Take That

Take That are a British pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. Their line-up includes Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams, with Barlow as lead singer and principal songwriter. In the group’s early years, Owen and Williams provide backing vocals, while Donald and Orange mainly perform as dancers.

Career and membership

The original group features five members, but Robbie Williams leaves in 1995. The four remaining members complete their world tour and issue a final single before the band splits in 1996. After a period away, Take That return as a four-piece without Williams in 2006 and begin recording new material again. Williams later rejoins for Progress in 2010, the first album of new material to feature the original line-up since Nobody Else in 1995. In 2014, the band record III as a trio without Williams and Orange.

Releases and chart success

Take That have eight number-one albums on the UK Albums Chart and 12 UK singles that reach number one, including “Back for Good”, “Never Forget”, “Patience”, “Greatest Day” and “These Days”. They achieve 28 UK top-40 singles and 17 top-five singles. Internationally, they have 56 number-one singles and 39 number-one albums. Their studio albums include Take That and Party (1992), Everything Changes (1993), Nobody Else (1995), Beautiful World (2006), The Circus (2008), Progress (2010), Progressed (2011), III (2014), Wonderland (2017) and This Life (2023).

Awards and recognition

The group receives eight Brit Awards, including wins for Best British Group and Best British Live Act. They are also awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 2012. In the same year, they perform “Rule the World” at the London 2012 Olympic Games closing ceremony. The British Phonographic Industry certifies them for 14 million albums and 11.4 million singles in the UK.

Tours and wider impact

Take That set a UK record for the fastest-selling tour with Progress Live in 2011, overtaking the record previously held by their Circus Live Tour in 2009. They sell more than 45 million records worldwide. Forbes names them the fifth highest-earning music stars in the world in 2012. The Official Charts Company places them 15th overall among the biggest-selling singles artists in British chart history, making them the most successful boy band in UK chart history.