Alphabeat

This Danish pop band was formed in the central town of Silkeborg in 2004. Originally performing as Sodastar, the line-up of Anders SG (b. Anders Stig Gehrt Nielsen; vocals), Anders B (b. Anders Bønløkke; guitar), Stine B. Simonsen (vocals), Rasmus Nikolai Nagel Nielsen (keyboards), Anders Reinholdt (bass) and Troels Møller Hansen (drums) was forced to change their name owing to the existence of a German band already using the Sodastar moniker. As Alphabeat, the sextet signed a contract with the recently established Copenhagen Records in 2006 and teamed up with noted Danish producer Rune Westberg to record their debut album. The retro pop style favoured by songwriters Anders B and Westberg was cloying but undeniably catchy, and within a few months the band had shot into the upper regions of the Danish charts with "Fascination". Further hit singles followed with "10,000 Nights Of Thunder" and "Boyfriend", while the band's self-titled album quickly racked up platinum status in their native Denmark. A UK contract with Charisma Records followed as the sextet looked to take their colourful pop music onto the international stage.