One of the best-loved British bands of the 1970s, Hot Chocolate was shaped by Errol Brown's deft songwriting into a formidable and enduring pop machine, with a string of classic singles including 1975's " You Sexy Thing ", 1977's"You Win Again" and 1978's "Everyone's a Winner". Formed in 1968, Hot Chocolate began their career with a reggae version of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" , which pleased Lennon so much that he signed the band to the Beatles' Apple label. Apple didn't survive long, but Hot Chocolate did and, under the direction of producer Micky Most, released catchy, socially conscious hits like "Brother Louie" (1973) and "Emma" on the producer's RAK label. The disco era prompted them to record more hits, including their first No. 1, "You Win Again", in 1977. Hot Chocolate is one of only three artists (the others being Elvis Presley and Diana Ross) to have had a hit in every year of the 1970s. The band had another Top 5 hit in 1982 with "It Started with a Kiss" and enjoyed another resurgence in the 1990s when "You Sexy Thing" featured in the popular film The Full Monty, making it a hit across three different decades. The band disbanded in 1986, before returning for a few appearances two years later, then reforming in 1992 to record the album Strictly Dance, released the following year. These reunions took place without Errol Brown, who later died of cancer on May 6, 2015, aged 71. While Hot Chocolate remained active, guitarist Franklyn De Allie passed away on December 30, 2018, followed by keyboardist Steve Matthews on August 29, 2025. On April 24, 2026, Trinidadian bassist and singer Tony Wilson, present until 1975, passed away at the age of 89.
