Girls Aloud, an English-Irish pop group, was formed on the ITV talent show "Popstars: The Rivals" in 2002. The lineup included Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts, and Kimberley Walsh. By 2012, they were celebrated as the UK's best-selling girl group of the 21st century, boasting over 4.3 million single sales and 4 million album sales in the UK. The group enjoyed a remarkable streak of twenty top ten singles in the UK, including four number ones, and released seven certified albums, with two reaching the top spot. Their achievements include a Brit Award for Best Single in 2009 for "The Promise."

Known for their pop sound, Girls Aloud also delved into electropop, dance-pop, and dance-rock. Their work with Brian Higgins and the Xenomania songwriting and production team garnered critical acclaim for their fresh take on pop music. As one of the rare UK reality TV acts to enjoy sustained success, they amassed a fortune of £30 million by 2010. Their accolades include being named the "Most Successful Reality TV Group" by the Guinness World Records in 2007, holding the record for "Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a Female Group" in 2008, and again being recognized for their reality TV success in 2011.