Boyzone

Boyzone are an Irish boy band, formed in 1993. Their six singles and five albums were number one of British Top, and during the music career of the band more than 20 million records were sold all over the world. It all started in 1993, when manager Louis Walsh sent out the casting advertisements. The audition to form a new boy band was held in Dublin, and more than 300 people came to try their luck. The task was to perform Careless Whisper by George Michael, and only 50 young men were selected for the second audition. On the final stage of casting 10 musicians were present. In the end, Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately, Richard Rock, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy were chosen. Mikey Graham became a member of the band a bit later, after Richard Rock quitted Boyzone.

At the beginning of career the band played in clubs and pubs of Northern Ireland. In 1994 they signed a contract with Polygram, and soon the cover version of Working My Way Back to You by Four Seasons was released. That record reached number 3 in the Irish Charts. Later the band made a cover version of Osmonds hit Love Me for a Reason. It hit number 2 in the United Kingdom, and was included in Boyzone debut album Said and Done, which was released in 1995. The second studio album titled A Different Beat appeared in 1996. The cover version of Words by the band Bee Gees, which was presented on this album, became Boyzone first single that reached the first position in UK. The third record Where We Belong was released in 1998, and soon it became popular due to such songs as All That I Need and No Matter What. Boyzone performed Whistle Down the Wind with Meat Loaf during his concert in Dublin.

In 1999 the band created the compilation of greatest hits, which was titled By Request. In January of 2000 Boyzone performed together for the last time: after six years of joint work the musicians decided to take some time off from the group and to pursue their solo projects. There is no doubt that the Irish boy band was at their height: by that time they sold more than 10 millions of albums, and 35,000 tickets for their final tour in Ireland were sold out in four hours.

On 16 November 2007 Boyzone reunited and took part in BBC's annual charity event Children in Need. In 2008 the compilation of band’s songs titled Back Again... No Matter What was released. It included the best songs of boy band and three new compositions: Love You Anyway, Better and Can't Stop Thinking About You. In 2009 Stephen Gately died at the age of 33. The album Brother which appeared in 2010 was a tribute to him. That record also included two new songs that were performed by Stephen Gately before his death. The album Brother was the first studio work of Boyzone in twelve years.