{{Short description|British dance-pop band}} {{Multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=August 2014}} {{Missing information|the band's formation|date=October 2023}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | name = Londonbeat | image = LONDONBEAT 2018.jpg | landscape = yes | caption = Londonbeat in 2018 | origin = London, England | genre = {{hlist|Dance-pop|EDM}} | discography = Londonbeat discography | years_active = 1988–present | label = {{hlist|Anxious|Radioactive}} | website = {{URL|londonbeat-official.com}} | current_members = * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers * Charles Pierre | past_members = * George Chandler * William Henshall * Marc Goldschmitz * Myles Kayne }}
'''Londonbeat''' are a British<!-- Just British, not partly American. The band was formed in London by four people who had been performing in the UK for many years. --> dance-pop band who scored a number of pop and dance hits in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ECECiLZfOMC&pg=PA20 |page=20 |title=London Calling |last=Mack |first=Bob |date=May 1991 |magazine=Spin |volume=7 |number=2 |issn=0886-3032 |quote=...one of the latest British acts to invade the U.S. via MTV.}}</ref> They currently consist of vocalists Jimmy Helms, Jimmy Chambers, and Charles Pierre. Former members include multi-instrumentalist William Henshall, George Chandler, Marc Goldschmitz, and Myles Kayne. As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, the band has released six studio albums and numerous compilations.
==History== Formed in England's capital city, Londonbeat's career took off with the song "There's a Beat Going On", from their 1988 debut album, ''Speak''. The song peaked on the UK chart at number 88.<ref name=OfficialCharts>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/60224/london-beat/ |title=Londonbeat chart history |website=Official Charts |access-date=24 December 2023}}</ref> The track "9 A.M (The Comfort Zone)", from the same record, subsequently became a modest success in the UK, rising to number 19.<ref name=OfficialCharts/> Londonbeat are best known for their 1990 single "I've Been Thinking About You", from their second album, ''In the Blood'', released the same year. After capturing the number 2 spot in the UK in September 1990,<ref name=OfficialCharts/> the song hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in February 1991.<ref name=BillboardCharts>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/londonbeat/ |title=Londonbeat Chart History |magazine=Billboard |access-date=24 December 2023}}</ref> Their follow-up single, "A Better Love", became a ''Billboard'' Top-20 hit.<ref name=BillboardCharts/>
The band issued the album ''Harmony'' in 1992 and followed it two years later with ''Londonbeat'', which spawned the single "Come Back", bringing them back to the top of the dance charts.
In 1995, Londonbeat entered the UK heats of the Eurovision Song Contest with their non-album track "I'm Just Your Puppet on a ... (String)".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7wsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39 |page=39 |title=Europe's Song Contest Sounds Out Talent |last=Bronson |first=Fred |date=15 April 1995 |magazine=Billboard |volume=107 |number=15 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> However, they were not selected to enter the main contest (losing out to rap group Love City Groove), and the single stalled at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart.
In 2003, they regrouped with a new lineup and signed to German record label Coconut. An album called ''Back in the Hi-Life'' was released and featured re-recordings of "A Better Love" and "I've Been Thinking About You". The band issued ''Gravity'' in 2004, and in 2019, they published the retrospective ''30 Years'', which included two original tracks as well as several previously unreleased songs and remixes.
==Other projects== Jimmy Helms has had a successful solo career and sang radio jingles for Radio Hallam and Hereward Radio in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jinglemad.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?11577 |title=Archived copy |access-date=14 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226130107/http://www.jinglemad.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?11577 |archive-date=26 February 2012}}</ref>
George Chandler is a founding member and former frontman of the band Olympic Runners.
Chambers and Chandler were backing vocalists for Paul Young's 1985 album, ''The Secret of Association''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-secret-of-association-mw0000192541/credits|title=The Secret of Association – Paul Young – Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic}}</ref> Helms, Chandler, and Chambers were backing vocalists on the Deacon Blue 1987 single "When Will You Make My Telephone Ring", and they sang on the tracks "Good Thing", "Tell Me What", and "It's OK (It's Alright)" from the Fine Young Cannibals' 1989 album, ''The Raw & the Cooked''. Chandler, Chambers, and Helms were backing vocalists on the 1988 Godley & Creme album, ''Goodbye Blue Sky''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/goodbye-blue-sky-mw0000199117/credits|title=Goodbye Blue Sky – Godley & Creme – Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic}}</ref>
==Band members== {{columns-start}} '''Current''' * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jimmychambers.com/|title=JimmyChambers|website=Jimmychambers.com}}</ref> * Charles Pierre {{column}} '''Past''' * William Henshall (credited as Willy M) * George Chandler * Marc Goldschmitz * Myles Kayne {{columns-end}}
==Lineups== {{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}
Jimmy Helms is the only member present in every Londonbeat lineup. Jimmy Chambers is also present in every lineup, with the exception of 1999, when the band was known as New Londonbeat, due to his absence.
{{div col}} '''1988–1992''' * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers * George Chandler * Willy M
'''1994–1995''' * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers * Willy M
'''1999''' * Jimmy Helms * Charles Pierre * Tony Blaze
'''2003–2004''' * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers * Myles Kayne * Marc Goldschmitz
'''2004–2018''' * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers * Myles Kayne
'''2018–present''' * Jimmy Helms * Jimmy Chambers * Charles Pierre {{div col end}}
==Discography== {{Main article|Londonbeat discography}} * ''Speak'' (1988) * ''In the Blood'' (1990) * ''Harmony'' (1992) * ''Londonbeat'' (1994) * ''Back in the Hi-Life'' (2003) * ''Gravity'' (2004)
==See also== * List of number-one hits (United States) * List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.) * List of number-one dance hits (United States) * List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|londonbeat-official.com}} *{{allmusic}}
{{Londonbeat}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:English dance music groups Category:English dance-pop groups Category:Black British musical groups Category:British musical trios Category:Musical groups established in 1988 Category:Pop music groups from London