There aren't many groups with a chart pedigree as extraordinary as ABBA. The Swedish quartet's dominance from the mid-seventies to the early eighties, followed by revival after revival across subsequent decades, means their classic hits are genuinely national treasures — known to millions, across generations, in every country in the world.

During their imperial phase, ABBA scored 25 Top 40 hits in the UK, including 19 Top 10s, of which nine went all the way to Number 1, over the space of nine years. Their greatest hits compilation ABBA Gold remains one of the best-selling albums in British chart history. The Mamma Mia! musical — built entirely from their catalog — has grossed $4.5 billion worldwide.

Below is the official ranking of ABBA's 20 biggest UK songs, measured by combined physical sales, downloads and streams. For each song, we've told the story behind it — how it was written, what it meant, what made it extraordinary. And for those that have lyric prints available at 98types, we've linked directly to the product. From £3, buy 3 get 1 free, same-day dispatch.