UB40

UB40 are an English reggae and pop band formed in December 1978 in Birmingham. Their name comes from the UB40 form issued to people claiming unemployment benefit in the UK, reflecting the working-class roots of the founding members, who came from a mix of English, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish and Yemeni backgrounds. The band built its sound on a distinctive fusion of reggae rhythms with pop songwriting and horn-driven arrangements, which set them apart from more traditional roots-reggae acts.

UB40 broke through with their debut single «Food for Thought» and went on to place more than 50 songs on the UK Singles Chart. Their biggest hits, including «Red Red Wine», «(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You» and a cover of «I Got You Babe», all reached number one in the UK. The albums Labour of Love and Promises and Lies, both built around covers of classic reggae and soul songs, topped the UK Albums Chart and cemented the band as one of Britain’s most commercially successful reggae acts.

Over the decades UB40 went through significant line-up changes, most notably the departure of longtime lead singer Ali Campbell in 2008, after which Duncan Campbell and later other vocalists fronted the group. Despite these shifts, UB40 remained active performers and recording artists, with millions of records sold worldwide and multiple Grammy nominations for Best Reggae Album.