A Swedish royal order awarded to members of the legendary group ABBA

During a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Stockholm this Friday, May 31, Carl XVI Gustaf awarded the Royal Order of Vasa to Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Reuss and Björn Ulvaeus, together, and this is a rare thing , for the occasion.

Known for their planetary tubes Mamma Mia (1975), Dancing Queen (1976) and The Winner Takes It All (1980), all four singers were honored for “their outstanding achievements in Swedish and international music”. In 1975, Sweden decided to stop granting this order to its own citizens, considering it too anachronistic. Foreigners were not concerned. Parliament reinstated this practice in 2022.

With a unique style and catchy melodies, the four artists of ABBA, whose group name comes from their initials, personified the disco years until their separation in 1982. Their prolificacy, with eight albums released in as many Their active years, and their accessibility give them a special place in the pantheon of Swedish music.

This year also marks fifty years since ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo”, which paved the way for the group’s international success.

The Royal Order of Vasa was created on May 29, 1772 by King Gustav III of Sweden to reward individuals who have rendered important services to the State and society, specifically in the fields of agriculture, commerce , metallurgy and the arts. A total of 13 Swedes were recognized for their achievements during the ceremony, including two Nobel Prize winners: geneticist Svante Pääbo and French-Swedish physicist Anne L’Huillier.