Gimme Gimme Gimme New ABBA: A Concert 40 Years In The Making & A Studio Album

After a sudden and significant tease last week from Swedish pop icons ABBA hinting at some very exciting news this week, fans have not been left disappointed. Confirmation came today of a new album, a revolutionary new concert on the cards for next year - and two new songs unveiled for good measure. 

A feat four decades in the making, the reunion for Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad is literal music to fan's ears all over the globe - with the announcement of the new album Voyage due out on Friday 5 November marking just shy of a whopping four decades since the quartet's eighth studio album The Visitors was released. Recorded at Andersson's studio in Stockholm, the album was revealed during a livestream event and has been confirmed to feature ten, glittery tracks - including a Christmas-themed tune.

While November is still a ways away at this point in time, the relentless wait for very patient ABBA fans has paid off in spades today, with new tracks I Still Have Faith In You and Don't Shut Me Down finally making their way into the world after a false start back in 2018. And for us Aussies playing along at home: keep an eye out from around the 1 minute 32 second mark in the clip below to spy ABBA visiting Melbourne Town Hall back in 1977. 

With the video for I Still Have Faith In You already snapping up over 2 million views in less than 8 hours, there's still more good news from team ABBA to accompany the new singles: the long-awaited virtual tour, with the fab four set to perform digitally with a live band in London next May.

The ABBA Voyage concert is set to feature digital versions of the band, which were created following extensive months of motion-capture and performance techniques alongside a substantial team from the George Lucas founded company Industrial Light & Magic. Perhaps best-known for their work in film - including Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter - the revolutionary ABBA concert will be the company's first exploration into music - and if the ABBA-tars and behind the scenes shots are anything to go by, we're in for a treat.

Pic by Baillie Walsh

Of the impending concert series, which will open on May 27 2022 at the ABBA Arena (a state-of-the-art, 3000 capacity arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London), producers Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson spoke today about the momentous journey that led to this new ABBA chapter.

“The magic of ABBA and the herculean efforts of this whole magnificent team reaches a long awaited milestone today," Gisla and Andersson said.

"To be able to finally share this endeavour with the world is a proud moment for us and we can't wait to welcome you to our arena in East London, a place where we are so happy to be.”

With the ABBA Voyage shows set to run six nights a week when it digitally sets sail next May, it's certainly set to be a fantastic voyage ahead. Tickets for ABBA Voyage are available from this Sunday 5 September for fans who have pre-ordered the album from the official ABBA store, and next Monday 6 September for those who have pre-registered. General sale will commence next Tuesday 7 September. For more info, head here.