Westlife

Westlife made history when their first seven singles all went to Number 1, going on to achieve 14 UK Number 1 singles - a figure only beaten by Elvis Presley and The Beatles - and selling more than 43 million records. Not bad for a bunch of mates from Sligo. Kian Egan, Mark Feehily and Shane Filan were childhood friends, initially singing in a six-piece vocal harmony group called IOYOU and releasing the single Together Girl Forever, which came to the attention of Boyzone's manager Louis Walsh. Walsh decided to re-brand Egan, Feehily and Filan and held auditions in Dublin for two new members. Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden were chosen and Westlife - initially called Westside - were on their way. Co-managed by Ronan Keating, their close harmony ballads instantly found an avid teen following. Their first single Swear It Again topped the charts in 1999 and their triumphant reign was underway. McFadden left in 2004 but, despite semi-retirement in the mid-2000s, the band were back in business in 2009.