Disappointed I missed voting for this and by the fact you couldn't vote for Tyler James :(

Last five now before we get into the top 20...and two doses of cheese coming next, starting with...

 

25. SAME DIFFERENCE (14 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 4, runners up, SyCo Music/Poplife, 2007 - present)

 

http://www.heatworld.com/images/92229_615x10000_STD/2009/12/images/mainsamediff.jpg

 

UK top 40 hits: 1

UK top 40 albums: 1

Biggest single: 'We R One', UK #13, November 2008

Biggest album: 'Pop', UK #22, December 2008

Best known for: bringing the late 90s back to the X Factor

 

Brother/sister singing duo Sean and Sarah Smith had pursued very different paths into showbiz before they formed as Same Difference in late 2006. Sean had been a cruise ship singer and was a regular on the pantomime circuit, and Sarah, who'd graduated from Italia Conti, had been acting in the UK Nickelodeon sitcom 'Genie in the House'.

 

When their wide eyed, all teeth grinning audition for the fourth series of X Factor was aired, they did initially seem like a joke act (even they said in hindsight that they looked slightly unhinged) - and almost like they should have been around when the likes of Steps and S Club 7 ruled the top end of the chart. But of course at this point in 2007, with the likes of 'High School Musical' being a big pre-teen hit they did strike a chord with the public, particularly with Simon Cowell who, though annoyed by them at first, warmed to them and went on to mentor them in the groups that year.

 

In fact a lot of their predocessors in unashamed feel good cheese became the basis for a lot of their weekly live show performances - 'Reach' and 'Tragedy' being two of them, and then an emotional rendition of 'Never Had a Dream Come True' in the semi final which sent them all the way to the final where they finished 3rd. After signing with SyCo in 2008 they set about recording their debut album with some of the songwriting team from 'High School Musical' as well as Stock Aitken and Waterman.

 

Alas, when both the album 'Pop' and it's single 'We R One' failed to have the impact they'd hoped for, and when tickets for their tour sold poorly, they were tacked on to a joint tour with their series' victor Leon Jackson, and not long after their deal with SyCo was axed. Under new management, they then went on to set up their own record label, PopLife, and in 2011 they released their comeback album 'The Rest is History' which featured a collaboration with Eurodance outfit Alcazar and showcased a more grown up image. They also run a successful stage school on half term holidays in the UK called 'Same Difference Pop Academy'.

Edited June 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

24. THE CHEEKY GIRLS (14 points)

('Popstars: The Rivals', auditionees, Telstar/Multiply, 2002 - 2004)

 

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UK top 40 hits: 5

UK top 40 albums: 1

Biggest single: 'The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)', UK #2, December 2002

Biggest album: 'Party Time', UK #14, August 2003

Best known for: being pop's terrifying Transylvanian twins of the 00's

 

After emigrating from the land of Bram Stoker's famous Count Dracula (believe me it was taking all my energy not to write the speaky bit from the theme of 'Count Duckula' just then) with their mother in 2002 (also their manager), Gabriela and Monica aka The Cheeky Girls, flaunted themselves on virtually any show they could - first on T4 show 'Model Behaviour' and then of course on 'Popstars: The Rivals' where they left Louis, Pete and Geri stunned - but not necessarily in the way they might have intended.

 

Still, it didn't stop them being secured a deal with Telstar and Multiply, its dance division to release the song they auditioned with - 'The Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)' as a rush release Christmas #2 hit that ended up making a Popstars: The Rivals top 3 that year (with Girls Aloud and One True Voice occupying the top two positions, of course). It also charted in other countries round the world shifting 1.2 million copies. Not bad for the song voted the worst pop record ever made.

 

And really it should have ended there. But more chart bothering was to come from them throughout 2003, including three more top 10s and the release of a debut album 'Party Time'. Come the new year in 2004 though, and their label Telstar had sunk into administration (as we mentioned with Rosie Ribbons earlier) and they chugged on for one more top 40 hit before they seemed to finally disappear off the scene. They did of course try to rekindle their lost glories auditioning for 'Britain's Got Talent' in 2010 but thankfully didn't get far.

23. JOE MCELDERRY (18 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 6, winner, SyCo Music/Decca, 2009 - present)

 

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UK top 40 hits: 2

UK top 40 albums: 4

Biggest single: 'The Climb', UK #1, December 2009

Biggest album: 'Classic', UK #2, August 2011

Best known for: being the X Factor's Geordie crossover kid

 

Even when he auditioned for the second time in 2009 having failed to make it past boot camp two years earlier, the then baby faced South Shields native Joe McElderry still looked much younger than 17 years old. He had a voice however that belied all that, and after fellow Geordie Cheryl took him on for the boys category the only way was up for Joe as he went on to win the show - and whilst he didn't bag the Christmas #1 that year with his cover of the Miley Cyrus hit (owing to the 'Rage Against X Factor' campaign that stopped it from doing so), he still went on to top the charts for a week.

 

As a popstar however, he seemed somewhat apologetic and out of his depth - something that seemed to certify itself when his debut album 'Wide Awake' finally appeared a year later along with his next single, a cover of 'Ambitions' by Norwegian dance outfit Donkeyboy, which despite both peaking in the top 10 didn't exactly match the same glorious sales previous series winner Alexandra Burke had opened on a year earlier.

 

His next single, a double-a-side of 'Someone Wake Me Up' and 'There's a Place for Us', an original song written by Carrie Underwood (more on her later) for the soundtrack of the 'Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader' movie failed to reach the top 40 altogether despite a Golden Globe nomination in 2011. And it was around about the same time that he parted company with SyCo altogether.

 

But before too long, Joe soon reappeared on screens in the second series of ITV's 'Popstar to Operastar' which he also won, and from the moment he made his crossover into the classical music market he really began to excel himself, signing to Universal's classical imprint Decca and releasing a gold selling #2 album and a sold out UK tour. His latest album, 'Here's What I Believe' gave him his third UK top 10 album in August 2012 and he's already back to work on his next, due out later this year.

Edited April 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

22. AMELIA LILY (19 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 8, runner up, Xenomania/Sony Music, 2011 - present)

 

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UK top 40 hits: 2

UK top 40 albums: 0

Biggest single: 'You Bring Me Joy', UK #2, September 2012

Best known for: being X Factor's ultimate wildcard

 

Having had something of a troubled upbringing in the face of her dreams of making it into music - she'd been recording YouTube covers from the age of 13 - Amelia Lily auditioned for 'The X Factor' in 2011 and recieved a standing ovation from all four judges with a rip roaring rendition of Erma Franklin's 'Piece of My Heart'. So it was something of a shock when, as one of the early favourites, she was booted off in the first week as part of a twist where each judge had to send home one of their four acts.

 

A few weeks later though, and with the show having seen the controverstial dismissal of the howling walking sperm bank Frankie Cocozza, she was given another lifeline and was voted back in to the live shows on week 6. She remained in the competition until the final at Wembley that year (and even topped the votes twice in that time) and finished a very respectable third.

 

After completing the finalists' tour in March last year, she then quickly signed a £500,000 deal and has become reality pop's second graduate to work with the legendary production team of Brian Higgins and Xenomania - the results of which thus far have been pretty fruitful with a debut #2 hit last September and another top 20 hit only a couple of months ago. And with her debut album 'Be a Fighter' set for release later this month, Amelia's star is still on the rise yet.

Edited April 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

Just missing out on the top 20 now, and our second highest Fame Academy student...

 

21. SINEAD QUINN (19 points)

('Fame Academy' series 1, runner up, Mercury, 2002 - 2003)

 

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UK top 40 hits: 2

UK top 40 albums: 0

Biggest single: 'I Can't Break Down', UK #2, February 2003

Biggest album: 'Ready to Run', UK #48, July 2003

Best known for: the first rock chick of reality pop

 

Sinead Quinn had just graduated from the University of Hull when she went for the first series of 'Fame Academy' in 2002 - and she was the only one chosen by the public to enter the academy as a wildcard. It was a decision from the public that paid off well as she stayed there for the whole series, with her most memorable performances including covers of No Doubt's 'Don't Speak' and Macy Gray's 'I Try'.

 

After finishing second behind David Sneddon, she signed with Mercury for a five album £1 million deal only a week later, and by February the following year 'I Can't Break Down', the song she'd written and performed whilst still on the show became a huge radio and chart hit, just missing out on number 1 to the mighty debut single from tATu. Following this up with another top 20 hit and her debut and so far only commercially released album to date in the summer of 2003, she also appeared on fellow academy student Malachi's debut album.

 

She has continued to achieve great success back in her native Ireland, and also did a bit of stage work when she took on the role of Beth in the 2007 touring version of Jeff Wayne's 'War of the Worlds'. Since then she has become frontwoman of her own country music band, Sinead and the Dawnbreakers. She also got married to The Feeling's drummer Paul Stewart in the winter of 2007.

-

Edited April 24, 20169 yr by Electric Top 10

Sinead Quinn :wub:

Real pity how Joe McElderry's career has been handled. So talented but whoever is handling him always seems to get it wrong.

I loved Sinead Quinn, I Cant Break Down was so good! Rosie Ribbons too had so much potential and I remember she was always my favourite for that series.

 

Same Difference were the best of a very bad bunch that season too. They come from my hometown as well so naturally I supported them heavily! Haha.

Ainsley's Keep Me A Secret is utterly wonderful.

Same Difference! :wub: Their second album is a fantastic dance album, and I did love quite a few tracks from their first too! :kink:

Into the top 20 we go now - and next up the first of two male X Factor winners...

 

20. SHAYNE WARD (19 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 2, winner, SyCo Music/RCA, 2005 - 2011)

 

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/12786961/Shayne%20Ward%200600471900.jpg

 

UK top 40 hits: 6

UK top 40 albums: 3

Biggest single: 'That's My Goal', UK #1, December 2005

Biggest album: 'Shayne Ward', UK #1, April 2006

Best known for: putting the sex into X Factor

 

Having given 'Popstars: The Rivals' a shot in 2002 - and failing to make it past the boot camp stages of the show - it was three years later before Shayne Ward's fairytale ascension from shoe seller into pop's Prince Charming began on the second series of 'The X Factor'. It wasn't really until he'd made it through to the lives in Louis' category (known back then as the 18-24's) that people began to sit up and take notice of him.

 

And that particular moment was in the second week of the competition, when he showcased his incredible falsetto range on a version of 'If You're Not the One' by Daniel Bedingfield (which he insists up until he entered the show was still the only record he'd ever brought). However, there was a brief couple of weeks when Louis had been giving him dated songs and a dated image and loyal votes alone seemed to be keeping his place in the competition.

 

One buzz cut and change of clothes later, he came thundering back as the show's heartthrob du jour in week 5 with his cover of Justin Timberlake's 'Cry Me A River' and eventually went all the way to the final - which he won by a clear mile, and his debut single, 'That's My Goal' was not only 2005's Christmas number one but is still to date the only original winner's song from the show. His self titled platinum debut album and follow up single 'No Promises' then stormed the top end of the chart the following spring.

 

It wasn't however, until late summer of 2007 when he re-emerged again, this time with a sexier, R&B influenced sound and image on the steamy phone nookie anthem 'No U Hang Up' - just kept from number 1 by Sugababes - and his second album 'Breathless' which was another platinum hit. However, constant pushbacks from Simon Cowell of his third album in favour of focus on Leona Lewis and Susan Boyle's releases meant that by the time 'Obsession' appeared in November 2010, it was a resounding flop that resulted in him being dropped. He has since gone on to do some work in the West End, starring in the 2011 revival of 'Rock of Ages' and also appeared on ITV's 'Dancing on Ice' this year.

Edited April 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

19. JLS (24 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 5, runners up, Epic/RCA, 2007 - 2013)

 

http://www.streetnortheast.com/images/Group1_preppy.jpg

 

UK top 40 hits: 11

UK top 40 albums: 4

Biggest single: 'Beat Again', UK #1, July 2009

Biggest album: 'JLS', UK #1, November 2009

Best known for: bringing the boyband back to the new decade

 

Picture the scene. It's May 2007. It was around about this time that pop had died a bit of a death in the face of indie rock ruling the charts. Only Girls Aloud and Sugababes were keeping it alive (McFly were on a downward turn with album sales and Take That weren't really classed as a boyband anymore). And the best boyband that The X Factor had produced up to this point was the shrieky histronics of Eton Road, who had only won their live show place as a result of Avenue (who featured Max George pre-The Wanted) being disqualified due to already having management.

 

Around about the same time, Oritse Williams, a slightly eccentric unsigned R&B singer from North London who'd just graduated from university, had been put forward for several boyband development projects with Sony that hadn't really fitted his vision. So he took matters into his own hands and within a window of six months he'd found his three members for his very own 'supergroup'. There was Aston Merrygold (cute as a button, relentlessly energetic and able to backflip on cue) Marvin Humes (smoulderingly charming, a former member of Simon Webbe from Blue's band VS) and Jonathan Benjamin 'JB' Gill (a former rugby player and theology student at King's College London who'd been working with a vocal coach).

 

Originally called UFO (that's Unique Famous Outrageous for those not in the know) they spent the best part of a year trying to break into the industry, even winning an Urban Music Awards 'Best Unsigned Act' gong along the way. But still nothing had really taken off for them - that was of course, until they entered the 5th series of 'The X Factor' in 2008. Loved by all the judges (Cheryl declared that they were the best group they'd ever had on the series) and soon developing a huge following with their colour coordinated uniform of hoodies, perfectly harmonised and sharply choreographed performances, JLS were on the map, and finished second place in the final show off with Alexandra Burke.

 

But they needn't have worried when Simon Cowell refused to sign them (only the winner was guaranteed a record deal that year). They'd caught the eye of Epic's Nick Raphael, the A&R bod who'd helped guide Another Level and Blue to illustrious success. So from the minute they signed to the label in February 2009, it was lift off from thereon in. To date, they are still the show's act with the most UK number 1 singles to their name (five as of August 2011). All three of their first three albums went platinum (their self titled debut sold over a million copies in five months), they were the first act from the show to ever win a BRIT award (two in 2010 for Best British Breakthrough and Best British Single for their debut chart topper 'Beat Again'), they play to packed out arenas up and down the country on a yearly basis, and have also hit the big screen with a 3D movie 'Eyes Wide Open' and their own charitable foundation working with NSPCC, Rays of Sunshine, MS Society and Beatbullying amongst others.

 

The end of last year saw the release of their fourth album, 'Evolution', showcasing a harder, more grown up sound not too dissimilar to that of Justin Timberlake's 'Justified' era. Since announcing that they will split at the end of this year after half a decade of success, they will tour one more time and release their greatest hits in November - and in the meantime they're all pursuing individual projects. Aston has just recently gone back to his reality roots, taking over from Adam Garcia as a judge on Sky1's 'Got to Dance'. Oritse has set up his own management company and looks after Blue and his own girl group, Vida. Marvin is now a weekly host of his own dance music show on Capital FM, and JB is - believe it or not - giving farming a go. They're nothing if not experimental.

Edited June 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

Diana for #1!

I don't care what anyone says, The Rest Is History is fantastic all the way through. One of the best duos for pop music from the X-Factor. I rarely care for reality contestants anymore (even Amelia Lily who I should love I only have a passing interest in) but Same Difference were something quite different.

Diana for #1!

 

This!!! Hopefully Diana can at least finish top 15 though! :D

18. MATT CARDLE (26 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 7, winner, Columbia/SyCo Music/So Recordings, 2010 - present)

 

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UK top 40 hits: 2

UK top 40 albums: 2

Biggest single: 'When We Collide', UK #1, December 2010

Biggest album: 'Letters', UK #2, October 2011

Best known for: going from reality back to roots

 

Just a year on from Olly Murs (more on him later) and Stacey Solomon appearing on the show's 6th series, Essex was about to offer up another burdgeoning talent for The X Factor's 7th jaunt in 2010. A painter and decorator by day, Halstead's Matt Cardle had been playing guitar and writing songs from the age of 11 and had been in a couple of bands from the age of 17, and having wowed everyone at his first audition it was when the over's minimum age was increased to 28 that he found himself mentored by Dannii in the boys' category that year.

 

Consistently winning praise from the judges for his haunting, moving performances (his own mentor was reduced to tears on his performance of Roberta Flack's 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' on week 5 of the show) and having topped the votes every week that year bar the first week he won the final that year with a comfortable 44.61% of the vote. His million selling cover of Biffy Clyro's 'Many of Horror' (retitled as 'When We Collide' for his release) grabbed the Christmas number one and he duly signed a joint deal with SyCo and Columbia.

 

Though his only other UK top 10 single 'Run For Your Life' wasn't met with the same glorious fanfare as that debut winner's single (it reached #6), he established himself pretty quickly as a formidable albums artist, with his debut set 'Letters' reaching platinum sales and sending him on a theatre tour of the UK which culminated in a sold out show at London's Hammersmith Apollo (still according to him the best gig he's ever done). After leaving his SyCo/Columbia deal for more artistic independence with his current deal at So Recordings, he returned to the top 10 of the album chart last autumn with his second album 'The Fire' and has repositioned himself quite comfortably in a more singer-songwriter type bracket.

Edited April 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

17. MISHA B (30 points)

('The X Factor' UK series 8, runner up, RCA/Relentless, 2011 - present)

 

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UK top 40 hits: 2

UK top 40 albums: 0

Biggest single: 'Do You Think of Me', UK #9, November 2012

Best known for: being X Factor's coolest pint sized diva

 

It's fair to say that if Misha B was an adjective she'd be (in slightly camp voice) 'fierce'. Born and raised in the Moss Side and Long Sight districts of Manchester, and having completed a vocal artist course at Trafford College, she blew everyone away when she half sang, half rapped her way through her own reworking of Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' at the auditions in X Factor's eighth series, and not only won praise from the judges but almost immediately found herself the toast of credible publications like The Telegraph, who called her 'a 21st century Grace Jones' and 'a break from the norm' by BBC 1Xtra.

 

Despite being clouded in a brief shade of controversy in the live shows when accused of backstage bullying by Tulisa and Louis, it didn't seem to hinder Misha's performances on the show and she finished fourth in the semi final. Soon after leaving the show, and having been approached by several labels, she recorded a live freestyle session for the renowned urban music blog SB.TV, and eventually signed with former home of So Solid Crew, Relentless in February last year.

 

She seemed to step out of her X Factor shell with complete ease - first when she released her own free MP3 mixtape 'Why Hello World', exactly a year ago and met with critical acclaim. She's already stormed the charts with two top 20 hits - the feisty 'Home Run' and the subdued, almost Robyn-esque 'Do You Think of Me' which became her first top 10 hit. And with her latest single, the Teena Marie sampling 'Here's to Everything' due for release at the end of this month, and her album (featuring collaborations with Emeli Sande and MNEK to name but two) coming this summer, Misha's star is ever on the ascent.

Edited April 10, 201312 yr by ThePensmith

This!!! Hopefully Diana can at least finish top 15 though! :D

 

Wait and see ;)