A Touch of Class (band)

This article is about German international band also known as ATC. For American soul / R&B singing band from Philadelphia, see Touch of Class (band). For other uses, see A Touch of Class.
A Touch of Class
Background information
Also known as ATC
Origin Germany
Genres Europop, Eurodance
Years active 1998–2003
Associated acts DJ Jurgen
Past members Joseph "Joey" Murray
Sarah Egglestone
Tracey Elizabeth Packham
Livio Salvi

A Touch of Class (also known as ATC) was an international pop group based in Germany, although the four members each came from different countries Joseph "Joey" Murray from New Zealand, Livio Salvi from Italy, Sarah Egglestone from Australia and Tracey Elizabeth Packham from the United Kingdom. The pop group was active from 1998 to 2003 and peaked its popularity after release of Around The World (La La La La La) in 2000.

Musical career

Their first single, "Around the World (La La La La La)" (which was a cover of the song "Pesenka" by the Russian group Ruki Vverh!) was first released on May 22, 2000 and went number one in Germany for six weeks in 2000. It was later a Top 40 hit in the United Kingdom and United States. The song was in a television commercial for General Electric in the United States in early 2002. The song was also covered in 2007 by the band BeFour under the name "Magic Melody". In 2009, the song was sampled in La La La by rapper Chris Webby. In 2010, the song was sampled in the singles "La La La" by Auburn (featuring Iyaz), which peaked at no. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in "2 in the Morning" by Girlicious, which peaked at no. 35 on the Canadian Hot 100.

Their debut album Planet Pop, featuring songs from Alex Christensen and Clyde Ward, was released on February 6, 2001 by Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Republic Records, for which they were awarded an ECHO for Best Dance Act. Similar-sounding follow-up singles were successful in parts of Europe, but A Touch of Class are mainly remembered for their first hit.

The DJ and producer ATB successfully took the band's record label to court, and they were forced to change their name to A Touch of Class. Three singles were released from their second album Touch the Sky in 2003, but they were not particularly successful, and the group members decided to go their separate ways.

After commercial failure of Touch The Sky, ATC was disbanded in spring 2003.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
Album
AUS AUT BEL FIN FRA GER NED SWE SUI
2000 "Around the World (La La La La La)" 11 1 10 7 12 1 5 8 1
  • GER: Platinum
  • AUT: Gold
  • SWI: Gold
  • FRA: Silver
Planet Pop
"My Heart Beats Like a Drum (Dam Dam Dam)" 76 6 11 12 39 3 37 38 21
  • GER: Gold
"Why Oh Why" 16 39 16 64
"Thinking of You" 46 51
2001 "I'm In Heaven (When You Kiss Me)" 27 22 31 Touch the Sky
"Call on Me"[1]
"Set Me Free"[2] 44
"New York City" 81
"—" denotes releases that failed to chart or not released in that country.

References