Westlife

Artist Image: Westlife
Attribution
Image Credit: Khánh Hmoong from Nha Trang, Vietnam (Westlife lives in Hà Nội (Gravity Tour 2011)), CC BY 2.0

Biography

Westlife were an Irish boy band formed in 1998. They disbanded in 2012 after finishing their farewell tour. The group's line-up was Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was part of the group until 2004. Westlife had sold over 45 million records worldwide which includes studio albums, singles, video release, and compilation albums. Despite the group's worldwide success, they only had one hit single in the United States, "Swear It Again", which peaked in 2000 on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 20. The band were originally signed by Simon Cowell and were managed by Louis Walsh. The group had accumulated 14 number-one singles in the United Kingdom, the third-highest in UK history, tying with Cliff Richard. The group had also broken a few records, including "Music artist with most consecutive number 1's in the UK", which consists of their first seven singles and only behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. The band had 14 UK number ones and 25 top ten singles, consisting of 20.2 million records and videos in the UK across their 14-year career - 6.8 million singles, 11.9 million albums and 1.5 million videos. On 1 June 2008, Westlife marked their tenth anniversary with a concert in Croke Park, Dublin which had more than 83,000 fans attending the special occasion. Music Week revealed on their website that Westlife were the official third top touring act within the years 2005-2008, while they were seventh top touring act of 2008. Also in 2008, they were declared Ireland's ninth-richest celebrities under 30 years old and thirteenth in general with 36 million euros as a group. In 2009, they dropped as sixteenth richest Irish with estimated 8 million euros each. They were named as the fourth most hard-working music artist in UK by PRS in 2010. In August 2011, it was reported in the Irish Examiner that the profits of the band's firm grew five-fold in 2010. On 19 October 2011, Westlife announced they were to split after the release of their Greatest Hits album on 21 November 2011. The album debuted at number 1 in Ireland and number 4 in the United Kingdom. The band also announced a farewell tour for spring 2012.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1998
Number of Albums 28
Record Label Virgin
Website www.westlife.com
Wikipedia Westlife on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Pop

Trivia

Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily were born and grew up in what Irish town?

Sligo

...Mark Feehily were born and grew up in the windy Irish west coast town of Sligo . In 1998, after success on local TV, Boyzone's manager Louis Walsh snap...
In what year did Boyzone's manager Louis Walsh snap up a support slot in Dublin?

1998

...ly were born and grew up in the windy Irish west coast town of Sligo. In 1998 , after success on local TV, Boyzone's manager Louis Walsh snapped then u...
Who was the frontman of Boyzone?

Ronan Keating

... singers, Dubliners Bryan McFadden and Nicky Byrne. Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating then stepped in to manage the band and help nurture its raw talent....
What was the name of the boy band that Westlife supported?

The Backstreet Boys

... and landed them a support slot in Dublin with boy band stalwarts The Backstreet Boys . For the gig the trio contracted two further singers, Dubliners ...
What was the name of Westlife's first single?

Swear It Again

...elp nurture its raw talent. In April 1999, Westlife's first single, Swear It Again , stormed into the top of the UK charts and since then there's been ...
What hit single did the boys release in 2000?

I Have A Dream

...the Christmas 2000 number one spot with their version of Abba's hit I Have A Dream for four weeks. They then outsold the Spice Girls three times over ...
Who retorted on TV that she thought the boys were talentless?

Mel C

...s three times over with their new album Coast To Coast in November 2001. Mel C retorted on TV that she thought the boys were talentless. At the start ...
What was the name of the former Atomic Kitten singer?

Kerry Katona

...ed when Bryan announced that he was to wed former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona . The other boys have also maintained fairly high profile romances....
What two solo artists were spawned by Boyzone?

Robbie Williams and Ronan Keating

...ups like Take That and Boyzone, which spawned solo artists Robbie Williams and Ronan Keating , respectively. Westlife has been able to rise above other...
Who formed the backbone of Westlife?

Shane Filan, Kian Egan, and Mark Feehily

...tlight seekers, though, to find recordsetting success. Shane Filan, Kian Egan, and Mark Feehily formed the backbone of Westlife while the three were a...
What was the name of the entertainment manager who had a hand in the formation of Westlife?

Louis Walsh

...peared on a Dublin television show, the group piqued the attention of Louis Walsh , a pop Svengali who also managed the similarsounding Boyzone. To sho...
How did Walsh showcase IOU?

Dublin club The Point

... Walsh offered IOU a spot opening for the Backstreet Boys at the Dublin club The Point . After the group came together as Westlife in 1998, Walsh took ...
What club did Walsh open for the Backstreet Boys?

The Point

... offered IOU a spot opening for the Backstreet Boys at the Dublin club The Point . After the group came together as Westlife in 1998, Walsh took them u...
Who are the members of For the Record?

Nicky Byrne; Kian Egan; Mark Feehily; Shane Filan; Bryan McFadden

...oduced them For the Record Members include Nicky Byrne; Kian Egan; Mark Feehily; Shane Filan; Bryan McFadden , vocalists. Group formed in Dublin, Irela...
Where did the group form in 1998?

Dublin, Ireland

...rk Feehily; Shane Filan; Bryan McFadden, vocalists. Group formed in Dublin, Ireland , 1998; released Westlife,1999; in U. S., 2000; released Coast to C...
What was the name of the record company that signed the group?

RCA Records

...pt for U. S.), 2000. According to Westlifes record company biography, RCA Records signed the group immediately after seeing a performance. When showca...
Irish pop music has permeated every corner of the globe thanks to what?

U2

...bounds when it comes to Irish pop music. Thanks to venerable acts such as U2 , which has remained the nations most popular and successful recording art...
How many Top 10 hits did Westlife release?

26

...of performing across the globe, Westlife managed to release an astounding 26 Top 10 hits which consisted of 14 number one singles in the UK alone. For...
How many number one singles were released in the UK?

14

...stlife managed to release an astounding 26 Top 10 hits which consisted of 14 number one singles in the UK alone. For many years, Westlife was managed ...
How many top five albums did Westlife release in 2011?

11

...essly to produce hit after hit. Westlife disbanded amicably in 2011 after 11 top five albums and after 44 million copies of albums sold around the wor...
How many copies of Westlife albums were sold around the world?

44 million

...ly to produce hit after hit. Westlife disbanded amicably in 2011 after 11 top five albums and after 44 million copies of albums sold around the world....
What year is Westlife set to release?

2020

... Did they decide to pack it in, or do they still have plans for the year 2020 ? Originating from Sligo and Dublin in Ireland, this boy band is marked a...
How many members were on the original Westlife member list?

five

...legacy lives on to date. The original Westlife members list consisted of five members. Wondering why the word consisted is in the past tense? This cle...
What was Kevin McDaid's profession?

photographer

...bers dead or that have left the group? He was dating Kevin McDaid, a photographer . Mark Feehily was engaged to Cailean ONeill in The Maldives during a...
Who was Feehily engaged to during a romantic getaway in the Maldives?

Cailean ONeill

...as dating Kevin McDaid, a photographer. Mark Feehily was engaged to Cailean ONeill in The Maldives during a romantic getaway Layla is the daughter of ...
Who is the daughter of Mark Feehill and his fiancé Cailean ONeill?

Layla

... was engaged to Cailean ONeill in The Maldives during a romantic getaway Layla is the daughter of Mark Feehily and his fiancé Cailean ONeill who they ...
What year did Brian McFadden leave the band?

2004

...Byrne; one of its original members, Brian McFadden, departed the band in 2004 . The group disbanded in 2012 and later reunited in 2018. The group have ...
When did the band reunite?

2018

...rted the band in 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 and later reunited in 2018 . The group have released twelve studio albums: four as a fivepiece and e...
How many studio albums have the group released?

twelve

...p disbanded in 2012 and later reunited in 2018. The group have released twelve studio albums: four as a fivepiece and eight as a fourpiece. They rose ...
What album was released in 2003?

Turnaround

...international selftitled studio album, Westlife (1999). 1 (2002), and Turnaround (2003), which continued the group's success worldwide. The group rele...
What was the name of the band's eleventh album?

Spectrum

...r eight years, the quartet group released their eleventh studio album, Spectrum , in 2019, followed by their twelfth studio album, Wild Dreams, in 2021...
When did the band release their twelfth album, Wild Dreams?

2021

...ectrum, in 2019, followed by their twelfth studio album, Wild Dreams, in 2021 . They are the top act with most Number 1 debuts on the UK Singles Chart,...
How many of their charttoppers have landed on the UK Singles Chart in their first week?

all 14

...are the top act with most Number 1 debuts on the UK Singles Chart, with all 14 of their charttoppers landing there in their first week. They have the ...
What year did the group release their eleventh studio album, Spectrum?

2019

...rs, the quartet group released their eleventh studio album, Spectrum, in 2019 , followed by their twelfth studio album, Wild Dreams, in 2021. They are ...
What was the original name of the band?

Westside

...This Irish boy band, originally known as Westside , emerged in the late 90s as the highly successful protégés of Ronan Keating of Boyzone. They formed ...
Who wrote Together Girl Forever?

Filan and Feehily

...g cover versions in local clubs. A demo tape of a track written by Filan and Feehily , Together Girl Forever, found its way to Boyzone manager Louis Wa...
What was the name of the song written by Filan and Feehily?

Together Girl Forever

...ocal clubs. A demo tape of a track written by Filan and Feehily, Together Girl Forever , found its way to Boyzone manager Louis Walsh. Suitably impress...
When did Keating become involved with the band?

April 1998

...visited Dublin. Keating became involved with the band as comanager in April 1998 . After a showcase appearance at Londons Café de Paris in February 199...
How many number 1s in a row in the UK did they reach in October?

three

...the UK singles chart at number 1 in August. Flying Without Wings made it three number 1s in a row in October. Their status as the most popular boy ban...
How long did cover versions of Abbas I Have A Dream and Terry Jacks Seasons In The Sun top the charts?

four weeks

...featuring cover versions of Abbas I Have A Dream and Terry Jacks Seasons In The Sun, topped the charts for four weeks over Christmas and the new year....
Where was Westlife formed in 1998?

Sligo, Ireland

...Formed in Sligo, Ireland in 1998, Westlife followed in the tradition of European boy bands like Take That and Boyzone. The group performed ballads and...
Shane Filan, Kian Egan, and Mark Feehily first performed together in what pop group?

IOYOU

...an Egan, and Mark Feehily first performed together in another pop group, IOYOU , and experienced their first brush with success when Simon Cowell consi...
Who considered signing them to BMG?

Simon Cowell

...op group, IOYOU, and experienced their first brush with success when Simon Cowell considered signing them to BMG. The group's other singers didn't mak...
What was the name of Westlife's debut single?

Flying Without Wings

...s was launched to find more capable members. Their debut single, Flying Without Wings , entered the U.K. charts at number one in 1999, a feat that West...
What two singles did Westlife release in 1999?

Seasons in the Sun and Swear It Again

...999, a feat that Westlife replicated one year later with Seasons in the Sun and Swear It Again . All three songs were also released on the group's self...
What label released the album in the United States?

Arista Records

... in the U.K. An American release followed in early 2000 courtesy of Arista Records . Westlife never managed to make a dent in Americas pop scene, where...
What was Bryan's first single as a solo artist?

Real to Me

...ess left the lineup one later year in the hopes of launching his own career. Real to Me , his first single as a solo artist, topped the charts in 2004....
Where do Westlife originate from?

Sligo and Dublin in Ireland

...st successful musical groups of all time, they originate from Sligo and Dublin in Ireland . Their first single was released in April 1999 and after mor...
When was their first single released?

April 1999

... from Sligo and Dublin in Ireland. Their first single was released in April 1999 and after more than twenty years theyre still going strong. Read on t...
What did Westlife decide to do after their success on stage?

form a band

...d their journey so far. After their success on stage, they decided to form a band . After limited success, Shane Filans mother, Mae Filan, contacted th...
What band did Ronan Keating sing with?

Boyzone

...e yet another band. But luckily for us, Ronan Keating (colead singer of Boyzone ) stepped in. Ronan agreed to comanage the new band with Louis, and Rol...
What was Rolo Management named after?

Ronan and Louis

... comanage the new band with Louis, and Rolo Management (named after Ronan and Louis ) was formed. Auditions were held in Dublin to find two new members...
What name did Brian change to to make signing autographs easier?

Bryan

...wo new members for the group. Nicky Byrne and Brian McFadden were eventually chosenBrian changing his name to Bryan to make signing autographs easier....