i never liked the Beatles, I did like Abba and still do like their music.

Absolutely YES !!
ABBA never did a bad song.
They were genius

IIRC, Andy Bell (Erasure) proposed the question to Tom Jones on a TV show back in the early 90's (must have been around Abba-esque release)....anyhow, Tom Jones pretty much laughed Andy Bell off the stage.

I'm a HUGE ABBA fan and I don't particularly like the Beatles. So, I would have to say YES!

Yep - Not many years ago such a question like this would have been met with ridicule

Personally I still think there's no competition but I do sometimes still have a little listen to my Abba CDs - I do usually have my headphones on though

Yes! I've never been able to get into The Beatles but I quite like ABBA.

I like Abba, they recorded some very good (albeit at the time very uncool) pop songs, but to say that they're better than the Beatles is like saying that Peter Beardsley was a better footballer than Pele.

It depends on how you define "better", doesn't it?

If you're going to measure things in terms of singles or album sales then The Beatles win outright. However it's worth remembering that "Can We Fix It?" by Bob The Builder was the best selling single of 2000. I can't seriously see anyone claiming that that was the best song of the year based on the fact it sold more copies than anything else.

Once you take singles / album sales out of the equation you're left with lyrics, the music and, of course, personal taste.

Lyrically both groups have recorded tracks with what I'd call very basic, simplistic lyrics:-





contrasted with:-


and:-



I think we can all agree that both groups progressed lyrically from the songs they were recording early in their career to the some of material that they were recording later on.


I'm no musician and know nothing at all about how musically accomplished or how technically good the actual music that The Beatles produced was but have read several articles about the range and complexity of the music that Abba produced.
Watch any Abba tribute "documentary" and you've usually got at least one person from the music industry talking about the complexity of their musical arrangements and how they made it all seem so easy and effortless.

It is also worth remembering that, however you feel about them as a group, Abba achieved more success in a language that's not their mother tongue than most English and American groups can only dream about.

it still makes me laugh that people are still citing the fact that their were uncool at the time. as some sort of argument against abba. in my eyes it only adds to how extraordinary their success really was. in some ways they were completely irrelevant to what was going on in music at the time. however, during reign at the top. they saw at least two music movements come and go.

Is this a wind up thread like the Darkness/Led Zep one?

ABBA were singles band/ hen night.
If you ask most people to name an ABBA album, and don't let them say Gold, they'd struggle.
Thats not to say I dont like them, but they are a largely singles act.

Ask people to name a Beatles album and you'll get a fair number who'll say Sgt Pepper, maybe Abbey Road, Rubber Soul even or the White Album.
All iconic albums where even album tracks like While My Guitar or Here comes the Sun, Taxman, A Day In The Life, Here There And Everywhere to name a few are part of the national consciousness.
To be a truly great band you need to have great albums or iconic albums. ABBA don't have that other than a greatest hits album.
Thats why the Beatles, Stones, Who, Jackson, Springsteen, Led Zep etc are great acts.

that is rubbish. abba had at least four iconic albums. it is no surprise that they shifted 32.5 million albums in the us alone. pretty good considering their never felt like they even cracked that market.

besides, it is reported that abba still sell at least a million records every year still. when was the last time abba released a single?

Care to name these four 'iconic' ABBA albums?
A million records yes, cause everyone just buys ABBA Gold.

Also 32.5 million albums in the states isn't that big. 6 studio albums? So thats an average of just shy of 5.5 million an album.
Actually a quick check and theres 8 studio albums. So thats 4 million on average.

yes, of course i can name these albums. like millions of people around the world. i have listened to them at length. abba often update their studio albums. they most recently have re-released their studio albums on anniversaries. these reissues contribute widely to their sales figures.

it was no shock that the were inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2010.

I like a lot of Abba song but The Beatles are unsurpassable, their albums are just so laden with classics it's jaw dropping.

The fact that they are being used as a benchmark shows that, why not are Abba better than the The Rolling Stones?

i did say that they didn't even crack america properly!

I like both groups-but the Beatles are by far the best. And in response to a previous posting Peter Beardsley was a better footballer than the vastly overrated Pele!

Which is why I asked care to name them?
I.E What are these ABBA albums with iconography?

Seriously what is with all these stupid posts? Stupid bloody question. I am not even gonna dignify it with an answer. Even though I have just answered

why should i name them? surely someone as well informed as yourself. would be well aware of their iconic albums. however, a quick search on google will tell you all you need to know. in terms of how successful those albums were and how the group grew in terms of musical development. it will also set you straight on the suggestion you made about them being a singles band.

You should name them because you were the one who said they had 4 iconic albums. Its not too much to expect someone to back up such a bold claim is it?
They really dont have an iconic album is why you won't name them?

Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street, Let It Bleed.
Led Zeppelin: I:IV, Physical Graffiti, House Of The Holy,
Springsteen: Born To Run, Born In The U.S.A
Jackson: Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad
Stevie Wonder: Innervisions, Tlking Book, Songs In The Key Of Life
The Who: Tommy, Who's Next, Quadrophenia
Beatles: Rubber SouL, Revolver, Sgt Pepper, The White Album, Abbey Road, A Hard Days Night.

All great acts all iconic albums. ABBA have nothing like that.
And if they did you'd have obviously have named them by now and I'd be cleaning egg from my face.

Definitely

i think you are completely missing the point. if i were to spend huge amounts of time. listing their achievements in terms of how iconic their albums were. what difference would it make? it certainly wouldn't change your opinion. the sales figures speak for themselves. so does the music.

You were the one who brought up ABBA having four iconic albums yes?
Its not too much to ask someone to back up such a bold claim is it? Unless they can't back it up and are avoiding giving an answer.
All I asking is for you to name the four albums you mentioned and brought up. I don't want a book or a thesis on the achievements on ABBA. Just the four album names. I managed to type 20 random albums titles earlier in a few minutes. Its not as ardous a task as you might think.

I have already said I like ABBA but they're a singles act not an albums act. Sales don't equate to a level of quality or iconography.
Forever Changes by Love is an Iconic album but sold about 10 copies. It's iconic not due to its sales but quality.

of course i can back up my claims. however, what is the point? nothing i have written so far as gone any way to changing your opinion.

Thats cause you've written nothing.
You've said ABBA have at least 4 iconic albums then said nothing.

Do you know what I think?
I think you've made a bold claim, you've written a cheque that you can't cash. Rather than being grown up and saying
"look ok I'm talking crap, ABBA don't have four iconic albums, I was trying to argue for the sake of it but I've been called out and I can't back it up"
You've decided to be a coward and avoid answering something you've brought up. Well done. You'd be quite the politician.