What is Benny Andersson's Net Worth?
Benny Andersson is a renowned Swedish musician and composer with a net worth of $230 million. He is most famously known for his work with ABBA, the iconic Swedish pop group that achieved immense success in the mid-70s to early 80s. Besides his work with ABBA, Andersson has collaborated extensively with fellow ABBA member Bjorn Ulvaeus on various projects, including musicals like "Chess" and films such as "Mamma Mia!" In 2001, he formed his own band, Benny Anderssons Orkester.
Early Life
Göran Bror Benny Andersson was born on December 16th, 1946, in Stockholm, Sweden. His father was a civil engineer who also played the accordion, a skill passed down from Andersson's grandfather. Andersson received his own accordion at the age of six and learned to play Swedish folk music, traditional music, and schlager. Influenced by Elvis Presley—one of the first records he bought was "Jailhouse Rock"—Andersson quickly adapted to the piano by age ten. By 15, he had left school to pursue a career in music.
In his early years, Andersson performed mostly at youth clubs and soon met his first girlfriend, Christina Grönvall. By age 16, they welcomed their first child, and two years later, a second child. At 18, Andersson joined his first major band, The Electricity Board Folk Music Group.
Career
Andersson's first taste of genuine musical success came with the Hep Stars in 1964, where he played keyboard. Their major hit, "Cadillac," came in 1965, making them one of Sweden's leading pop groups. During this period, Andersson became a teen idol and began writing hits like "No Response," "Sunny Girl," "Wedding," and "Consolation."
In 1966, Andersson met Björn Ulvaeus; they discovered a fruitful songwriting partnership. Around the same time, Andersson met Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Having separated from Christina in 1966, Andersson began dating Lyngstad. This collaboration eventually led to the formation of ABBA in 1972, marked by their triumphant win in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo." Subsequent hits like "Honey, Honey," "Fernando," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," and "Dancing Queen" catapulted them to international fame.
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By 1976, ABBA had achieved global stardom but their immense success took a toll on Andersson and Ulvaeus' personal lives, resulting in their marriages falling apart and ABBA going on indefinite hiatus in the 80s. Despite this, Andersson and Ulvaeus continued to collaborate on various projects like the musical "Chess." After this, Andersson's focus shifted to new ventures like his solo album "Klinga Mina Klockor" in 1987 and his work on the film "Mio in the Land of Faraway."
Andersson's reunion with ABBA in 2018 marked another milestone in his illustrious career. However, his ventures remained diverse, including the widely acclaimed musical "Mamma Mia!" which featured 24 ABBA songs and spawned a blockbuster film adaptation. Since 2001, Andersson has concentrated on his band, Benny Anderssons Orkester, specializing in traditional Swedish music. His contributions extend to the film industry with scores for "Songs from the Second Floor," "You, the Living," and the documentary "Palme."
Substance Abuse Issues
Throughout much of his career, Andersson struggled with alcoholism. In 2001, he became a teetotaler, openly discussing his past struggles a decade later in 2011.
