ABBA soar to tenth Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with Voyage: "We are absolutely over the moon"

It's been forty years since the iconic band's last studio album went to Number 1.
abba-voyage-3-credit-baillie-walsh.jpg

ABBA are well and truly back as Voyage charges straight in at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart.

Racking up 204,000 chart sales in its first seven days, Voyage is the fastest-selling album of 2021 so far, and earns the biggest opening week on the UK’s Official Albums Chart in four years, since Ed Sheeran’s Divide.

Their tenth Number 1 record in the UK, Voyage is the renowned group’s first studio album to top the Official Albums Chart in 40 years – though two hits collections, The Singles and Gold both managed the feat in between.

It’s also the fastest-selling album released by a group in eight years, since One Direction’s Midnight Memories back in November 2013 – indeed, ABBA are only the fourth act in the past decade to surpass 200,000 UK chart sales in release week – the others are Adele’s 25 (November 2015) and Ed Sheeran’s Divide (March 2017).

Celebrating the news, ABBA tell OfficialCharts.com, “We are so happy that our fans seem to have enjoyed our new album as much as we enjoyed making it! We are absolutely over the moon to have an album at the top of the charts again!”

MORE: All The Number 1 Albums

Voyage’s total is made up of 90% physical copies, including 29,900 on vinyl, which makes it the fastest-selling vinyl release of the century, overtaking the 24,500 first-week vinyl sales of Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino in 2018.

This also marks ABBA’s 58th total week as UK Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart – only two other acts in history have spent more weeks at the top, The Beatles and Elvis.

Additionally, with ten Number 1 albums to their name, only seven other acts have notched up more UK chart-toppers than ABBA:  The Beatles, Elvis, Rolling Stones, Robbie Williams, Madonna, Springsteen and David Bowie.

See ABBA’s full Official Chart history here.

Elsewhere in the Official Albums Chart, James Arthur earns his fourth Top 3 album with It’ll All Make Sense In The End, debuting at Number 3. Radiohead are at Number 4 with Kid A Mnesia, a joint reissue of Number 1 albums Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), and now their eighth Top 10 collection.

Rounding off the Top 5 is US singer Summer Walker with her second album Still Over It - her highest UK chart placing to date at Number 5.

Musical icon Diana Ross lands at Number 7 with Thank You, her first Top 10 album in 26 years, and US Jazz singer and songwriter Gregory Porter finishes at Number 8 with Still Rising: The Collection which is his fifth UK Top 10 album.

Welsh heavy metal rockers Bullet For My Valentine bow at Number 13 with their self-titled seventh studio album, their sixth Top 20.

Finally Snail Mail - the solo project of US indie rock guitarist and singer Lindsey Jordan - lands at Number 35 with their second studio album Valentine, Jordan’s first ever Top 40 record in the UK.

See the full Official Albums Chart Top 100

Image credit: Baillie Walsh

Related artists

Join the conversation by joining the Official Charts community and dropping comment.

Already registered?

Log in

No account?

Register

avatar

Matell

0

CONGRATS TO The One & Only @DianaRoss landing at Number 7 with Thank You. You hit your mark and you gave us exactly what we needed at this time in our lives. The rest of the world has no idea of the pain; drama; decisiveness; the confusion; the hate; the inequalities that has been happening in America. Yes, the rest of the world understands this but you captured songs of our times dead smack center; you didn't slam us over the head, you simply put your words to pen and let it flow outward. Thank You is your Marvin Gaye's or John Lennon triumphant album. You're known for a wide array of sounds and you kept true to your foundation of "LOVE."

Thank you, for giving us hope; encouragement; thank you goes out to the entire team for "Thank You."

R

RyanT

2

so thrilled for abba and good taste returning back to the uk music consumers

S

Sarah

0

I assume this must be for the UK chart only, which just goes to show how very different it is between other countries chart stats. Abba voyage shifting 29,900 units on vinyl which makes it the fastest-selling vinyl release of the century and yet last year on the Billboard charts The Beatles Abbey Road sold over 53,000 on vinyl and it just managed to make it Top 5 of the year- definitely not the century.

D

Danny

0

Well, the USA has a population that is five times bigger than the UK. ABBA's 'Voyage' album has done really well there to, coming in at #2. Album sales included 60,500 physical copies. To even get near the top of charts is an achievement for 'legacy' artists because their fans tend to be older and much less likely to stream their music compared to the likes of Drake and Adele devotees.

S

Sarah

0

To me the OCC comment was misleading. I realise now its for the UK only.

JR

Jim Richardson

2

What an achievement, a true masterpiece from the best there is, congratulations :)

avatar

Alfred Lock

2

Given that not surprising success of the Scandinavian legends that's one back in the eye for the stuffy Guardian review and anyone else and it also goes to show the loyal ABBA old school stick the finger up to streaming because you cannot beat buying it in CD/download and now vinyl once again..To even beat the former vinyl Kings The Arctic Monkeys is something else as well but if anyone could ABBA could.. With increasing sales from the big guns of Coldplay,Ed and now ABBA could Adele top it all on 25th November??That 200,000+ target won't be easy but not impossible .

avatar

Marko

-5

ABBA is for old people, 60+.

avatar

grantc11

6

Go and play, junior.

avatar

🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜

1

liar, i’m 17 and i listen to some of abba’s classics.

avatar

philpridd

1

Such a let down after all the hype,that they wont do any live concerts ,in person,rather then this computer related nonsense.I for one would not pay what is probably a very expensive ticket price to see anyhing other then a live concert,their millions of fans dserve better hen this!

avatar

grantc11

0

Thank you for your contribution.

avatar

thierry henon

2

I still can't believe that amazing news!! So over the moon! And they sold over 200k copies within a week: unbelievable! i just hope they can remain at number 1 for another week before adele dominates the charts again!

avatar

Bluefete

1

Congratulations to ABBA. This album has definitely grown on me and there are some amazing songs on it. Ode To Freedom is a masterpiece of music.

Just like in years past, this album will become a classic in the future.

I agree with Frank about the mixing and instrumentation on a couple of the songs. Clearly, Michael Tretow was missed in the studio.

But at the end of the day, I and many others are just glad to have new music from ABBA.

God Bless Them.

PW

Peter Webber

2

They deserve this, they’ve always had harsh criticism over the years.
They’ve been such a big part of my life!
10 number 1s way to go!

S

Sarah

1

The Top 40 Album vinyl charts has 2 Albums of Abba and also The Beatles. "-"

avatar

Cienna Tower

1

Based on the strength of the first two singles, which were phenomenal examples of the classic ABBA sound, I was initially underwhelmed by the album. I think that it needed a few more songs like I still have faith in you and Don't shut me down to balance out the content. That said, after repeated listens, Voyage has definitely grown on me and I feel very blessed that they came together to give us this gift. It's never gonna be the album I immediately turn to when I'm craving that unique ABBA sound, as I think there are far better examples in their catalogue. But for a group of artists who disbanded 40 years ago, I think they did a stellar job! The girls still sound amazing and there are definitely moments of brilliance to be found on Voyage. (Ode to freedom is glorious) I look forward to the EP that I'm fairly confident they will release in a year or two's time.

F

Frank

1

Well, I have to say that I generally liked the album but have to say that the mix overwhelmed the voices with the instrumentation making lyrics somewhat unintelligible. Too bad since all their voices are still excellent. Unlike Piran I was not really expecting a retro album since I have often said that after singers/groups have food on the table, they all become artists!

avatar

Grant Burnside

7

Reviews of this album are rather pointless. It's doing its job and doing it very well, with dignity, style, grace and sheer enduring talent. For those of us who grew up buying their records and waiting anxiously each week for their chart positions, well, this is a dream come true. Adult life has happened in between, marriages, children, love, loss, joy and pain, and now this most welcome bookend to what really has been a journey through time, a real Voyage. Congratulations to all four members for their continued magic.

avatar

Piran

6

Did you guys like ABBA’s new album? :)

Honestly, for me, I’m really happy to see them back making music together for the first in almost 40 years & they definitely made the right choices with the singles, but I’m sorry, I feel like ‘Voyage’ lacks that magical spark that made their 70’s signature hits so iconic!

Sure, some of the tracks on it are a bit fun & sweet in places, but when they’re not either of those things, it can have a particularly boring feel to it as well at times, particularly at moments on this album where the tempo starts to draw back.

That being said, even though the replay factor from me is going to be very low, these guys deserve a massive amount of respect for making such a hugely successful comeback, especially decades after their prime, so a massive congratulations to them! ❤️

D

Danny

4

It's a solid enough album with some standout tracks. But the thing about ABBA songs is that they are 'growers'. So many initial reviewers have had to think again the more they listen and absorb these songs. When 'The Visitors' album was released 40 years ago, I was initially not too happy with their ever darker sound and subject matter. Before long, I found myself loving it. This 'Voyage' album is doing the same. It will stand proudly alongside its predecessors in time.

avatar

Piran

2

Maybe I'll give it another chance then! I definitely think that some of the tracks will grow on me too. :)

avatar

Karol

2

It definitely has to be absorbed,these are not generic tracks,I was pretty much the same on first listen, now I'm absolutely blown away with every single song from Voyage .

avatar

Patrickc9330

2

Mean spirited much? It has sold over 204,000. Think that outweighs anything you have to say.

avatar

Piran

2

It's an opinion & I just said that I'm happy for ABBA's comeback, but stay mad, I guess. :)

avatar

Paula Dåle

2

Absolutely agree. ABBA's music is on a much deeper level, especially the non commercial tracks on all their albums. Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen were just springboards to get them noticed as musicians who's second language was English (at the time). Back then it was harder for European continental acts to break into the UK/US market

M

Mark

3

Actually, I love this album! It is typically ABBA. They have stayed true to themselves by not trying to copy today’s musical styles. It’s like they have never been away. The album is just full of inoffensive, classy pop tunes that only ABBA can pull off. Only ABBA can bring out every emotion out you at the same time.

avatar

Piran

0

Yeah, they’ve definitely stuck with their roots, which I was really happy to hear. :)