Years & Years

Young gay Pop stars today have a more vocal approach as far as their sexuality is concerned. They give out personal information, share political opinions and are actively fighting to further enlighten the world. Such a different approach to that of Sir Cliff Richard, characterized by this recent quote: "My sexuality is private and I’ll take it to the grave". Not so for Olly Alexander, frontman of Pop band Years & Years.

To make my point here are only some of the headlines that appeared in just one gay site during the past year:

Years & Years singer: It’s ‘sad’ that gay musicians don’t sing about men

Years & Years singer had planned gay rights speech for Brit Awards if he won

Clean Bandit star’s relationship with Olly Alexander ‘quite intense’

Years & Years singer Olly Alexander backs anti-bullying campaign

Olly Alexander and Clean Bandit boyfriend share onstage kiss

Olly Alexander: Pressures of the media can ‘f**k up’ gay relationships

Olly Alexander has some coming out advice for young fans

Olly Alexander attacks Germaine Greer’s ‘horrifying’ comments about trans people

Years & Years singer Olly Alexander opens up about suffering from anxiety

Olly Alexander explains how growing up in a ‘straight world’ challenged his mental health

Olly Alexander champions sexual diversity in ground breaking new video

Olly Alexander says people will only accept a level of ‘gay-ness’

Olly Alexander: The word ‘twink’ is pejorative

Olly Alexander mocks music shop after Years & Years album appears in ‘gay’ section

Gay pop star Olly Alexander to Glastonbury crowd: ‘I’m here and I’m queer’

Olly Alexander: ‘If you’ve got confidence and self respect I’ll be up for having sex with you’

Ex-architect and keyboardist Emre Türkmen met Australian bassist Mikey Goldsworthy online through findabandmate.com in 2010 and quickly bonded over a shared love of Radiohead. Lead singer and keyboard player Olly Alexander joined the band shortly afterwards when Goldsworthy, with whom he had a friend in common, heard him singing in the shower.

Years & Years' first single, I Wish I Knew, was released in July 2012.

Traps was their second single, in September 2013:

Their third single, Real, was released in February 2014 and its music video featured an appearance by Ben Whishaw, and the former Misfits actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett.

In 2014, the group signed to Polydor Records and released their fourth single, Take Shelter.

In December 2014, the group's fifth single, Desire, was released, peaking at #22 on the UK Singles Chart. It's re-release in 2016, featuring Tove Lo, came with a spectacular video.

Years & Years were nominated for the Critics Choice Award at the 2015 BRIT Awards. In January 2015, they also won the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015 award. In the same month, the band's sixth single, King, was previewed on BBC Radio 1 and selected as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record of the day. King was released on 1 March and reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. Internationally, the single peaked within the Top 10 of the charts in Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Bulgaria, and Luxembourg.

On 10 July 2015, Years & Years released their first album, Communion.  It entered the UK Albums Chart at #1, as well as it being the fastest selling debut in 2015 from a UK signed band. It also made #1 in Ireland, #1 in the US Dance chart, #2 in Belgium, #4 in Poland, #5 in Australia, the Netherlands and Switzerland, #6 in Sweden, #7 in Denmark, #8 in Canada, #10 in Norway, #11 in New Zealand and South Korea, #16 in Germany and #20 in Finland.

Shine was the band's 7th single and peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Eyes Shut was the next single to be taken from Communion. The video for the single depicted the band exploring a post-apocalyptic world, set in the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria.

In January 2016, Years & Years were nominated for four BRIT Awards, including British Group, British Breakthrough Act, British Single (for King) and British Artist Video (also for King).

In July 2016, the band released the video for their next single from Communion, Worship. The video was directed by Matt Lambert, with choreography from Ryan Heffington, and saw Alexander once again push the boundaries to make a bold and powerful statement about sexuality.

The band are still at the beginning of their career - and it's still too early to say if they will become an established act or not. I have a good feeling, however, that there is star quality in Olly and his mates. With the proper material and the right producer, I don't see why they can't continue to dominate the charts for years & years...