Artists
Shayne Ward
A Side Productions with Shayne Ward,
Metropolis Studios, London,
December 2005
Simon Cowell in 2004 devised The X Factor as a replacement for the massively successful Pop Idol, which in the UK was put on indefinite hold. This new music talent show allowed both solo singers and groups to compete. No upper age limit. With the three judges Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh, famous for managing groups such as Take That, Boyzone and Westlife, The X Factor immediately turned into a huge hit.
For series 2, which ran from August to December 2005, more than 75,000 hopefuls auditioned at various locations across the UK. Among them was the twenty-one-year-old Shayne Ward. Expecting to continue working in a local Manchester clothing shop, his vocal skills and performances however attracted the jury. And by the end of the series, Ward had established his own fanbase.
In the final, broadcast on December 17, all three finalists each performed up to four songs. Among those was the newly written "That's My Goal", produced by Magnusson/Kreuger. By the end of the evening, Shayne Ward was crowned The X Factor winner.
Hoping to compete for the prestigious Christmas Number One, Ward's "That's My Goal" was released the following Wednesday. Selling an astonishing 310,000 copies in only 24 Hrs and more than 742,000 copies in the next four days, he captivated the position.
Perhaps more amazingly, "That's My Goal" entered the Top 5 list of the Fastest Selling Singles of all time. To date the single has sold well over 1,3 million copies.
On April 18, 2006, Ward's self-titled debut album hit the UK record stores. Including the smash hit and two more songs produced by A Side Productions, the album reached #1 on the UK charts only six days later.