Agnetha Fältskog - A

The first “A” in ABBA, Agnetha is often regarded as the voice of Sweden’s legendary pop group. Although she released three English-language albums after ABBA split in 1982, the ‘Blonde One’ disappeared for two decades, retreating to a life of seclusion. Even during the release of her 2004 covers album, My Colouring Book, she made few public appearances. Now 63, Fältskog is back—much to her fans’ delight.

ABBA was always known for wholesomeness and Fältskog’s new album is typically tasteful, full of lush ballads about love and loss like “When You Really Loved Someone.” There are obvious shades of ABBA in the heartbreak of “Past Forever” and, especially, the surging disco track “Dance Your Pain Away,” the album’s one uptempo number. On the catchy “Back on Your Radio,” Fältskog sings “Tune into my frequency, I’ve missed you for a long while,” expressing the exact feelings of her many followers.