Boyzone/Ronan Keating

Boyzone are an Irish boy band. The group was most successful in the Republic of Ireland, the UK, Asia, Australia and New Zealand; they also had differing levels of success in parts of Europe. The group has released six #1 UK hit singles and four #1 albums, with approximately 20 million records sold by 2009.

They made a comeback in 2007, originally with the intention of just touring but Ronan Keating confirmed in an interview that they wanted to "outdo Take That"in terms of a successful reunion.

Boyzone was put together in 1993 by Louis Walsh who is also known for managing Johnny Logan and Westlife. Before even recording any material they made a now infamous appearance on RTÉ's The Late Late Show. Their first album Said and Done was released in 1995 and the following two studio albums in 1996 and 1998. Seven compilation albums have been released, the latest being B-Sides & Rarities in October 2008. Co-lead singer Stephen Gately died on 10 October 2009 at the age of 33 of natural causes in Majorca, Spain.

The band has delivered some amazing hits like:

• Words
• No Matter What
• Baby can i hold you

In 1999, while still a member of Boyzone,Ronan Keating was asked to record a new version of the song "When You Say Nothing At All" for the motion picture Notting Hill. The single rose to number One in the UK charts, and was the begining of a successful solo career. Keating has released five solo albums, four of which went straight to number one in the UK, and he has collaborated with major stars including Elton John, Lulu, LeAnn Rimes and the Bee Gees. Keating and Paul Brady co-wrote the hit single 'The Long Goodbye', one of Ronan's most loved hits amongst fans and a huge hit for Brooks and Dunn in America. In October 2007, he was listed in the Guinness Book of Records for being the only artist ever to have 30 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK chart, having beaten the likes of Elvis. He also has two sell-out world tours, an Ivor Novello and BMI songwriting awards, an autobiography, a role as ambassador for Christian Aid and sales in excess of 22 million albums worldwide.

On June 6, 2006 Keating sang at the World Cup opening party at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, in front of an audience of nearly 250,000 people, and posed naked for Cosmopolitan magazine's 10 Years of Naked Centrefolds. On May 9 the following year, Keating became the first international number-one selling foreign artist to perform a concert in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. He performed at the Olympic Stadium Indoor Arena. Keating has dueted with Elton John at Madison Garden in New York and has sung for the Pope twice. He performed for Prince Charles at the Prince's Trust 30th birthday, which took place at the Tower of London. He performed on stage for the Swedish Royal family at Crown Princess Victoria's birthday celebrations, and at the opening ceremony of the 19th European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.

In 2009 Keating co-wrote the song "Believe Again" sung by Niels Brinck, who won the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow where it qualified for the final from the second semi-final and finished in 13th place with 74 points. Following the success of Ronan Keating's album Songs For My Mother, he has recorded another entitled Winter Songs. Teaming up again with Songs For My Mother producer Steve Lipson, Keating pulled together eleven songs that evoked memories of winter and Christmas for him. Winter Songs is a mix of traditional and modern festive classics, including tracks from artists such as Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell and Sugarland. Along with these, he has also included the poignant Christmas Hymn Silent Night and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. The album also includes two brand new songs: Its Only Christmas and Scars.