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SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
by GIRLS ALOUD

With their debut single, Girls Aloud had change on their mind. Cheryl, Nicola, Nadine, Kimberley and Sarah may have been put together via a public vote on Popstars: The Rivals, but their material transcended the medium through which they found their fame; with a dark and sneering surf guitar and a drum'n'bass-adjacent production that heralded Britain's newest girlband as something new. 

Finding the perfect collaborators in pop contortionists Xenomania, Girls Aloud exploded with Sound of the Underground, and it signposted them as a pop act who weren't prepared to play by pre-determined pop rules. When had a reality TV show winner's single ever sounded like this?

In direct competition with One True Voice for Christmas Number 1, the campaign was on to 'Buy Girls, Bye Boys!' and pop justice reigned supreme - Sound of the Underground debuted at Number 1 as 2002's Christmas Number 1 single and kickstarted Girls Aloud's record-setting 20 consecutive Top 10 singles, a body of work that constantly challenged and interrogated what British pop music could look, do and sound like.

girls aloud sound of the underground single cover

Music video

Official Charts logo Official Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue number0658272
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 4No. 1
  2. 7Top. 10
  3. 10Top. 20
  4. 13Top. 40
  5. 21Top. 75
  6. 22Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

22 weeks - 28/12/2002 to 24/05/2003

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Official Charts logo Official Singles Sales Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position2
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue numberGBAKW0201569
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No. 1
  2. 1Top. 10
  3. 1Top. 20
  4. 1Top. 40
  5. 1Top. 75
  6. 2Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

1 week - 16/09/2021

1 week - 22/12/2022

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Official Charts logo Official Singles Downloads Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position97
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue numberGBAKW0201569
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No. 1
  2. 0Top. 10
  3. 0Top. 20
  4. 0Top. 40
  5. 0Top. 75
  6. 1Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

1 week - 16/09/2021

Buy

Official Charts logo Official Physical Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue number0658272
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 5No. 1
  2. 8Top. 10
  3. 12Top. 20
  4. 19Top. 40
  5. 31Top. 75
  6. 36Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

22 weeks - 28/12/2002 to 24/05/2003

7 weeks - 22/12/2022 to 02/02/2023

1 week - 06/04/2023

1 week - 11/05/2023

1 week - 29/06/2023

1 week - 07/12/2023

1 week - 04/01/2024

2 weeks - 18/01/2024 to 25/01/2024

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Official Charts logo Official Vinyl Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue numberGBAKW0201569
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 1No. 1
  2. 2Top. 10
  3. 2Top. 20
  4. 6Top. 40
  5. 6Top. 75
  6. 6Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

4 weeks - 22/12/2022 to 12/01/2023

1 week - 26/01/2023

1 week - 29/06/2023

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