Our top 10 Girls Aloud songs list looks at the body of work of a girl band famed for its pop, electropop, and dance-pop sound. The girl band was formed on ITV’s talent show series Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Girls Aloud locked horns with the boy band One True Voice in the chase for Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart at the show. After a mesmerizing performance of their single “Sound of the Underground, Victory went to Girls Aloud. The Platinum-certified pop song spent four weeks at the peak position.
After its success at the ITV talent show, the girl band continued working with its producers Brian Higgins and Xenomania. In the next few months, they all worked towards the band’s debut album. The debut album was named after the band’s successful first single. Sound of the Underground was released in 2003.
The album was a success, rising to the second position on the UK Albums Chart. Sound of the Underground (2003) was Platinum-certified in the UK. The band’s second single release, “No Good Advice,” was featured on the album. “No Good Advice” rose to the second position on the UK Singles Chart. Other singles from the album that proved to be special to the band’s audience include “Life Not Gold” and “Jump.” The two songs also managed to rise to the top three of the UK Singles Chart.
Despite the success that Girls Aloud was already amassing, the band went on a hiatus for some time. However, they came back with a band releasing the first single to its sophomore album, “The Show.” What Will the Neighbours Say? (2004) was the girl band’s sophomore album. Xenomania and Brian Higgins still produced the album. What Will the Neighbour Say? (2004) peaked at number six on the UK Albums chart.
Other songs from the album that were popular include “Wake Me Up,” “Love Machine,” and “I’ll Stand by You.” The hit “I’ll Stand by You” was a cover of The Pretenders. Girls Aloud released the cover as the official charity single for the fundraising campaign, Children in Need. The song became the band’s second number-one hit on the UK Singles Chart. What Will the Neighbours Say? (2004) had four extra songs reach the top five on the UK Singles Chart.
The following year, the girl band returned to the studio to record and release a third studio album. Girls Aloud started churning out singles for the third studio album, Chemistry (2005). Chemistry (2005) finds the band blending pop-rock, dance-pop and progressive pop. The album served as a concept album where the band tries to put in a nutshell what it is to be a girl in her twenties in London. Additionally, the band purposed to shed light on the masses on what celebrity lifestyle entails.
Chemistry (2005) peaked at number eleven on the UK Albums Chart. The album received Platinum certification in Ireland and the UK. Some of the greatest pop-influenced ballads from the album include “Biology,” “Whole Lotta History,” “Long Hot Summer,” and “See the Day,” a cover of Dee C. Lee’s 1985 hit.
Girls Aloud later released two more albums, Tangled Up (2007) and Out of Control (2008). The two albums peaked at number four and one respectively on the UK Albums Chart. Additionally, the band released two compilation albums, The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits (2006) and Ten (2012). Girls Aloud was lauded by many as one of the few reality TV acts to propel a successful career continuously. The Guinness World Records has also lauded the girl band as the Most Successful Reality-TV Group twice, in 2007 and 2011.
Girls Aloud’s successful releases saw the band set the record for the most successive top ten entries in the UK by a female ensemble. The band boasts over four million singles sales and a similar number of album sales in the UK. This made Girls Aloud the best-selling girl ensemble of the twenty-first century. Even though the girl band separated in 2013, its legacy lives on to date.
Cheryl has had the most successful solo career of all Girls Aloud members since the band separated. Cheryl became the first female solo artist to have five number-one tracks on the UK Singles Chart. However, her record was put to rest in 2018 by the amazing singer-songwriter Jess Glynne. Here are the top 10 Girls Aloud songs that remind us of once the best UK pop girl band.
#10 – Love Machine
Ushering us to the top 10 Girls Aloud songs list is the pop-rock ballad “Love Machine.” The song is featured on the band’s sophomore studio album, What Will the Neighbours Say? (2004). “Love Machine” had its instrumentation features synth-pop elements of the ’80s inspired by The Smiths. This joyful pop ballad peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart.
#9 – Beautiful ’Cause You Love Me
The band’s sophomore compilation album Ten (2012) featured fourteen of Girls Aloud’s best tracks and four new singles. Our number nine song on the top 10 Girls Aloud songs is one of the new tracks from the compilation album. “Beautiful ’Cause You Love Me” was the band’s final release before breaking up later in 2013. The song was the band’s second track not to be produced by Xenomania.
Producer Jim Eliot helped the band with the production of this song while Rachel Moulden penned the song’s lyrics. Nadine Coyle was right about the song not making the perfect lead single for Ten (2012). However, she also failed to agree to the song’s message. She claimed that the beauty of a woman is not dependent on the love she obtains from others. Nevertheless, “Beautiful ’Cause You Love Me” peaked at number ninety-seven on the UK Singles Chart.
#8 – Call the Shots
“Call the Shots” is Girls Aloud’s first song on the album Tangled Up (2007). Singer Miranda Cooper penned the song’s lyrics. She wrote the song inspired by reading an article highlighting women’s great progress in the business world. However, the lyrics to the song allude more to the ending of a relationship.
Once again, the band blends dance-pop and synth-pop elements offering its instrumentation a classy electronic feel. Multiple artists have covered the song, including Malcolm Middleton, Coldplay, and Mark Morriss. “Call the Shots” peaked at the third position on the UK Singles Chart.
#7 – Jump
The American vocal group The Pointer Sisters released their best-selling single “Jump (For My Love) on Break Out in 1983. Two decades later, Girls Aloud released a remade version of the song under the title “Jump.” The song flew the band to international success, having it peak at number two on the UK Singles Chart.
“Jump” was featured on the band’s debut album Sound of the Underground (2003). At its initial stage of release, the song was projected for use in the romantic comedy film Love Actually (2003). However, with the band not globally popular by the time, the original version by The Pointer Sisters was used instead.
#6 – Can’t Speak French
Number six on our top 10 Girls Aloud songs is the hit “Can’t Speak French.” The song is featured on Girls Aloud’s fourth studio album, Tangled Up (2007). Producer Brian Higgins once referred to the song as the easiest single they ever made for the band.
Unlike most songs by Girls Aloud, “Can’t Speak French” blends some pop and smooth jazz elements. This mid-tempo song finds the band desperately trying to impress a guy who doesn’t even realize. “Can’t Speak French” managed to rise to the ninth position on the UK Singles Chart.
#5 – I’ll Stand by You
Girls Aloud was not only good at their compositions and original songs. The band also achieved success with several cover songs. Our number seven hit is their cover to the 1994 four-minute song “I’ll Stand by You” by The Pretenders. The song finds the singer pledging love to someone at their dark moments.
The girl band covered the song, releasing it on its sophomore studio album What Will the Neighbours Say? (2004). Girls Aloud was released as the official charity single for the 2004 fundraising campaign, Children in Need. After rising to the peak position on the UK Singles Chart, the song was toppled off the top by “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”
#4- Biology
“Biology” is an eclectic masterpiece by Girls Aloud featured on Chemistry (2005). The song blends progressive pop and electro pop elements, transcending the pop genre’s limitations. “Biology” was released as a comeback by the band after an unsatisfactory release of “Long Hot Summer.” On the UK Singles Chart, “Biology” managed a peak position of number four. Music critics have praised the songs as the “best pop track of the 2000s.” Does the title fit the song?
#3 – Sound of the Underground
Our number three song on the top 10 Girls Aloud songs is the band’s breakout single. Brian Higgins, Niara Scarlett, and Miranda Cooper teamed up in penning the song for Girls Aloud. The band was contesting against One True Voice for Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart at the Popstars: The Rivals in 2002.
Girls Aloud won the battle, gifting them their first number-one song on the UK Singles Chart. “Sound of the Underground” managed to peak on national charts in other nations, including Sweden, Australia, and Belgium. Many have lauded the song for its use of surf guitars against electronic dance music beats. “Sound of the Underground” not only became the band’s career-defining single but also helped reshape the UK pop sound in the early 2000s.
#2 – Something New
After three years of hiatus and pursuing solo careers, members of Girls Aloud came back together in anticipation of their tenth anniversary. The result of the break from hiatus was the band’s second compilation album Ten (2012). “Something New” was one of the four new tracks featured on the album.
This upbeat dance ballad was penned by several artists, among them Sugababes founder Keisha Buchanan and Tove Lo. “Something New” was adopted as the official charity single for the fundraising campaign, Children in Need in 2012. The song managed to rise to the second position on the UK Singles Chart.
#1 – The Promise
Girls Aloud paid tribute to Phil Spector and the ’60s rock music with the release of “The Promise.” The song is the most successful musical gem on Out of Control (2008). Girls Aloud received their second number one hit on the UK Singles Chart, credit to the glorious hit “The Promise.”
Music critics this time gave almost perfect reviews for this release. The song stamped the band’s place in the UK as the nation’s girl band to beat. Girls Aloud received its first Brit Awards accolade for the Best British Single, thanks to “The Promise.”
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