Swedish supergroup Abba recorded some of their albums at Polar

The group's label opened Polar Studios in 1978, and the quartet recorded their last three albums there.

Led Zeppelin, the Beastie Boys and Roxette are among the other bands to have used its facilities.

They have been called Sweden's answer to Abbey Road and Sun Studios in the US, where Elvis Presley recorded.

'Swedish music museum'

"I see it as a museum of Swedish music history, especially Abba," said Lennard Oestlund, part-owner of the studios, which are based on Kungsholmen, one of Stockholm's many islands.

The Backstreet Boys, Genesis and The Cardigans are some of the other hit acts who have worked at the Polar Studios during its 26-year history.

Mr Oestlund said that the five-room studio will close in May and probably be turned into office space, after negotiations to reduce rental payments failed.

He added that two-thirds of their revenue was being spent on rent.

US band the Backstreet Boys used the Polar Studios in later years

Oestlund also claimed that other recording studios in Stockholm will also be forced to close their doors.

But he is optimistic of starting a new studio elsewhere, taking some of Polar's history with him.

"I'll keep a mixer board and some microphones and try to start a new operation on a smaller scale," he said.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the male half of chart-topping Abba, bought the building along with the band's producer Stig Anderson in 1978.

Anderson - who died in 1997 - sold the facility in 1984, more than 20 years after he founded the Polar record label.

Abba soloists

Abba's final three albums - Voulez-Vous (1979), Super Trouper (1980) and The Visitors (1981) - were recorded at Polar.

Abba's female stars Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad also made solo albums at the studios after the band's demise.