Westlife Proves Boy Bands Still Hot In the UK

With the relatively lackluster sales of the Backstreet Boys' comeback album Never Gone, many US pop pundits are declaring an end to the success of boy bands in the pop music world. However, no one notified UK pop fans that boy bands are over.

This week the UK pop charts show Irish boy band Westlife entering the pop singles chart at #1 with "You Raise Me Up," their 13th #1 pop hit since 1999. Westlife's only hit single in the US has been "Swear It Again" which reached #20 in 2000. In addition, the abovementioned Backstreet Boys are entering the UK pop singles chart at #8 with their song "I Just Want You To Know." The sweet pop harmonies of boy bands are a welcome presence on the radio and in stores in the UK. Will there be a new wave of popularity at some point in the US? Stay tuned.

• Listen to "You Raise Me Up" by Westlife.
• Check out the Top 10 Boy Bands Of All Time.

Single cover courtesy Sony BMG.