ABBA: The Essential Collection 0602527993744 DVD-Video, Widescreen Music Videos

For ABBA fans looking for a music-video collection that brings the group’s visuals together in one place, ABBA: The Essential Collection gathers every music video from Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid. It spans the group’s journey from early-1970s Sweden to worldwide chart success, with familiar songs such as “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia,” “Dancing Queen” and “The Winner Takes It All.”

The collection plays for 2 hours and 32 minutes on a single DVD-Video disc, with English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo sound. Choose it for a run of music videos, a concert-led release, by contrast, centres on live performances.

Best use cases

This set suits an ABBA listening session where the videos are part of the appeal, whether you’re revisiting the group’s best-known songs or introducing their music to someone new. With a wide selection of videos in one collection, it’s easy to move from “SOS” and “Fernando” to “Take a Chance on Me,” “Super Trouper” and “Voulez-Vous” without building a viewing list one song at a time.

It also works well for a relaxed evening of shared viewing: choose a few favourites, or let the collection run and enjoy the changing songs and visuals. For a gift for an ABBA fan, the focus on the group’s music videos gives the collection a clear identity beyond a standard audio album.

Where it shines

The appeal is its breadth. Alongside major hits, the collection includes videos such as “That’s Me,” “Eagle,” “One Man, One Woman” and “Summer Night City,” giving fans more than a short selection of the most familiar clips. The videos are presented in widescreen, while English stereo audio keeps the songs central to the viewing experience.

A single-disc format makes the collection straightforward to select and play as one continuous ABBA programme. If your priority is seeing the songs’ music videos together, rather than choosing a release built around a live concert, this is a direct fit for that kind of viewing.

Key features

The disc is DVD-Video in NTSC format and is listed as region-free. It includes English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo audio and runs for 2 hours and 32 minutes. The presentation is in colour and widescreen, and the release is identified as an import. These details make it easier to match the format and soundtrack to your DVD setup and viewing preference.

The collection is credited to Lasse Hallström and brings together ABBA videos spanning the group’s catalogue. Songs named in the selection include “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia,” “SOS,” “Fernando,” “Dancing Queen,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “The Winner Takes It All” and “Super Trouper.”

Buying verdict

Choose ABBA: The Essential Collection if you want a dedicated DVD of the group’s music videos, with a broad selection of familiar songs and a 2-hour-and-32-minute runtime. Its single-disc, widescreen presentation makes it suited to an at-home ABBA video session, whether you’re revisiting long-time favourites or sharing the songs and visuals with another fan.