Beat Again
by JLS

Album: JLS (2009)
Charted: 1
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Songfacts®:

  • This R&B flavored number was the debut single from British boyband, JLS (the name stands for "Jack the Lad Swing"). The quartet were runners up in the fifth series of the talent show X-Factor.
  • The song was written and produced by prolific UK hitmakers Steve Mac and Wayne Hector. The duo have credits on numerous #1 singles and albums for artists such as Westlife, Gareth Gates and Leona Lewis.
  • Inthenews.co.uk asked JLS member Oritsé Williams if people would be surprised that their first single wasn't a ballad. He replied: "We thought people might be, but we wanted to come out with a bang and do that. But we also wanted to come out with something that was really reflective of us. Obviously we did the X-Factor and did what we had to do to get through the weeks because they're themed; but ultimately, what we love to sing together is represented in Beat Again. As an introduction to JLS after show, we couldn't have found something better."
    Oritsé added: "The song's inspired by artists that we are inspired by and are inspired to emulate, and ultimately, tracks that we listen to on our iPod everyday."
  • This debuted at #1 on the UK singles chart. JLS thus became the second non-victorious X Factor act to subsequently top the tally. The only other act to manage this feat was Chico who finished in fifth place in the show's second series, then subsequently topped the chart with "It's Chico Time" in early 2006.
  • This song was originally titled 'No Beat.'
  • The song won the 2010 BRIT Award for Best British Single. Oritsé Williams said: "We never ever thought this would happen, you've made our dreams come true." This meant that JLS became the first act from X Factor to win a BRIT award.

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