A1 (group)
| Company type | Boy band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Tim Byrne (manager/creator) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom / Norway |
Area served | United Kingdom, Norway, Southeast Asia |
Key people | Tim Byrne (manager) |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Number of employees | 4 (band members) |
A1 (styled as a1) is a British–Norwegian boy band established in 1998.
Their initial single, "Be the First to Believe", climbed to number six on the UK singles chart in 1999. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, they enjoyed considerable chart success in both the UK and Southeast Asia, securing two UK number one singles along with six additional top 10 hits, seven of which were penned by the group members themselves. In 2001, they received a Brit Award for "British Breakthrough Act." Managed by Tim Byrne—also the creator of Steps—the band benefited from strong industry support.
Paul Marazzi departed from the group in 2002 due to personal matters. Following this, the remaining members disbanded soon after, citing fatigue from extensive touring over a four-year period.
In December 2009, Ingebrigtsen, Read, and Adams reunited as a1 without Marazzi to perform concerts at the Christiania Theatre in Oslo. Since their reunion, they have released new singles along with two studio albums: Waiting for Daylight (2010) and Rediscovered (2012).
In 2014, A1 appeared on the ITV2 documentary The Big Reunion, featuring alongside acts such as Eternal, Damage, among others.
1998: Formation
After missing out on joining Steps, Paul Marazzi met with Tim Byrne in 1998 to discuss forming a new band. Auditions were conducted to select Christian Ingebrigtsen, Mark Read, and Ben Adams, completing the lineup managed by Byrne and Vicky Blood.
1999: Here We Come
A1 signed a deal with Columbia Records in February 1999 and released their debut single "Be the First to Believe" during the summer of that year. Their debut album, Here We Come, was issued in November and reached number 4 on Norway’s charts, generating four UK top ten singles.
2000–2001: The A List
In 2000, A1 secured two number-one UK hits with "Take On Me" and "Same Old Brand New You". The music video for their seventh single "No More" was shot in Singapore amid an Asian tour. In 2001, they embarked on a major arena tour across Asia where they enjoyed substantial popularity. That year also saw Sony Music launch 'Access All Areas', a subscription-based service for A1 fans—an early example of an artist-focused social networking platform.
2002: Make It Good, Marazzi's exit and disbandment
Their third studio album, Make It Good, reflected a change in musical direction but ultimately was their final release. On 8 October 2002, Marazzi exited the band for personal reasons, which precipitated the group's dissolution shortly thereafter.
2002–2009: Post-breakup activities and solo ventures
In January 2004, an Asian release titled Best of A1 compiled singles alongside unreleased concert performances and exclusive B-sides. After Ben Adams’ participation on Celebrity Big Brother in 2009, the band issued a Greatest Hits compilation in the UK.
Adams launched his solo career with the single "Sorry" in 2005, which peaked at number 18 on UK charts. Although an album was planned, he parted ways with his record label. His profile was further elevated following his reality TV appearance in 2009.
Christian Ingebrigtsen began his solo journey with "In Love With an Angel" in 2004, maintaining a Top 10 position in Norway for nearly three months. He followed this with "Things Are Gonna Change" before shifting his focus away from performing.
Mark Read moved into songwriting after signing with Metrophonic in 2002, contributing material for artists such as Charlotte Church, Boyzone, and Michael Bolton. He released his debut solo single "Greatest Lady in My Life" in March 2009 and followed up with his album Peace at Last in June that year.
Following his departure from A1, Paul Marazzi engaged in charity event hosting and rejected offers to appear on reality television. In late 2005 he formed the soul/rock group Snagsby but left by early 2009 to pursue work as a club DJ at The George Hotel in Whitby.
2009–2010: Trio Reunion and Waiting for Daylight
In November 2008, the band created a Myspace profile to keep their audience informed. By summer 2009, they officially declared their reunion and announced a series of December concerts in Oslo. Upon hearing about the reunion on Norwegian television, Marazzi extended his good wishes to the group. Their first new single in seven years, "Take You Home", was launched on iTunes Norway on 2 November, reaching number nine on the Norway Singles Chart. Later that year, the band entered the competition to represent Norway with "Don't Wanna Lose You Again", which climbed to number four nationally and achieved second place in the national selection. Adams subsequently represented Norway in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest as part of Subwoolfer, finishing tenth with "Give That Wolf a Banana". The group made their UK return by performing at London's Heaven on New Year's Eve. In March 2010, they embarked on a global tour beginning in Norway and extending through Europe and other regions during the autumn. Their first studio album since 2002 was released on 11 October 2010, featuring singles such as "Take You Home", "Don't Wanna Lose You Again", "In Love and I Hate It", and "Waiting for Daylight".
2011–2012: Rediscovered
In October 2011, the band appeared on Channel 5's OK TV to promote their British comeback show at the O2 Academy Islington on 31 October, garnering favorable reviews from This Must Be Pop and Time Out. On 18 November 2011, they issued the single "Another Year Gone". On 28 February 2012, A1 performed at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, sharing the stage with Blue and Jeff Timmons from 98 Degrees as part of "The Greatest Hits Tour." The itinerary also included performances in Jakarta, Indonesia and Manila, Philippines. On 8 May 2012, they announced a forthcoming single titled "Just Three Words", a collaboration with Annie Khalid.
2013–2014: The Big Reunion
In December 2013, A1 returned without Marazzi for the ITV2 documentary series The Big Reunion. By October 2014, they joined fellow acts from the show—including Blue, Five, Damage, 3T, 911, and new formation 5th Story—to participate in The Big Reunion Boy Band Tour 2014.
On 3 October 2014, A1 performed "Physical Love" on the Norwegian program The Hit, which was subsequently released as a single titled "Critical Love" after winning the competition.
Their albums Waiting for Daylight and Rediscovered were made available in the UK on 12 June 2015.
2016–2017: Return Concerts
A1 held concerts in Singapore on 22 October 2016, followed by performances in Manila and Cebu on 23 and 25 October respectively.
2017–present: Marazzi Rejoins and 20th-Anniversary Tour
On 22 July 2017, Paul Marazzi reunited with fellow members Ben Adams, Christian Ingebrigtsen, and Mark Read in Newcastle. Social media posts suggested a possible full reunion of all original members.
On 7 May 2018, Ben Adams revealed on BBC Radio 2 that A1 intended to embark on a 20th-anniversary tour featuring Marazzi’s return.
By 23 May 2018, the band confirmed via Twitter and Facebook a concert series across Southeast Asia including Marazzi.
On 12 October 2018, A1 released "Armour," marking their first single with all original members since Marazzi’s departure and their previous split sixteen years earlier.
2019–present: The Reunion Show and recent releases
On 27 February 2019, the band revealed plans for their UK return, marking their first live performance in 15 years with the original members. This event was held at London's O2 Academy Islington on 1 November 2019.
In 2021, A1 introduced the single "Spiders," a collaborative composition by all four members.
Prior to their Asian a1 Twenty Five tour in September 2023, the band unveiled "Call Me When You Land," a song created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jakarta mall tragedy
During a signing event at Mall Taman Anggrek in Jakarta, Indonesia on 18 March 2001, a crowd surge caused the deaths of four teenage girls and left two others critically injured. In response, the group promptly canceled the rest of their tour dates and extended their sympathies to the families affected.
Band members
- Ben Adams (1998–2002, 2009–present)
- Mark Read (1998–2002, 2009–present)
- Christian Ingebrigtsen (1998–2002, 2009–present)
- Paul Marazzi (1998–2002, 2017–present)
Albums
- Here We Come (1999)
- The A List (2000)
- Make It Good (2002)
- Waiting for Daylight (2010)
- Rediscovered (2012)