50 years after it was released as a single, ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” hits No. 1 on two U.K. charts after an anniversary vinyl was offered to fans. Swedish pop group ABBA give the thumbs up after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with their song ‘Waterloo’, Brighton, 7th April 1974. Left to right: Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson. (Photo by Steve Wood/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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More than half a century after ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest and rose to global superstardom, the Swedish pop band is still scoring hits. The group might not be producing new music any longer, but many of its most popular tunes become collectibles whenever ABBA dishes them out on new formats or with new bonus material.
Perhaps the most famous song ever released by the Grammy nominees bounds back onto multiple charts in the United Kingdom this week. “Dancing Queen” becomes a No. 1 hit on two rankings decades after it initially took over the airwaves, while simultaneously reaching a new peak on another tally as well.
ABBA Sends “Dancing Queen” to No. 1
“Dancing Queen” returns to three U.K. sales charts this week. The classic reappears at No. 1 on both the Official Physical Singles and Official Vinyl Singles rankings, reaching the summit of the two rankings for the first time.
“Dancing Queen” also reenters the Official Singles Sales roster at a new high point of No. 4. The vinyl list looks specifically at purchases on that format, while the physical ranking also includes sales on media such as CD and cassette. The general singles sales tally incorporates digital downloads as well as all purchases on physical formats.
ABBA Scores Its Seventh No. 1
“Dancing Queen” earns ABBA its seventh No. 1 on both the Official Physical Singles and Official Vinyl Singles charts. Before this frame, the classic had peaked at Nos. 4 and 3 on those rankings, respectively, after debuting in those positions about a decade ago.
ABBA now claims the same number of leaders on both tallies, with a nearly identical collection of champions. “Just a Notion” ruled the physical ranking but not the vinyl list, while the opposite is true for “Lay All Your Love on Me.” Otherwise, “Dancing Queen,” “Happy New Year,” “I Still Have Faith in You,” “Ring Ring,” “Voulez-Vous” and “Waterloo” have all taken turns at No. 1 on both rosters.
“Dancing Queen” Reaches the Sales Chart’s Top 10 for the First Time
While “Dancing Queen” had already come very close to conquering the format-specific sales charts, this week marks its first appearance inside the top 10 on the Official Singles Sales ranking. The tune debuted at No. 38 in 2021 and it spent just one frame on the roster and then quickly disappeared. The upbeat classic returned the following year at No. 90 before vanishing again. Now, at No. 4, “Dancing Queen” becomes ABBA’s seventh top 10 on the all-format purchase-only list.
No. 4 Is a Familiar Spot for ABBA
“Dancing Queen” is the third ABBA track to peak at No. 4 on the Official Singles Sales chart. It matches “Just a Notion” and “Waterloo,” the latter of which debuted in that position a little more than two years ago.
ABBA has only conquered the ranking once. The band hit No. 1 for the first – and so far only – time when “I Still Have Faith in You” spent one frame in charge nearly half a decade ago. “Don’t Shut Me Down” and “Little Things” both peaked at No. 2, while “Happy New Year” rose as high as No. 5.
ABBA Celebrates 50 Years of “Dancing Queen”
The sudden resurgence of “Dancing Queen” follows a new collectible re-release tied to the song’s fiftieth anniversary. ABBA recently offered a special 10-inch vinyl edition through its online store, with the item going on sale earlier this month. Widely regarded as one of the defining pop songs of the 1970s and perhaps the tune most closely associated with ABBA, “Dancing Queen” is finally a No. 1 bestseller half a century into its life.
Two Additional ABBA Classics Return
“Happy New Year” and “Lay All Your Love on Me” also return to the U.K. charts this frame. “Happy New Year” reenters the Official Vinyl Singles and Official Physical Singles rankings at Nos. 34 and 42, respectively. “Lay All Your Love on Me” breaks back onto the latter tally at No. 84. Both tracks have performed significantly better in the past, with “Happy New Year” reaching No. 1 on both lists and “Lay All Your Love on Me” peaking in the runner-up rung on the physical roster.
Two Versions of Gold Chart Together
Two versions of ABBA’s massively successful Gold compilation can be found on the U.K. charts this period. The original lives on the Official Albums Streaming, Official Albums, Official Album Downloads, Official Albums Sales and Official Physical Albums charts, and it declines on all five of those rosters simultaneously. Meanwhile, the anniversary expanded edition of Gold returns only to the Official Album Downloads ranking, coming in at No. 74. The collection lands about 20 spaces beneath the original version, which sits at No. 55.