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ABBA's Agnetha Faltskog And Gary Barlow Share New Version Of I Should've Followed You Home

ABBA's Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow have reunited on a modern version of their 2013 duet 'I Should've Followed You Home'.

The Swedish pop star and the Take That frontman originally released the song for Agnetha's solo album 'A', which has been reimagined for 'A+'.

The pair went on to perform the song on the telethon BBC Children In Need.

The 'Dancing Queen' singer said: "I have such happy memories with this song, and my first meeting with Gary! I love this duet and the new version is even better!!!"

The new version has a new beat that kicks off the song before Gary starts singing, transforming the track from a slow-burning ballad to a dance-pop tune.

The duet follows the release of Agnetha's first new solo music in 10 years, 'Where Do We Go From Here?'.

The album was written especially for her by the acclaimed songwriter and producer Jorgen Elofsson and as the pair approached the 10-year anniversary of the record, Agnetha and Jorgen discussed what the record would sound like if it was created in 2023 and decided to explore the idea together.

The two artists worked alongside fellow producer Anton 'Hybrid' Martensson and reimagined the album in its entirety, stripping each song back, keeping the original vocals from 2013, throwing away all the old music and creating totally brand new productions for 2023, and in turn, a brand new tracklisting.

In a letter to fans in which she shares her inspiration for the LP, Agnetha said: "A couple of years ago I heard one of the songs from my last album 'A' on the radio. I have lots of fond memories from making that album, so I couldn't help but smile, time flies ... Suddenly it hit me, what would the album sound like if we had made it today? I couldn't stop thinking about it. I reached out to the boys who produced 'A' back in 2013 - 'What would you guys think about reimagining 'A' and making a totally new version of it?' They loved the idea! 'Let's try!'

"A while later I heard the first reworked song, and I must say I absolutely loved it! It sounded so fresh and modern, even better than I had imagined it!

"We named the album A+ and as a cherry on top we even recorded a brand new song! And that will be the first thing you´ll hear from me. Now I can't wait to hear what you think about it! I hope you like it as much as I do!"

The record comes in the wake of ABBA's 2021 release 'Voyage' which was Agnetha, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad's first album of new material in 40 years. It preceded the opening of the 'ABBA Voyage' digital concert residency in London in May 2022.

Released in 2013, 'A' was Agnetha's first solo LP since her 2004 cover album 'My Colouring Book', and her first original material since 1987's 'Stand Alone'.

It also features Agnetha's first self-penned track in nearly 30 years, 'I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed'.

Album 'A+' will be available via BMG on October 13, 2023, and is available to pre-order.

Rolling Stones Drop Collectors' S.F. Giants And Oakland A's Vinyl Versions Of New Album

From left, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones arrive for a launch event for their new album, "Hackney Diamonds" in London on Sept. 6, It's their first album of original material since 2005.

Photo: Daniel Leal/AFP/TNS

The Rolling Stones have partnered with Major League Baseball to release limited edition vinyl editions of the band's forthcoming album, "Hackney Diamonds."

The "extremely limited" collectors' item will feature art from each of the 30 MLB clubs, including the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's, with "baseball white" vinyl. The series is meant to celebrate the Rolling Stones' history of performing at American stadiums.

The records, which are available for pre-order, will be released on Oct. 20. 

The Rolling Stones' limited edition vinyl edition of the album "Hackney Diamonds" featuring artwork inspired by the San Francisco Giants, among the 30 Major League Baseball teams.

Photo: The Rolling Stones

The surviving members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood — announced "Hackney Diamonds" during a global livestream hosted by "The Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon on Sept. 6. The 12-track album features a mix of "love songs, ballads, country-type" music, according to Jagger, marking the band's first original material since 2005's "A Bigger Bang." 

Produced by Andrew Watt, who has worked with artists from Post Malone to Elton John, the Stones' 24th studio album is its first recording without drummer Charlie Watts, who died in 2021. Former bassist Bill Wyman makes an appearance on the song "Live by the Sword."

On Tuesday, Sept. 26, the band shared a 16-second preview of their new single "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," which features Lady Gaga on vocals and Stevie Wonder on piano, via the Stones' Instagram. 

The full song, which is the follow-up to "Angry," will be available on Thursday, Sept. 28. 

"I don't want to be big-headed, but we wouldn't have put this album out if we hadn't really liked it," Jagger said during the livestream. "We said we had to make a record we really love ourselves. We are quite pleased with it."

The Rolling Stones have not yet announced tour dates in support of forthcoming release, but Jagger is already planning ahead.  

The Rolling Stones' limited edition vinyl edition of the album "Hackney Diamonds" featuring artwork inspired by the Oakland Athletics, among the 30 Major League Baseball teams.

Photo: The Rolling Stones

In a recent interview with Wall Street Journal Magazine, the 80-year-old singer said would consider allowing the band to tour for eternity in hologram form, inspired by ABBA's "Voyage" concert.

"You can have a posthumous business now, can't you? You can have a posthumous tour," Jagger said. "The technology has really moved on since the ABBA thing."

Watch the trailer for the Rolling Stones' "Hackney Diamonds" MLB limited edition vinyl series here.

Reach Aidin Vaziri: avaziri@sfchronicle.Com

Aidin Vaziri

Aidin Vaziri is a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle.

Blink-182 Announces First New Album In 12 Years

CNN  — 

Remember when we said rock was having a resurgence? Blink-182 got the memo.

The band is back together and now Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker are dropping their first new album together in a dozen years.

"One More Time" will release on Friday, Oct 20.

DeLonge explained the impetus for their new work in a trailer for the project

"What you need to understand about Blink-182 is that we didn't come out of like joyous homes," he said. "We came from a lot of heartbreak, broken families, just fights," he said. "So Blink was always the way to force the happiness in the room."

Barker said the new album was in part inspired by some of the tragedies the members have endured over the years.

"On the album, 'One More Time' is written about why does it take these catastrophes, like me being in a plane crash, or Mark being sick, for our band to get back together," he said.

Barker was critically injured in a 2008 Learjet plane crash that killed four of the six people aboard. Hoppus revealed in 2021 that he was undergoing treatment for cancer.

More recently, Barker's wife, reality star and entrepreneur Kourtney Kardashian, underwent "urgent fetal surgery" as she is currently pregnant with their first child together.

The medical emergency resulted in the band pausing the tour they kicked off in April.

Blink-182 dropped two albums with guitarist Matt Skiba, 2016's "California" and 2019's "Nine," but this is the first new album in 12 years with the band's original lineup.

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