Much of the following information was compiled for me by Colin Hughes and passed on to me Sara Russell. Unfortunately, I don't have the title and author of the book these are sourced from. Pre-1989 information relates to West Germany. Additional accreditation information and ongoing updates passed on by Tino Bensen in Berlin and John Boylan, with some year end information from Ralf in Stuttgart and Maurizio - thanks very much!
Key to Abbreviations:
Title: The title of the single or album. With singles, if there are two titles listed on one line, that single was considered a double A side.
Date: This is the date the single or album first appeared in the chart.
Positions: These are the Top 10 chart positions for a single or album.
| Title | Date | Positions |
|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | 06/05/1974 | 28,3,2,2,2,2,1,2,1,1,1,3,3,4,4,8,10,12,11 |
| Honey, Honey | 08/07/1974 | 28,8,4,3,3,2,3,4,3,3,3,3,2,2,3,2,2,5,8 |
| So Long | 15/12/1974 | 33,24,25,11,25,17,16,21,20,27,19,18,20,30,34,28 |
| I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do | 14/04/1975 | 28,31,28,22,20,11,17,13,12,7,7,11,8,8,12,6,26,14,26,35,46,47 |
| SOS | 04/08/1975 | 20,4,3,4,2,2,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,5,20,8,9,14,10,18,11,16,18,17,21,34,22,42,50 |
| Mamma Mia | 15/12/1975 | 40,16,24,12,4,6,9,3,1,2,2,3,4,4,3,8,9,20,15,22,45,38,34,39 |
| Fernando | 29/03/1976 | 5,5,3,3,3,1,3,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,4,7,3,4,10,10,8,12,21,20,22 |
| Dancing Queen | 16/08/1976 | 21,15,5,2,2,1,2,2,2,3,2,3,5,5,5,8,11,14,18,22,22,28,40,38,41,42,49 |
| Money, Money, Money | 22/11/1976 | 20,7,4,3,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,3,7,5,9,12,12,25,20,35,37,49 |
| Knowing Me, Knowing You | 28/02/1977 | 28,13,11,3,2,2,1,1,2,3,2,4,4,4,5,6,7,8,12,12,31,22,36,35,43,42 |
| The Name Of The Game | 31/10/1977 | 30,28,8,7,12,10,12,18,15,19,18,26,26,28,38,46,35,41,32,50 |
| Take A Chance On Me | 30/01/1978 | 41,15,5,7,5,4,3,7,7,7,5,7,8,10,15,15,13,12,17,19,26,29,28,40,42 |
| Eagle/Thank You For The Music | 22/05/1978 | 48,14,8,7,6,9,9,8,11,11,13,16,19,20,20,28,37,32,40 |
| Summer Night City | 25/09/1978 | 21,13,6,6,10,13,14,14,19,20,25,25,26,35,32,38,42 |
| Chiquitita | 29/01/1979 | 33,15,3,3,3,3,4,4,3,3,4,6,7,9,10,8,10,15,17,22,31,34,37,43,50,49 |
| Does Your Mother Know | 21/05/1979 | 24,10,10,10,11,12,15,16,17,21,28,28,35,44 |
| Voulez-Vous | 20/08/1979 | 14,17,15,21,19,23,25,23,33,30,30,41,44,46,49,59 |
| Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! | 29/10/1979 | 24,7,3,3,4,4,4,3,3,5,3,11,14,15,20,27,41,49,43,38,50,49,62,58,54,69 |
| I Have A Dream | 24/12/1979 | 48,39,4,6,4,5,5,7,7,10,12,13,12,13,17,14,16,14,16,28,31,36,36,47,72,67,73 |
| The Winner Takes It All | 04/08/1980 | 14,4,7,4,6,4,7,10,10,13,10,11,18,17,23,21,22,39,41,38,41,39,63,42,29,46,65,72,70 |
| Super Trouper | 17/11/1980 | 58,17,4,3,3,1,1,4,1,1,1,2,2,3,4,7,6,8,10,16,25,28,36,32,36,36,43,55,60,58 |
| Lay All Your Love On Me | 17/08/1981 | 35,32,34,30,26,27,27,30,42,63,42,69,73,70 |
| One Of Us | 14/12/1981 | 33,9,3,1,3,4,2,5,7,7,10,10,13,17,16,27,40,46,44,54,73,73 |
| Head Over Heels | 01/03/1982 | 69,19,19,19,24,27,33,39,38,59,63,72 |
| I Know There's Something Going On (Frida) | 06/09/1982 | 72,23,16,6,8,5,5,5,8,10,13,16,15,22,26,30,33,46,41,58,75 |
| The Day Before You Came | 01/11/1982 | 70,34,15,6,6,5,7,9,10,14,20,30,29,46,46,71 |
| Never Again (Agnetha) | 13/12/1982 | 44,37,42,63,49,62 |
| To Turn The Stone (Frida) | 13/12/1982 | 39,42,43,39,56,R(1)73 |
| Under Attack | 27/12/1982 | 37,22,23,23,26,35,42,51,71 |
| The Heat Is On (Agnetha) | 20/06/1983 | 47,43,36,23,20,22,22,29,31,43,51,68,69,46,45,56,71 |
| Wrap Your Arms Around Me (Agnetha) | 03/10/1983 | 48,42,32,30,36,42,48,60,68,71,75 |
| Shine (Frida) | 01/10/1984 | 63,62,51,72 |
| One Night In Bangkok (Murray Head) | 07/01/1985 | 3,2,1,1,2,2,3,4,4,7,10 |
| I Won't Let You Go (Agnetha) | 15/04/1985 | 66,R(1)44,36,24,31,29,42,49,56,67,72 |
| The Last Time (Agnetha) | 29/02/1988 | 51,49,54,52,58,64 |
| Dancing Queen | 12/09/1992 | 90,28,29,26,27,29,32,33,36,41,46,49,48,78,96,88 |
| Happy New Year | 27/12/1999 | 99,78 |
| The Last Video Ever | 02/08/2004 | 30,50,57,57,70,76,90,85,98 |
| Happy New Year | 05/01/2009 | 99,77 |
| Happy New Year | 08/01/2010 | 88 |
| Happy New Year | 14/01/2011 | 93 |
| Happy New Year | 13/01/2012 | 75 |
| The One Who Loves You Now (Agnetha) | 29/03/2013 | 76 |
| I Still Have Faith In You | 10/09/2021 | 3,31, |
| Don't Shut Me Down | 10/09/2021 | 5,21, |
| Just A Notion | 04/11/2021 | 36, |
| Little Things | 10/12/2021 | 42, |
| Title | Date | Positions |
|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | 15/06/1974 | 23,6,9,9,12,18,48,37 |
| The Best of Abba | 15/10/1975 | 38,11,25,12,13,7,17,10,8,2,2,1,2,6,15,4,7,29,14,15,25,20,22,40,38,31 |
| Mamma Mia | 15/03/1976 | 49,34,31 |
| The Very Best of Abba | 15/09/1976 | 33,3,4,8,3,3,2,4,4,5,17,8,8,9,31,19,20, 22,33,25,37,50,50,0,0,0,50,0,0,0,49,48,0,0,0,42,0,48,36,40,48, 0,40,39,43,38,42,48,45,35,46 |
| Arrival | 15/12/1976 | 9,5,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,1,2,2,3,2,4,4,5,9,14,18,31,29,36, 43,49,40,42,43,46,46,45,47,39,20,0,46,49,46,48 |
| Abba - The Album | 01/02/1978 | 24,3,3,4,4,2,2,2,2,3,3,6,6,9,9,9,7,7,9,9,6,6,9,9,11,12,12,19,15,17, 20,14,26,27,27,38,44,41,42,45,40,39,40,40,40,45,0,0,0,0,0,50,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,46,0,39,0,0,0,0,0,37,18,0,41,0,49 |
| Voulez-Vous | 21/05/1979 | 1,1,1,1,2,2,2,4,4,4,6,5,6,5,6,6,7,8,9,14,14,15,16, 17,21,22,19,23,26,42,49,35,40,38,39,39,41,37,41,58,34,28,47, 45,62,40,33,38,36,42,50,48,54,55,65,0,44,0,0,51 |
| Greatest Hits Vol.2 | 26/11/1979 | 11,14,14,11,13,14,15,11,12,12,8,6,9,9,16, 20,14,18,18,14,13,14,15,20,24,28,18,24,26,26,24,29,43,50,47, 45,38,37,22,24,30,21,19,24,20,22,25,36,37,51,48,39, 34,34,39,41,38,33,40,45,27,38,36,48,42,0,47,0,56,45,56,63,57 |
| Super Trouper | 24/11/1980 | 14,6,1,2,1,2,3,3,2,2,2,2,4,3,4,2,2,5,6,6,9,8, 12,15,17,16,26,26,23,24,34,38,39,40,52,47,40,52 |
| A Wie Abba | 11/05/1981 | 60,5,4,3,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,7,8,8,12,15,17,16,26,26,23, 30,23,32,38,35,32,34,33,32,29,23,24,34,38,39,40,52,47,40,52 |
| The Visitors | 21/12/1981 | 11,1,1,1,1,1,2,3,7,7,8,8,9,6,8,15,20,20,25,26,37, 39,49,46,53,53,55,51,46,57 |
| Something's Going On (Frida) | 27/09/1982 | 57,30,13,12,16,16,30,21,26,36,32,27,43,34,55,58 |
| Abba - The Singles | 29/11/1982 | 52,10,5,7,8,10,9,9,10,13,20,24,30,50,53,64,57,62 |
| Wrap Your Arms Around Me (Agnetha) | 27/06/1983 | 34,18,21,17,16,23,27,27,29,35,29,31,36,13,16,17,19,19,25,31,34,37,52,56,55,61 |
| I Love Abba | 17/10/1983 | 59,18,11,13,0,17,28,36,33,43,57,64 |
| Shine (Frida) | 01/10/1984 | 65,0,49 |
| Eyes Of A Woman (Agnetha) | 15/04/1985 | 43,52,41,30,31,33,40,38,52,49,62 |
| I Stand Alone (Agnetha) | 14/03/1988 | 47,47,62 |
| Abba Gold | 05/10/1992 | 98,54,5,2,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,4,5,5,11,11,11,11, 12,13,14,13,14,13,13,14,16,24,25,22,29,23,26,26,28,30,36,29, 40,38,40,39,42,41,43,50,61,60,57,60,76,80,71,76,81 |
| More Abba Gold | 07/06/1993 | 98,27,10,9,10,13,17,18,20,29,38,38,46,42,51,54,65,76,82,79 |
| Forever Gold | 25/11/1996 | 68,85,70,84,67,67,50,54,56,56,54,66,60,69,78 |
| Forever Gold | 24/03/1997 | 98,98 |
| Love Stories | 09/11/1998 | 86,82,96 |
| Abba Gold | 10/05/1999 | 63,69,63,73,72,59,56,42,61,49,52,52,53,52,49,52, 55,67,68,74,72,92,96,99,95 |
| Complete Singles Collection | 06/12/1999 | 39,23,11,10,10,11,14,15,18,18,18,18,18,25,23, 31,31,37,38,51,39,50,55,60,62,72,93 |
| Complete Singles Collection | 26/06/2000 | 87,91,99 |
| Complete Singles Collection | 18/12/2000 | 54,76,81,79,98,78,87 |
| The Definitive Collection | 25/02/2002 | 35,42,44,57,69,74,91 |
| The Definitive Collection | 29/07/2002 | 50,46,48,54,38,40,54,53,61,75,78,94,100, 95,68,46,23,26,23,29,29,24,26,28,32,29,27,34,42,46,55, 70,48,57,34,47,66,40,36,33,41,41,50,35,40,50,53,51,60, 69,73,74,76,80,71,75,77,88,97,82 |
| Abba Gold | 28/04/2003 | 52,68,76,83,90,83,57,66,85,85,92 |
| Abba Gold | 22/09/2003 | 64,90 |
| Abba Gold | 27/10/2003 | 53,68,95,82 |
| Abba Gold | 12/01/2004 | 65,82,87,79,79,82,89,91 |
| Abba In Concert | 12/04/2004 | 38,34,34,52,60,78,92 |
| Abba Gold | 19/04/2004 | 39,18,27,43,48,60,72,81,95 |
| The Definitive Collection | 19/04/2004 | 38,14,18,22,32,36,39,56,58,69,72,77,85,77,74,67,72,76,68,67,73,91,78,83,92 |
| My Colouring Book (Agnetha) | 10/05/2004 | 6,16,19,26,40,37,59,73,90,96 |
| The Abba Story | 10/05/2004 | 31,50,47,55,75,89 |
| Abba Gold | 22/08/2004 | 66,75,78,81,81,88,86 |
| Abba Gold | 03/01/2005 | 67,64,77,58,69,84,75,72,87,89,94,76,91,95,86,91,95,77 |
| The Definitive Collection | 10/01/2005 | 63,68,92,77,93 |
| Abba - The Movie | 07/10/2005 | 48,91,80 |
| The Definitive Collection | 18/11/2005 | 67,72,76,61,58,54,62,73,77 |
| Abba Gold | 09/12/2005 | 63,57,52,48,43,38,25,39,40,61,46,53,65,63,77,85,92, 80,73,70,85,89,81,77,87,85,92,95,88,80,81,99,92, 78,75,86,98 |
| Number Ones | 11/12/2006 | 33,37,39,32,24,34,44,36,45,54,57,63,70,81 |
| Abba Gold | 05/08/2008 | 44,43,38,31,24,28,42,40,45,62,73,72,85,90,99 |
| 18 Hits | 05/08/2008 | 62,74,80,62,58,76 |
| Abba Gold | 07/01/2011 | 39,47,60,73,85,93,99 |
| Abba Gold | 05/08/2011 | 72 |
| Abba Gold | 28/10/2011 | 96 |
| The Albums (Box Set) | 18/11/2011 | 61,99,91 |
| The Albums (Box Set) | 16/12/2011 | 96,88,91,82,73,80 |
| Abba Gold | 06/01/2012 | 75,58,66,84,96 |
| Abba Gold | 17/02/2012 | 86,94,80 |
| The Essential Collection | 08/06/2012 | 41,16,24,42,58,63,84,51,89,97 |
| Abba Gold | 15/06/2012 | 34,57,100 |
| Abba Gold | 20/07/2012 | 74,40,69,86,85,95 |
| A (Agnetha) | 24/05/2013 | 3,9,8,15,24,36,41,45,51,71,74,88,0,88,0,0,0,28,50,83,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,75,0,0,0,0,0,88 |
| Abba Gold | 10/01/2014 | 72,86,85, |
| Abba Gold | 18/04/2014 | 9,3,7,11, |
| Waterloo | 18/04/2014 | 97 |
| Live At Wembley Arena | 10/10/2014 | 9,50,73 |
| Piano (Benny) | 06/10/2017 | 9,18,??,37,43, |
| Abba Gold | 01/01/2021 | 36,45,83,0,0,0,48,57,65,91,0,0,0,0,42,33,70,68,79,76,67, 0,0,92,0,0,0,88,82,0,0,92,0,97,90,51, 19,26,45,59,43,59,54,68,85,16,32,54,71,78,64,61,40 |
| The Albums (Box Set) | 12/11/2011 | 24,48,0,0,0,57 |
| Voyage | 12/11/2021 | 1,1,2,1,2,2,3,2,3,6,7, |
| Piano (Benny) | 17/12/2021 | 70 |
At the end of each year, the top singles and albums for the year were compiled based upon straight sales for the year. Below are the year-end positions for the Abba material that made it into the top sellers for the year.
1974 singles: Waterloo was number 8 in the year.
1974 singles: Honey Honey was number 9 in the year.
1975 singles: SOS was number 4 for the year.
1976 singles: Mamma Mia was number 20 for the year.
1976 singles: Fernando was number 4 for the year.
1976 singles: Dancing Queen was number 17 for the year.
1977 singles: Money Money Money was number 16 for the year.
1977 singles: Knowing Me, Knowing You was number 10 for the year.
1978 singles: Take A Chance On Me was number 15 for the year.
1979 singles: Chiquitita was number 16 for the year.
1979 singles: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! was number 28 for the year.
1980 singles: I Have A Dream was number 23 for the year.
1980 singles: The Winner Takes It All was number 28 for the year.
1981 singles: Super Trouper was number 5 for the year.
1982 singles: One Of Us was number 26 for the year.
1985 singles: One Night In Bangkok from Chess was number 7 for the year.
1974 albums: Waterloo was number 22 for the year.
1976 albums: The Best of Abba was number 1 for the year.
1977 albums: The Very Best of Abba was number 5 for the year.
1977 albums: Arrival was number 1 for the year.
1978 albums: Abba - The Album was number 6 for the year.
1979 albums: Voulez-Vous was number 11 for the year.
1980 albums: Greatest Hits Vol.2 was number 5 for the year.
1981 albums: Super Trouper was number 2 for the year.
1982 albums: The Visitors was number 20 for the year.
1992 albums: Abba Gold was number 27 for the year.
1993 albums: Abba Gold was number 9 for the year.
2003 albums: The Definitive Collection was number 54 for the year.
2004 albums: My Colouring Book by Agnetha was number 153 for the year.
2004 albums: Abba Gold was number 150 for the year.
2004 albums: The Definitive Collection was number 127 for the year.
2004 albums: Mamma Mia (German Cast Recording) was number 74 for the year.
2006 albums: Abba Gold was number 98 for the year.
2007 albums: Number Ones was number 159 for the year.
2008 albums: Mamma Mia! (Movie Soundtrack) was number 23 for the year.
2013 albums: A by Agnetha was number 90 for the year.
2014 albums: Abba Gold was number 47 for the year.
2017 albums: Piano by Benny was number 99 for the year.
2018 albums: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (Movie Soundtrack) was number 56 for the year.
2021 albums: Abba Gold was number 69 for the year.
2021 albums: Voyage was number 1 for the year.
2004 best selling artists: Abba were number 44 for the year.
2002 DVD: The Definitive Collection was number (Top 10) for the year.
2003 DVD: The Definitive Collection was number 4 for the year.
2004 DVD: Live In Concert was number 12 for the year.
This information is from Hit-Bilanz, edited by Günther Ehlert / Taurus-Press, with some information from Musikmarkt, Musikwoche, Media Control via Michael Hartmann.
Gold was 250,000 and Platinum was 500,000 until October 1999.
Gold was 150,000 and Platinum was 300,000 until December 2002 for albums.
Gold was 250,000 and Platinum was 500,000 until December 2002 for singles.
Gold is now 100,000 and Platinum is 200,000 for albums.
Gold is now 150,000 and Platinum is 300,000 for singles.
Gold is now 25,000 and Platinum is 50,000 for DVD.
Waterloo - Gold
Honey Honey - Gold
Fernando - Gold
One Night In Bangkok - Gold
Waterloo - Platinum
The Best of Abba - Gold x 2
The Very Best of Abba - Gold x 3
Greatest Hits - Gold
Arrival - Platinum x 2
Abba - The Album - Platinum
Voulez-Vous - Platinum
Greatest Hits Vol.2 - Platinum
Super Trouper - Platinum x 2
The Visitors - Platinum
A wie Abba - Gold
16 Abba Hits - Gold
Abba - The Singles - Gold
Chess - Gold
Abba Gold - Platinum x 4
More Abba Gold - Gold
Complete Singles Collection - Platinum
The Definitive Collection - Platinum x 2
Mamma Mia! (German Cast) - Platinum
More Abba Gold - Gold
The Definitive Collection (DVD) - Platinum x 2
Abba Gold (DVD) - Platinum
In Concert - Gold