ABBA in America - the legendary world tour of 1979

by Leif Schulman & Charles Hammarsten

In the spring of 1977 ABBA topped the USA chart with “Dancing Queen”. During this period the plans for a longer concert tour in America was beginning to form. By then the group had already conquered Europe and Australia, where they had just done a sensational and successful tour.

USA and Japan were the two major markets for an international career and this was where ABBA aimed to go to show themselves on stage for the first time.

September 13, 1979 was the starting point for a tour that became a triumphal procession for Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid. A tour that would take them from Canada all over the North American continent, to the metropolises of Europe and then finish in Japan in the spring of 1980.

Journalist Leif Schulman and court photographer Charles Hammarsten covered this tour for the Swedish magazine Hänt i Veckan. The idea was to produce a documentary book on life on the USA-tour. It was to become an unbeatable adventure for ABBA, but also for Leif and Charles who got the opportunity to witness, close at hand, how our country’s biggest music export finally conquered America.

ABBA in America also brings us to Japan and a record breaking tour with a devoted audience. It was here, on March 27, 1980, that Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Annifrid stood on stage together for the very last time.

This updated book covers the life on tour as a pictorial travelogue, a diary about life on and off stage. And also the successful encounter with an enthusiastic audience. All presented in a fresh, modern layout and illustrated with exclusive photos of ABBA as you have never seen them before. An unbeatable adventure for everyone involved.

"ABBA in America" also presents photos by Anders Hanser to complement the book.

The book will be released in English and Swedish language. This is the English version.


Look inside the book