I like it ironically like I thought I did. Still probably a 3/5 for me. A 4+/5 is something I would put on for my own enjoyment. This isn’t that. Best part is the "ahaaaAH" after the "knowing me, knowing you" line. And the album cover is solid. I just wish I actually liked this. It’s disco but with no soul or funk to it.
Love disco but eating lower cause some of the lyrics are weird
Partly heard before Saved 5/10 Top track: Dancing Queen
Not bad not great, about how I would describe ABBA in general. Some of the songs are a bit boring and dated, while others are all time classics that still hold up today. It's a weird mixed bag because at a surface level all the songs are quite similar.
Really great album , really love the first song ( When I kissed the teacher ) bit im Soo sick and tired of Dancing Queen. Loll
Pretty good, nothing amazing though.