Years & Years
| Company type | Music group / Solo project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2010 in London, England |
| Founder | Mikey Goldsworthy, Noel Leeman, Emre Türkmen, Olly Alexander, Olivier Subria |
| Headquarters | London , England |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Olly Alexander (frontman, solo project from 2021), Mikey Goldsworthy (live musician), Emre Türkmen (songwriting and production) |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Years & Years originated as an English electropop ensemble formed in London in 2010. They rose to fame with their 2015 hit single "King", which secured the top position on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top ten across thirteen additional territories. Their inaugural album, Communion (2015), debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and became the fastest-selling debut album of that year by a UK-signed act. The album featured the hit track "Shine", which reached number two in the UK charts.
The band’s sophomore album, Palo Santo, was released in July 2018 and also attained a position within the UK top ten. This record included the singles "Sanctify" and "If You're Over Me", both of which were UK top ten successes. In March 2021, Years & Years evolved into a solo project led by frontman Olly Alexander. Their third studio album, Night Call, launched in January 2022, debuted atop the UK charts. By 2023, Alexander discontinued using the band’s name, confirming that the project would officially end in 2024.
Over their active years, Years & Years garnered six Brit Awards nominations and won numerous honors including an Attitude Award, Sound of 2015 Award, British LGBT Award, Brits Billion Award, Music Moves Europe Award, GQ Award, GAFFA Award, MTV Video Music Awards Japan Award, and accolades from the UK Music Video Awards.
2010–2014: Formation and early development
The formation of Years & Years occurred in 2010 when Mikey Goldsworthy relocated from Australia to London and connected with Noel Leeman, later linking up with Emre Türkmen through online channels. Olly Alexander joined as lead singer after Goldsworthy recognized his vocal abilities. Initially comprising five members—including Leeman and Olivier Subria—the group released their debut single "I Wish I Knew" in July 2012 via the Good Bait label. Following departures by Leeman and Subria in 2013, the band continued as a trio.
In 2013, this trio secured a deal with French label Kitsuné and put out their second single "Traps," followed by "Real" in February 2014, whose music video starred actors Ben Whishaw and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. The band then signed with Polydor Records in 2014, releasing "Take Shelter," which topped the iTunes UK Singles Electronic Chart. Their December 2014 release "Desire" climbed to number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.
2015–2016: Breakthrough with Communion
At the start of 2015, Years & Years won the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015 poll. In January that year, their sixth single "King" debuted on BBC Radio 1, earning distinction as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record in the World. Released on 1 March 2015, "King" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and broke into top ten positions internationally, including Australia, Germany, and Switzerland. On 25 February 2015, they were nominated for the Critics Choice Award at the BRIT Awards.
On 18 March 2015, Years & Years announced their first studio album, Communion, which was released on 10 July 2015 through Polydor Records. The album entered at number one on the UK Albums Chart, marking it as the fastest-selling debut album of that year by any UK-signed artist and becoming the first chart-topper under the New Music Fridays system.
To support Communion, they orchestrated an interactive advertisement takeover during a Channel 4 broadcast on the album’s release night—a pioneering campaign where viewers influenced which of three exclusive videos for their subsequent single "Shine" would air by tweeting hashtags #ChooseLight, #ChooseShadow, or #ChooseDark. This initiative attracted an audience of 1.55 million and became Channel 4's most engaging ad campaign. "Shine" followed "King" as their seventh single, peaking at number two on UK charts. Their eighth single, "Eyes Shut", was accompanied by a post-apocalyptic themed video shot near Sofia, Bulgaria.
In January 2016, Years & Years received four Brit Award nominations: British Group, British Breakthrough Act, British Single ("King"), and British Artist Video ("King"). On 2 March that year, they revealed a collaboration with Tove Lo on a revamped version of "Desire". The accompanying video explored LGBT themes including sexuality and gender identity issues, highlighting frontman Olly Alexander's role as an advocate for these causes.
Their largest headline performance to date took place on 8 April 2016 at London's sold-out Wembley Arena, supported by acts such as MØ, Nimmo, and Mabel. In July 2016, they released a video for "Worship", directed by Matt Lambert with choreography by Ryan Heffington. The Communion tour culminated with a show at Lollapalooza Berlin on 11 September 2016.
2016–2019: Palo Santo
On 13 September 2016, the group unveiled "Meteorite," a track included on the Bridget Jones's Baby soundtrack, with its official video released on 28 September. Alexander partnered with Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter to craft new songs, resulting in the debut single from their album, "Sanctify," which was launched on 7 March 2018. Within a day, the video became the top trending clip on YouTube. Alexander revealed that the song drew from personal encounters with men grappling to accept non-heterosexual attractions.
The follow-up single, "If You're Over Me," came out on 10 May 2018 and climbed to number 6 on the UK charts. On 18 June 2018, the band announced European tour dates for their Palo Santo Tour. Additional singles "Palo Santo" and "All for You" were released later that month, culminating in the full album's release on 6 July 2018. The album earned critical praise and secured the number 3 spot on the UK Albums Chart. The video for "All for You," which debuted on 17 September, showcased a compelling visual of Alexander morphing and dancing alongside an android figure.
In November 2018, Years & Years collaborated with Jess Glynne to record a cover of "Come Alive" for The Greatest Showman: Reimagined. That same month saw the release of "Play," a joint effort with DJ Jax Jones that reached number 8 on the UK Official Chart. The music video depicted Alexander and Jones dancing atop a supermarket conveyor belt surrounded by branded products.
On Valentine's Day 2019, the band released "Valentino," featuring MNEK. During their Asia tour in March, Emre took a break following the birth of his daughter. At Glastonbury Festival 2019, Years & Years performed live, where Alexander delivered a highly praised address focusing on social issues.
On 11 September 2019, they released "Dreamland," a collaboration with Pet Shop Boys. Although written in 2017 and initially intended for Palo Santo, it was eventually included on Pet Shop Boys’ 2020 album Hotspot. Alexander joined them for a live rendition at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park.
2021–2023: Transition to solo act, Night Call, disbandment
In 2021, coinciding with Alexander’s appearance in the drama series It's a Sin, Years & Years issued a cover of the Pet Shop Boys’ track sharing the show’s title.
On 18 March 2021, an announcement via Instagram revealed that the forthcoming album would mark Olly Alexander’s solo project under the Years & Years brand. Goldsworthy remained involved as a live musician, while Türkmen concentrated on songwriting and production duties. Alexander explained in an interview with Capital FM that after ten years together, their musical directions diverged—especially influenced by the pandemic—leading them to pursue individual careers. He stressed that this separation was friendly and reflected their natural evolution.
Alexander decided to keep using the Years & Years name due to his deep personal connection to it, comparing bands to marriages where parting ways is challenging but handled with respect.
The first single from their third studio album, "Starstruck," was announced on 23 March 2021 and released on 8 April as Years & Years’ inaugural solo track. A remix featuring Kylie Minogue followed in May. The second single, "Crave," dropped on 28 September alongside the announcement of Night Call, which was released on 21 January 2022. Further collaborations included "A Second to Midnight" with Kylie Minogue for her Disco reissue and "Sweet Talker" with Galantis.
Years & Years headlined BBC’s New Year’s Eve special titled The Big New Years & Years Eve Party, which featured guest performances by Minogue and Pet Shop Boys.
In February 2022, a remix of "Starstruck" featuring Japanese artist SIRUP was released. Later that year in November, Years & Years covered Crystal Waters’ "100% Pure Love" for Target’s holiday advertising campaign.
On 3 June 2023, Years & Years co-headlined the Mighty Hoopla festival alongside American vocalist Kelly Rowland.
2023-2025: Human Family, Eurovision, and Olly Alexander's Solo Endeavors
In February 2023, Emre Türkmen joined forces with Mikey Goldsworthy to create the duo Human Family, securing a deal with BMG in collaboration with the independent publisher Minds On Fire. Their inaugural single, "I Like You," was launched in 2025.
On 16 December 2023, Olly Alexander was revealed as the United Kingdom's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, choosing to perform under his own name rather than the Years & Years moniker. He conveyed that this moment marked the ideal time to embark on his solo journey. His first solo album, Polari, became available on 7 February 2025.
Influences
The group draws inspiration from a wide array of pop and electronic artists including Christina Aguilera, Radiohead, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Flying Lotus, Marilyn Manson, the Beatles, Jai Paul, Timbaland, Joni Mitchell, Aaliyah, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Robyn, Scritti Politti, Sigur Rós, and Pet Shop Boys. A notable collaboration includes Years & Years working with Pet Shop Boys on their rendition of "It's a Sin" as well as the 2019 track "Dreamland".
Their live sets have featured covers of performers such as Blu Cantrell, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Pet Shop Boys, Ariana Grande, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Joni Mitchell, Brandy, and Drake.
Band members
- Olly Alexander – lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, piano
- Mikey Goldsworthy – keyboards, synthesizers, bass guitar
- Emre Türkmen – keyboards, synthesizers, beats, samples, sequencers, laptop, guitar
- Noel Leeman – keyboards, synthesizers
- Olivier Subria – drums
Former touring personnel
- Dylan Bell – drums
- Paris Jeffree – drums
- Phebe Edwards – backing vocals
- Joell Fender – backing vocals
- Yasmin Green – backing vocals
- Tehillah Daniel – backing vocals
Discography
- Communion (2015)
- Palo Santo (2018)
- Night Call (2022)
Tours
- Communion Tour (2015–2016)
- Palo Santo Tour (2018–2019)
- Night Call Tour (2022)
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attitude Awards | 2015 | Communion | Album of the Year | Template:Won |
| BBC Music Awards | 2015 | Themselves | British Artist of the Year | Template:Nom |
| BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards | 2015 | "King" | Best British Single | Template:Nom |
| Themselves | Best British Group | Template:Nom | ||
| 2018 | Themselves | Best British Group | Template:Nom | |
| BBC Sound of... | 2015 | Themselves | Sound of 2015 | Template:Won |
| Berlin Music Video Awards | 2022 | "Sweet Talker" | Best Art Direction | Template:Nom |
| 2024 | "Dizzy" | Best Cinematography | Template:Nom | |
| Best Art Vinyl | 2022 | Night Call | Best Vinyl Art | Template:Nom |
| Brit Awards | 2015 | Themselves | Critics' Choice | Template:Nom |
| 2016 | British Breakthrough Act | Template:Nom | ||
| British Group | Template:Nom | |||
| "King" | British Single of the Year | Template:Nom | ||
| British Video of the Year | Template:Eliminated |
Exit Kid
Emre Türkmen established the grunge duo Exit Kid in 2017, collaborating with touring drummer Dylan Bell. While still part of Years & Years, Türkmen and Bell launched multiple EPs under Exit Kid. In 2020, the duo unveiled the single "You Got All The World," which included vocals from Türkmen's wife. The project further expanded its footprint in the alternative music scene with the release of the singles "Out Of Time" and "Sura" in 2022.