Singles/Charts
Click on links below for ABBA's chart positions in the following countries
Early Days
Australia | France | Germany | Netherlands | UK | US | |
Ring Ring | 7 | - | - | 5 | 32 | - |
Waterloo | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Honey Honey | 30 | - | 2 | 17 | - | 27 |
So Long | - | - | 11 | - | DNC | - |
i Do I Do I Do | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 15 |
Ring Ring released in 1973. But charted in UK in 1974 and in 1976 in Australia. The follow up to Waterloo was Ring Ring in the UK. Honey Honey in the US, Australia and several European counties. Hasta Manana was the choice in South Africa.
Glory Days
Australia | France | Germany | Netherlands | UK | US | |
SOS | 1 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 15 |
Mamma Mia | 1 | - | 1 | 12 | 1 | 32 |
Fernando | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
Dancing Queen | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Money Money Money | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 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.
These songs had pretty much universal appeal (for the most part). Along with Waterloo, The Winner Takes it All and Knowing Me, Knowing You are THE iconic ABBA singles.
Peak to Off Peak
Australia | France | Germany | Netherlands | UK | US | |
Knowing Me Knowing You | 9 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
The Name of The Game | 6 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
Take a Chance On Me | 12 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Eagle | 82 | - | 6 | 7 | - | - |
Summer Night City | 13 | 34 | 6 | 10 | 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.
ABBA have a trio of consecutive no. 1 singles in the UK at this time.
Summer Night City was ABBA's 3rd and final #1 in Sweden. It under perforned in most places and was never featured on a studio album, Gold - Greatest Hits or either Mamma Mia! film. Airbrushed out of history.
No longer No. 1
Australia | France | Germany | Netherlands | UK | US | |
Chiquitita | 4 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 29 |
Does Your Mother Know | 10 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 19 |
Voulez Vous | 79 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 80 |
Gimme Gimme Gimme | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | DNC |
I Have a Dream | 64 | - | 4 | 1 | 2 | - |
A Spanish version of Chiquitita sold well in Latin America. 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.
Return to Number One
Australia | France | Germany | Netherlands | UK | US | |
The Winner Takes It All | 7 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
Super Trouper | 77 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 45 |
Lay All Your Love On Me | - | 39 | 26 | - | 7 | - |
On and On and On | 10 | - | - | - | - | 90 |
One of Us | 48 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 3 | DNC |
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. After the release of One of Us in December 1981, a very sharp decline in ABBA's popularity for their 1982 releases.
Decline and Fall
Australia | France | Germany | Netherlands | UK | US | |
Head Over Heels | - | 34 | 25 | 1 | 25 | - |
When All Is Said and Done | 81 | - | - | - | - | 27 |
The Visitors | - | - | - | - | - | 63 |
The Day Before You Came | 48 | 55 | 5 | 3 | 32 | DNC |
Under Attack | 96 | 62 | 22 | 7 | 26 | - |
For ABBA's final album, The Visitors, Europe opted for One of Us and Head Over Heels. The choices in the US were When All Is Said and Done and The Visitors. The Day Before You Came reached the Top 5 in seven European countries but was a flop elsewhere. Under Attack was only released in a few counties.
DNC = Did Not Chart. Was released in county
- = Not released in country
Top 5 Global Singles
1 | Dancing Queen | 8,700,000 points |
2 | Waterloo | 8,500,000 points |
3 | Fernando | 7,500,000 points |
4 | Take a Chance On Me | 7,000,000 points |
5 | Knowing Me, Knowing You | 6,7000, 000 points |
based on this chart - which is based on 75% sales/25% airplay. As of February 2016 these 5 singles are at numbers 116, 129, 210, 260 and 290 in the All Time Chart.
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
List Of ABBA's Number Ones around the World
Most Viewed Youtube ABBA songs
1. Dancing Queen 428,000,000
2. Mamma Mia 200,000,000
3.Gimme Gimme Gimme 173,000,000
4. Chiquitita 136m
5. Take a Chance On Me 101m
6. The Winner Takes it All 94m
7.Fernando 82m
8. Money Money Money 64m
9. Happy New Year 60m
10. SOS 59m
July 2020
Most Streamed Songs - Spotify
1.Dancing Queen - 351,000,000
2.Mamma Mia - 148,000,000
3.Gimme Gimme Gimme - 134,000,000
4.The Winner Takes it All - 119,000,000
5.Take a Chance on me - 102, 000,000
6.Super Trouper - 80,000,000
7.Waterloo - 78,000,000
8.Lay All Your Love On Me- 62,000,000
9.Chiquita - 60,000,000
10. Knowing Me Knowing You - 51,000,000
Dancing Queen twice as popular as next most popular. Why? Lots of casual non ABBA fans or on repeat more. Probably a bit of both.