About Us ThisisBigBrother.com

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 02:41 PM

I'm rapidly falling in love with these. They sound like a 21st Century ABBA...though that is setting an extremely high bar to jump over. Judge them by their own merit if you will

Youtube video

They released their album 'Expressions' last year but seem to have gone unnoticed

Tom · 30-03-2010, 02:47 PM

ABBA and 'high bar' don't belong together in the same sentence. Just a standard Eurovision act that got lucky

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 02:50 PM

Are you taking the piss?

Tom · 30-03-2010, 02:51 PM

I could say the same about the initial point

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 02:53 PM

What? Can you please make coherent points? Your whole "devil's advocate" shtick has grown so tiresome it's become difficult to understand.

Tom · 30-03-2010, 02:54 PM

Not playing devil's advocate, ABBA are a **** group that got lucky. Simple.

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 02:55 PM

They aren't remotely ****. They have a whole plethora of catchy, signature and pop-defining records.

They're the best pop band ever.

Tom · 30-03-2010, 02:56 PM

doesn't mean they're good though. not many people take them seriously

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 02:59 PM

Not many people like who? LOL

Quote:

ABBA was a Swedish pop music group formed in Stockholm in 1972, consisting of Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog (Anna). Fältskog and Ulvaeus were a married couple, as were Lyngstad and Andersson during their career, although both couples later divorced. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, and they topped the charts worldwide from 1972 to 1982.

ABBA gained international popularity employing catchy song hooks, simple lyrics, sound effects (reverb, phasing) and a Wall of Sound achieved by overdubbing the female singers' voices in multiple harmonies. As their popularity grew, they were sought after to tour Europe, Australia, and North America, drawing crowds of ardent fans, notably in Australia. Touring became a contentious issue, being particularly cumbersome for Fältskog, but they continued to release studio albums to widespread commercial success. At the height of their popularity, however, both relationships began suffering strain that led ultimately to the collapse of first the Ulvaeus-Fältskog marriage (in 1979) and then of the Andersson-Lyngstad marriage in 1981. In the late 1970s and early 1980s these relationship changes began manifesting in the group's music, as they produced more thoughtful, introspective lyrics with different compositions.

ABBA remains a fixture of radio play lists and is one of the world's best-selling bands, having sold over 900 million records worldwide,[1][2] making them the fourth best-selling popular music group in the history of recorded music. They still sell two to three million records a year.[3] ABBA was also the first pop group from mainland Europe to enjoy consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Ireland, South Africa/Rhodesia, Australia and New Zealand.

After ABBA split, Andersson and Ulvaeus achieved success writing music for the stage while Lyngstad and Fältskog pursued individual solo careers with varying success. ABBA's music remained steadily popular until several films, notably Muriel's Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, revived interest in the group, spawning several tribute bands. In 1999, ABBA's music was adapted into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that toured worldwide and had a movie version released in 2008, becoming the highest grossing film in the UK ever. The group was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 15 March 2010.

yeah i'm quoting wikipedia, shoot me, but seriously...this is shockingly ignorant even for you.

Damaris · 30-03-2010, 03:00 PM

Meh average

Jessica. · 30-03-2010, 03:01 PM

I like Abba tbh but I don't like whatever is in those videos you posted

Tom · 30-03-2010, 03:05 PM

So Shaun, enlighten me. Where have I denied their success? I simply said they were crap. You don't have to be good to have success. Celine Dion is regarded as one of the best female singers ever. Shes simply a cabaret act who churns out cover after cover. Westlife? One of the biggest British bands ever, again they just take a ballad and make it bland, and it sells.

So no, its not ignorant on my part. If anything its ignorant on your part to assume everyone loves them and thinks they have talent.

Jessica. · 30-03-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

So Shaun, enlighten me. Where have I denied their success? I simply said they were crap. You don't have to be good to have success. Celine Dion is regarded as one of the best female singers ever. Shes simply a cabaret act who churns out cover after cover. Westlife? One of the biggest British bands ever, again they just take a ballad and make it bland, and it sells.

So no, its not ignorant on my part. If anything its ignorant on your part to assume everyone loves them and thinks they have talent.

*cough*

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

So Shaun, enlighten me. Where have I denied their success? I simply said they were crap. You don't have to be good to have success. Celine Dion is regarded as one of the best female singers ever. Shes simply a cabaret act who churns out cover after cover. Westlife? One of the biggest British bands ever, again they just take a ballad and make it bland, and it sells.

So no, its not ignorant on my part. If anything its ignorant on your part to assume everyone loves them and thinks they have talent.

You didn't just say they were crap, you said not many people take them seriously. I, and 900 million others and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, proved that wrong.

I agree with Westlife and Celine Dion, they aren't to my taste. But with ABBA I think you're just playing on the sad old stereotype that 'men can't find kitsch pop good', which is quite a sad one.

Tom · 30-03-2010, 03:15 PM

Well generally what is referenced in the media and what others say about them lead me to the conclusion that they aren't taken so seriously. They don't exactly have the legacy of Elvis or MJ.

I also wouldn't say they have 900m fans, unless of course you only own one copy of a single/album?

And no I'm playing on no stereotype.

Shaun · 30-03-2010, 03:18 PM

With regard to the 900m thing - that's probably true, and I doubt that figure, but for a time they were the 2nd biggest-selling act in the world (behind the Beatles I assume) before MJ, Elvis and Madonna overtook them.

But that also doesn't account for the fans (such as myself) who don't own a single copy of anything.

As for their legacy - I think the fact so much of their discography is embedded in really cheesy nonsense like that recent Mamma Mia! film (hate. hate. hate.) means it's always going to be questioned - but you can't really question their songwriting ability. Hooks like Waterloo, Take A Chance On Me and Dancing Queen are pretty much the best pop songs you can get.

Zippy · 30-03-2010, 04:15 PM

ABBA were genius songwriters. Their music is a masterclass in pop music. Many have been inspired by them. The girls were stunning singers too.

And you can't compare them to the atrocious Westlife. ABBA created all their hits from scratch. Numerous timeless classics. Westlife are virtually karaoke tripe.

Shaun · 12-06-2010, 06:46 AM

I shan't rest 'til these are promoted.

Twilight · 12-06-2010, 07:06 AM

Their pretty good

Callum · 12-06-2010, 11:10 AM

The first song was good but I can't really seem them being sucessfull.

MrGaryy · 12-06-2010, 03:20 PM

I don't know. I like the whole sort of concept of the and and their music is enjoyable. But their album has nothing that makes me go 'wow this is amazing'.