'The best pure pop band of all time': How the world reacted to Abba's reunion
Brand new Abba music will be released for the first time in 35 years, and considering the Swedish pop powerhouse has shifted more than 400 million albums of the previous material, that's a pretty big deal. Here are some of the best reactions to the shock news.
The Abba news has resonated across the world, but in home nation Sweden it's drumming up excitement that's the equivalent of The Beatles getting back together. So big a deal in fact that public broadcaster SVT sent reporters out on the street to get the general public's snap reaction. The response was a predictable measure of shock and awe, except from Peter, 58, who cynically mused "I wonder if they really met or just did it digitally like everyone else these days?"
American author Maureen Johnson was less measured about the bombshell.
*sees ABBA trending*
*checks*
*falls to floor*
*spirit leaves body*
*spirit flies up*
*body reanimates*
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) April 27, 2018
READ ALSO: Abba records first new music in 35 years
It was a big day for some people in The Local Sweden's office too. Perhaps the biggest ever?
THIS IS NOT A DRILLhttps://t.co/vmszyA6M5D
— Sophie Miskiw (@sophie_miskiw) April 27, 2018
It's the story we created The Local for, people.https://t.co/uJq9hQ2rZy
— Paul Rapacioli (@paulrapacioli) April 27, 2018
Norwegian journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft put the announcement in context of what has been a Friday of big news in many field.
What a day!
Peace in Korea
ABBA reunion
Iniesta leaving Barcelona
— Jan Aage Fjortoft (@JanAageFjortoft) April 27, 2018
And there could be more news to come yet, comedian Caitlin Moran predicted.
Korea AND ABBA reforming on the same day, and it's still only 1.30pm.
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) April 27, 2018
Perhaps it could be the addition of a new lonely Lindsey Buckingham, who parted ways with Fleetwood Mac (again) earlier this month? Perhaps not.
what if lindsey buckingham tries to join abba
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) April 27, 2018
Might even Donald Trump's thunder have been stolen by Swedish disco pop, Bloomberg's Thomas Penny asked?
Whoever managed to get Abba back together again may have just snatched the Nobel Peace Prize from Donald Trump's grasp.
— Thomas Penny (@ThomasWPenny) April 27, 2018
Nils Hansson, writing in Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, took a less romantic view of the new music, seeing it more as an effort to drum up publicity for their forthcoming virtual reality tour than an artistic development.
"It will make Abba even more of a perpetual motion machine, regardless of whether there's further new music or not. The publicity will continue to grow, bet on it."
READ MORE: What you need to know about the Abba reunion
And unimpressed comedian Al Murray stood his ground, refusing to get caught up in the hype.
Was never a fan of ABBA because it was music my sisters liked. This stands, forty years later. Don't @ me.
— Al Murray, Dr (@almurray) April 27, 2018
But in response to some of the inevitable backlash, fans fought back and defended Abba's credentials.
Before millennials start being rude about ABBA, they are the best pure pop band of all time and it's not even close
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) April 27, 2018
sorry indies you can't actually be too cool for abba cos they're objectively cooler than joy division, the smiths and radiohead combined
— DJ Acid Reflux (@sidneyphlegm) April 27, 2018
Whether you like Abba or not, it's hard to objectively argue that this photoshoot was cool:
Always remember to cook #ABBA thoroughly at Gas Mark 5 till all the juices run clear. pic.twitter.com/oMppsba7Ai
— Karl Minns (@karlminns) April 27, 2018
And as a closing point, the official Sweden Twitter account pleaded that anyone who wants to celebrate the reunion does so with the right flag (New York Stock Exchange, we're looking at you).
For those of you tempted to hoist a flag in ABBA's honour, make sure it's this one: ?? Not to be confused with ??
— Sweden.se (@swedense) April 27, 2018
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The Abba news has resonated across the world, but in home nation Sweden it's drumming up excitement that's the equivalent of The Beatles getting back together. So big a deal in fact that public broadcaster SVT sent reporters out on the street to get the general public's snap reaction. The response was a predictable measure of shock and awe, except from Peter, 58, who cynically mused "I wonder if they really met or just did it digitally like everyone else these days?"
American author Maureen Johnson was less measured about the bombshell.
*sees ABBA trending*
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) April 27, 2018
*checks*
*falls to floor*
*spirit leaves body*
*spirit flies up*
*body reanimates*
READ ALSO: Abba records first new music in 35 years
It was a big day for some people in The Local Sweden's office too. Perhaps the biggest ever?
THIS IS NOT A DRILLhttps://t.co/vmszyA6M5D
— Sophie Miskiw (@sophie_miskiw) April 27, 2018
It's the story we created The Local for, people.https://t.co/uJq9hQ2rZy
— Paul Rapacioli (@paulrapacioli) April 27, 2018
Norwegian journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft put the announcement in context of what has been a Friday of big news in many field.
What a day!
— Jan Aage Fjortoft (@JanAageFjortoft) April 27, 2018
Peace in Korea
ABBA reunion
Iniesta leaving Barcelona
And there could be more news to come yet, comedian Caitlin Moran predicted.
Korea AND ABBA reforming on the same day, and it's still only 1.30pm.
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) April 27, 2018
Perhaps it could be the addition of a new lonely Lindsey Buckingham, who parted ways with Fleetwood Mac (again) earlier this month? Perhaps not.
what if lindsey buckingham tries to join abba
— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) April 27, 2018
Might even Donald Trump's thunder have been stolen by Swedish disco pop, Bloomberg's Thomas Penny asked?
Whoever managed to get Abba back together again may have just snatched the Nobel Peace Prize from Donald Trump's grasp.
— Thomas Penny (@ThomasWPenny) April 27, 2018
Nils Hansson, writing in Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, took a less romantic view of the new music, seeing it more as an effort to drum up publicity for their forthcoming virtual reality tour than an artistic development.
"It will make Abba even more of a perpetual motion machine, regardless of whether there's further new music or not. The publicity will continue to grow, bet on it."
READ MORE: What you need to know about the Abba reunion
And unimpressed comedian Al Murray stood his ground, refusing to get caught up in the hype.
Was never a fan of ABBA because it was music my sisters liked. This stands, forty years later. Don't @ me.
— Al Murray, Dr (@almurray) April 27, 2018
But in response to some of the inevitable backlash, fans fought back and defended Abba's credentials.
Before millennials start being rude about ABBA, they are the best pure pop band of all time and it's not even close
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) April 27, 2018
sorry indies you can't actually be too cool for abba cos they're objectively cooler than joy division, the smiths and radiohead combined
— DJ Acid Reflux (@sidneyphlegm) April 27, 2018
Whether you like Abba or not, it's hard to objectively argue that this photoshoot was cool:
Always remember to cook #ABBA thoroughly at Gas Mark 5 till all the juices run clear. pic.twitter.com/oMppsba7Ai
— Karl Minns (@karlminns) April 27, 2018
And as a closing point, the official Sweden Twitter account pleaded that anyone who wants to celebrate the reunion does so with the right flag (New York Stock Exchange, we're looking at you).
For those of you tempted to hoist a flag in ABBA's honour, make sure it's this one: ?? Not to be confused with ??
— Sweden.se (@swedense) April 27, 2018
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