ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.
The Swedish group won with "Waterloo" at the contest held on April 6, 1974, at the Brighton Dome in Brighton, England. ABBA performed the English-language version and finished first with 24 points, giving Sweden its first Eurovision victory. The result transformed the group from successful Scandinavian performers into international pop stars.
Before reaching Eurovision, ABBA won Sweden's Melodifestivalen national selection on February 9, 1974. The song was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. Its title uses Napoleon's defeat at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo as a metaphor for surrendering to love.
The year is sometimes confused with later ABBA milestones, such as the release of "Dancing Queen" in 1976 or the group's Eurovision-related anniversary celebrations. The contest victory itself occurred in 1974, and "Waterloo" became a worldwide hit soon afterward, reaching number one in the United Kingdom.