Singles/Charts
Click on links below for ABBA's chart positions in the following countries
Sweden 1972-5 Sweden since 1975
Early Days
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
Ring Ring | 7 | 2 | - | 5 | 2 | - | 32 | - |
Waterloo | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Honey Honey | 30 | 19 | 2 | 17 | - | 4 | - | 27 |
So Long | - | - | 11 | - | 7 | - | DNC | - |
i Do I Do I Do | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 | - | 1 | 38 | 15 |
Ring Ring released in 1973. ABBA had chart success in the Netherlands and Belgium in 1973 with Ring Ring. This song charted in UK in 1974 and in 1976 in Australia. Swedish versions of Ring Ring and Waterloo reached #1 and #2 in Sweden respectively. The follow up to Waterloo was Ring Ring in the UK and Honey Honey in the US, Australia and several European counties. For up to a year after Waterloo ABBA had more chart success in the US than the UK.
Glory Days
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
SOS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 6 | 15 |
Mamma Mia | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | - | 1 | 1 | 32 |
Fernando | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
Dancing Queen | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Money Money Money | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 3 | 56 |
Hard to believe now but Mamma Mia was a bit of a flop in some countries. In The Netherlands where ABBA had 10 #1s and 5 #2s, it failed to reach Top 10! In America where uptempo Waterloo, Dancing Queen and Take a Chance On Me were huge, Mamma Mia failed to make Top 30. Additionally not released in France, Sweden or Japan.
During their original career Fernando was ABBA's biggest seller in France, Germany and Australia. Dancing Queen the biggest seller in the UK, the US and Japan.
These songs had pretty much universal appeal. Along with Waterloo, Take a Chance on Me, The Winner Takes it All and Knowing Me, Knowing You are THE iconic ABBA singles.
The Album plus era
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
Knowing Me Knowing You | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 14 |
The Name of The Game | 6 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
Take a Chance On Me | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Eagle | 82 | 2 | 6 | 7 | - | 7 | - | - |
Summer Night City | 13 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 5 | - |
After 6 #1 hits in a row in Australia, Knowing Me Knowing You marks the end of Abbamania there. Also after 6 consecutive number ones in Germany, The Name of the Game peaks at #7. Their fortunes would revive in Germany but not Australia.
ABBA have a trio of consecutive no. 1 singles in the UK at this time. And three peaking at #2 in The Netherlands.
Summer Night City was ABBA's 3rd and final #1 in Sweden. It under performed in most places and was never featured on a studio album, Gold - Greatest Hits or either Mamma Mia! film. Airbrushed out of history.
The Voulez Vous era
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
Chiquitita | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 29 |
Does Your Mother Know | 10 | 1 | 10 | 3 | - | 6 | 4 | 19 |
Voulez Vous | 79 | 1 | 14 | 3 | - | 9 | 3 | 80 |
Gimme Gimme Gimme | 8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 3 | DNC |
I Have a Dream | 64 | 1 | 4 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | - |
A Spanish version of Chiquitita sold well in Latin America. The English version was #1 in a lot of countries but mainly small markets like Ireland and New Zealand. The Spanish version of I Have a Dream also charted in some counties. Voulez Vous was a double A side with Angeleyes in the UK. Angeleyes charted separately in the US and reached. #64.
Gimme Gimme Gimme totally failed to chart in America probably because it was released several months after their US tour.
The Super Trouper era
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
The Winner Takes It All | 7 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
Super Trouper | 77 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 45 |
Lay All Your Love On Me | - | 13 | 26 | - | - | - | 7 | - |
On and On and On | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 90 |
After a 2 and a half year spell ABBA return to UK #1 and US Top 10 with The Winner Takes it And after almost 4 years ABBA top the German singles chart. Lay All Your Love on Me was released only as a 12" single - probably explaining its low chart placing. It was #1 in the Dance Chart in the US.
The Visitors era
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
One of Us | 48 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 3 | DNC |
Head Over Heels | - | 3 | 19 | 1 | - | - | 25 | - |
When All Is Said and Done | 81 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 |
The Day Before You Came | 48 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 32 | DNC |
Under Attack | 96 | 2 | 22 | 7 | - | 26 | - |
One of Us was a big hit in Europe. The Day Before You Came was Top 5 in seven countries. But overall, a slump in sales.
The Voyage era
Australia | Belgium | Germany | Netherlands | Sweden | Switzerland | UK | US | |
I Still Have Faith in You | 39 | 24 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 14 | DNC |
Don't Shut Me Down | 27 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 9 | DNC |
Just a Notion | DNC | DNC | 36 | 73 | 22 | 60 | 59 | DNC |
When You Danced With Me | 67 | 08 | 34 | 67 | - | |||
Little Things | DNC | DNC | 42 | DNC | 20 | DNC | 61 | - |
I Still Have Faith On You topped the UK Sales Chart while Don't Shut Me Down was Number One in Sweden and Switzerland. Both were Top 5 in Germany which now has a Values based chart.
When You Danced With Me not released as a single but charted due to downloads and streaming.
DNC = Did Not Chart. Was released in county
- = Not released in country
Studio Albums
Australia | Canada | Germany | Netherlands | Japan | Sweden | UK | US | |
Ring Ring | 10 | - | - | - | - | 02 | - | - |
Waterloo | 07 | - | 06 | - | - | 01 | 28 | 145 |
ABBA | 01 | 55 | - | 03 | - | 01 | 13 | 174 |
Arrival | 01 | 04 | 01 | 01 | 03 | 01 | 01 | 20 |
The Album | 04 | 08 | 02 | 01 | 09 | 01 | 01 | 14 |
Voulez Vous | 05 | 06 | 01 | 01 | 01 | 01 | 01 | 19 |
Super Trouper | 05 | 07 | 01 | 01 | 08 | 01 | 01 | 17 |
The Visitors | 22 | 18 | 01 | 01 | 12 | 01 | 01 | 29 |
Voyage | 01 | 02 | 01 | 01 | 04 | 01 | 01 | 02 |
Major Compilation albums
Australia | Canada | Germany | Netherlands | Japan | Sweden | UK | US | |
Best Of | 01 | - | 01 | 07 | - | - | - | - |
Greatest Hits | - | 02 | - | - | - | 01 | 01 | 48 |
Greatest Hits 2 | 20 | 08 | 06 | 02 | 02 | 20 | 01 | 46 |
The Singles | 18 | 24 | 05 | 05 | - | 29 | 01 | 62 |
Gold | 01 | 04 | 01 | 03 | 12 | 01 | 01 | 25 |
Additionally A Wie ABBA #1 in Germany and both A Van ABBA and 25 Jaar Na Waterloo #1 in The Netherlands. Japan had a lot of its own ABBA compilations including SOS: Best Of which go t to #3. The German album Very Best Of: Greatest Hits reached #2.
Top 5 Global Singles
1 | Dancing Queen #141 | 8,739 000 points |
2 | Waterloo #158 | 8,541,000 points |
3 | Fernando #249 | 7,517,000 points |
4 | Take a Chance On Me #307 | 6,991,000 points |
5 | Knowing Me, Knowing You #338 | 6,717, 000 points |
based on this chart - which is based on 75% sales/25% airplay.
SINGLE | PEAK | Wks in chart |
WATERLOO | #1 | 20 |
SOS | #1 | 12 |
MAMMA MIA | #3 | 6 |
FERNANDO | #1 | 19 |
DANCING QUEEN | #1 | 23 |
MONEY MONEY MONEY | #1 | 12 |
KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU | #1 | 21 |
THE NAME OF THE GAME | #5 | 5 |
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME | #3 | 23 |
CHIQUITITA | #7 | 8 |
DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW | #6 | 6 |
GIMME GIMME GIMME | #5 | 9 |
I HAVE A DREAM | #8 | 3 |
THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL | #4 | 7 |
SUPER TROUPER | #3 | 11 |
ONE OF US | #3 | 7 |
Click on peak chart positions to see Charts
ABBA's 23 Number One Singles (English language)
Official Charts in countries listed.
Ring Ring | Denmark |
Waterloo | Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, West Germany |
I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do | Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland |
SOS | Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, West Germany |
Mamma Mia | Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, West Germany |
Fernando | Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal Switzerland, United Kingdom, West Germany |
Dancing Queen | Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poerugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, West Germany |
Money Money Money | Australia, Belgium, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, West Germany |
Knowing Me Knowing You | Ireland, United Kingdom, West Germany |
The Name of the Game | United Kingdom |
Take a Chance On Me | Austria, Belgium, Ireland, United Kingdom |
Summer Night City | Finland, Ireland, Sweden |
Chiquitita | Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal Spain, Switzerland |
Does Your Mother Know | Belgium, Denmark |
Voulez Vous | Belgium |
Gimme Gimme Gimme | Belgium, France, Finland, Ireland,Switzerland |
I Have a Dream | Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland |
The Winner Takes it All | Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, |
Super Trouper | Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal United Kingdom, West Germany |
One Of Us | Belgium,Denmatk, Ireland, Netherlands, West Germany |
Head Over Heels | Netherlands |
The Day Before You Came | Finland |
Don't Shut Me Down | Sweden, Switzerland |
Swedish version of Ring Ring #1 on Sweden and Spanish version of Chiquitita number on in Spain and Argentina. Mexico had two charts, one for Spanish language songs where Chiquitita was #1 and another for Foreign Language songs where several ABBA songs got to #1.