# Is Abba the only band... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638 "2003-05-30T22:06:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![benlormat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@benlormat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benlormat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/1 "2003-05-30T22:06:30Z")
Are there any music groups from a country that is non-english speaking (Yes, I know that there are english speakers in Sweden, I mean a country where english is not the primary language) that made it here in the US? I’m not looking for individuals or groups from the UK, Ireland, Australia or any other english speaking country. This came up in a conversation and the only group anyone could come up with is Abba. Can anybody out there think of another band? ben ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/2 "2003-05-30T22:23:49Z")
From Germany : Scorpions Falco Rammstein From Iceland : Bjork/Sugarcubes In my own mind, Shonen Knife (Japanese band) is popular, but I don’t think they qualify as ‘making it’. Nusrat had some success in the US, but maybe not quite enough. A few rai singers (North African) have had recent attention too. These were usually collaborations with well-known groups, though. There are an innumerable number of Latin American stars, too. If you mean only those that made it singing English songs, the list narrows, but there are still some around. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/3 "2003-05-30T22:27:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by panamajack \* > \*\*From Germany : > Scorpions > Falco > Rammstein > \*\* Isn’t Falco Austrian? ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/4 "2003-05-30T22:28:41Z")
What do you mean with ‘made it’? Becoming really popular, or scoring a few hits? Golden Earring is a Dutch band that scored a few hits. Dunno if you would consider it ‘made it’. The Cardigans is Swedish; I still remember them because of songs in that Romeo and Julia movie with Leonardo di Caprio and Claire Danes. Are they ‘big in the U.S.A.’? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/5 "2003-05-30T22:29:39Z")
Pink Lady ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/6 "2003-05-30T22:29:47Z")
There have been plenty in the Industrial world, Einsturzende Neubautin and KMFDM come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/7 "2003-05-30T22:43:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tjblack \* > \*\*Isn’t Falco Austrian? \*\* Oops, you’re right. But I can add Nena and Kraftwerk under Germany. ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/8 "2003-05-30T22:44:52Z")
There’s a bunch! How about T.a.T.U.? Basia was popular in the early 90s. Santana. Cibo Matto. Shakira. Yanni. And so forth. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/9 "2003-05-30T22:52:33Z")
a-ha is from Norway. Sigur Ros, from Iceland, is fairly popular now. Roxette is from Sweden, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/10 "2003-05-30T23:22:13Z")
Army of Lovers is from Sweden Les Rita Mitsouko is from France ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/11 "2003-05-30T23:34:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tjblack \* > \*\*Isn’t Falco Austrian? \*\* He was. He died in a car wreck in 1998. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/12 "2003-05-30T23:40:23Z")
shit, I can’t believe I forgot Nitzer Ebb in that last post. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/13 "2003-05-30T23:41:37Z")
Turbonegro and the Helicopters, while not huge in a top 40 way,are pretty huge in the underground. Jon ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/14 "2003-05-30T23:47:13Z")
Kent are from Sweden and big abroad as I understand. As are/were Ace of Base. Aqua are a danish/norweigen band iirc who were big outside of the region. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/15 "2003-05-30T23:48:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nitroglycerine \* > \*\*Turbonegro and the Helicopters, while not huge in a top 40 way,are pretty huge in the underground. > > Jon \*\* Errr…thats “Hellacopters” Jon ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/16 "2003-05-31T00:37:17Z")
The Hives are doing pretty well… (Who knew anything good could come out of Sweden…) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/17 "2003-05-31T02:06:58Z")
Focus (“Hocus Pocus”) was Dutch and had several successful US albums. There was also The Shocking Blue (“Venus”) – also Dutch, but a one-hit wonder. Tangerine Dream (German) were highly influential and successful, especially with movie scores (e.g., “Risky Business,” “Thief”) and industrial music. Premiata Forneria Marconi (Italian) shortened their name to PFM and had a few successful progressive rock albums in the early 70s. They seem to be still recording. ---
**Author:** ![rostfrei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/18 "2003-05-31T02:28:33Z")
Supertramp, from the Netherlands. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/19 "2003-05-31T03:06:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by karomon \* > \*\*There’s a bunch! How about T.a.T.U.? > Basia was popular in the early 90s. Santana. Cibo Matto. Shakira. Yanni. And so forth. \*\* Cibo Matto is an American group. Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda are both from New York. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638/20 "2003-05-31T03:08:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\*Cibo Matto is an American group. Miho Hatori and Yuka Honda are both from New York. \*\* Let me correct myself: Miho Hatori, at least, was born and raised in Japan. Cibo Matto did, however, form in New York, and I don’t think they could fairly be considered a Japanese band…just an American band with Japanese-American members. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-abba-the-only-band/178638.md?page=2)