Not ashamed anymore.

[Violet]

Are you suggesting 'formulaic' sister? Can't say I've noticed, but maybe I've been manipulated. I hate bland pop. Maybe the magic of Agnetha blinded me. Give me an example song so that I can be sure of what you mean. I don't see the problem with a climactic chorus. The few documentaries I've seen on them never mentioned this either. I also have to admit this isn't a purist musical interest for me. Nostalgia plays a big part.

That's exactly what I'm suggesting, and I get the nostalgia listening to them too (I grew up on music from about 20 years on either side of them). Anyway, an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxg__4wiYlQ

Attention grabber, valley, transition to chorus, powerful/catchy/memorable chorus, valley again (shorter, again... it's when their instruments go solo that they are at their worst), transition to chorus, powerful/catchy/memorable chorus, and one more time before it closes with repeating the chorus over and over (gods but I hate that foreground base track). It's a formula that they exercise in a solid number of their songs, and I find it a jarring change... as Brian called it 'a roller coaster'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRUNlTYd3js

^Perhaps one of their better songs, from a lyrical standpoint... and the same thing. In no case known to me do they change it up (ever seen one start with their chorus? Of the 18 songs I have of theirs, I haven't found one that does anything different structurally). It's a basic formula, and it's used by a great number of conventional bands, and there are reasons it works... but if you cannot make good music varying from it: I'm going to consider that a major hit to your talent (say, you can only sing country... you can be the most talented country singer in the world, and I'll still consider you overall lesser than those whose talents are not so limited)

When the songs are over, usually the only thing that stuck from casual listening is the oft-repeated chorus, about 2 minutes of the first song isn't memorable, because they choose to not make it so (maybe giving them too much credit? lol). I consider ABBA on level with a great number of other pop artists... they just don't compare to the likes of pop's great musicians, and after a while of listening to their songs... most just start to blur together