Thank ABBA for the Music

"Thank ABBA for the Music"
Single by Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched and Billie Piper
from the album ABBAmania
Released	29 March 1999 (1999-03-29)[1]
Length	4:07
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Stig Anderson
Producer(s)	Work in Progress
Steps singles chronology
"Better Best Forgotten" (1999) "Thank ABBA for the Music" (1999) "Love's Got a Hold on My Heart" (1999)
Tina Cousins singles chronology
"Killin' Time '99" (1999) "Thank ABBA for the Music" (1999) "Forever" (1999)
Cleopatra singles chronology
"A Touch of Love" (1999) "Thank ABBA for the Music" (1999) "Come And Get Me" (2000)
B*Witched singles chronology
"Blame It on the Weatherman" (1999) "Thank ABBA for the Music" (1999) "Jesse Hold On" (1999)
Billie singles chronology
"Honey to the Bee" (1999) "Thank ABBA for the Music" (1999) "Day & Night" (2000)

"Thank ABBA for the Music" is a medley of songs originally released by pop group ABBA, performed by Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched and Billie. The medley consists of "Take a Chance on Me", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia", and "Thank You for the Music". It was originally performed during the 1999 Brit Awards, which occurred on 16 February, and its release coincided with the debut of the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!. The medley peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart in April 1999 and reached the top 10 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Track listings

UK and Australian CD single^[2]^[3]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (radio edit)	Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus Stig Anderson	4:07
2.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (TTW 12-inch remix)	B. Andersson Ulvaeus S. Anderson	6:29
3.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (karaoke)	B. Andersson Ulvaeus S. Anderson	4:10

UK cassette single^[4]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (radio edit)	B. Andersson Ulvaeus S. Anderson	4:07
2.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (karaoke)	B. Andersson Ulvaeus S. Anderson	4:10

European CD single^[5]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (radio edit)	B. Andersson Ulvaeus S. Anderson	4:07
2.	"Thank ABBA for the Music" (TTW 12-inch remix)	B. Andersson Ulvaeus S. Anderson	6:29

Personnel

• Tina Cousins – lead and backing vocals
• Billie Piper – lead and backing vocals

Cleopatra

• Cleo Higgins – lead vocals
• Yonah Higgins – backing vocals
• Zainam Higgins – backing vocals

B*Witched

• Lindsay Armaou – backing vocals
• Edele Lynch – lead vocals
• Keavy Lynch – backing vocals
• Sinead O'Carroll – backing vocals

Steps

• Lee Latchford-Evans – lead and backing vocals
• Claire Richards – lead and backing vocals
• Lisa Scott-Lee – lead and backing vocals
• Faye Tozer – lead and backing vocals
• Ian "H" Watkins – lead and backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 23 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 23 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 14 Germany (GfK)[10] 97 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[11] 16 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 14 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 14 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 6 Scotland (OCC)[16] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 8 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Australia (ARIA)[19] 40 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[20] 85 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 72 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 58 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 55 UK Singles (OCC)[24] 52

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25]	Platinum	70,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26]	Gold	5,000^*
Sweden (GLF)[27]	Gold	15,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[28]	Silver	200,000^^
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "New Releases – For Week Starting 29 March, 1999: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 27 March 1999. p. 23. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
2. Thank ABBA for the Music (UK CD single liner notes). Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched, Billie. Epic Records. 1999. ABCD1.
3. Thank ABBA for the Music (Australian CD single liner notes). Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched, Billie. Epic Records. 1999. 667160 2.
4. Thank ABBA for the Music (UK cassette single sleeve). Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched, Billie. Epic Records. 1999. ABC1.
5. Thank ABBA for the Music (European CD single liner notes). Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched, Billie. Epic Records. 1999. EPC 667160 1.
6. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
7. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
8. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music" (in French). Ultratop 50.
9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 18. 1 May 1999. p. 10. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
10. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
11. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 321 Vikuna 30.4. – 7.5. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 30 April 1999. p. 14. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Thank ABBA for the Music". Irish Singles Chart.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 19, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
14. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
15. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music". Top 40 Singles.
16. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
17. "Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie – Thank ABBA for the Music". Singles Top 100.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
19. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
20. "Rapports annuels 1999" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
21. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
22. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
23. "Årslista Singlar, 1999" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
24. "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100". Music Week. 22 January 2000. p. 27.
25. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
26. "New Zealand single certifications – Billie, B*Witched, Steps, Cleopatra & Tina Cousins – Thank ABBA for the Music". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
27. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
28. "British single certifications – Various Artists – Thank ABBA for the Music". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 July 2021.

External links

• Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched and Billie Piper - Thank ABBA for the Music on YouTube