Steps

Steps is a British pop group consisting of members Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian "H" Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans, and Lisa Scott-Lee. Steps formed on 7 May 1997 and have so far released four studio albums, three compilation albums, and seventeen singles to date. Their musical approach throughout their career had a strong 1990s pop sound, similar to many artists of their time. Their name was based on a simple marketing gimmick: each of their music videos was choreographed, and the dance steps were included with most of their single releases. Over the five years they were together, Steps achieved a series of charting singles between 1997 and 2001 including two number-one singles in the UK (one a double A-side), two number-one albums in the UK, 14 consecutive top 5 singles in the UK and a string of hits throughout Europe. The group has sold over 20 million records worldwide in addition to acquiring a BRIT Award nomination in 1999 for Best Newcomer while supporting Britney Spears on tour the same year. When Richards and Watkins departed, the group disbanded on 26 December 2001. Their penultimate single reached number five on the UK charts while their final album of greatest hits, Gold (2001), scored the band their second number-one album in the UK. Steps reformed in May 2011 for a four-part documentary series on Sky Living titled Steps: The Reunion. The series started airing on 28 September, following an announcement of a second Greatest Hits album, The Ultimate Collection, that was released on 10 October. The album entered the charts at #1, becoming the band's third UK #1 album. Series 2 of the Steps Reunion titled "Steps: On the Road Again" aired on Sky Living in April 2012; the series followed the band as they embarked on their sellout 22-date UK tour. On 24 September 2012, the group confirmed they would release their fourth studio album Light Up The World on 12 November 2012, alongside a six-date Christmas tour, starting on 30 November and ending on 5 December.