Listen to an Amazing Irish Band
The music of Westlife
The Irish pop group Westlife banded in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The boys in the band were Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan, and Mark Feehily.
Brian McFadden was a member before leaving in March 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 and later reunited in 2018.
In Ireland, the group has 11 number-one albums, 16 number-one singles, and 34 Top 50 singles. They have sold over 55 million records and are holders of four Guinness World Records. Westlife has received numerous accolades including one World Music Award, two Brit Awards, four MTV Awards, and four Record of the Year Awards.
Their debut album Westlife came out in 1999. The album gave the band five UK number one singles "Swear It Again", "If I Let You Go", "Flying Without Wings", the double A-side "I Have a Dream"/"Seasons in the Sun", and "Fool Again".
Their second album Coast to Coast was released in 2000. It included five hit singles "Against All Odds", "My Love", "What Makes a Man", "I Lay My Love on You" and "When You're Looking Like That". This album became the third-best selling album of 2000 in Britain. As of October 2001, it had sold seven million copies worldwide.
In January 2005, the album was re-issued in a two-in-one box set compilation with the group's third album, World of our Own (2001).A video album, titled Coast to Coast - Up Close and Personal, was released on 27 November 2000. It peaked at number one on the UK Visual Chart and a certified 3× Platinum.
Their third album World of Our Own came out in 2001 and went to number one in the UK. The album included the singles "Queen of My Heart" (which was a double A-side with "When You're Looking Like That"), "World of Our Own" (which was a double A-side with "Angel"), "Bop Bop Baby", and the final single from the group's last album, "Uptown Girl".
The album went 4× Platinum in the UK and is the fourteenth biggest selling boy band album ever in the UK. Westlife went on a World of Our Own tour in the UK and Europe in 2002. The tour centered on a space theme with giant globes for the band's entrance.
Turnaround was their fourth album and came out in 2003. The first single released was "Hey Whatever" and the next was a cover version of the American singer Barry Manilow hit "Mandy". The band's version went to numer one in the UK and got them an Irish Record of the Year award. Turnaround was also the last album to be recorded with their full original lineup with member Brian McFadden, who left the band in March the following year.
...Allow Us to Be Frank, a Rat Pack tribute, was their fifth album and came out in 2004. The album features songs made popular by American singer and actor Frank Sinatra such as "The Way You Look Tonight", "Come Fly with Me", "Moon River", "Summer Wind" and "That's Life". It also includes the American singer Nat King Cole song, "When I Fall in Love". It was recorded with a 60-piece orchestra at Phoenix Studios in Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent.
Their sixth album Face to Face came out in 2005. It included a cover of "She's Back" by the Australian pop vocal group Human Nature, "Desperado" by the American country rock band The Eagles, American country singer Collin Raye's number one hit "In This Life", and the American singer Nick Carter solo song, "Heart Without a Home".
The Love Album was their seventh released in 2006. The first and only single released from the album was the American singer and actress Bette Midler song "The Rose". Their version went to number one in the UK. The song was first performed at Miss World 2006. Their cover version of "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You", which is included in the deluxe version of the album, has been viewed 100 million times on YouTube.
Their eighth album was Back Home and came out in 2007. The lead single from the album was "Home" a cover version of the Canadian singer and songwriter Michael Bublé song. Other singles released were "Us Against the World" and "Something Right".
Where We Are is the ninth album released in 2009. The lead single is "What About Now".
Gravity is the tenth album released in 2010.The lead single was "Safe".
Their eleventh album Spectrum was released in 2019. It includes the singles "Hello My Love", "Better Man", "Dynamite" and "My Blood", and features songs co-written by Ed Sheeran, Steve Mac, Ryan Tedder, Camille Purcell, and James Bay.
Wild Dreams was their twelfth album in 2021. The lead single was "Starlight" and the second "My Hero". To support the album, Westlife embarked on The Wild Dreams Tour visited Europe, Asia (including India), and their very first time tour to North America (Canada, United States & Mexico) and South America (Brazil).
About the Creator
Rasma Raisters
My passions are writing and creating poetry. I write for several sites online and have four themed blogs on Wordpress. Please follow me on Twitter.
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Comments (1)
Westlife's music journey is impressive. Their early albums had so many hits. "My Love" from Coast to Coast was a personal favorite.