Ritchie Blackmore Says His Favorite Band Ever is ABBA

Ritchie Blackmore likely annoyed some hard rock/metal purists with his recent admission that his favorite band of all time is ABBA. (Well, he said it was "probably" ABBA, for those that really want to split hairs.)

Blackmore revealed this fun fact during a recent Instagram Live video. In the process, he also revealed a time when he and Rainbow bandmates Ronnie James Dio and Cozy Powell all revealed to each other that they liked ABBA.

As Blackmore tells it, he, Dio and Powell were hanging around and drinking at a chateau around a fire. This was around the time they were recording 1978's Long Live Rock 'N' Roll. As they were all drinking and attempting to write songs, Powell cuts in to say he has to "own up."

Blackmore and Dio were intrigued and confused as to what their drummer was talking about. And then, Powell admits to liking ABBA, which led to both Blackmore and Dio to both say how much they liked the pop band.

This then led Powell to fetch his ABBA records he had at the chateau, and they all just sat around and let those records play.

Blackmore said, "We should have been writing our own songs, but it was much better to listen to ABBA."

Blackmore's funny story reminds us of other ABBA fans in the rock world. One of them is none other than Dave Grohl. Back in October 2021, Grohl talked about how excited he was about ABBA's reunion and the release of Voyage, the band's first new album in 40 years.

Grohl told BBC News, "Oh my god, I'm such a big ABBA fan. When I saw that they were coming back and they had a record, I shot that link to 100 people I knew, then listened to the new song and wept like a baby."

Bruce Dickinson might also be an ABBA fan. At the very least, he's not afraid to be involved with ABBA-related projects.

Back in November 2023, Deadline reported the Iron Maiden frontman was starring in a horror-comedy movie about an ABBA tribute band. The movie is aptly titled Bjorn of the Dead.

Deadline noted, "[The plot] centers around an ABBA tribute band who find themselves, along with various other tribute acts, trapped in a nightclub at the start of the apocalypse. Bjorn and his band must work together to save themselves, humanity, and the future of music."

As for Dickinson, his character is aptly named Bjorn, and he fronts the ABBA tribute band called Abbatoir.

Bjorn of the Dead screenplay writer/producer Andrew Prendergast called the film a "blood-drenched gore fest." A release date is not yet known.

Rock and disco: They're two genres that are sworn enemies. But during disco's heyday, it managed to sneak its way into songs by some of the biggest rock acts ever.

One of the best examples is KISS, whose 1979 studio album Dynasty is known for being heavily influenced by disco. The biggest hit off the album is "I Was Made For Lovin' You." Despite being a hit on the Billboard Hot 100, it's a track that continues to divide some fans and even members of the band.

In fact, Gene Simmons said in a new interview that he absolutely hates one part of the song. That part? All the high register "Do, do, do" backing vocals.

"I hate it to this day, " said everyone's favorite blood-spitting Demon. "Except, stadium-fulls of people ... they jump around like biblical locusts ... 'Do, do, do' ... and so I play along."

In honor of Simmons' love-hate relationship with the song, here's a brief look at five classic rock disco tracks we all love. Admit it; it’s hard to deny these earworms.

This ridiculously catchy track features a songwriting credit from Desmond Child, who also helped co-write massive hits for Aerosmith (“Angel,” “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”), Bon Jovi (“Living On A Prayer,” “Bad Medicine”) and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (“I Hate Myself For Loving You”.)

This song was controversial for two reasons:  Blondie was a punk band and because the song features the phrase “pain in the ass,” which made some radio stations nervous to play it.  What a simpler time!

While not an overt dive into disco, you have to admit that this track from The Wall is definitely disco-influenced, at the very least. (And it’s just such a killer groove.)

Play “Miss You” at any wedding, and I guarantee the dance floor will be immediately packed. Plus, this might be the hookiest hook Mick Jagger and Keith Richards ever wrote.

A list about classic rock disco tracks just isn’t complete without this Rod Stewart gem. We’ve all danced to it in front of our bedroom mirrors. We’ve all cranked it while in the car. And if you say you haven’t, you’re either a liar or just don’t know how to live.