UK

BBC Radio 2 listeners choose favourite Abba song

The top two songs in the poll reached number one in the UK charts, but the rest of the top five were minor hits.

Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Benny Andersson
Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Benny Andersson (Ian West/PA)
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

A poll of BBC Radio 2 listeners has revealed their favourite Abba song as Dancing Queen.

Presenter Gary Davies launched the vote to mark the 50 year anniversary of the Swedish pop group winning the Eurovision Song Contest in April 1974 at the Brighton Dome with Waterloo.

However, the chart-topper did not appear in the top five songs chosen by Radio 2 listeners, with The Winner Takes It All in the number two spot, followed by Thank You For The Music, Slipping Through My Fingers and The Day Before You Came.

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) reached number six, while Waterloo landed at number seven, followed by Knowing Me, Knowing You, Super Trouper and Eagle.

Davies said: “Dancing Queen is one of those songs that just makes you happy every time you hear it and still gets any dancefloor full to this day – a guaranteed singalong.

“Thank you Radio 2 listeners for crowning such a brilliant track Your Ultimate Abba Song.”

The top two songs reached number one in the UK charts, but the rest of the top five were minor hits.

The Day Before You Came peaked at number 32 in the UK chart and Thank You For The Music reached number 33, while Slipping Through My Fingers was only released in Japan and became popular after featuring in the film and musical Mamma Mia!

Abba in Brighton after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo
Abba in Brighton after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo (PA/PA)

Jeff Smith, Radio 2’s head of music, said: “Radio 2 listeners’ love of Abba has not diminished since they burst on to the music scene in the 1970s, and Dancing Queen is absolutely one of the most classic pop songs ever recorded.”

Five of the songs in the top 30 are from the 1979 album Voulez-Vous, five are from 1980’s Super Trouper, four from 1977’s The Album, three from 1976’s Arrival, and three from 1981’s The Visitors.

Their most recent record, 2021’s Voyage, also landed a place on the list with Don’t Shut Me Down.

The top 10 songs as voted by the BBC radio station’s listeners are:

1. Dancing Queen

2. The Winner Takes It All

3. Thank You For The Music

4. Slipping Through My Fingers

5. The Day Before You Came

6. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

7. Waterloo

8. Knowing Me, Knowing You

9. Super Trouper

10. Eagle