Girls Aloud's I'll Stand By You becomes group's second Number 1: Official Charts Flashback

Cheryl Tweedy, Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle and Kimberley Walsh are back with The Girls Aloud Show Tour, a run of 2024 reunion shows in 'celebration' of their late bandmate Sarah Harding.

But did you know that, on this week in 2004, Girls Aloud stormed to Number 1 with their stunning cover of The Pretenders' I'll Stand By You.

Released as that year's official Children in Need single, the dewy-eyed ballad became the group's second Number 1 single after their 2002 debut Sound of the Underground. The Anglo-Irish girl band have since added another two chart-toppers to their tally: 2007's Walk This Way with Sugababes and 2008's The Promise.

The Pretenders' original version of I'll Stand By You peaked at Number 10 in 1994. The song was written by the band's frontwoman Chrissie Hynde with songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, whose other credits include Madonna's Like a Virgin and Cyndi Lauper's True Colors.

MORE: See where every Girls Aloud song and album has charted in the UK

Girls Aloud fans will know that the iconic five-piece – Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh and the late Sarah Harding – racked up an incredible 20 consecutive Top 10 hits between 2002 and 2008.

They added a 21st Top 10 hit to their Official Singles Chart record in 2010, when Something New peaked at Number 3, and also scored two Number 1 albums with 2006's The Sound Of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits and 2008's Out of Control.

Girls Aloud last released new music in 2012 when four new songs appeared on their career-spanning compilation album Ten.

MORE: Girls Aloud's Official Top 20 songs of all time revealed

Also during this week in 2004, Lemar entered at Number 3 with If There's Any Justice to score his fourth straight Top 10 hit since breaking through on the BBC talent show Fame Academy. His highest Official Singles Chart position remains the Number 2 peak of his 2003 debut Dance (with U).

Right behind Lemar, No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani entered at Number 4 with What You Waiting For?, the lead single from her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Another. Another notable new entry came from McFly, who landed at Number 5 with Room on the 3rd Floor, the title track from their chart-topping debut album. It's one of the band's 19 Top 10 hits to date.

View the Top 100 Official Singles Chart from this week in 2004.