ABBA: Against the Odds on ABC – 50 years after winning Eurovision, this film charts the story of ABBA’s battle for critical and commercial success as they rose to become one of the defining pop groups of the 70s.
Told mostly in their own words and with rare and unseen archive material drawn from all around the world, it captures how the band had to fight to ditch the tag of Eurovision-winner to become global superstars in the face of constant backlash from the musical establishment.
It charts their journey to chart dominance through Europe, Australia and the UK, and also the struggle to conquer America.
It explores the band’s personal challenges, which culminated in divorce and led them to create one of the great ‘break up’ songs of all time in The Winner Takes It All. Along the way, the film delves into the fascinating connection between ABBA’s distinctive style and approach to music and the politically volatile times in which they lived.
These strands are woven together to cast fresh light on a band that against the odds created a unique sound, defied the critics and delivered a musical legacy that endures to this day.
Production credit: ROGAN PRODUCTIONS
ABBA: Against the Odds on ABC and ABC iview – Sunday 9 June at 8:30pm
TV Central ABC content HERE