Critics, what do they know? They were probably looking for typical rock songs of the era...yah know, the typical child rebellion music of the era...yawn. Meanwhile, ABBA were honing their craft and capturing the world with creative, songs that contained powerful melodies with harmony. Loved it growing up.
And who are these critics🤔🤔 People of no talent, failed musicians, singers, actors who have failed to make it in the music/acting world. ABBA were treated Very badly by the British "Critics" but the were absolutely adord by the British Public 🥰🥳😋 that's why they had 9 Number 1 singles and 7+ Number 1 Albums here in the UK, and Sell-out Concerts when ever the Toured here. So shove any critics opinions where the sun ☀️ doesn't shine. 🇬🇧👍
I was into heavy rock and punk at the time, but always respected ABBA. British music critics were always full of crap and ABBA’s record sales and radio plays proved the point! I was in a pub last night and when the dj put ABBA on it filled the dance floor!
Like some others on here, I was not into "Pop"; I loved Prog Rock. That said, I respected what Abba were about and found their music good to listen to. Personally, I don't remember hearing a load of criticism from British music critics. They had a massive UK following who immensely enjoyed their work. If there was so much negative criticism about, I would have thought that their fans would have had a real go back at the critics. I don't know where these so-called terrible reviews emanated from; it was definitely not the UK Pop Press like MM/NME etc. Abba are still very popular - films, docus, the Abba Experience in London, hundreds of Tribute bands - they obviously got something right!
When ABBA was in the charts music critics had the idea they were more important than any band, they were against Led Zeppelin for most of their career.
In the beginning they were not quite sure which way to go. What would be better: pop or rock. "So long" clearly shows rock ambitions. May be that was a reaction to this critics saying that ABBA are nice but they have nothing to say; only rock can be able to express the zeitgeist. Even though theese critics were not entirely wrong they often overlooked their not only solid crafts but their superiority in composing, arranging singing in inventing absolut catchy melodies, in making music that sounds easy but is indeed very solid .
I think a lot of the criticism from Western nations was due to disguised jealousy and resentment. In plain words, English and American music industry insiders, and to some extent Canadian and Australian, felt pushed aside by this emerging behemoth from… ummm Sweden… where the hell is that? With that kind of attitude critics quickly panned ABBA and their music because in truth the Western music industry didn’t like a non-English band taking center stage. More than that I think they resented the fact that ABBA were not willing to “pay their dues” by spending month after month after month slogging through the usual concert circuit. Instead of respecting ABBA’s ingenuity Western music insiders felt threatened by an outsider band showing them new music styles and new and more effective ways to present themselves. People fail to realize that ABBA were doing “promotional clips” for their music where they would lip-synch to their songs in mini films designed as a way to reach more people quicker, easier and cheaper than going on the road, plus ABBA could better control the message and image of ABBA. What ABBA called “promo clips” would eventually become what we now know as a music video and long before Michael Jackson was the first artist to be played on MTV, a television music channel that was marketed as entertainment but in truth was used by the music industry as a vehicle to promote artists and their music. ABBA being ahead of the curve continued in many ways including how they signed in to recording labels, how they went on tour, how they were paid, how their live shows were presented, recording techniques including having their own entirely digital recording studio and the very first commercial pop album ever released, control of their artistic output rather than music executives, and even now with their creation of a whole new format of concert entertainment… I believe that the entire music industry owes both a huge thank you for all of ABBA’s pioneering methods and a huge apology to ABBA for treating the group as silly fluff and “less-than”. A partial, and I do think begrudging, acknowledgment to ABBA finally came from the Grammy Awards by way of nominating ABBA for five awards over the course of two years in the biggest categories, but I think the half-assed apology is very late in its arrival. Why do I feel like the Grammys gave a halfhearted apology? ABBA were routinely shut out of any western culture awards despite the craftsmanship of their work and the band’s popularity. Saying someone is “too commercial” is basically rephrasing the statement “I’m jealous of the commercial success you are enjoying”, but because it is said within disdain the whining complaint of sales comparison is thinly disguised as a critique and derision. The truth is that ABBA’s latest album “Voyage” sounded rushed to meet a deadline and the album, with some exceptions, was arguably inferior to ABBA’s work during their heyday period. It is for the reason of the “Voyage” album being what I consider to be on the whole a step down from ABBA’s earlier recordings and yet still receiving five Grammy nods that I think the Western music industry finally capitulated and admitted that they unfairly dismissed ABBA and tried to make up for their immature and childish resentment by giving ABBA five nominations knowing full well that ABBA was not going to win, especially for album of the year and going up against Adele, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Brandi Carlisle, Lizzie, etc… all of whom had both strong sales and artistically strong albums.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
ABBA was and is loved by millions of fans in the world. What have these UK critics ever done?
"Would you like Annie FRIES w/ that sandwich?"
Critics, what do they know? They were probably looking for typical rock songs of the era...yah know, the typical child rebellion music of the era...yawn. Meanwhile, ABBA were honing their craft and capturing the world with creative, songs that contained powerful melodies with harmony. Loved it growing up.
And who are these critics🤔🤔
People of no talent, failed musicians, singers, actors who have failed to make it in the music/acting world.
ABBA were treated Very badly by the British "Critics" but the were absolutely adord by the British Public 🥰🥳😋 that's why they had 9 Number 1 singles and 7+ Number 1 Albums here in the UK, and Sell-out Concerts when ever the Toured here.
So shove any critics opinions where the sun ☀️ doesn't shine.
🇬🇧👍
10(!) number ones albums in the UK actually.
I was into heavy rock and punk at the time, but always respected ABBA. British music critics were always full of crap and ABBA’s record sales and radio plays proved the point! I was in a pub last night and when the dj put ABBA on it filled the dance floor!
...mmm and YET many Hardcore Metal fans Love ABBA !
And that's as it should be. Yngwie Malmsteen SMOKED ''Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!'' making my choice for favourite anything but clear cut.
loved them then and still now. They are simply the best and have stood the test of time. Everyone knows ABBA stongs even if they dont like them.
Like some others on here, I was not into "Pop"; I loved Prog Rock. That said, I respected what Abba were about and found their music good to listen to. Personally, I don't remember hearing a load of criticism from British music critics. They had a massive UK following who immensely enjoyed their work. If there was so much negative criticism about, I would have thought that their fans would have had a real go back at the critics. I don't know where these so-called terrible reviews emanated from; it was definitely not the UK Pop Press like MM/NME etc. Abba are still very popular - films, docus, the Abba Experience in London, hundreds of Tribute bands - they obviously got something right!
Ever listened to Prog in Prog? Deeply spiritual!
ABBA has depth. The lyrics are often blue, but the music is bright. Sort of "Sweet Blues".
Well said and I agree !!
It was later, in England, that an album of their songs launched their fame to all-time great heights.
Abba are very popular in the U.K.
What about ABBA?
AI narrations get a thumbs down and a report
You go, Charles!
When ABBA was in the charts music critics had the idea they were more important than any band, they were against Led Zeppelin for most of their career.
In the United States, the critics dismissed the carpenters for the same reasons and I don’t think most feel that way now.
In the beginning they were not quite sure which way to go. What would be better: pop or rock. "So long" clearly shows rock ambitions. May be that was a reaction to this critics saying that ABBA are nice but they have nothing to say; only rock can be able to express the zeitgeist. Even though theese critics were not entirely wrong they often overlooked their not only solid crafts but their superiority in composing, arranging singing in inventing absolut catchy melodies, in making music that sounds easy but is indeed very solid .
All hail Link Wray
I think a lot of the criticism from Western nations was due to disguised jealousy and resentment. In plain words, English and American music industry insiders, and to some extent Canadian and Australian, felt pushed aside by this emerging behemoth from… ummm Sweden… where the hell is that? With that kind of attitude critics quickly panned ABBA and their music because in truth the Western music industry didn’t like a non-English band taking center stage. More than that I think they resented the fact that ABBA were not willing to “pay their dues” by spending month after month after month slogging through the usual concert circuit. Instead of respecting ABBA’s ingenuity Western music insiders felt threatened by an outsider band showing them new music styles and new and more effective ways to present themselves. People fail to realize that ABBA were doing “promotional clips” for their music where they would lip-synch to their songs in mini films designed as a way to reach more people quicker, easier and cheaper than going on the road, plus ABBA could better control the message and image of ABBA. What ABBA called “promo clips” would eventually become what we now know as a music video and long before Michael Jackson was the first artist to be played on MTV, a television music channel that was marketed as entertainment but in truth was used by the music industry as a vehicle to promote artists and their music. ABBA being ahead of the curve continued in many ways including how they signed in to recording labels, how they went on tour, how they were paid, how their live shows were presented, recording techniques including having their own entirely digital recording studio and the very first commercial pop album ever released, control of their artistic output rather than music executives, and even now with their creation of a whole new format of concert entertainment… I believe that the entire music industry owes both a huge thank you for all of ABBA’s pioneering methods and a huge apology to ABBA for treating the group as silly fluff and “less-than”. A partial, and I do think begrudging, acknowledgment to ABBA finally came from the Grammy Awards by way of nominating ABBA for five awards over the course of two years in the biggest categories, but I think the half-assed apology is very late in its arrival. Why do I feel like the Grammys gave a halfhearted apology? ABBA were routinely shut out of any western culture awards despite the craftsmanship of their work and the band’s popularity. Saying someone is “too commercial” is basically rephrasing the statement “I’m jealous of the commercial success you are enjoying”, but because it is said within disdain the whining complaint of sales comparison is thinly disguised as a critique and derision. The truth is that ABBA’s latest album “Voyage” sounded rushed to meet a deadline and the album, with some exceptions, was arguably inferior to ABBA’s work during their heyday period. It is for the reason of the “Voyage” album being what I consider to be on the whole a step down from ABBA’s earlier recordings and yet still receiving five Grammy nods that I think the Western music industry finally capitulated and admitted that they unfairly dismissed ABBA and tried to make up for their immature and childish resentment by giving ABBA five nominations knowing full well that ABBA was not going to win, especially for album of the year and going up against Adele, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Brandi Carlisle, Lizzie, etc… all of whom had both strong sales and artistically strong albums.