September 6th 2024.
Abba fans were left feeling disappointed and upset this week when the iconic Swedish pop group announced the price of their upcoming greatest hits album. The Singles: The First Fifty Years, set to be released on October 25th, features 38 tracks spread across four vinyl LPs and includes a special Abba photo album. Despite disbanding over 40 years ago, Abba has remained one of the most popular and beloved bands of all time, with their recent comeback album Voyage debuting at number one in the UK in 2021.
However, with a large and devoted fanbase comes the risk of upsetting some fans, especially when charging a hefty price for a compilation of familiar songs. Currently, the 4xLP collection is priced at £95.99 on Abba's official store, and even die-hard fans are not happy about it. In response to the band's promotion of the album, one fan named Nik expressed their disappointment on Facebook, saying, "Sorry, you've already made enough money from me for the same old songs. I'll have to pass on this one."
The new Singles collection covers Abba's impressive 50-year career, but not all fans are willing to shell out almost 100 pounds for four albums. Ron, another devoted fan, commented, "I still have all the original albums, including the compilations. I can't justify paying 100 euros for just a few new tracks." Even Barnaby couldn't hide their dissatisfaction, stating, "ABBA: The First Fifty Years - a better title than the more accurate ABBA: The First 8 Years, Then About a 40-Year Gap with Nothing In It and Then One or Two Tracks Off Voyage."
Tom, while also complaining about the price, tried to lighten the mood with a witty comment, saying, "No previously unreleased bonus tracks? Universal just wants your Money Money Money." However, Abba's website offers a slightly cheaper 2xCD version of the collection for £16.99, which includes the same photo booklet as the 4xLP edition.
Despite some fans' complaints, others are more understanding of the high price. Sean, a dedicated Abba fan, expressed their disappointment with the collection as a whole, saying, "An absolute rip-off - just an extended version of the Definitive Collection!" In contrast, Ingo, another long-time fan, commented, "For Abba newbies or those without a compilation album, The Singles will be a much better choice."
The 4xLP collection is an expansion of previous compilations like Abba Gold, and these pricing complaints are just one of many that have arisen between music fans and the industry this week. In the US, alternative rock band Weezer released a 30th-anniversary edition of their self-titled debut album, which includes 36 tracks and never-before-heard bonus recordings. However, the super-deluxe vinyl box set sold for $400 and was quickly bought up by scalpers who resold them for almost $3,000.
These controversies have occurred against the backdrop of the highly anticipated Oasis reunion, which has raised questions about Ticketmaster's "dynamic pricing" model. Some fans were shocked to discover that tickets, which they expected to cost around £150, were closer to £300 once they reached the front of the online queue. Despite the band's promise to prevent scalpers from reselling tickets at exorbitant prices, some still attempted to do so on sites like StubHub.
The UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has promised to investigate these inflated prices, and the Advertising Standards Agency has received over 450 complaints about the chaos. And with more concerts announced, Oasis has vowed to crack down on those trying to exploit their fans, stating, "Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either fake or will be cancelled by the promoters."
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