Electric Light Orchestra

Electric Light Orchestra— rock band from EnglandIn the end of 1960’s three musicians Roy Wood, Bev Bevan, and Jeff Lynne decided to form a band. Their dream came true in 1970 in Birmingham. They called their group Electric Light Orchestra. The musicians created a unique style, which included a mix of genres from progressive rock to pop music.

The first single "10538 Overture" made Electric Light Orchestra famous. It was included in their first studio album, named after the band. Later, the song topped the UK Singles Chart.

Jeff Lynne dealt with organizational matters. He also wrote songs and worked as a producer. However, soon Wood and Lynne started having problems. When the band was recording its second album, Wood suddenly left and took a few musicians with him to form a new group Wizzard.

After Wood’s leave, the music critics talked about a possible disbanding. However, Lynne managed to keep the band together. He hired new musicians and the new lineup was ready to create masterpieces by 1972.

In 1973, they released the second LP ELO 2, which included a single "Roll Over Beethoven". The song became a big hit in the USA. The album reached the 35th spot on the UK chart and the 62nd spot on Billboard 200.

In 1974, Electric Light Orchestra recorded Eldorado. It didn’t make it into the British charts but reached the 16th place on Billboard 200 and the 4th spot on Netherlands Album Chart. The album was certified gold in the USA.

In 1975, the band recorded Face the Music. The group was very popular in the USA, where thousands of fans came to the concerts. The tickets were hard to get. It was also tough to book Electric Light Orchestra for any event. It seemed like conquering the USA audience is easy but the UK fans were holding the fort.

Everything changed in 1976 when the band recorded New World Record. That LP turned out to be much more successful than their previous work. It finally reached a high spot on the UK Albums Chart and was certified platinum twice in the UK. The LP was a hit in many countries, including Austria and Switzerland. It reached the 5th spot of Billboard 200.

In 1977, the group recorded Out Of The Blue, which was even more successful than the previous LP. It earned three platinum certificates. After the release, the musicians went on a long world tour. They attracted thousands of fans. For example, in the USA, the concert at Cleveland Stadium was attended by over 80,000 people.

One of the most successful albums was Discovery, which the band released in 1979. It was their first LP to top the UK Albums Chart and earn six platinum certificates. The next three albums were also hits.

In 1986, the band fell apart. It got back together for a short time in 2000 but then left the stage until 2012.

In 2012, Jeff Lynne brought the group back to life. The last album to date Alone In The Universe (2015) became platinum in the USA. In 2017, the band went on a tour to support the last album.