Its most successful line-up was composed of Keith Duffy, Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating, and Shane Lynch.

The advertisements were sent out by theatrical manager Louis Walsh who was looking to make an "Irish Take That" following on from that band's success.

[11] Boyzone played through 1994 in pubs and clubs all over Northern Ireland before PolyGram signed them up in 1994 and released the cover version of the Four Seasons' hit "Working My Way Back to You", featuring Graham and Gately on lead vocals.

The release of their cover version of the classic Johnny Bristol song, "Love Me for a Reason", broke into the British charts.

The group performed "Let The Message Run Free" at the Eurovision Song Contest 1997, co-hosted by Keating, in Dublin and tried to break the US market with their version of "Mystical Experience", which they also recorded in Spanish.

Ronan Keating – who by now had emerged as the lead singer and frontman – won the Ivor Novello Award for songwriting in 1997 for "Picture of You".

It contained the hit singles "All That I Need" (which stayed for six weeks in the MTV Asia charts), "Baby Can I Hold You" (Tracy Chapman cover) and "No Matter What".

As well as their greatest hits compilation By Request—the highest-selling Boyzone album, having sold over 4 million copies worldwide—a tour followed from May–July 1999 in Ireland, the UK and Europe.

In June 1999, Stephen Gately revealed that he was gay and was in love with the ex-Caught in the Act member Eloy de Jong.

Also during this year Keating released his first solo single, "When You Say Nothing at All", an Alison Krauss song which he had recorded for the movie Notting Hill.

In November 1999, after six years together and amid growing tensions behind the scenes, the group members decided to take some time off from Boyzone to pursue solo projects.

They had sold more than 20 million records in total and all 16 of their singles reached the UK top five, making them the first Irish act to have four No.

Gately also continued his career as a solo artist, appearing in a number of West End stage musicals, and Duffy had some success as an actor, including a role in the UK television soap Coronation Street.

Rumours came to a head and in early 2007 there were news reports that all five members and their manager, The X Factor judge Walsh, had met in Dublin to discuss and organise a comeback tour.

On 5 November 2007, Keating confirmed that Boyzone would reunite for a special appearance on the BBC's annual fundraiser, Children in Need, performing a medley of hits, although had not yet commented on the possibility of a new tour or album.

Keating told the Daily Star: "We've been taking it easy on the Guinness and been out for dinners and just a couple of drinks.

The tour began on 25 May 2008 at Belfast's Odyssey arena and finished at Carlisle Bitts Park on 23 August 2008.

The single received its first play on 20 August 2008, live on Terry Wogan's Radio 2 Breakfast show.

The surviving members of Boyzone, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating and Shane Lynch, issued a joint statement:[15] Post-mortem and toxicology tests took place on 13 October and showed that Gately died from a pulmonary edema resulting from an undiagnosed heart condition.

[16][17] On 16 October, accompanied by the four surviving members of Boyzone,[18] his body was brought from Majorca to Dublin where his funeral took place at the Church of St Laurence O'Toole the following day.

I only heard after The X Factor (UK television talent show on which Walsh is a judge) and we will rally around each other this week.

[32] Boyzone performed "No Matter What" with Kym Marsh on an ITV programme called Coronation Street: The Big 50, broadcast on ITV1 on 10 December 2010, but Graham was not present due to other commitments.

[33] Lynch said in an interview on ITV1 show Loose Women that Boyzone will be releasing a new album and be touring in 2013 which will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band forming.

[34] Duffy told The Sun newspaper: "We've plans in place for a tour and an album next year for the 20th anniversary - that's if people want to come and see us!"

[36] As part of the 20th anniversary the band recorded a programme on 12 June 2013 which aired on Irish channel RTÉ One on 27 August called "Boyzone - For One Night Only".

[37] On 24 September 2013, the band performed one of the songs from their new album called "Love Will Save the Day" on The X Factor Australia.

Love Will save The Day was released a week previously and peaked at number 39 in the UK charts selling 20,000 copies.

Keith Duffy said "We're basically just covering some of our favourite songs from the Motown era, and putting a full album together.

[53] In April 2018, it was confirmed that Boyzone would release a new studio album in September and tour the UK in 2018 with arena shows.

[54][55] Keith Duffy announced in March 2017 that Boyzone had signed a contract with Warner Music for an album and an arena tour.