ABBA Songs Steps Covered-and The One That Sparks Debate
Steps covered only a small number of ABBA-related songs in a strict sense, but the ones that matter are Thank ABBA for the Music, Story of a Heart, and their performances/versions tied to ABBA classics like Lay All Your Love on Me and Dancing Queen. The strongest answer to "which ones actually work?" is that the medley is the most obvious crowd-pleaser, while "Story of a Heart" works best as a warm, ABBA-adjacent pop record rather than a direct cover of an ABBA hit.
Why Steps and ABBA fit together
Steps were often framed as "ABBA on speed," a description that captured their bright harmonies, glossy production, and feel-good dance-pop style, which made ABBA material a natural fit for their brand. That connection is not just retrospective fan lore: coverage around their 2017 comeback explicitly noted that they had "often found success by covering songs from other artists" and that using ABBA-linked material let them nod to their influences without simply retreading the most overdone parts of the ABBA catalogue. In other words, the pop DNA lines up: both acts lean on melody first, with hooks that stay intact even when the arrangement gets busier or more modern.
The ABBA-linked songs
For clarity, Steps' ABBA connection breaks into two buckets: direct ABBA-song covers and songs written by ABBA members, which are not technically ABBA songs but are closely associated with the same creative world. The best-known direct ABBA-related release is the 1999 charity medley "Thank ABBA for the Music," a multi-artist single by Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched, and Billie Piper, built around ABBA hits including "Take a Chance on Me," "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia," and "Thank You for the Music". On the later side, Steps' 2017 album Tears on the Dancefloor included "Story of a Heart," a track written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and previously performed by Andersson's band.
| Song | Type | Why it matters | Does it work? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thank ABBA for the Music | ABBA medley / group single | Biggest ABBA-linked Steps statement, released in 1999 | Yes: maximal nostalgia and pure party value |
| Story of a Heart | ABBA-writer song, not an ABBA original | Showed Steps could lean into the ABBA universe without copying a classic | Yes: polished and credible, especially for fans of late-period Steps |
| Lay All Your Love on Me | ABBA classic associated with Steps' live/covers reputation | Highlights the band's ability to turn a dramatic ABBA song into a club-friendly pop performance | Mostly yes: strong song, though arrangement matters a lot |
| Dancing Queen | ABBA classic associated with Steps' ABBA set | The safest song choice because the chorus is universally recognizable | Yes: almost impossible to miss with the right production |
What actually works best
The most effective Steps cover of ABBA material is the 1999 medley because it plays to their strengths: speed, sparkle, and collective vocal energy. A medley also reduces the risk of overcommitting to a single ABBA arrangement, which matters because ABBA songs are so iconic that a full cover can feel either reverent or redundant depending on the production. "Thank ABBA for the Music" succeeds because it treats the source material like a celebration, not a museum piece.
"Story of a Heart" works for a different reason: it sounds like it belongs in the ABBA family without relying on a famous chorus that listeners already know by heart. That makes it a better long-term listen than a novelty cover, especially for people who prefer Steps when they are balancing sentimentality with club-pop polish. The track also matters historically because it let Steps reconnect with the ABBA songwriting axis in a way that felt respectful rather than gimmicky.
Release context and dates
The timeline helps explain the appeal. "Thank ABBA for the Music" arrived in 1999, when Steps were already established as one of the defining British pop acts of the era, and the track fit the late-1990s wave of glossy pop crossovers and novelty-friendly dance singles. "Story of a Heart" reappeared in 2017 as part of Steps' comeback album Tears on the Dancefloor, with BBC and Music Week coverage noting that ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus had written the song and that it was being used to anchor the group's return.
That timing is important because ABBA's legacy had shifted by then from pop-chart reference point to intergenerational canon, making any Steps-ABBA link feel less like a stunt and more like a legitimate lineage claim. By 2017, the choice to use an ABBA-connected song was less about chasing a trend and more about reaffirming the identity that listeners already associated with Steps.
How fans tend to rank them
A practical ranking usually puts "Thank ABBA for the Music" first for pure fun, "Story of a Heart" first for musical credibility, and any individual ABBA classic cover in the middle depending on arrangement and performance context. That split makes sense because medleys win on instant recognition, while album tracks win on replay value and coherence. If the question is which version you would put on at a party, the medley wins; if the question is which one sounds like a real Steps single, "Story of a Heart" is the stronger case.
- Pick "Thank ABBA for the Music" for instant nostalgia and group-singing energy.
- Pick "Story of a Heart" for the best balance of ABBA lineage and Steps identity.
- Pick "Dancing Queen" or "Lay All Your Love on Me" when you want a familiar ABBA chorus to carry the room.
Why the covers land
The reason these songs work is simple: Steps never tried to out-ABBA ABBA. Instead, they used the glossy hooks already present in the material and added the kind of polished, high-BPM pop arrangement they specialize in. That approach matters because ABBA's songs are strongest when the melody remains clear, the harmonies stay bright, and the production supports the emotional lift rather than crowding it. Steps understand that instinctively, which is why their best ABBA-related moments feel like a conversation between two eras of pop rather than a copy-and-paste exercise.
"It sounds like it could have been a long-lost ABBA tune," one contemporary write-up said of "Story of a Heart," a description that neatly explains why the song sits so comfortably in Steps' catalogue.
What are the most common questions about Abba Songs Steps Covered And The One That Sparks Debate?
Which ABBA cover by Steps works best?
Thank ABBA for the Music works best as the definitive Steps-ABBA moment because it combines multiple ABBA hits into a single celebratory package and maximizes the group's party-pop appeal.
Is "Story of a Heart" an ABBA song?
No, it is a song written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, so it belongs to the ABBA songwriting universe but is not one of ABBA's original recordings.
Did Steps cover "Dancing Queen"?
Yes, Steps are associated with performances and versions of ABBA classics including "Dancing Queen," which fits their style because the song's chorus is one of pop's most durable hooks.
Why do Steps sound so good on ABBA material?
Steps' own image as polished, harmony-heavy dance-pop makes them a natural match for ABBA's melodic style, which is why the connection has been described as unusually organic rather than forced.