ABBA reunion rumours: Eurovision greats rule out performing at Sweden song contest 2024

ABBA burst onto the scene with the song Waterloo in the 1974 edition of Eurovision
ABBA have been linked with a reunion at next year's Eurovision. (Getty Images)ABBA have been linked with a reunion at next year's Eurovision. (Getty Images)
ABBA have been linked with a reunion at next year's Eurovision. (Getty Images)

ABBA band members Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson have dismissed rumours of a reunion at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest in their native Sweden.

Swedish supergroup ABBA had been tipped to make a shock comeback at next year’s Eurovision song contest as part of their 50th anniversary.

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The four piece group which also features Agentha Faltskop, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad are one of the most famous acts in Eurovision history and they burst onto the world stage by winning the competition in 1974 with the award-winning hit Waterloo.

ABBA went on to establish themselves as one of the most successful music groups of all-time with further hits such as Winner Takes It All, Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and Lay All Your Love On Me.

Sweden has won the competition on six occasions since ABBA’s victory in 1974, the most recent of those came this year during the Eurovision song contest in Liverpool.

But what have ABBA said in their latest interview regarding Eurovision and are the group likely to return to the stage in the near future.

Here is everything you need to know.

Are ABBA performing at Eurovision 2024?

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ABBA have ruled out a reunion at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. They also dismissed speculation that they might compose the host nation’s entry for next year.

Benny Anderson told BBC Newsnight: “I don’t want to and if I don’t want to, the others won’t. It’s the same for all four of us - someone says, ‘no’ - it’s a no.”

Ulvaues added: “We can celebrate 50 years of ABBA without us being on stage.”

Who will host Eurovision 2024?

Sweden were crowned the winners of the 2023 Eurovision song contest in Liverpool and Loreen made history by becoming the first woman, and only the second person ever to win the competition twice. 

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The win ties her native Sweden with Ireland as the nation with the most wins. It also gives Sweden the chance to host the competition for the first time since 2016.

How ABBA rose to fame

ABBA were one of the biggest pop groups of the 1970s and the four piece formed in 1972.

The following year the group released their first album and they auditioned for Eurovision with the song Ring, Ring which has the same name as the groups opening album.

Ring,Ring did fairly well in the Swedish charts that year but it was not selected for Eurovision and the Nova song You’re Summer was instead chosen as Sweden’s Eurovision entry for 1973.

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You’re Summer finished in 5th place during the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest and ABBA were handed their chance to represent Sweden a year later when they released the hit song Waterloo.

ABBA are one of the most successful groups of the 1970s. (Getty Images)ABBA are one of the most successful groups of the 1970s. (Getty Images)
ABBA are one of the most successful groups of the 1970s. (Getty Images)

When did ABBA win Eurovision?

ABBA were a roaring success at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, England and they edged first place over runners-up Italy by six points.

This proved to be Sweden’s first victory and in 2005 on the anniversary TV show Congratulations, Waterloo was chosen as the greatest Eurovision song of all-time.

As the competition returns to Sweden many fans have pointed out that it coincides with the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s historic victory and many still claim that it would be the perfect opportunity for the foursome to regroup.

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A victory in next year’s contest would secure Sweden’s status as the most successful nation in Eurovision history and would allow them to overtake Ireland.

Fans are ecstatic about the idea of a reunion for the group and one source told The Sun: “After Sweden won, people are going to be putting their Money, Money, Money on an ABBA reunion.”

ABBA are among the most successful artists in history and they enjoyed great success between 1972 and 1982 with albums such Arrival, Super Trouper, Abba and Voulez-Vous.

The success of their songs inspired the soundtrack for the musical Mamma Mia in 1999. This later became a best selling-film of the same name in 2008 and a sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again followed in 2018.

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In 2016, the group reunited and started working on a digital avatar concert tour. ABBA released the album Voyage on 5 November 2021 - it was the group’s first album in 40 years and it featured songs such as Don’t Shut Me Down, Little Things and I Still Have Faith In You.

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