This web site is dedicated to ABBA’s phenomenal success in Australia
This unofficial ABBA web site was created by Ian Cole in Sydney Australia in 1997, as my own personal tribute to ABBA and their phenomenal success in Australia in the Seventies. It is named after the book The ABBA Phenomenon by Christer Borg, the first local edition of the official biography ABBA By ABBA.
This site is in no way affiliated with Polar Music International AB, PolyGram Australia, Universal Music Australia, RCA/BMG Australia, Reg Grundy Productions Pty. Ltd., The Paul Dainty Corporation Pty. Ltd., the Australian ABBA Fan Club, ABBA (Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvæus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog) or any other ABBA web site or company involved in the promotion of ABBA.
The ABBA Phenomenon in Australia was listed as one of the recommended ABBA sites in the article “ABBA On The Internet” by Lynn Stratton in the Official Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Frida Fan Club Official Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Frida Fan Club Magazine Magazine Magazine no. 54 (March 1998). The National Commercial section was subject to an extensive article in Intermezzo – International ABBA Magazine No. 26, Winter 1999 and linked to an article in the Official International ABBA FAN CLUB Magazine #155 June 2023. The ABBA – The Movie section was used extensively in an article featured in the fan magazine ABBA Report issue 17 in June 2000.
Features of this site so far include The Australian Discography, which contains a complete history of ABBA’s record releases in Australia, how successful each release was, details of their two visits to Australia, and full track listings of all ABBA releases on all formats. It also includes galleries of all ABBA singles, albums, Australian-only CDs, videos, and solo singles and albums.
Learn about ABBA’s first ever visit to Australia in 1976 to make the TV special The Best Of ABBA. Re-live the excitement of ABBA’s 1977 concert tour of Australia with the full tour itinerary, concert play list, my memories of the tour and the lyrics to ‘We Are A Simple Four Letter Word’ (a.k.a. ‘I Am An A’) and the full “The Girl With The Golden Hair”.
Read the full story of ABBA – THE MOVIE, including full credits, what songs are featured, and a behind the scenes look at the making of THE MOVIE. There’s also a catalogue of ABBA merchandise and memorabilia that’s been available in Australia. Take a look at the commercials that ABBA made for the Japanese electronics manufacturer National in 1976, including a look at the making of the commercials, the lyrics to the modified version of ‘Fernando’, descriptions of the five original commercials, and lots of pictures from National promotional material.
(Note: some features have not yet been loaded in the 2023 upgrade)
Contents of this web site
Most of the information included here has been written by myself, compiled from my collection and my many years as an ABBA fan. I’ve included details on all source material (apart from my memory) plus people that have helped with various bits of information in the Credits page. Information gathered from a particular source is credited on the individual pages also.
All photos (except where individually credited) have been scanned in by myself from my collection. I don’t mind if anyone wants to use any of the images as the copyright isn’t mine to claim, but I would appreciate being asked as a courtesy for any of these pictures, and that credit is given where it’s due. I’ve come across the odd ABBA web site that has borrowed pictures from here (and it’s been really obvious) and many other ABBA sites that I know, so please, don’t be bashful and let me know if you want to use any of the pictures. I don’t bite. Honest!
This site has been picked as a Links2Go Key Resource and one of WebSideStory’s Top 10 Pick of the Week for December 14, 1998. It was voted fourth favourite ABBA web site in the 1999 ABBAMAIL poll.
All original material contained in this web site © 1997-2024 by Ian Cole, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
In memory of Marco Sweers 1963 – 1997
The first and most ardent fan of this web site
“I swear I could hear the fans screaming, I smell the atmosphere…”
The ABBA Phenomenon in Australia 