Mamma Mia! On this day in 1974, the world was introduced to a band that would become iconic in Hollywood films, Broadway shows, and probably your cousins’ weddings. But how did Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad evolve from modest Swedish folk musicians to one of the most successful pop bands ever?
The band started performing together in 1969 as Festfolk, a name combining Swedish words: ‘fästfolk’ (engaged couples) and ‘festfolk’ (party people). While fitting — Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog married in 1971, and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad in 1978 — Festfolk only had one modest hit, “People Need Love,” in 1972.
Everything changed when they entered Melodifestivalen (a festival for melodic sound) to represent Sweden at Eurovision 1973. After finishing third, they renamed themselves ABBA, using the initial letters of each member’s name, and started working on a song for the next year’s contest. Their second try was more successful. ABBA won Melodifestivalen 1974 with “Waterloo,” a song with a unique story: it compared ending a relationship to Napoleon’s defeat.
This victory sent them to Eurovision—often called the “Olympics of song”—held that year in Brighton, UK. Despite strong competition from Olivia Newton-John, ABBA’s glittering costumes and theatrical performance, including their conductor in Napoleonic attire, captivated everyone.
It marked Sweden’s first Eurovision win and remains one of the contest’s most memorable moments.
What followed Eurovision? For ABBA, it meant global dominance. “Waterloo” topped charts across Europe, leading to numerous number-one hits worldwide.
The lyric “At Waterloo, Napoleon did surrender” is catchy but not entirely accurate. Napoleon surrendered nearly a month after his defeat, in Rochefort, France, over 400 miles from Waterloo.