Hot Chocolate

One of the best-loved British bands from the 1970s, Hot Chocolate were moulded by the skilful songwriting of Errol Brown into a formidable and durable pop machine with a series of classic singles like "You Sexy Thing", "You Win Again" and "Everyone's A Winner". The band began its career with a reggae version of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance", which Lennon liked so much he signed the group to The Beatles' Apple label. Apple didn't survive long but Hot Chocolate did and, under the guidance of producer Mickey Most, released catchy, socially conscious hits like "Brother Louie" and "Emma" on Most's Rak label. The disco era inspired them to record more hits, including their first Number 1, "You Win Again" in 1977; Hot Chocolate were one of only three artists (the others were Elvis Presley and Diana Ross) to have a hit in every year of the 1970s. They had another Top 5 hit in 1982 with "It Started With A Kiss" and enjoyed a further resurgence in the 1990s when "You Sexy Thing" featured in the hit movie The Full Monty, making it a hit across three different decades. The group officially disbanded in 1986 but Hot Choc - especially mainman Errol Brown - remains popular.