Fans of ABBA, whose members were Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid (“Frida”) Lyngstad, can embark on their own “ABBA tour” in Sweden, armed with knowledge of the places where one of the world’s most popular bands in the 1970s performed, called home, recorded music, filmed videos and took part in photo shoots.
ABBA Recording Studios in Stockholm
ABBA’s harmonies and simple lyrics were recorded into albums at Polar Music Studios and Atlantis Studios in Stockholm. First up is Polar Music Studios, which closed on May 1, 2004. Today, the space is a gym, but traces of its former studio glory can be found in the form of an old ring bell near the entrance and the Polar Music logo. The building is at 58-60 Sankt Eriksgatan on the Kungsholmen island.
ABBA recorded its last three studio albums, Voulez-Vous, Super Trouper and The Visitors, at Polar Music Studios. Afterwards, Agnetha and Frida also recorded solo albums at the studio. Agnetha also recorded My Colouring Book at Atlantis Studios, which still exists at 57 Karlsbergsvägen. Atlantis Studios is where ABBA recorded the albums Arrival, The Album, Waterloo and Ring Ring.
ABBA also ventured outside Stockholm, to Glen Studio in Stocksund, to record other songs, including SOS, Fernando, Dancing Queen and Thank You For The Music. Agnetha recorded more of her solo material at the studio. The studio and the garden outside were also the sites for a photo shoot in the autumn of 1974, while the band recorded the album ABBA.
ABBA Video Shoot Locations
Stockholm is the location for several of ABBA’s music videos. One particular long and arched site is the Årstabron bridge in south-central Stockholm. This is the bridge the train crosses in the video for the song The Day Before You Came. The bridge is accessible by local train from the Central Station heading toward Västerhaninge/Nynäshamn/Södertälje.
The video for The Winner Takes it All was shot on the island of Marstrand, in western Sweden. The Societetshuset (The Society House) is where most of the filming took place, including the scenes where Agnetha sits with a cup of coffee and sings, ABBA in the bar and eating lunch. The address of the Societetshuset is 1 Långgatan.
ABBA filmed the video for Head Over Heels in Stockholm city centre, in several locations. In particular, the large stairway on Kungsgatan/Malmskillnadsgatan is the one Frida ran up and down upon, and the intersection she darts across is at Kungsgatan and Sveavägen, with the Konserthuset (concert hall) visible in the background.
The band headed indoors to film the video for Happy New Year, where they’re gathered around a piano, singing. The location for the shoot was the apartment of movie director Lasse Hallström, in Östermalm/Stockholm. Visitors wanting to have a look at the building should head to 60 Riddargatan. The apartment is on the second floor.
Locations for ABBA Photo Shoots
The Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred served as the backdrop for a 1974 ABBA photo shoot, in which the band was promoting Waterloo. Visitors can get to Mariefred by taking the train from Stockholm or by car (both journeys take about 40 minutes). By car, drivers should take the E20 from Stockholm and head toward Göteborg.
ABBA photos for The Visitors album cover were shot at the Julius Kronbergs atelje, in Skansen, the large city park and zoo on the Djurgården island, and the Alexandra Disco is where ABBA shot photos for Voulez-Vous. The disco is long gone, but the building still stands at 3 Döbelnsgatan 3 in Stockholm.
Other ABBA Attractions in Sweden
The Stockholm Opera House is linked to ABBA via two events. The band performed Dancing Queen here, in 1976, for the king and queen of Sweden. Then in December 1993, as part of the queen’s 50th birthday celebrations, Frida sang Dancing Queen with The Real Group. The Opera House is located at the Gustav Adolf's Torg.
A corner in the Musikmuseet (The Stockholm Music Museum) is dedicated to ABBA. A piano that once belonged Benny is on display here, as is Björn's guitar and a few costumes. The museum can be found at 2 Sibyllegatan. Further afield is the Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, where the band members left their handprints in plaques at the hall of fame.
In northwest Stockholm is the suburb of Vällingby, where Benny grew up. The metro green line goes here. A suburb in northern Stockholm, the Rosendal area of Vallentuna, is where both ABBA couples lived quite near each other, from the early 1970s until 1975.
Attractions for ABBA fans abound in and around Stockholm, from the studios where they recorded their popular music, to the sites where they shot their music videos and album art, to places that were their homes. A couple of locations have since shut down, but many still exist and sure to connect with the group’s fans.
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