ABBA are outselling rest of UK Top 40 combined with 'Voyage'
ABBA are currently outselling the rest of the UK Top 40 combined in the midweek charts, with their new album ‘Voyage‘ set to clinch this week’s top spot.
‘Voyage’ saw 118,000 chart sales over the weekend and is already scooping the fastest-selling physical release and biggest first-week pure sales (physical and digital) of 2021 so far. If it tops the chart this Friday (November 12), it will become the Swedish pop legends’ 10th UK Number One album and their first studio album to top the UK charts in 40 years.
Additionally, if ‘Voyage’ manages to eclipse the first-week sales of Ed Sheeran’s latest offering ‘=‘, which stand at 139,000, ABBA’s new record will become the biggest opening week for an album in over four years [via OfficialCharts].
Elsewhere, Sheeran’s ‘=’ is on course to sit at Number Two while Radiohead are eyeing Number Three with ‘Kid A Mnesia‘, a composite anniversary re-issue of previous chart-toppers ‘Kid A’ (2000) and ‘Amnesiac’ (2001).
The ABBA news follows bandmembers Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson speaking to the BBC recently about possibly writing the UK’s next Eurovision Song Contest entry.
During an interview with BBC Breakfast on Friday (November 5), Ulvaeus and Andersson were asked to share their thoughts on the “new tactic” in selecting participating acts.
It was announced last month that TaP Music – the global music publishing and management company behind the likes of Lipa and Lana Del Rey – will collaborate with the BBC to choose a track and artist to represent the UK at the Song Contest next year.
In response, Andersson said that the new approach was “good”. Ulvaeus agreed: “Promising.”
“Picking an act is one thing, writing a song is different. So you need both a great song and a good act,” Andersson continued.
Asked if they would be up for penning a track to represent the UK, he said: “Oh, a UK entry? I don’t know.”
“What's the risk? You can't be worse than last”
ABBA reveal to #BBCBreakfast they want to write a UK Eurovision entry with Dua Lipa. https://t.co/qW0ztDMcb8 pic.twitter.com/85RKzmSgqw
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) November 5, 2021
Ulvaeus dismissed the idea, saying that “it would depend on the artist”. Andersson replied: “But what’s the risk? You can’t be worse than last [place].”
After Ulvaeus said the participating singer or group needs to be “really good”, his bandmate turned and suggested “Dua Lipa”. “Yes,” Ulvaeus responded.
Meanwhile, ABBA have released an additional batch of tickets for their “revolutionary” ‘Voyage’ live shows next year. They’ve also given fans a sneak peek at the concert in a dazzling official trailer.
