ABBA is Back

After 40 years of no new music, Swedish band ABBA released a fully new album titled Voyage. As Mama Mia! is my all time favorite movie, I had to give this new album a chance, take a chance on it if you will. ABBA gained their fame after winning Europe’s biggest music competition, EuroVision, in 1974. Since then, they went on to release 9 studio albums, including Voyage. The band gained the view of a new generation when their music was featured in the movie Mama Mia! in 1999. Their music also became the soundtrack for many other movies too, which continued to grow their audience. 

I love ABBA’s music so much for its fun rhythms and magic ability that make everyone listening get up and dance, but what I could never shake was how their songs seemingly make very little sense. Nonetheless, their songs are good to listen to at any time of the day and are guaranteed to put a smile on the listener’s face, which is why Mama Mia! is my favorite movie. I know, without a doubt, that the second Amanda Seyfried runs across the screen in the opening scene, a smile will explode across my face. For a movie or song or anything to guarantee happiness is an incredible thing that is very hard to achieve, so my expectations for their new music was high.

Despite this, I knew almost nothing about this album before writing this piece. In all honesty, I did not even know that ABBA released a new album until my friend at school brought it up. ABBA had faded off my radar for the most part because I knew that they peaked in the 1970’s so I doubted that they were still releasing music. Additionally, the band unofficially broke up in 1981 and had made very few appearances together since. 

Because of this, I came into listening to this album with moderate expectations. Was this band responsible for helping create the atmosphere for my favorite movie of all time? Very much yes. Did I really think that a revival album coming out of a 40 year dormancy would equate? Sadly, no. 

As I began listening to the album the first track, “I Still Have Faith in You”, caught me by surprise. It was actually good! I could not help but bop my head and tap my foot. Definitely no “Honey, Honey”, but a good start. The other tracks that stood out to me were “Don’t Shut Me Down”, and their final track “Ode To Freedom”. This last track was the perfect way to end the album. It is a slower, almost transcendent sounding, with lots of strings. “Ode To Freedom” reminds me of that sense of freedom and peace that you feel when you are with friends that you know really love you or you have a moment where you reflect back on your life and realize how lucky you are. 

The album as a whole was definitely not bad, but it did have the ring of a comeback album, which is not the most pleasant sound. I would not choose to listen to the whole album again because it was not very exciting. Before listening to the album, I was worried it would follow the common comeback album path: lots of excitement before, an underwhelming album released, and a big, high budget tour where they only play their old songs. Sadly, Voyage seems to be checking all of these boxes. My question is, after a hugely successful career, why do musicians feel the need or desire to come back and release more music? 

Obviously, I understand that music fuels musicians' beings and they likely have the need for the thrill of a live crowd ingrained in their minds. These bands and musicians were also massively successful, so their wallets likely do not get hurt with a badly selling album. The thing that I cannot wrap my head around is the feeling of disappointing people's expectations with a new album. Take Dua Lipa and Elton John’s new song, “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”, for example. Elton John, one of the most impactful music icons in the world, returned to the pop radio world with a very mediocre song remixed to one of his most famous past hits. If you cannot come back with a bang, why try to come back at all? 

These artists who have boundless talent and have released many masterpieces of music in the world must have the sense to realize that their new music is nowhere near as good as it was in their prime. One can argue that they are releasing this moderately good music for money, but most of the musicians that are releasing comeback albums are financially set for life. Should they save their dignity and value their past music or chase after new fame with a subpar album? 

The classic musicians are classic for a reason, nobody wants to hear their song remixed. Music today is completely different than it was in the 70’s when ABBA was at their peak and although they have their credibility from the past, their novelty will wear off in today's competition with other music competitors. Although comeback albums allow the audience to reminisce on the greatness of the band or musicians past, they should not be the linear path for a near retiring musician. Voyage was not bad and I loved being excited about ABBA in today’s world of music, but they were made for the 70’s and that is where their music thrives the most.