Westlife is an Irish pop band formed on July 3, 1998. The group’s original lineup comprised, Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan and Bryan McFadden. The band is the only act in UK history to have their first seven singles go straight in at Number 1, and they have gone on to sell over 40 million records worldwide which includes their studio, single, video, and compilation albums.[1]
They were signed on by Simon Cowell and are currently managed by Louis Walsh. In 2008, they were declared as Ireland’s 9th richest celebrities under 30 years old and 13th in general. They garnered 14 number one singles in the United Kingdom, the third-highest in UK history, tying with Cliff Richard and trailing behind only Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The band has also won numerous awards such as “Best Irish Pop Act” at the annual Ireland Meteor Awards and is the only band to win the ITV “Record of the Year” award in the UK four times in a row. The band has also broken a few top records, including “Music artist with most consecutive number 1′s in the UK” and the “Biggest selling arena act in the UK”. In 2009, a poll from a highly rated newspaper in the UK saw Westlife rated the second biggest musical band ever in the UK with 39% of the vote. They were beaten, just, by the 60s band The Beatles who scored 46% of the vote.
Over years of their career, Westlife’s music has evolved from teen pop to a pop sound, with an emphasis on ballads. All of the band members are songwriters, although most of their hits have been composed by external writers, most notably Steve Mac and Wayne Hector. On July 3 2008, Westlife marked their 10th anniversary with a spectacular concert in Croke Park, Dublin which saw more than 82,000 fans attending the special occasion. Music Week revealed on their website that Westlife is the official 3rd top touring act within the years 2005-2008. While, as 7th top touring act of 2008.
Formation
Prior to Westlife, Kian, Mark and Shane along with fellow Sligonians Derrick Lacey, Graham Keighron and Michael Garrett, were part of a six-member pop vocal group called IOYOU. Managed by choreographer Mary McDonagh along with two other informal managers, they released a single titled “Together Girl Forever”. Louis Walsh, the manager of the 1990s boy band Boyzone, was contacted by Shane’s mother and came to know about the band. However, IOYOU did not meet Simon Cowell’s approval for a record deal with BMG, and thus changes were needed. Three members of IOYOU were told they would not be part of the new band, and auditions were held in Dublin where Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden were recruited. The new group, formed on July 3, 1998, was re-named Westside but as the name was already taken by another band, it was changed to Westlife. Also changing Brian’s name to Bryan. Boyzone singer Ronan Keating was brought in to co-manage the band with Walsh. Westlife then released an EP titled Swear It Again, though only in Asia.
Dreams Come True – World Of Our Own (1998-2002)
Westlife’s first big break came in 1998 when they opened for the Boyzone and Backstreet Boys’ concerts in Dublin. Later that year, they won the ‘Best New Tour Act’ award at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party. In March 1999, the band released their first single, “Swear It Again” which immediately topped the charts in Ireland and in UK for two weeks. Their second single, “If I Let You Go”, released in August 1999 along with the highly acclaimed “Flying Without Wings” (their first ‘Record of the Year’), released in October the same year, also followed suit. “Flying Without Wings” was also included on the soundtrack of the Warner Brothers film, “Pokemon 2000″. The first album, simply titled Westlife, was released in November 1999 and peaked at #2 in the UK. Ironically, the album was the biggest chart dropper in the music history of UK, falling from #3 to #37, and is also the band’s only original studio album that never reached #1. In December 1999, the double a side fourth single was released,”I Have A Dream”/”Seasons In The Sun”, knocked Cliff Richard’s “The Millennium Prayer” off the top spot and earning them the 1999 UK Christmas number-one single. The fifth and last single from the album, “Fool Again”, also peaked at #1. Then, the band went on a short UK and Asian tour in support of their debut album before releasing a second album.
Coast to Coast was released a year after and was another #1 UK album beating the Spice Girls’ Forever album. It became the country’s 4th biggest selling album of 2000 and is Westlife’s biggest selling album to date. The album was preceded by a duet with Mariah Carey on the Phil Collins’ classic “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” and the original song, “My Love” (the song that bagged their second ‘Record of the Year’ award). Both singles reached #1 on the UK charts.With this, Westlife broke an unexpected record of having their first seven singles debut at the top of the UK charts, tying with The Beatles. However, in December 2000, they failed to secure their eighth chart-topper in a row with their UK and Ireland only single “What Makes A Man” when kid’s favourite, Bob The Builder’s “Can We Fix It”, was crowned as the Christmas number-one single of that year. Outside the UK/Ireland territories, they have released “I Lay My Love on You” and “When You’re Looking Like That” and gained chart success. In 2001, the boys launched their first world tour, “Where Dreams Come True Tour”, unofficially nicknamed “The No Stools Tour” due to the band’s reputation of performing while perched on stools.
Westlife released World Of Our Own, their third album, in November 2001. “Uptown Girl”, “Queen of My Heart” and “World of Our Own” were released as singles, as of which all peaked at #1 in the UK. “Bop Bop Baby” was also released as a single but it peaked at #5 in the UK Singles Chart. In 2002, Westlife went on their second world tour, the World Of Our Own Tour (In The Round)
Westlife is my favarite Boy Band Group.
Westlife is an Irish pop band formed on July 3, 1998. The group’s original lineup comprised, Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan and Bryan McFadden. The band is the only act in UK history to have their first seven singles go straight in at Number 1, and they have gone on to sell over 40 million records worldwide which includes their studio, single, video, and compilation albums.
They were signed on by Simon Cowell and are currently managed by Louis Walsh. In 2008, they were declared as Ireland’s 9th richest celebrities under 30 years old and 13th in general. They garnered 14 number one singles in the United Kingdom, the third-highest in UK history, tying with Cliff Richard and trailing behind only Elvis Presley and The Beatles. The band has also won numerous awards such as “Best Irish Pop Act” at the annual Ireland Meteor Awards and is the only band to win the ITV “Record of the Year” award in the UK four times in a row. The band has also broken a few top records, including “Music artist with most consecutive number 1′s in the UK” and the “Biggest selling arena act in the UK”. In 2009, a poll from a highly rated newspaper in the UK saw Westlife rated the second biggest musical band ever in the UK with 39% of the vote. They were beaten, just, by the 60s band The Beatles who scored 46% of the vote.
Over years of their career, Westlife’s music has evolved from teen pop to a pop sound, with an emphasis on ballads. All of the band members are songwriters, although most of their hits have been composed by external writers, most notably Steve Mac and Wayne Hector. On July 3 2008, Westlife marked their 10th anniversary with a spectacular concert in Croke Park, Dublin which saw more than 82,000 fans attending the special occasion. Music Week revealed on their website that Westlife is the official 3rd top touring act within the years 2005-2008. While, as 7th top touring act of 2008.
Formation
Prior to Westlife, Kian, Mark and Shane along with fellow Sligonians Derrick Lacey, Graham Keighron and Michael Garrett, were part of a six-member pop vocal group called IOYOU. Managed by choreographer Mary McDonagh along with two other informal managers, they released a single titled “Together Girl Forever”. Louis Walsh, the manager of the 1990s boy band Boyzone, was contacted by Shane’s mother and came to know about the band. However, IOYOU did not meet Simon Cowell’s approval for a record deal with BMG, and thus changes were needed. Three members of IOYOU were told they would not be part of the new band, and auditions were held in Dublin where Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden were recruited. The new group, formed on July 3, 1998, was re-named Westside but as the name was already taken by another band, it was changed to Westlife. Also changing Brian’s name to Bryan. Boyzone singer Ronan Keating was brought in to co-manage the band with Walsh. Westlife then released an EP titled Swear It Again, though only in Asia.
Dreams Come True – World Of Our Own (1998-2002)
Westlife’s first big break came in 1998 when they opened for the Boyzone and Backstreet Boys’ concerts in Dublin. Later that year, they won the ‘Best New Tour Act’ award at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party. In March 1999, the band released their first single, “Swear It Again” which immediately topped the charts in Ireland and in UK for two weeks. Their second single, “If I Let You Go”, released in August 1999 along with the highly acclaimed “Flying Without Wings” (their first ‘Record of the Year’), released in October the same year, also followed suit. “Flying Without Wings” was also included on the soundtrack of the Warner Brothers film, “Pokemon 2000″. The first album, simply titled Westlife, was released in November 1999 and peaked at #2 in the UK. Ironically, the album was the biggest chart dropper in the music history of UK, falling from #3 to #37, and is also the band’s only original studio album that never reached #1. In December 1999, the double a side fourth single was released,”I Have A Dream”/”Seasons In The Sun”, knocked Cliff Richard’s “The Millennium Prayer” off the top spot and earning them the 1999 UK Christmas number-one single. The fifth and last single from the album, “Fool Again”, also peaked at #1. Then, the band went on a short UK and Asian tour in support of their debut album before releasing a second album.
Coast to Coast was released a year after and was another #1 UK album beating the Spice Girls’ Forever album. It became the country’s 4th biggest selling album of 2000 and is Westlife’s biggest selling album to date. The album was preceded by a duet with Mariah Carey on the Phil Collins’ classic “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” and the original song, “My Love” (the song that bagged their second ‘Record of the Year’ award). Both singles reached #1 on the UK charts.With this, Westlife broke an unexpected record of having their first seven singles debut at the top of the UK charts, tying with The Beatles. However, in December 2000, they failed to secure their eighth chart-topper in a row with their UK and Ireland only single “What Makes A Man” when kid’s favourite, Bob The Builder’s “Can We Fix It”, was crowned as the Christmas number-one single of that year. Outside the UK/Ireland territories, they have released “I Lay My Love on You” and “When You’re Looking Like That” and gained chart success. In 2001, the boys launched their first world tour, “Where Dreams Come True Tour”, unofficially nicknamed “The No Stools Tour” due to the band’s reputation of performing while perched on stools.
Westlife released World Of Our Own, their third album, in November 2001. “Uptown Girl”, “Queen of My Heart” and “World of Our Own” were released as singles, as of which all peaked at #1 in the UK. “Bop Bop Baby” was also released as a single but it peaked at #5 in the UK Singles Chart. In 2002, Westlife went on their second world tour, the World Of Our Own Tour (In The Round)
