22/05/2025
Michael B. Tretow, the Studio Visionary Behind ABBA’s Timeless Sound, Dies at 80
Bo Michael Tretow, the Swedish audio engineer, producer, composer, and musician who brought the music of ABBA to vivid, unforgettable life, passed away on 20 May 2025 at the age of 80.
Born in Norrköping on 20 August 1944, Tretow was more than a technician behind the console, he was an innovator who helped redefine the sound of popular music in the 1970s and early ’80s. Starting out at Metronome Studios in Stockholm, then moving through Glenmark Studios, his greatest impact came at ABBA’s Polar Studios, where he became studio manager in 1978. Through tireless experimentation, unrelenting curiosity, and a passion for detail, he became the architect of one of the most iconic sounds in recorded music history.
As someone who grew up in the UK, those ABBA albums weren’t just records, they were an education. The way Michael recorded them made those already brilliantly crafted songs leap from the speakers with power, warmth, and polish. The clarity of the vocals, the richness of the instrumentation, the depth of the arrangements, every mix told its own story. Tracks like The Name of the Game, Eagle, and The Winner Takes It All became part of my musical DNA. Long before I ever entered a studio, I was unknowingly learning from Michael B. Tretow.
You created a benchmark, Michael, one that countless engineers and producers, myself included, have aspired to ever since. The ABBA catalogue remains a sonic gold standard. It stands the test of time not only because of the songwriting, but because of the way you brought those songs to life with such vision and care.
Beyond ABBA, Tretow worked on Chess, composed for Swedish radio and TV, and made playful, inventive solo music that reflected his wit and love for sound. He officially retired in 2015, but his influence never paused. His work continues to inspire those chasing magic in the studio today.
Michael B. Tretow is survived by his family, his extraordinary body of work, and a global community of listeners and creators moved by his brilliance.
Thank you, Michael. You showed us that the studio could be an instrument of its own. Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, wherever you are.
