Simply Red

Simply Red is a British pop-soul band founded in 1985 in Manchester. The name reflects frontman Mick Hucknall’s vivid red hair—hence "Red"—with "Simply" added for emphasis. While the original lineup included several musicians, by 1996 only Hucknall remained, effectively making Simply Red his personal project. Their debut album Picture Book (1985) delivered international success with the song “Holding Back the Years.” This was followed by Men and Women (1987) featuring “The Right Thing,” and A New Flame (1989)—their first UK number-one album—which included the classic cover “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.” The landmark album Stars (1991) elevated their career further. It became one of the UK’s best-selling albums, topping the charts for two consecutive years and earning iconic status in the British music landscape. Hit singles like “Fairground” (1995) from the album Life continued their chart dominance. Later albums such as Home (2003) produced popular tracks like “Sunrise” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New.” By 2010, the band had released 13 studio albums—all charting in the top ten of the UK Albums Chart—before briefly retiring. They reunited in 2015, releasing Big Love, and most recently Time in 2023. Simply Red remains a vibrant and enduring presence in soul-pop music, celebrating over four decades of influence worldwide.