ABBA’s 1976 song “Dancing Queen” became the Swedish group’s only U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single.
Written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, “Dancing Queen” was released in 1976 and became one of ABBA’s defining international hits. Its polished arrangement, four-on-the-floor rhythm and layered vocals connected strongly with the disco audience.
The song reached number one in the United States in April 1977. It also topped charts in numerous other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Sweden. Although ABBA had many later global successes, none of its other songs reached number one on the U.S. Hot 100.
The song is sometimes described simply as a disco track, though it also incorporates pop, Eurodisco and dance-pop elements. ABBA’s elaborate studio production helped make “Dancing Queen” a lasting example of how disco influenced mainstream international pop.