Renowned audio engineer Michael B. Tretow, often hailed as the fifth member of ABBA, has passed away.
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Tretow’s wife, son, and ABBA’s manager, Görel Hanser, confirmed his death at the age of 80 to the Swedish publication Aftonbladet on Tuesday. The cause of death was not revealed.
While production credits on ABBA’s albums were shared by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, Tretow played a key role in shaping the ‘ABBA sound’.
Following the news of his death, all four members of ABBA have posted tributes to Tretow on Instagram. “His importance for ABBA cannot be overestimated,” Ulvaeus wrote.
“He was curious and always willing to try new paths. It could be anything from the latest tech to a sound he had heard somewhere,” Ulvaeus added. “Without his thoroughness and talent, our songs would not be played as much as they are to this day.”
Tretow Helped ABBA Create Their Signature Sound, Ushering in Several Iconic Songs
Tretow joined ABBA as their sound engineer in the 1970s after previously working with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson. He played a key role in shaping the band’s signature sound, which helped propel them to fame. Tretow worked on all of ABBA’s albums from Ring Ring in 1973 to Thank You For The Music in 1994, but he did not contribute to their 2021 reunion album, Voyage.
He produced iconic tracks such as “Ring Ring,” “Super Trouper,” and “Waterloo”—the song that clinched their victory at Eurovision 1974 and launched them to international stardom, per Mixdown.
“You meant more to us four in ABBA than anyone else,” Andersson shared with Aftonbladet. “I hope and believe that you felt it throughout all the years that have passed since we worked (and continuously laughed) in the studio. Our music lives on, it seems, and you are the one who made it timeless.”
“You were a fantastic inspirer and joy-maker, and the finest sound engineer the world has ever seen. I miss you. And I’ve saved all your coconuts!” he joked.
Tretow is survived by his wife, Malin Hertzman, and his son, Rasmus Tretow.