To not understand why Abba are considered so important ?

[AugustaProdworthy]

It's Abba arama on channel 5 this evening. I just don't understand- please can sonekbe explain why they are considered to be so good? I think I might be missing something?

They were fantastically popular and successful, and still have a cheesy disco charm today?

Sorry- someone please explain. (Wine impaired typing)

But, popularity aside, were they musically revolutionary?

SU-PA-PA TROU-PA-PA

Catchy tunes that everyone knows by some kind of freaky osmosis.

And their Swedishness in the 70s meant being very sexy and liberated and exotic.

And there were slight wife swoppy overtones because of their inter marrying.

They cut across generations in their appeal.

Will that do?

The Day Before You Came is a fantastic track.

I think they were interesting, because a) English wasn't their first language; b) they were romantically involved and hence a bit soap opera; and c) they wrote their own stuff. I believe their approach was a bit unusual too, as I remember reading that they used to compose the melody first, and only write lyrics later.

Umm, the blonde one was quite fit?

Winner Takes it All-brilliant and moving song documenting their own marriage breakups I think

People who are musical (disclaimer: I'm not!) always say they were well-written songs with very good production.

All their songs are brilliant, and according to some very technical and complicated music-wise.

I love them.

I don't know either, they were fucking awful.

I think it's the soap opera thing.

I saw a clip after the girls fell out and were openly flirting with each other's husbands, whilst singing live.

I've always been confused about why they sang in English though.

Because the Anglophone world has no time for lyrics in furrin languages unless novelty discs.

Why is any massively popular band with tonnes of hits considered important? Plus it fills the TV schedule.

Agree lighthousekeeping the day before you came is a brilliant song, my favourite Abba song.
Not sure if they're 'important' particularly -it's channel 5. More popular, I would say.

Shrug. They were of their time. Great sound.

bloody good songs which can only be performed by very good singers. Which is why they are rarely covered because most modern artists have no talent and can't sing.

The production on their songs was on a different level. There's a reason no one tries to cover their songs - the layering on the audio is ridiculous.

People often under estimate how difficult it is to write a really good pop song.

Dozens of good singable songs - a lot better than a lot of what else was around in the 70s.

Erm... I'm watching the concert now. I think I secretly may like Abba. But absolutely not 'dancing queen'
Never

They did some awesome stuff, and some total rubbish. But if you were growing up when I was growing up, they were constantly topping the charts. And the songwriting is impressive. I particularly like Fernando, among others. More recently, the song Slipping Through My Fingers, from Mama Mia, makes me cry.

Winner takes it all is a philosophical work of art. I mean that seriously.
Some other stuff was shit but that song gets me every time.

Their songs were perfectly crafted. Their voices were perfectly harmonised.

I didn't appreciate them enough at the time. I do now.

By 70s standards they were good!

Waterloo is still the only music to come out of Eurovision in 50+ years.