Take Away English-Chart-topping Boy Band 行霸榜首的男生组合

Chart-topping boy band Westlife

Westlife have had amazing success in the UK and around the world, but did you know that the Irish boy band have now become the most successful chart act in the UK since the Beatles?

They have just clocked up their thirteenth number one single with “You Raise Me Up”, and at the same time their new album “Face to Face” is topping the UK Album Chart.

Westlife are the only band to match the Beatles’ record of having seven consecutive¹ number ones in the British charts. Their run of hits started with their debut² single back in 1999, and ended in 2000 with their hit “My Love”.

Their single following that “Tell Me What Makes A Man” only made it to number two in the charts. They were prevented from beating the Beatles’ record, by the theme tune³ to the well-known British children’s animation⁴ “Bob the Builder”!!

As well as sharing the record for the most consecutive number one hits, Westlife are also the only band to have their first seven singles reach the top of the charts.

Westlife can also take some credit for a record broken by another artist. TV talent show winner and successful British pop star Will Young, holds the record for the fastest-selling debut single.

His 2002 song “Evergreen”, sold 1.1 million in the first week. However, the song was originally a Westlife song. It was never a single for them, but it featured on their album “World of our Own”.

Critics of the band claim they have only managed to achieve success comparable⁵ to the Beatles because of declining⁶ singles sales. A song today can reach number one selling only several thousand copies, compared to the millions the Beatles had to sell to top the charts.

But many would argue that Westlife’s continuing success is a remarkable⁷ achievement in an industry where pop bands come and go all the time.

GLOSSARY 词汇表
chart act 流行组合 topping the charts (流行)榜上夺冠 a record 纪录 run of hits 星运 prevented (被)阻止; 避免 theme tune 主题乐 to take credit for something (参与)有份儿 critics 评论家 declining single sales 单曲销量下滑 industry 产业, 行业	clocked up 拿到 to match 相配, 相称, 匹配 consecutive 连续的; 联贯的 debut single 首张(面市)的单曲 beating 打, 挫败 animation 动画片 to hold the record 保持纪录 comparable to 比得上的; 可比较的 remarkable 显著的, 非凡的, 值得注意的, to come and go 来来往往

 

1 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

4 animation   

n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作

参考例句：

• They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。
• The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。

5 comparable   

adj.相似的，同类的，可比的，比得上的

参考例句：

• A fire is comparable with the sun,both give light and heat.火可以和太阳相比，两者都可以发光发热。
• No horse has a speed comparable to that of his.没有一匹马的速度能比得上他的马。

6 declining   

adj.下降的，衰落的

参考例句：

• The nub of the matter is that business is declining. 事情的实质是工商业在萎缩。
• It is encouraging to read that illiteracy is declining. 从读报中了解文盲情况正在好转，这是令人鼓舞的。

7 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。