BOYZONE

'Boyzone' was a popular Irish boy band of the 1990s. They had major success in the UK and Ireland and differing levels of success in parts of Europe and Asia with six '#1' hit singles in the UK. By 2007 they had sold over 15 million records.^[1]
Boyzone was put together in 1993 by Louis Walsh who is also known for managing Johnny Logan and Westlife. Before even recording any material they made a now infamous appearance on RTÉ's The Late Late Show. Their first album ''Said and Done'' was released in 1995 and the following two studio albums in 1996 and 1998. Three compilation albums have been released, the latest being ''Key to My Life: The Collection'' in early 2006.

Contents

Band history

Band Members

Discography

Albums

Singles

The Year 2000 and beyond

References

External links

Band history

Boyzone were formed by manager Louis Walsh who advertised an audition for boys to form a vocal group. More than a hundred auditionees tried out including the then unknown Colin Farrell. The band, initially a six piece outfit who made their first appearance (only a day after being formed) on Ireland's top-rated ''Late Late Show'' dancing to a backing track, eventually comprised Ronan Keating (who would in time become the group's lead vocalist), Mikey Graham, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch, and Keith Duffy.
The band played through 1993 and in the early parts of 1994 to anyone who would listen, traveling all over Ireland in an old transit van, playing in nightclubs whilst hoping for a record deal.
Polygram signed them up and released the cover version of the 1966 Four Seasons hit "Working My Way Back To You", featuring Mikey Graham and Stephen Gately on lead vocals, something which was not repeated. It reached No. 3 in the Irish Charts. The boys became stars overnight after being surrounded by mobs of screaming girls everywhere.
Future singles featured Stephen Gately and Ronan Keating together or Ronan Keating alone assuming lead vocals. This led to a light hearted campaign by some fans to "Let Mick Sing".
The song "Love Me For A Reason", cover of the 1974 Osmonds hit, came next. It also gave them a Smash Hits Award for "Best New Group".
They released "Said and Done", their first album in 1995, reaching the top in both UK and Ireland. London's Rock Circus invited them to place their handprints on the "Walls of Hands" besides the likes of Eric Clapton and Michael Jackson.
The group released the album "A Different Beat" in 1996, which contained their first UK number one single, "Words" further number one, "A Different Beat" and the single "Isn't it a Wonder".
After the release of the album "Where We Belong" in 1998, the boyz finally gained the respect they deserved. This contained the singles "All that I Need", "Baby Can I Hold You" "No Matter What" "I Love The Way You Love Me" and "Picture of You". Ronan received the "Ivor Novello" award for "Picture of You" as featured in the film Mr Bean. Wax figures of the boyz were made beside U2 in Dublin. "No Matter What", their best selling single, was voted "Song of the Year".
In 1999, their greatest hits compilation "By Request" was released and another sell-out tour. At this time, due to the threat of a tabloid expose, Stephen told the world that he was gay. The fans supported him and his boyfriend Eloy de Jong. The boyz splintered and took off to pursue individual careers, hoping to reap huge success.
The group performed together for the last time in January 2000 after which Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately and Mikey Graham all pursued solo careers, with varying degrees of success. In addition, Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch also released a single.
In the seven years that they were together (1993 - 2000), Boyzone rose to the top echelon of Ireland's pop music. Dubbed "most promising band of the year" by British magazine, Smash Hits in 1995, the group more than fulfilled the modest expectations that followed their Late, Late Show performance. All sixteen of their singles reached the top five and they became the first Irish act to have four number one hits in the United Kingdom. Their 1998 tour of Ireland shattered all sales records when 35,000 tickets were sold out in four hours.

Band Members

★ Ronan Keating (lead vocals)

★ Stephen Gately

★ Mikey Graham

★ Shane Lynch

★ Keith Duffy

Discography

Albums

Album information
'''Said and Done''' ★ Type: Studio album ★ Released: August 21, 1995 ★ Chart positions: '#1' UK ★ Singles: "Love Me For a Reason", "Key To My Life", "So Good", "Father and Son", "Coming Home Now ★ Sales in Britain (BPI): 3xPlatinum (900 000+)[2]
'''A Different Beat''' ★ Type: Studio album ★ Released: October 28, 1996 ★ Chart positions: '#1' UK ★ Singles: "Words", "A Different Beat", "Isn't It a Wonder" ★ Sales in Britain (BPI): 3xPlatinum (900 000+)
'''Where We Belong''' ★ Type: Studio album ★ Released: May 25, 1998 ★ Chart positions: '#1' UK, '#167' US ★ Singles: "Picture of You", "Baby Can I Hold You", "All That I Need", "No Matter What", "I Love the Way You Love Me" ★ Sales in Britain (BPI): 5xPlatinum (1 500 000+)
'''By Request''' ★ Type: Compilation album ★ Released: May 31, 1999 ★ Chart positions: '#1' UK ★ Singles: "When The Going Gets Tough", "You Needed Me", "When You Say Nothing at All" ★ Sales in Britain (BPI): 6xPlatinum (1 800 000+)
'''The Singles Collection 1994-1999''' ★ Type: Box set ★ Released: December 6, 1999 ★ Chart positions: '#129' UK ★ Singles: Everyday I Love You ★ Sales in Britain: -
'''Ballads - The Love Song Collection''' ★ Type: Compilation album ★ Released: March 17, 2003 ★ Chart positions: '#6' UK ★ Singles: - ★ Sales in Britain: (BPI): Gold (100 000+)
'''Key To My Life: Collection''' ★ Type: Compilation album ★ Released: January 30, 2006 ★ Chart positions: '#8' UK ★ Singles: - ★ Sales in Britain: -

Singles

★ 28th November 1994 "Love Me for a Reason" #2 UK

★ 17th April 1995 "Key to My Life" #3 UK

★ 31st July 1995 "So Good" #3 UK

★ 13th November 1995 "Father and Son" #2 UK

★ 26th February 1996 "Coming Home Now" #4 UK

★ 7th October 1996 "Words" '#1' UK

★ 2nd December 1996 "A Different Beat" '#1' UK

★ 10th March 1997 "Isn't It a Wonder" #2 UK

★ 21st July 1997 "Picture of You" #2 UK

★ 24th November 1997 "Baby Can I Hold You/Shooting Star" #2 UK

★ 20th April 1998 "All That I Need" '#1' UK

★ 3rd August 1998 "No Matter What" '#1' UK, #2 AUS, #12 US Adult Contemporary Chart

★ 23rd November 1998 "I Love the Way You Love Me" #2 UK

★ 1st March 1999 "When the Going Gets Tough" '#1' UK

★ 10th May 1999 "You Needed Me" '#1' UK

★ 22nd November 1999 "Everyday I Love You" '#3' UK

The Year 2000 and beyond

Boyzone opened the door for fellow Irish boy band, Westlife. Since Boyzone split in 2000, Ronan Keating has made a career from going solo and has released five albums; Stephen Gately released a modestly successful solo album and is now pursuing a career in stage acting and particularly West End musicals, starring in the Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"; Mikey Graham has also pursued solo projects and now works as a music producer; Keith Duffy has appeared in the British Soap "Coronation Street" as well as a number of theatre productions in Ireland; Shane Lynch recently appeared on the Reality TV Show, "Celebrity Love Island".
In 2003, rumours of a Boyzone reunion began to circulate. Following the success of fellow Universal artists Take That's reunion and subsequent sell-out tour in 2006, these rumours came to a head and in early 2007 there were news reports that all five members and their manager, The X-Factor Judge Louis Walsh, had met in Dublin to discuss and organise a comeback tour.
In February 2007, more details of the reunion were announced. ^[3]
On March 8, 2007, former Boyzone manager Louis Walsh was sacked from the ITV show The X Factor (TV series), saying by way of explanation that "I will be having the busiest year of my career with Westlife, Shayne Ward and the re-launch of Boyzone" ^[4]
On April 8, 2007, several UK newspapers widely reported that the rumored reunion was cancelled due to the lack of financial investment. The papers stated that no recording company or investors were willing to back the act to guarantee a comeback success experienced by Take That.

References

1. Ronan: How I lost my way
2. BPI
3. Boyzone to reunite as Ronan Keating says 'Yes'
4. X Factor to replace Kate and Louis

External links

★ Billboard Artist Chart History — retrieved January 1, 2006

★ Boyzone at WikiMusicGuide

★ Ronan Keating - Le Site Francophone