Sound of the Underground

Sound of the Underground is the first studio album by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, formed through the ITV1 programme Popstars: The Rivals. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2003 by Polydor Records, and re-issued on 1 December 2003. Girls Aloud worked with a variety of musicians and producers.
Sound of the Underground debuted to generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics, who noted the high quality of the album compared to output from other reality show contestants. The album was certified platinum in the United Kingdom. It yielded four singles, including the title track which was number one for a month in the UK.

Sound of the Underground takes influence from a number of 1980s genres, such as synthpop, power pop, and New Wave, and 1990s styles like big beat, drum and bass, and garage. The album received comparisons to girl groups such as Bananarama, The Bangles, and the Spice Girls. A majority of the songs make use of guitars and electronic beats. The rise of indie rock also inspired Brian Higgins to “blur the edges between commercial music and so-called ‘indie’ music.