UB40 Biography

UB40 are a British reggae group, formed in 1978. With 18 studio albums and over 70 million copies sold, the band became a quintessential element of the reggae music culture. However, after almost 3 decades of activity, Ali Campbell, the frontman, left the band. This lead to a massive line-up change in 2008.

Formation, Breakthrough & Fame

UB40 first gained local success on the street, with relatable songs about politics. They bought their first instruments with the money Ali C received as compensation after a bar fight. By 1980, they polished their performance and released a debut single,

By 1980, they polished their performance and released a debut single, Food For Thought. It became the first of their numerous charting singles. Furthermore, the parent album, Singing Off, also received major local recognition, peaking at number 2 on the albums chart.

In 1983, their album, Labour of Love, a collection of cover songs, topped the UK albums chart. The source of this colossal success was the two hit covers Red Red Wine and I Got You Babe. Both singles have topped the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, in 1988 UB40 released their iconic cover of Can’t Help Falling in Love.

Recent Years

Twentyfourseven was the last album to feature Ali Campbell as lead singer. In 2010, Ali’s brother, Duncan, took his place and provided vocals for Labour of Love IV. Moreover, three years later UB40 released another studio album, Getting Over the Storm which, despite the line-up change, received immense acclaim. In 2016, two of the former members returned to create the greatest hits acoustic album, titled simply Unplugged.

Photo source: NeilOBrienEntertainment