Fame Academy is a British television programme that ran for two series, in 2002 and 2004. The show was produced for the BBC in a reality television format. The winners of the show, David Sneddon[1][2] and Alex Parks,[3] were awarded music recording contracts to allow them to release music and live like top recording artists for a year. Sneddon had a run of three top-20 hits, including his debut single "Stop Living the Lie", which peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 2003.[4] David Sneddon signed to major music publisher Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2009 as a songwriter. Parks' debut single "Maybe That's What It Takes" charted at number three in November 2003.[5]

In addition to Sneddon and Parks, several other contestants have gone on to have successful music careers, while others were given record deals and released several songs before leaving the music industry. The runner-up from the first series, Sinéad Quinn, signed a record deal with Mercury Records,[6] the same company as Sneddon, and released her debut single "I Can't Break Down" in February 2003. The song charted at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Her second single, "What You Need Is..." peaked in top 20 in June 2003. Ainslie Henderson's debut, and thus far only single "Keep Me a Secret" ranked number five in February 2003. Malachi[6] and Alistair Griffin released self-penned songs in 2003 but were subsequently dropped from their record labels.[7] James Fox was chosen as the United Kingdom's representative for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest; he sang "Hold Onto Our Love", which charted at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart in April 2003, and received 29 points for his performance.[8][9]

Lemar, who finished in third place in the first series, has been the most successful contestant from the show. He released his first single, "Dance (With U)", which charted at number-two on the UK Singles Chart, in August 2003; he has since recorded nine further top 40 hit singles, including six that charted in the top 10.[10] He has released four studio albums; The Truth About Love is the most successful, charting at number three on the UK Albums Chart in 2006.

As of March 2014, Fame Academy contestants have released 28 charting singles and 10 charting albums. Of the 20 singles that reached the top twenty, 13 were top-ten hits. Eight of the twelve releases peaked inside the top 20. Lemar is the only artist who is still releasing music.

Singles

A man sits on a stool next to a microphone
David Sneddon won the first series of Fame Academy. His debut single, "Stop Living the Lie", was a number-one single while his album charted in the top ten.
A man sings while holding a microphone
Lemar, who finished third in the first series of Fame Academy, has had ten top-40 singles.
A man sits on a chair playing a guitar
Alistair Griffin's "Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer" charted in the top five.
ArtistSeriesPosition in showSong titleRelease dateUK peak chart
position		Ref(s)
David Sneddon1Winner"Stop Living the Lie"13 January 20031[11]
Sinéad Quinn1Runner-up"I Can't Break Down"10 February 20032[12]
Ainslie Henderson14th"Keep Me a Secret"24 February 20035[13]
Malachi Cush15th"Just Say You Love Me"14 April 200349[14]
David Sneddon1Winner"Don't Let Go"21 April 20033[15]
Sinéad Quinn1Runner-up"What You Need Is..."30 June 200319[16]
David Sneddon1Winner"Best of Order"11 August 200318[17]
Lemar13rd"Dance (With U)"18 August 20032[18]
David Sneddon1Winner"Baby Get Higher"27 October 200338[19]
Lemar13rd"50/50" / "Lullaby"17 November 20035[20]
Alex Parks2Winner"Maybe That's What It Takes"17 November 20033[21]
Alistair Griffin2Runner-up"Bring It On" / "My Lover's Prayer"B29 December 20035[22]
Lemar13rd"Another Day"23 February 20049[23]
Alex Parks2Winner"Cry"16 February 200413[24]
Alistair Griffin2Runner-up"You and Me (Tonight)"15 March 200418[25]
James Fox25th"Hold Onto Our Love"19 April 200413[26]
Lemar13rd"If There's Any Justice"15 November 20043[27]
Lemar13rd"Time to Grow"28 March 20059[28]
Lemar13rd"Don't Give It Up"1 August 200521[29]
Alex Parks2Winner"Honesty"23 January 200656[30]
Lemar13rd"It's Not That Easy"4 September 20067[31]
Lemar13rd"Someone Should Tell You"20 November 200621[32]
Lemar13rd"Tick Tock"19 March 200745[33]
James Fox15th"Bluebirds Flying High"A11 May 200815[34]
Lemar13rd"If She Knew"10 November 200814[35]
Lemar13rd"Weight of the World"2 March 200931[36]
Alistair Griffin2Runner-up"Just Drive"27 November 201038[37]
Lemar13rd"The Way Love Goes"14 February 20108[35]

Albums

Only albums that charted in the Top 100 of the UK albums chart are included in this list.

ArtistAlbum titleRelease dateUK peak chart
position		Ref(s)
Malachi CushMalachi24 March 200317[38]
David SneddonSeven Years – Ten Weeks28 April 20035[39]
Sinéad QuinnReady to Run14 July 200348[40]
LemarDedicated24 November 200316[41]
Alistair GriffinBring It On12 January 200412[42]
Alex ParksIntroduction24 November 20035[43]
LemarTime to Grow29 November 20048[44]
Alex ParksHonesty24 October 200524[45]
LemarThe Truth About Love11 September 20063[46]
LemarThe Reason24 November 200841[47]
LemarThe Hits8 March 201018[46]
LemarInvincible8 October 201249[46]
LemarThe Letter9 October 201531[46]

Fame Academy albums

At the end of both series, a compilation album was released featuring cover versions from the contestants. The first album reached number two on the UK Compilation Chart. A third album, Bee Gees Special, was released during the show's broadcast and featured cover versions of Bee Gees songs.

Album titleRecord labelSeriesRelease dateUK peak
chart position
Fame AcademyMercury Records1December 20022
Fame Academy Bee Gees SpecialPolydor Records2August 2003—
Fame Academy - The FinalistsPolydor Records2October 2003—

Other releases

  • Alistair Griffin released a cover version of "Hallelujah" called "Hallelujah Mark Viduka" through iTunes.[48]
  • Malachi Cush has released four further albums that have failed to chart: Celtic Heartbeat (Where the Heart Is) (2005) and Two Sides of Malachi and New Day (both 2007) and Timeless (2009).
  • James Fox released an EP entitled Six Strings and an album that failed to chart called Rocking Chairs and Lemonade. He released a single "Higher" in 2008.[49]
  • Alex Parks released "Looking for Water" as a download-only single but the song only peaked at number 250.
  • Peter Brame released an album, My Secret Suicide, in 2008, but it failed to chart.

See also

Notes

A Bluebirds Flying High was recorded by James Fox with Cardiff City F.C. as the club's official song for the 2008 FA Cup Final.[50]

B Alistair Griffin recorded "My Lover's Prayer" with Robin Gibb, who had appeared as a guest judge on Fame Academy.[51]

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ "David wins Fame Academy". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2002. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  2. ↑ "David Sneddon wins Fame Academy". BBC Press Office. British Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2002. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  3. ↑ "Alex lands £1m Fame Academy prize". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 7 October 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  4. ↑ "Fame Academy's David tops chart". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 19 January 2003. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  5. ↑ "Alex's single makes top three". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 24 November 2003. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  6. 1 2 "Fame Academy's Sinéad's £1m record deal". Newsround. British Broadcasting Corporation. 20 December 2002. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  7. ↑ Anstead, Mark (6 November 2004). "Learning music biz the hard way". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  8. ↑ "Fox chosen as Eurovision hopeful". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 29 February 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  9. ↑ "Eurovision Song Contest Final 2004". Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  10. ↑ "Sony Music UK - Lemar". Sony Music. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  11. ↑ "Stop Living the Lie". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  12. ↑ "I Can't Break Down". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  13. ↑ "Keep Me A Secret". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  14. ↑ "Just Say You Love Me". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  15. ↑ "Don't Let Go". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  16. ↑ "What You Need Is..." Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  17. ↑ "Best of Order". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  18. ↑ "Dance (With U)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  19. ↑ "Baby Get Higher". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  20. ↑ "50/50 & Lullaby". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  21. ↑ "Maybe That's What It Takes". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  22. ↑ "Bring It On/My Lover's Prayer". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  23. ↑ "Another Day". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  24. ↑ "Cry". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  25. ↑ "You and Me (Tonight)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  26. ↑ "Hold Onto Our Love". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  27. ↑ "If There's Any Justice". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  28. ↑ "Time to Grow". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  29. ↑ "Don't Give It Up". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  30. ↑ "Honesty". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  31. ↑ "It's Not That Easy". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  32. ↑ "Someone Should Tell You". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  33. ↑ "Tick Tock". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  34. ↑ "Bluebirds Flying High". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  35. 1 2 "If She Knew". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  36. ↑ "Weight of the World". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  37. ↑ polyhex.com UK Singles Chart runs Archived 10 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ↑ "Malachi". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  39. ↑ "Seven Years - Ten Weeks". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  40. ↑ "Ready to Run". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  41. ↑ "Dedicated". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  42. ↑ "Bring It On (album)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  43. ↑ "Introduction". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  44. ↑ "Time to Grow (album)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  45. ↑ "Honesty (album)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  46. 1 2 3 4 "The Truth About Love". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  47. ↑ "The Reason". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  48. ↑ Toomey, Christine (21 December 2008). "Hallelujah: It clicks with everyone". The Times. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  49. ↑ "James Fox - Rocking Chairs and Lemonade". esctoday.com. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
  50. ↑ "Bluebirds in full song for final". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  51. ↑ "Honorary doctorate for Bee Gees". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 10 May 2004. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
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