"Happy New Year" is a song by the Swedish recording group ABBA, from their seventh studio album Super Trouper (1980), with lead vocals by Agnetha Fältskog. It was released on 15 December 1980, as the album's fourth overall single, only in Portugal, Argentina, Peru, and El Salvador. The song's working title was "Daddy Don't Get Drunk on Christmas Day".
The Spanish-language version of the song, "", was released in 1980 in Spanish-speaking territories. The single charted in the top 5 in Argentina and was included on the South American versions of the Super Trouper album. It was first released on CD as part of the 1994 Polydor US compilation , and in 1999 on the expanded re-release of .
Release In 1999, the English version of the song was re-released for the new millennium, and charted at number 27 in Sweden, number 15 in the Netherlands and number 75 in Germany. In 2008, it was released again in several countries, and charted at number 4 in Sweden, number 6 in Norway and number 25 in Denmark. It re-entered the Swedish and Norwegian charts in 2009 at number 5 in both charts and number 8 in the Netherlands in 2011. It has since gone on to regularly chart in some countries upon the turn of the new year and is regularly played at the same time such as Vietnam.
In December 2011, a silver glitter vinyl single limited to 500 copies was released, including the songs "Happy New Year" and "The Way Old Friends Do". The edition was available exclusively from the official ABBA site and the ABBA fan site. It was sold out within a day of the release being announced.
Upon the release of ABBA: The 40th Anniversary Singles Box Set on 5 May 2014, an alternate mix of "Andante, Andante" was revealed to have been used on the B-side of the single in the box set instead of the original album version. In 2022, it was the 32nd top best selling vinyl single in the UK.
Charts
Spanish version + Weekly chart performance for "Felicidad" Chart (1981) Peak positionArgentina (CAPIF)5
English version YearChart Peakposition1999–2000 2005 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 78 20062007 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 792008 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 952009 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 562010201120122013Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)212014Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)442015Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)682016Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)402017Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)572018Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)33Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)51UK Physical Chart (OCC)32019Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)46Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)38 2020Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)33Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)42 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 1722021Slovenia Airplay (SloTop50)182022 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 88Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)22Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)292023Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)262024 Israel International Airplay (Media Forest) 14 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) 9 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 1 Norway (VG-lista)4 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)9 2025 Russia Streaming (TopHit) 54Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 13 2026 Israel International Airplay (Media Forest)7Latvia Airplay (LaIPA)18Netherlands (Single Top 100)40Netherlands (Nationale Airplay Top 50)26 Russia Streaming (TopHit) 30Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)9
Certifications
A-Teens version
The song was covered by the A-Teens, and released as a single in 1999. The single was released to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium: thus, the last line in the song's third verse is altered to "in the end of ninety-nine", as opposed to the original's "in the end of eighty-nine". It reached number 4 on the Swedish charts, becoming the band's fourth consecutive top ten in the country and earning a Gold certification weeks after its release. The single was only released in selected countries, including Chile, after their visit there in February 2000. A music video was made to support the single's release.
Track listing Scandinavian 2-track CD single "Happy New Year" (radio version) – 4:24 "Happy New Year" (extended version) – 6:52
Scandinavian CD Maxi "Happy New Year" (radio version) – 4:24 "Happy New Year" (extended version) – 6:52 "Mamma Mia" (The Bold & the Beautiful Glamourmix Edit) – 3:46 "Super Trouper" (W.I.P.) – 6:10
Charts Chart (1999–2000)Peakposition
Year-end charts Chart (1999)PositionSweden (Hitlistan)82
References