It’s a comeback that has been teased, rumoured and hinted at for decades.
But it wasn’t until this evening in the shadow of London’s Olympic Park that the dream of an Abba comeback was finally realised.
At approximately 6.12pm out stepped Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to reveal the next chapter in their extraordinary career.
It was perhaps fitting that the select few journalists to witness this moment had been assembled in a viewing room 80 metres up the ArcelorMittal Orbit next to West Ham’s stadium.
Because it was a dizzying moment hearing the two men confirm that the wait for them to make some new music was finally over after 40 years.
Bjorn once played down the prospect of getting back together, saying it would be unwise to try to recreate past glories.
An album of new music represents a bold move. Many will ask, with their legacy assured, why come back?
But the two singles unveiled today should go a long way to removing any shred of doubt that they’ve still got it.
The tracks – I Still Have Faith In You and Don’t Shut Me Down – are the band at their very best, with their familiar harmonies and soaring power chords.
It bodes well for November when album Voyage is released, which will surely be the fastest-selling album of the year by a country mile.
But it won’t just be the oldies snapping up copies. Such is the success of the Mamma Mia films, a younger audience has fallen in love with their music, too.
