Girls Aloud

Girls Aloud emerged triumphant from the 2002 reality TV talent show Popstars: The Rivals, bucking the trend of here-today-gone-tomorrow contest winners to become one of the most successful British girl groups of all time. The show set them up against boy band One True Voice to compete for the Christmas Number 1 spot, resulting in a resounding victory for the girls with Sound Of The Underground. They followed it with a string of hits and quickly became a national pop treasure with their sexy image, sharp productions, classy, dance-orientated music and a willingness to push the boundaries of pop. In 2006 they achieved another breakthrough, becoming the first act to reach the UK Top 5 on download sales alone. Each of the five members became celebrities in their own right - especially Cheryl Cole - and took time off for individual projects in 2009, but remained determined to keep the band going.