Blue (English group)
Blue |
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Blue were a successful English boy band similar to other boybands such as A1 consisting of four members: Lee Ryan, Duncan James, Antony Costa, and Simon Webbe. Together the band sold over 11 million records. Currently all the members of the band have gone to pursue solo careers.
History
All Rise
The band released their debut single "All Rise" in May 2001 and it reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. Blue followed this in August with the chart-topping "Too Close", a cover version of Next's US No 1 hit. Their second number one came in November with "If You Come Back". All three singles featured on debut album "All Rise", which was released in time for Christmas and reached number one, eventually selling in excess of 1,300,000 copies. Blue reached number six in March 2002 with their fourth single, "Fly By II" - a remix of album track "Fly By".The album was 30 in Portugal.
One Love
The band released a new single and album, in the summer of 2002, both called "One Love" which was the highest selling Blue album, selling more than 3,000,000 copies. Their next single, which also reached number one on the British Top 40, was a duet with Elton John entitled "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word", a cover version of one of Elton John's songs. This track was number one in Europe for six weeks.
Guilty
"Guilty" (the album and the single) was released in the fall of 2003. The next singles were "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" (sung with Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone), "Breathe Easy", and "Bubblin'". The album Guilty sold more than 600,000 copies.
Best of Blue
The band decided to split after Elton John suggested that their popularity was decreasing and that they should concentrate on their solo careers. They did so after releasing their Best Of Blue greatest hits compilation in 2004, which contained a few new tracks such as "Curtain Falls", "Get Down On It" and "Only Words I Know". The album went to #2 in Portugal with 2 platinum. Both of singles, "Curtain Falls" and "Get Down On It" went #1 in Portugal for more than a week.
Solo careers
Blue had sold 7 million albums and 4 million singles and split up in 2005, now all four members have since released solo singles. Duncan released "I Believe My Heart" with Keedie in October 2004, reaching #2 in the UK Singles Chart and his solo album was released on 2006 reaching #55 in the UK, selling more than 10,000 copies. Lee released "Army Of Lovers" in July 2005, reaching #3 and a self-titled solo album in August 2005 reaching #6.. Simon released "Lay Your Hands" in August 2005, reaching #4, and his debut album reached #7 UK Album Chart, selling over 700,000 copies. Antony has released a single, "Do You Ever Think Of Me", before going into acting and performing in Blood Brothers and in the new year will be touring with Boogie Nights.
Discography
Albums
- All Rise (2001) #1 UK
- One Love (2002) #1 UK
- Guilty (2003) #1 UK
- Best of Blue (2004) #6 UK
- 4Ever Blue (2005)
- The Platinum Collection (2006)
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK[1] | IE[2] | FR | SE | NO | DE | AT | AU | NZ | BE | NL | FI | CH | World | |||
| 2001 | "All Rise" | 4 | 15 | 19 | 3[3] | |||||||||||
| 2001 | "Too Close" | 1 | 17 | 66 | 5[4] | |||||||||||
| 2001 | "If You Come Back" | 1 | 13 | 48 | 19[5] | |||||||||||
| 2002 | "Fly By II" | 6 | 16 | 45 | 26[6] | |||||||||||
| 2002 | "One Love" | 3 | 4 | 54 | 36 | |||||||||||
| 2002 | "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"[7] (featuring Elton John) |
1 | 3 | 3 | 43 | 1 | ||||||||||
| 2003 | "U Make Me Wanna"[8] | 4 | 5 | 50 | 6 | 10 | 20 | 14 | 28 | 9 | 15 | |||||
| 2003 | "Guilty"[9] | 2 | 4 | 37 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 29 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 22 | 11 | |||
| 2003 | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours"[10] (featuring Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone) |
11 | 17 | 36 | 29 | 31 | 22 | 38 | 11 | 53 | 29 | |||||
| 2004 | "Breathe Easy"[11] | 4 | 4 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 28 | 13 | 8 | 36 | |||||
| 2004 | "Bubblin'"[12] | 9 | 21 | 11 | 27 | 34 | 21 | 8 | 26 | |||||||
| 2004 | "You & Me Bubblin'"[13] (featuring Linkup) |
14 | ||||||||||||||
| 2004 | "Curtain Falls"[14] | 4 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 16 | 20 | 13 | 14 | |||||||
| 2005 | "A Chi Mi Dice"[15] | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| 2005 | "Get Down on It"[16] (featuring Lil Kim) |
47 | 29 | 41 | 24 | 16 | 35 | |||||||||
| 2005 | "Only Words I Know"[17] | 55 | ||||||||||||||
Footnotes
- ^ http://www.polyhex.com/music/chartruns/chartruns.php
- ^ "The Irish Charts". Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Rage Playlists". Top 50 ARIA Chart - 31 August 2001. Retrieved August 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Rage Playlists". Top 50 ARIA Chart - 7 December 2001. Retrieved August 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Rage Playlists". Top 50 ARIA Chart - 15 March 2002. Retrieved August 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Rage Playlists". Top 50 ARIA Chart - 28 June 2002. Retrieved August 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue and Elton John - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - U Make Me Wanna". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - Guilty". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue featuring Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone - Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - Breathe Easy". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - Bubblin'". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue and Linkup (popstars Le Duel-gagnants) - You And Me Bubblin'". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - Curtain Falls". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - A Chi Mi Dice". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - Get Down On It". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Blue - Only Words I Know". Music Square. Retrieved August 28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)