ABBA released “Happy New Year” on its 1980 album Super Trouper.
The Swedish pop group recorded the song during sessions for Super Trouper, and it was released in 1980. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus wrote it, while ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog and the group’s other vocalists contributed to the recording.
The lyrics imagine a future society while contrasting public celebration with uncertainty about what the new year may bring. That reflective tone distinguishes the song from purely cheerful party anthems, helping it become a recurring seasonal recording in many countries.
“Happy New Year” is often confused with Auld Lang Syne because both are strongly associated with New Year’s celebrations. They are different works: Auld Lang Syne is a traditional song linked to Robert Burns, while ABBA’s song is a late-20th-century pop recording.