UB40

There used to be a joke that UB40 stood for the "Unemployed Birmingham 40", because there were so many band members in their videos, and none of them looked exactly sharp-suited. In fact the pop-reggae band did name themselves after an unemployment benefit form, though there was never 40 members - only eight, plus guests. They formed in 1979 and made a breakthrough when their debut single, "King/Food For Thought", was the first ever single to break the UK Top 10 on an independent label. Debut album Signing Off (1980) reached No.2 on the album chart and eventually achieved platinum sales. The group toured and recorded regularly, achieving another No.2 album in 1981 (Present Arms), a No.4 in 1982 (UB44), and finally a UK album chart-topper in 1983 with Labour of Love. That was also their American breakthrough, reaching No.8 on the Billboard 200. A cover of Neil Diamond's "Red, Red Wine" gave the band their first No.1 single in the UK, and it would eventually top the American singles chart too on re-release in 1988.

The group's success continued throughout the 80s, with several more charting albums and hit singles. "I Got You Babe", featuring Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, topped the UK singles charts in 1985. Their next No.1 was a cover of the Elvis Presley ballad "Can't Help Falling In Love", which topped the charts in the UK and America in 1993. The group have continuted to record and tour the world, and frequently perform at music festivals. In 2003 they had another Top 20 hit in the UK with "Swing Low", and in 2007 they headlined the South African leg of Live Earth.