In a private ceremony held today, 25th October, ABBA�s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson received the award from Congratulations. Mårten Aglander, Managing Director of Universal Music Sweden, who attended the live broadcast in Copenhagen and received the prize on behalf of ABBA, presented it to them.

In a short statement on the official ABBA website relays that this event has taken place. The very private ceremony took place somewhere in Stockholm without any media attendance. There are also two small quotes from Björn and Benny with their reactions about winning last Saturday:

“To quote Napoleon: Apparently, Waterloo cannot be forgotten”, says Björn Ulvaeus. “Personally, I voted for Volare, but I�m happy that so many people voted for us”, says Benny Andersson.

Some were disappointed that not even a single member from ABBA showed up in Copenhagen last Saturday. Earlier, Benny Andersson told Swedish media that “it was great fun back in 1974, but we split up in 1982. It's over now, really”. Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad have, so far, not commented on ABBA's victory.

In several interviews over the past years the members of ABBA have explained that the Eurovision Song Contest is indeed a great and happy memory, but they have all moved on with their lives and careers and prefer not to look back too often. In a TV-interview on Swedish TV4, earlier this year, Agnetha Fälstskogh said that winning the Eurovision Song Contest was “one of the happiest memories in my life.”

Although ABBA itself is history, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson are still deeply involved with the music of ABBA, as they are working with the productions of the ABBA musical Mamma Mia worldwide. Earlier this year all the members of ABBA attended the Swedish premiere of Mamma Mia in Stockholm. This may have been the last time we will ever see all the members of ABBA present at the same place at the same time.

To conclude all of this: ABBA will still and always be a part of the living memory and history of the Eurovision Song Contest, but for the members of ABBA the contest seems to have become history. Esctoday.com would like to add: The history book on the shelf… is always repeating itself!