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Voyage (ABBA album)

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This article is about the album by ABBA. For the upcoming concert residency, see ABBA Voyage.

Voyage
Album cover art, showing a solar eclipse
Studio album by
ABBA
Released5 November 2021 (2021-11-05)
Recorded1978, 2017[1]–2021[2]
StudioRiksmixningsverket, Stockholm[3]
Genre
Length37:03
Label
ProducerBenny Andersson
ABBA chronology
Live at Wembley Arena
(2014) 		Voyage
(2021)
Singles from Voyage
  1. "I Still Have Faith in You" / "Don't Shut Me Down"
    Released: 2 September 2021
  2. "Just a Notion"
    Released: 22 October 2021[6]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The Guardian[9]
[10]
The Independent[11]
The Line of Best Fit6/10[12]
NME[13]
Pitchfork7.4/10[14]
Rolling Stone[15]
The Telegraph[16]
The Times[17]

Voyage is the ninth studio album by Swedish group ABBA, released on 5 November 2021.[18] It is the group's first album of new material in 40 years following The Visitors (1981),[19] and contains 10 songs all composed by ABBA's songwriters, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.

The album was supported by the dual single release of "I Still Have Faith in You" and "Don't Shut Me Down", released alongside the album announcement on 2 September 2021. A digital concert residency, also called ABBA Voyage, will take place in London beginning on 27 May 2022.[20]

Background

ABBA split up in 1982 following the release of their eighth studio album, The Visitors, on 30 November 1981. Renewed interest in the band grew from the 1990s onwards following the worldwide success of their greatest hits album ABBA Gold, the ABBA-based musical Mamma Mia! and the subsequent film of the same name, and the use of their songs in some other film soundtracks such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Muriel's Wedding.

However, the members steadfastly refused to reunite. In 2000, they reportedly turned down an offer of $1 billion to perform again.[21] In July 2008, Björn Ulvaeus categorically stated to The Sunday Telegraph, "We will never appear on stage again. There is simply no motivation to re-group."[22] Ulvaeus reiterated this in a 2014 interview while promoting the publication of ABBA: The Official Photo Book.[23]

On 6 June 2016, however, ABBA did informally reunite, singing "The Way Old Friends Do" at a private party in Stockholm.[24] This led to a more formal reunion. Two years later, in April 2018, they announced they had recorded two new songs,[25] "I Still Have Faith in You"[26] and "Don't Shut Me Down".[27]

The new songs initially were intended to support both a TV special produced by NBC and the BBC[28] and the ABBA Voyage tour which the TV special itself supported. However, this project was later cancelled in favour of the "ABBAtar" tour announced months prior.

One of the album's tracks, "Just a Notion", was previously partially included in a demo version as part of the medley "ABBA Undeleted" from the 1994 Thank You for the Music box set.[29] The song was released as a promotional single two weeks before the album, on 22 October 2021.[6] However, whilst the vocals date from 1978, instrumentation was mostly re-recorded for this song.[30] Part of the melody of "I Still Have Faith in You" was based on a 2015 Benny Andersson instrumental, "Kyssen" (The Kiss)[6], from the film The Circle. "Bumblebee" shares the title with the demo " Free as a Bumble Bee" included in the medley "ABBA Undeleted" off the Thank You For the Music box set but is an entirely different song.

Promotion and announcement

Promotion for Voyage began with the website, abbavoyage.com, going live on 26 August 2021.[31] Billboards were erected in London,[32] and social media accounts titled "ABBA Voyage" were also set up.[33] The band announced during a 2 September 2021 YouTube live stream that Voyage would be released on 5 November 2021. The two songs first announced in 2018, "I Still Have Faith in You" and "Don't Shut Me Down", were confirmed as the double-sided lead single from Voyage during the September 2021 live stream.[20]

Tour

During the album announcement live stream, ABBA also announced that a concert residency, known as ABBA Voyage, is scheduled to begin in May 2022 and last until December 2022 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London.[18][19]

ABBA first announced they were preparing digital avatars in September 2017. Dubbed the "ABBAtars", they will appear during the ABBA Voyage concerts in place of the four actual band members. To animate the avatars, the ABBA band members wore motion capture suits and were filmed using 160 cameras, with graphics later added by Industrial Light & Magic.[18][34]

The ABBAtar tour was originally set for 2019,[35] but was delayed due to technical issues. Eventually, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the band to push the tour back to 2022, and the tour's initial stage turned into an eight-month residency in London.[36][37]

Commercial performance

The album recorded 40,000 UK pre-orders in the first 24 hours following the announcement of its release.[38] Three days after the album was announced, it had received over 80,000 pre-orders in the UK alone. This broke the record for the biggest pre-ordered album for Universal Music UK, previously held by Progress (2010) by Take That.[39] By October 2021, the album had recorded 111,000 pre-orders.[40]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus

Voyage track listing
No.TitleLength
1."I Still Have Faith in You"5:09
2."When You Danced with Me"2:50
3."Little Things"3:08
4."Don't Shut Me Down"3:56
5."Just a Notion"3:31
6."I Can Be That Woman"4:01
7."Keep an Eye on Dan"4:05
8."Bumblebee"3:57
9."No Doubt About It"2:56
10."Ode to Freedom"3:32
Total length:37:03

Personnel

ABBA

Other vocalists

  • International School of Stockholm Choir

Other musicians

  • Jan Bengtson – baritone saxophone, flute
  • Mats Englund – bass (6)
  • Pär Grebacken – clarinet, recorder, tenor saxophone
  • Per Lindvall – drums, percussion
  • Lasse Jonsson – guitar
  • Lasse Wellander – guitar
  • Margareta Bengtson – harp

Production and design

  • Görel Hanser – coordinator
  • Baillie Walsh – design
  • Bernard Löhr – engineer, programming, mixing
  • Linn Fijal – engineer
  • Vilma Colling – engineer
  • Björn Engelmann – mastering
  • Kimberly Akester – music director
  • Anneli Thompson – musical assistance

Release history

Release dates and formats for Voyage
Region Date Format(s) Edition(s) Label Ref.
Various 5 November 2021
Standard
Japan 2×CD Standard + ABBA Gold Universal [41]
CD + DVD Standard + The Essential Collection [42]
CD + 2 DVDs Standard + ABBA in Japan [43]

References

  1. ^ Don't Shut Me Down (Liner notes in printed single cover). ABBA. Universal International Music B.V. 00602438745692.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Brandle, Lars (22 October 2021). "ABBA Unleashes 'Ridiculously Happy' Song 'Just A Notion': Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  3. ^ "ABBA Debut New Songs, Announce 'Voyage' Album". 2 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Ruggieri, Melissa (5 November 2021). "ABBA's new (and final) album is finally here: Is 'Voyage' any good?". USA Today. Retrieved 5 November 2021 – via Yahoo! News.
  5. ^ Owoseje, Toyin (5 November 2021). "ABBA are back with their first album in 40 years, but is it a Super Trouper or an SOS?". CNN. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Griffiths, George (18 October 2021). "ABBA to release new song Just A Notion this Friday". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Voyage by ABBA Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Voyage – ABBA | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  9. ^ Rogers, Jude (5 November 2021). "Abba: Voyage review – no thank you for the music". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  10. ^ Empire, Kitty (6 November 2021). "Abba: Voyage review – full-on and frothy". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  11. ^ Brown, Helen (5 November 2021). "ABBA, Voyage review: A smorgasbord of schmaltz and stompers". The Independent. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  12. ^ Macadie, Kieran (5 November 2021). "After a 40-year absence, ABBA still ignite pure disco pleasure on fun nostalgia trip Voyage". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  13. ^ Levine, Nick (5 November 2021). "ABBA – 'Voyage' review: a pop nostalgia trip that's worth taking". NME. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  14. ^ Cardew, Ben (5 November 2021). "ABBA: Voyage Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  15. ^ Sheffield, Rob (4 November 2021). "The First New ABBA Album in 40 Years Was Worth the Wait". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  16. ^ McCormick, Neil (5 November 2021). "Voyage, review: Abba's new album contains nothing to match their greatest hits". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  17. ^ Potton, Ed (5 November 2021). "Abba: Voyage review — we still have faith in you". The Times. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (2 September 2021). "Abba reunite for Voyage, first new album in 40 years". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  19. ^ a b Bloom, Madison (2 September 2021). "ABBA Announce First Album in 40 Years, Share New Songs: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  20. ^ a b White, Jack (2 September 2021). "ABBA announce their first studio album of new material in 39 years Voyage and hologram concert series". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  21. ^ Cooper, Leonie (10 December 2014). "ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus says band will never reform". NME. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  22. ^ Michaels, Sean (7 July 2008). "Abba reunion: Don't hold your breath". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  23. ^ "ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus Discusses New Photo Book, Writes Off Reunion: 'You'll Never See Us Onstage Again'". Billboard. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  24. ^ Hjortman, Emma (6 June 2016). "Abba together on stage again". Expressen. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  25. ^ "ABBA says it has recorded 2 new songs, marking first new material in 35 years". Associated Press. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2021 – via USA Today.
  26. ^ Needham, Alex (27 April 2018). "Abba announce first new songs for 35 years". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  27. ^ "Mamma Mia! ABBA Make New Music After 35 Years". Agence France-Presse. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2021 – via NDTV.
  28. ^ White, Peter (27 April 2018). "ABBA To Reunite After 35 Years With NBC & BBC TV Special". Deadline.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  29. ^ White, Jack (5 September 2021). "ABBA heading for first Official UK Top 10 singles in 40 years with I Still Have Faith In You and Don't Shut Me Down". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  30. ^ Peacock, Tim (22 October 2021). "ABBA Share Exuberant New Song, 'Just A Notion'". UDiscoverMusic. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  31. ^ Savage, Mark (26 August 2021). "Abba tease major announcement ahead of new music". BBC. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  32. ^ Mackenzie, Lois (27 August 2021). "ABBA Voyage: What we know about a 2022 ABBA tour". The Herald. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  33. ^ Chilton, Louis (2 September 2021). "ABBA Voyage: Fans in frenzy as Benny and Bjorn arrive in London ahead of mystery announcement". The Independent. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  34. ^ Sherwin, Adam (2 September 2021). "Abba Voyage: Reunited Abba unveil VR live show and first songs since 1982". I. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  35. ^ Reilly, Nick (12 September 2017). "A 'virtual' ABBA tour is set to take place in 2019". NME. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  36. ^ Lewis, Isobel (22 July 2020). "Abba to release five new songs in 2021 as reunion is delayed by pandemic". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  37. ^ "ABBA reunite in London to film for 2022 hologram tour". Dothan Eagle. 22 September 2020. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  38. ^ Copsey, Rob (4 September 2021). "Can ABBA claim the 2021 Christmas Number 1? Band reveal their new album Voyage includes a festive song". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  39. ^ Griffiths, George (6 September 2021). "ABBA break Universal Music UK record for biggest ever pre-order with new album Voyage". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  40. ^ "Adele 30 album hit by vinyl shortage: 'All the factories closed down so I can't print them'". 15 October 2021.
  41. ^ "【Amazon.co.jp限定】ヴォヤージ with 『アバ・ゴールド』(SHM-CD)(2枚組)(特典:メガジャケ付): Music". amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  42. ^ "【Amazon.co.jp限定】ヴォヤージ with 『エッセンシャル・コレクション』(SHM-CD)(DVD付)(特典:メガジャケ付)". amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  43. ^ "【Amazon.co.jp限定】ヴォヤージ with 『アバ・イン・ジャパン』(SHM-CD)(2DVD付)(特典:メガジャケ付): Music". amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 8 September 2021.
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