Comprised of vocalists Jenny Berggren and Linn Berggren, and keyboardists Jonas "Joker" Berggren and Ulf "Buddah" Ekberg, the Swedish quartet Ace of Base became a phenomenally popular international act with their 1993 debut album, The Sign. Ace of Base's simple, melodic Euro-disco was equally popular on radio and in the clubs, earning the... [+] Read More

Comprised of vocalists Jenny Berggren and Linn Berggren, and keyboardists Jonas "Joker" Berggren and Ulf "Buddah" Ekberg, the Swedish quartet Ace of Base became a phenomenally popular international act with their 1993 debut album, The Sign. Ace of Base's simple, melodic Euro-disco was equally popular on radio and in the clubs, earning the quartet three U.S. Top Ten singles -- "All That She Wants," "Don't Turn Around," and "The Sign," which spent six weeks at number one.

Before the quartet formed in 1990, sisters Jenny and Linn Berggren sang in local church choirs in Gothenburg, Sweden. Their brother, Jonas, played synthesizers and wrote songs with Ulf Ekberg. Eventually, Jonas and Ulf recruited Jenny and Linn to sing with them, and the quartet began playing dance music at local clubs in the late summer of 1990. Within a year, the group signed with Mega Records and released their debut single, "Wheel of Fortune," in 1992. By that time, the quartet had joined forces with John Ballard, who produced their recordings and wrote the majority of their songs; occasionally, Ballard co-wrote with Jonas Berggren. "Wheel of Fortune" became a hit across Scandinavia, and soon the German-based record label Metronome signed a European distribution deal with the group. "All That She Wants" was Ace of Base's first single in Europe and, thanks to heavy exposure on MTV, the song became a number one hit in ten different countries. In the spring of 1993, Ace of Base released their European debut album, Happy Nation.

"All That She Wants" was released in America in the fall of 1993 and quickly went platinum, beginning a string of platinum Top Ten singles in the U.S.. Released in the fall of 1993, Ace of Base's American debut album The Sign -- a reconfigured version of Happy Nation, featuring four new songs -- quickly sold nearly two million copies in the U.S.. Throughout 1994, Ace of Base dominated radio in America and Europe as "All That She Wants," "Don't Turn Around," and "The Sign" received heavy airplay on a number of radio formats, including Top 40, adult contemporary, urban, and, bizarrely, modern rock. By the end of the year, The Sign had sold over eight million copies in the U.S. alone. Ace of Base was nominated for three Grammys that year, including Best New Artist.

Ace of Base released their second album, The Bridge, in the fall of 1995. Although it went platinum in its first six months of release, the record failed to duplicate the remarkable multi-platinum success of The Sign. After a three-year-hiatus, the duo returned with Cruel Summer, which suffered a similar fate. 2000 saw the release of Greatest Hits, a blend of original singles and remixes. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The flamboyant multi-cultural Swedish dance-pop group Army of Lovers formed in 1987, the brainchild of composer and producer Alexander Bard. Five years earlier Bard first emerged as a member of the short-lived trio Baard, best known for the single "Life in a Goldfish Bowl." In 1985 -- in drag, no less -- he led Barbie, a band also comprising... [+] Read More

The flamboyant multi-cultural Swedish dance-pop group Army of Lovers formed in 1987, the brainchild of composer and producer Alexander Bard. Five years earlier Bard first emerged as a member of the short-lived trio Baard, best known for the single "Life in a Goldfish Bowl." In 1985 -- in drag, no less -- he led Barbie, a band also comprising hairdresser Jean-Pierre Barda (alias Farouk), Yazmina Chantal and model Camilla Henemark (a.k.a. Katanga); two years later, Bard, Barda and Henemark (now performing under the name La Camilla) founded Army of Lovers, taking the name in honor of the 1970s cult movie Armee der Liebenden.

With the aid of designer and stylist Camilla Thulin, the group created an outrageously campy image, their wardrobe drawing heavily on religious imagery while also referencing history and folklore. Army of Lovers debuted in 1988 with the single "When the Night Is Cold," followed by the more dance-minded "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun." After scoring a 1989 hit with "Supernatural," the following year they issued their debut LP Disco Extravaganza (issued in the U.S. as Army of Lovers). 1991's Massive Luxury Overdose, recorded with producer Anders Wollbeck, was their breakthrough; in tandem with a pair of lurid videos, the singles "Crucified" and "Obsession" became club hits, and the group became major stars in their native Scandanavia and throughout Eastern Europe.

In the wake of the record's success, however, La Camilla was fired and replaced by model and school teacher Michaela Dornonville de la Cour, who debuted on the single "Judgment Day." After recording music for the soundtrack to the film Ha Ett Underbart Liv, Army of Lovers recruited former phone-sex operator Dominika Peczynski and released 1993's The Gods of Earth and Heaven; the single "Israelism" became the subject of considerable controversy when it was accused of mocking Jewish culture, but ironically rose to the number one spot on the Israeli pop charts. After 1994's Glory Glamour and Gold, de la Cour exited, paving the way for the return of La Camilla prior to the release of the 1996 Les Greatest Hits. With Army of Lovers on hiatus, Bard formed a new group, Vacuum, and issued 1997's The Plutonium Cathedral; La Camilla, meanwhile, mounted a solo career. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The most commercially successful pop group of the 1970s, the origins of the Swedish superstars ABBA dated back to 1966, when keyboardist and vocalist Benny Andersson, a onetime member of the popular beat outfit the Hep Stars, first teamed with guitarist and vocalist Bjorn Ulvaeus, the leader of the folk-rock unit the Hootenanny Singers. The two... [+] Read More

The most commercially successful pop group of the 1970s, the origins of the Swedish superstars ABBA dated back to 1966, when keyboardist and vocalist Benny Andersson, a onetime member of the popular beat outfit the Hep Stars, first teamed with guitarist and vocalist Bjorn Ulvaeus, the leader of the folk-rock unit the Hootenanny Singers. The two performers began composing songs together and handling session and production work for Polar Music/Union Songs, a publishing company owned by Stig Anderson, himself a prolific songwriter throughout the 1950s and 1960s. At the same time, both Andersson and Ulvaeus worked on projects with their respective girlfriends: Ulvaeus had become involved with vocalist Agnetha Faltskog, a performer with a recent number one Swedish hit, "I Was So in Love," under her belt, while Andersson began seeing Anni-Frid Lyngstad, a one-time jazz singer who rose to fame by winning a national talent contest.

In 1971, Faltskog ventured into theatrical work, accepting the role of Mary Magdalene in a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar; her cover of the musical's "Don't Know How to Love Him" became a significant hit. The following year, the duo of Andersson and Ulvaeus scored a massive international hit with "People Need Love," which featured Faltskog and Lyngstad on backing vocals. The record's success earned them an invitation to enter the Swedish leg of the 1973 Eurovision song contest, where, under the unwieldy name of Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida, they submitted "Ring Ring," which proved extremely popular with audiences but placed only third in the judges' ballots.

The next year, rechristened ABBA (a suggestion from Stig Anderson and an acronym of the members' first names), the quartet submitted the single "Waterloo," and became the first Swedish act to win the Eurovision competition. The record proved to be the first of many international hits, although the group hit a slump after their initial success as subsequent singles failed to chart. In 1975, however, ABBA issued "S.O.S.," a smash not only in America and Britain but also in non-English speaking countries such as Spain, Germany and the Benelux nations, where the group's success was fairly unprecedented. A string of hits followed, including "Mamma Mia," "Fernando," and "Dancing Queen" (ABBA's sole U.S. chart-topper), further honing their lush, buoyant sound; by the spring of 1976, they were already in position to issue their first Greatest Hits collection.

ABBA's popularity continued in 1977, when both "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "The Name of the Game" dominated airwaves. The group also starred in the feature film ABBA -- The Movie, which was released in 1978. That year Andersson and Lyngstad married, as had Ulvaeus and Faltskog in 1971, although the latter couple separated a few months later; in fact, romantic suffering was the subject of many songs on the quartet's next LP, 1979's Voulez-Vous. Shortly after the release of 1980s Super Trouper, Andersson and Lyngstad divorced as well, further straining the group dynamic; The Visitors, issued the following year, was the final LP of new ABBA material, and the foursome officially disbanded after the December 1982 release of their single "Under Attack."

Although all of the group's members soon embarked on new projects -- both Lyngstad and Faltskog issued solo LPs, while Andersson and Ulvaeus collaborated with Tim Rice on the musical Chess -- none proved as successful as the group's earlier work, largely because throughout much of the world, especially Europe and Australia, the ABBA phenomenon never went away. Repackaged hits compilations and live collections continued hitting the charts long after the group's demise, and new artists regularly pointed to the quartet's inspiration: while the British dance duo Erasure released a covers collection, ABBA-esque, an Australian group called Bjorn Again found success as ABBA impersonators. In 1993, "Dancing Queen" became a staple of U2's "Zoo TV" tour -- Andersson and Ulvaeus even joined the Irish superstars on-stage in Stockholm -- while the 1995 feature Muriel's Wedding, which won acclaim for its depiction of a lonely Australian girl who seeks refuge in ABBA's music, helped bring the group's work to the attention of a new generation of moviegoers and music fans. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Storming onto the international music scene in the fall of 1997, the Danish dance-pop outfit Aqua aroused controversy when Mattel filed a lawsuit against them for the sexual overtones inherent in their breakthrough hit, "Barbie Girl." The roots of the quartet trace back to 1989, when Claus Norreen and Søren Rasted (both keyboards/drum machine)... [+] Read More

Storming onto the international music scene in the fall of 1997, the Danish dance-pop outfit Aqua aroused controversy when Mattel filed a lawsuit against them for the sexual overtones inherent in their breakthrough hit, "Barbie Girl." The roots of the quartet trace back to 1989, when Claus Norreen and Søren Rasted (both keyboards/drum machine) were working together on the soundtrack for a Danish film, Fraekke Frida. During this time they met future member René Dif (rap/vocals), who introduced them to Norwegian singer Lene Grawford Nystrøm. The four soon formed the band Joyspeed, whose single "Itzy Bitzy" spent one week on the Swedish charts before vanishing.

Disappointed with the song's lack of success, the bandmembers decided to reinvent themselves as Aqua (allegedly, this name was derived from a poster featuring an aquarium hanging in their rehearsal room). Soon after, they secured another record contract with the Danish label Universal Music, which released their first single, "Roses Are Red," in September 1996. The song stayed on the charts for two months, receiving a platinum record in the process. The follow-up, "My Oh My" (February 1997), went gold in only six days, becoming the fastest-selling Danish single of all time and paving the way for their breakthrough international hit, "Barbie Girl." The band's first full-length album, Aquarium, was released in September 1997. Aquarius followed in early 2000. ~ Jeremy Ulrey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The German dance-pop duo Modern Talking was formed in Berlin in early 1983 by Dieter Bohlen, then a composer and producer employed by the Intersong label; teaming with vocalist Thomas Anders, they soon began work on their first single, 1984's "You're My Heart, You're My Soul." Modern Talking's debut LP, succinctly titled The First Album,... [+] Read More

The German dance-pop duo Modern Talking was formed in Berlin in early 1983 by Dieter Bohlen, then a composer and producer employed by the Intersong label; teaming with vocalist Thomas Anders, they soon began work on their first single, 1984's "You're My Heart, You're My Soul." Modern Talking's debut LP, succinctly titled The First Album, followed a year later on the heels of their second single, "You Can Win If You Want; " the duo's sophomore effort, Let's Talk About Love, appeared in late 1985, launching the smash "Cheri Cheri Lady." With 1986's Ready for Romance, Modern Talking scored their biggest hit with "Brother Louie; " however, after 1986's In the Middle of Nowhere tensions between Bohlen and Anders reached their boiling point, and following the release of their fifth LP, Romantic Warriors, Bohlen assembled a new project, Blue System. The final Modern Talking album, In the Garden of Venus, appeared posthumously at the end of 1987, after which Anders mounted a solo career. In 1998 he and Bohlen reunited for a new Modern Talking album, Back for Good. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Ace of Base's strong point is not versatility -- all of their hit singles have exactly the same beat. But that doesn't matter. On their debut album, The Sign, they managed to create a piece of melodic Euro-disco that was a huge hit all over the world, appealing to both dance clubs and pop radio. And with singles like "All That She Wants," "The... [+] Read More

Ace of Base's strong point is not versatility -- all of their hit singles have exactly the same beat. But that doesn't matter. On their debut album, The Sign, they managed to create a piece of melodic Euro-disco that was a huge hit all over the world, appealing to both dance clubs and pop radio. And with singles like "All That She Wants," "The Sign," and "Don't Turn Around," it's easy to see why they were hits -- the beat is relentless and the hooks are incessantly catchy. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

ABBA's 19-song Gold collection was the first hits compilation prepared specifically for the CD format by the 1970s supergroup, and, appearing after a period of several years in which their music had been off the market, was a welcome addition to the catalog. It is still the simplest and most straightforward collection of the group's material...

ABBA's 19-song Gold collection was the first hits compilation prepared specifically for the CD format by the 1970s supergroup, and, appearing after a period of several years in which their music had been off the market, was a welcome addition to the catalog. It is still the simplest and most straightforward collection of the group's material that it is possible to buy. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Les Greatest Hits remains the best introduction to Army of Lovers' music; along with the singles "Supernatural," "Crucified," "Obsession" and "Israelism," it also features the new tracks "Give My Life," "Venus and Mars" and "Requiem." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Les Greatest Hits remains the best introduction to Army of Lovers' music; along with the singles "Supernatural," "Crucified," "Obsession" and "Israelism," it also features the new tracks "Give My Life," "Venus and Mars" and "Requiem." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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"Barbie Girl" is one of those inexplicable pop culture phenomena -- a bouncy, slightly warped Euro-dance song that simultaneously sends up femininity and Barbie dolls. Mattel wasn't too amused, but the public was, making it a huge hit in Europe and America. Like many Europop acts, Aqua isn't capable of delivering another song as insanely catchy... [+] Read More

"Barbie Girl" is one of those inexplicable pop culture phenomena -- a bouncy, slightly warped Euro-dance song that simultaneously sends up femininity and Barbie dolls. Mattel wasn't too amused, but the public was, making it a huge hit in Europe and America. Like many Europop acts, Aqua isn't capable of delivering another song as insanely catchy as "Barbie Girl," but there's plenty of infectious filler that keeps the album moving along at a nice pace. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide