The ABBA Generation

The ABBA Generation
Studio album by
A-Teens
Released25 August 1999
RecordedJanuary–March 1999
Studio
Genre
Length42:50
Label
Producer
  • Ole Evenrude
  • Johan S
  • Thomas Johansson
  • Ronald Malmberg
  • Hartmann
  • Langhoff
A-Teens chronology
The ABBA Generation
(1999) 		The ABBA Generation Remix
(2001)
Alternative cover
2000 North American edition
Singles from The ABBA Generation
  1. "Mamma Mia"
    Released: 30 April 1999
  2. "Super Trouper"
    Released: 2 August 1999
  3. "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
    Released: 25 October 1999
  4. "Dancing Queen"
    Released: 7 March 2000

The ABBA Generation is the debut studio album by Swedish pop group A-Teens. It was released on 25 August 1999 by Stockholm Records. The album is composed of cover versions of well-known ABBA songs. The album spawned four singles, "Mamma Mia", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", "Super Trouper", and "Dancing Queen".

The album reached number one in Sweden and Argentina. In the United States, the album peaked at seventy-one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and was certified Gold.[1]

Background

In 1998, Marie, Sara, Dhani, and Amit came together to form the ABBA-Teens and began recording their debut album which would consist entirely of covers of ABBA songs. Their first single, "Mamma Mia", was first released in April 1999 in their native Sweden where it stayed at number one for eight consecutive weeks. Following this release, the group's name was changed to the A-Teens to avoid litigation.[2][3] "Mamma Mia" was released internationally following their name change and topped the charts in over ten countries.[citation needed]

Further singles from the album were hits in Sweden: "Super Trouper" peaked at number two and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) peaked at number ten; both songs charted moderately worldwide. "Happy New Year" was released as a standalone single in Sweden at the end of 1999 and peaked at number four.

In March 2000, the group released the single "Dancing Queen". The single reached ninety-five on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone, being certified Gold.[citation needed] Coinciding with this release, the band embarked on a promotional tour of the United States and was an opening act for the Britney Spears tour later that summer.[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
The Baltimore Sun[9]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[6]
laut.de[7]
Rolling Stone[8]

Despite its commercial success around the world, the album received generally negative reviews from music critics. Alex Henderson of AllMusic said that the group's "versions of ABBA gems like "Take a Chance on Me", "Mamma Mia", "Dancing Queen", and "Voulez-Vous" aren't brilliant, but they're enjoyable—and they show just how well the songs have held up over time." He concluded his review by saying, “All things considered, The ABBA Generation is a pleasing, if unremarkable, testament to the durability of ABBA's songs." In an average review for The A.V. Club, Steven Thompson wrote, "Pop music doesn't get more marginal than a collection of overdriven dance-pop covers, but The ABBA Generation succeeds on its own modest terms."[10]

David Hiltbrand of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+, saying that the group "look and sound better than their supergroup heroes; even the music is spruced up, thanks to a cast of savvy Swedish producers." Writing for Rolling Stone, Arion Berger gave the album one and a half out of five stars, saying that "all the keyboard doodling and note-for-note diligence in Scandinavia wouldn't help these poseurs bring the pure-pop greatness of the real ABBA to life."

Track listing

All tracks written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, except as noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mamma Mia"Andersson, Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson3:47
2."Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" 3:57
3."Super Trouper" 3:52
4."One of Us" 3:55
5."Voulez-Vous" 3:42
6."S.O.S." 3:12
7."Dancing Queen"Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson3:50
8."Take a Chance on Me" 3:53
9."Lay All Your Love on Me" 4:03
10."The Name of the Game"Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson4:22
11."Our Last Summer" 4:28
Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Mamma Mia" (Versión en español)Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson3:43
13."¡Dame! ¡Dame! ¡Dame! (Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!)" (Versión en español)Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson, Buddy McCluskey, Mary McCluskey3:54
Japan edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Knowing Me, Knowing You"Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson4:28
13."Mamma Mia" (Jam Lab Remix)Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson3:56
14."Super Trouper" (Pinocchio Remix) 5:08
US Target edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."A-Teens Mega Mix"Andersson, Ulvaeus, Anderson7:36

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.

Musicians

  • Anneli Axon
  • Anders Barrén
  • Tee
  • Image
  • Ronald Malmberg
  • Annika Sjölin
  • Katarina Sjölin

Production

  • Per Adebratt – vocal production
  • Stefan Boman – engineer
  • Tommy Ekman – vocal production
  • Björn Engelmann – mastering
  • Ole Evenrude — producer
  • Tommy Gustavsson — programming
  • Hartmann & Langhoff – producer
  • Johan S. – producer
  • Thomas Johansson — producer, vocal production
  • Fredrik Larnemo – engineer
  • Hugo Lira — programming
  • Ronald Malmberg — producer, vocal production
  • Christer Sandelin – vocal production
  • Joakim Styrén – mixing, programming

Other personnel

  • Niklas Berg – concept
  • Todd Gallopo – design
  • Anders Johansson – A&R
  • Christer Mellström – product coordinator
  • Mats Oscarsson – photos

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[31] Platinum 60,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[32] Gold 25,000*
Chile — 95,000[33]
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[34] Platinum 43,628[34]
Mexico (AMPROFON)[35] Gold 75,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[36] Platinum 100,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[37] Platinum 50,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[39] Platinum 148,000[38]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[40] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[41] 2× Platinum 160,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[42] Gold 25,000^
United States (RIAA)[44] Gold 582,000[43]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[45] Platinum 1,000,000*
Worldwide — 3,000,000[46]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

References

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  2. ^ Douglas Wolk (8 May 2000). "How Swede It Is". Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
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  5. ^ The ABBA Generation at AllMusic
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