Sound of the Underground (song)

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"Sound of the Underground"
Single by Girls Aloud
from the album Sound of the Underground
B-side(s)	"Stay Another Day"
Released	December 16, 2002
Format	CD single, Cassette.
Recorded	2002
Genre	Pop
Length	3:41
Label	Polydor
Writer(s)	Miranda Cooper Niara Scarlett Brian Higgins Xenomania
Producer(s)	Brian Higgins Xenomania
Certification	Platinum single - UK (600,000)
Chart positions
#1 (UK, Ireland) #8 (Greece) #9 (Netherlands) #13 (Belgium)
Girls Aloud singles chronology
	"Sound of the Underground" (2002)	"No Good Advice" (2003)
Alternate cover
UK CD 2 cover
Audio sample
Play "Sound of the Underground" (in browser) (help·info)

"Sound of the Underground" is the first single to be released by Popstars winners Girls Aloud. It was released on Christmas week in the UK, and spent four weeks at #1 - going platinum. In the United Kingdom, the single sold 213,140 copies in its first week of release it and has sold 560,094 copies, with the British Phonographic Industry certifying the single as a platinum single. It was also the title track of their debut album, Sound of the Underground. It was written and produced by Xenomania.

[edit] Song information

Pete Waterman who managed One True Voice, the boy band runners-up from Popstars: The Rivals, caused a media frenzy accusing the girls of not being original with this song (after they claimed it was better to release a new song than a cover as the A-side) and not singing on the record.

It emerged that the song was originally recorded by London girl group, Orchid, who disbanded before gaining a firm record deal. Many articles falsly claim that this track was then "stolen" by Girls Aloud. In actual fact, the track was owned by Xenomania (Girls Aloud's chosen producers) and the original version was used as a "session singers" version. When played to the girls and their team, it was decided they would record it and be the first to release the single - making it theirs and not a cover as some articles suggest. This is not unknown in the music industry with writers employing session singers to sing their song so they could offer it to artists to sing.

Due to the press attention, the members of Orchid are credited on the single release and remain backing singers on the single. Sarah Harding explained that this just pads out the track and is not uncommon in the industry. They also sang the track live throughout promotion to prove it was them singing and rubbish Pete Waterman's attempt to sabotage the release.

This has become one of the groups three signature songs, along with "Biology" and "Love Machine" and a favourite amongst those inside and outside the fan community.

A cover of East 17's previous Christmas number one single, "Stay Another Day" was featured as the b-side - vocals recorded by one of the other contestants from the series, Chloe (later to become a member of Clea) can be heard when listened to very closely.

[edit] Music video

Girls Aloud in their music video for "Sound of the Underground". From left to right: Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Cole & Sarah Harding.

The video for "Sound of the Underground" was shot just days after Girls Aloud's formation on the last week of competition of Popstars: The Rivals.

It features the band members in various scenes "underground".

In the group scene, they are singing backed by a band in a large metal enclosure.

As the song progresses, each band member also incorporates a tall microphone stand into the choreography, echoed in many live performances in the song.

In the solo scenes, each member is shown sitting or standing in the "underground" setting while various other shots, such as a lightbulb spontaneously cracking open, are shown.

[edit] Track listings and formats

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Sound Of The Underground".

[edit] Charts

[edit] Trivia

• An alternate version of "Sound of the Underground" with extended instrumental, appears on "The Sound of Girls Aloud" (Special Edition).

[edit] External links

• Cover of "Sounds of the Underground" at CBBC News Report 2002
• Music video for "Sound of the Underground" at YouTube