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That's all I can think to say about the groups mentioned in this article, dissimilar in every way except they all used, or tinkered with, bouncy orchestration on occasion.
What separates them is degrees of talent, timing and luck, The Raspberries had the least talent, but Eric Carmen managed to come up with one of the greatest singles of all time," Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" that blows everything ABBA did out of the water. But one record, no matter how good, doesn't make for a long, and respected career.
Badfinger for all their talent, and they were far more talented that both the Raspberries and ABBA, have become the Poster Children for how to get screwed over by the music industry. By the mid-seventies their career was in shambles, leading to two members of the band committing suicide in 1975 and 1983. If you can find any of their records they're definitely worth picking up.
That leaves us with ABBA, not the most talented, (they're not Badfinger, and definitely not The Beatles) but talented, but more importantly they were lucky. They always seemed to have the right song at the right time, particularly in Europe, where they were much more popular than in the U.S. However I think the biggest reason for their longevity,when it comes right down to it, is the songs are nothing more than ear candy. And ear candy can be addictive, full of hooks to pull you in and lyrics that are easy to sing along with, while not challenging you in anyway. I've never heard of anyone becoming introspective while listening to ABBA. The same can't be said about Badfinger, just listen to "Carry On Till Tomorrow " from Magic Christian Music. Come to think of it just listen to the whole album.
