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Girls Aloud are a UK girl group who were created out of TV talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Girls Aloud have achieved notable success, with nine top 4 hit singles and three hit albums. The group consists of:
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In 2002 a new UK talent search show called Popstars: The Rivals was launched, with the aim of creating a five-piece boy band and a five-piece girl band. Following the success of Hear'Say (winners of the original Popstars show), several thousand applicants attended auditions around the UK, hoping for a place in one of the groups. Ten men and ten women were selected from the auditions to go forward as finalists. However, before the first round of the finals two of the original female finalists were replaced: Hazel Kaneswaren was found to be too old to participate, whilst Nicola Ward refused to sign the contract. Two new finalists (Kimberly Walsh and Nicola Roberts) were chosen, and the show continued.
During October and November, the finalists took to the stage every Saturday night, singing for their place in one of the two bands. One contestant was eliminated each week until the final line-ups emerged. The resulting female line-up became Girls Aloud, managed by Louis Walsh. The winning boy band was called One True Voice and was managed by Pete Waterman.
In Christmas 2002 the two bands competed for the symbolic number one position in the Christmas Week UK's singles chart. Girls Aloud won with their single Sound of the Underground which then stayed at number one for four weeks. Disney Channel viewers later voted this as best single of 2002-2003 at the Disney Channel Kids Awards. Originally tipped to be more successful than the girls, One True Voice released just two singles, achieved little success and quickly disbanded.
Girls Aloud followed their debut single with the number 2 hit No Good Advice, proving that they weren't going to be one-hit wonders. This track went on to become one of the biggest of the year, and was also the first winner of the tongue-in-cheek Popjustice £20 Music Prize.
Girls Aloud's debut album, Sound Of The Underground, was released in May 2003. Also released in 2003 were the singles Life Got Cold (number 3), and Jump (number 2) – a cover of a Pointer Sisters song, which featured on the soundtrack to the 2003 film Love Actually. Both were popular and helped to increase sales of the album, which went platinum after a re-issue at the end of the year.
In 2003 band member Cheryl Tweedy was convicted of assaulting a nightclub toilet attendant and sentenced to community service. The victim had claimed the attack was racially motivated, but the singer was acquitted of this charge.
The group's first 2004 single, The Show, also entered the singles chart at number 2, as did Love Machine – a track which became one of the year's most popular songs. Love Machine was nominated as ITV's Record Of The Year, but was beaten by Busted's Thunderbirds Are Go. They hit number 1 again with their next single, a cover of The Pretenders classic I'll Stand By You, released toward the end of November. This was the official single of the 2004 Children in Need appeal, helping to raise money for the charity.
Their second album, entitled What Will the Neighbours Say?, was released on November 29th 2004 and entered the album charts at number 6, going platinum in under one month. What Will the Neighbours Say? featured the production and song writing work of Xenomania, a British production house. The success of the album led to the girls announcing a tour for the following year.
By the start 2005, Girls Aloud were at the height of fame. Not only had they picked up a Glamour Award for 'Band Of The Year' and been voted as some of the world's sexiest women, they were also nominated for a Brit Award alongside McFly and Natasha Bedingfield.
The girls' eighth single, Wake Me Up, was released on February 21st 2005 and charted at number 4, continuing their string of top five singles. This was the final single to be taken from their second album. In September it followed in the footsteps of No Good Advice by picking up a second Popjustice £20 Music Prize.
In September 2005 the group worked on their third album, Chemistry, after a short break following their sell-out UK tour. The first single to be taken from the forthcoming album, Long Hot Summer (number 7), was the group's ninth consecutive top ten hit. It was followed by the release of a calendar, official book and tour DVD.
Chemistry was released on December 5, 2005, and features the new single Biology, plus Sarah's favourite track Swinging London Town, and Models, which appeared on their ITV2 documentary Girls Aloud: Home Truths.
Although Girls Aloud are often criticised for not writing their own songs – a common trend among pop artists – Girls Aloud have writing credits for five out of 14 tracks on their second album: Big Brother, Hear Me Out, Thank Me Daddy, I Say A Prayer For You, and 100 Different Ways. They also co-wrote the B-sides History and Loving Is Easy. Kimberley and Sarah said that they were involved in writing songs for Chemistry – despite only one track (It's Magic) being co-written by them on the final release.
Despite being the successful contestants of the supposedly talent show, Popstars: The Rivals, they are incapable of singing live. All their performances on-stage are done through miming.
Biology entered the UK charts at number 4 in November 2005 making them the only girl group to ever match the Spice Girls record of 10 consecutive Top 10 singles in the UK. It also reached #1 on the iTunes Most Downloaded Chart, #1 on the TV Airplay Chart and eventually #2 on the Official UK Download Chart.
Chemistry charted on December 11, 2005 at number 11, but with high sales that would have been worthy of #1 for 22 weeks out of the year.
Girls Aloud's 4th single from their new album Chemistry is rumoured to be Models, Wild Horses or Whole Lotta History.The release is pencilled in for February 2006.
The girls embark on their second UK Tour - and their first Arena Tour - in May 2006.
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"No Good Advice" won the inaugural Popjustice £20 Music Prize in 2003.
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This single appeared on the Love Actually soundtrack.
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This was the Official Children in Need 2004 charity single.
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"Wake Me Up" won them their second Popjustice £20 Music Prize in 2005.
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