The Hollies – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

The Hollies Biography

The Hollies were formed in 1962 and are a British rock and pop band. They are recognized for their unusual three-part vocal harmony approach, which made them one of the most popular British groups of the 1960s and into the mid 1970s. Although some of the band members hailed from areas farther north in East Lancashire, Allan Clarke and Graham Nash started the band in Manchester as a Merseybeat-style music group. In 1968, Graham Nash departed the band to establish Crosby, Stills & Nash.

The aforementioned trio developed into a great songwriting partnership as their career advanced, and they composed the majority of their own b-sides (at first under the pseudonyms of Chester-Mann and ‘L. Ransford’). Their talents grew significantly with ‘Too Many People,’ an early song on overpopulation, on their great third collection, Hollies, released in 1965. ‘I’m Alive’ was their first UK number one in 1965, and was quickly followed by Graham Gouldman’s uplifting yet simple approach ‘Look Through Any Window.’ By Christmas 1965, the band had suffered their first setback when their cover of George Harrison‘s ‘If I Needed Someone’ barely made the UK Top 20, resulting in some negative headlines. Both the Hollies and John Lennon launched jabs at each other, expressing their dissatisfaction with a Beatles song’s relative failure.

The band had a UK number two success with ‘I Can’t Let Go,’ which topped the New Musical Express list alongside the Walker Brothers’ ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ in early 1966. ‘I Can’t Let Go,’ co-written by Chip Taylor and first sung by Evie Sands, had already been on the Hollies’ previous year’s album and was one of their best, mixing soaring harmonies with some very strong, driving guitar work.

They were hugely popular in many places (at least 60 singles or EPs and 26 albums charted anywhere in the world throughout five decades), but they didn’t hit the big time in the United States until 1966 with “Bus Stop.” Over the next decade, the group had intermittent success on both sides of the Atlantic with singles like “Stop Stop Stop” (1966), “On a Carousel” (1967), “Carrie Anne” (1967), “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (1969), “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” (1972), and “The Air That I Breathe” (1973). The Hollies had almost 30 singles that charted in the UK Singles Chart and 22 that charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

Between 1964 and 1967, the Hollies made seven albums with Graham Nash, each of which is a masterpiece of pop music. Although their durability is assured, they remain unjustly underappreciated; their masterfully written, uplifting harmonic tunes constitute some of the best music to emerge from the 1960s pop scene.

In the United States, the Hollies were inducted into the ‘Vocal Group Hall of Fame’ in 2006. Staying Power, the Hollies’ first new studio album since 1983, was released by EMI in 2006, and featured Peter Howarth on lead vocals. In late March 2009, the band issued a studio album, Then, Now, Always, which included Peter Howarth on lead vocals once more. The album was later re-released by EMI in 2010 with the addition of “She’d Kill for Me,” a new original song.

The Hollies were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 for their achievements. Midas Touch: The Very Best of The Hollies, a compilation album, charted at No. 23 in the UK the same year.

Hollies Live Hits! We Got The Tunes!, a live Double CD including the Hollies’ live performances captured during the band’s 2012 UK Tour, was released in 2012. In 2013, the Hollies celebrated their 50th anniversary with a worldwide 50th Anniversary Concert Tour that included over 60 shows.

The Hollies Discography

In the Hollies StyleSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
For Certain BecauseSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Distant LightSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
ButterflySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Evolution SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who Was The Lead Singer Of The Hollies?

The lead singer of The Hollies was Graham Nash.

What Was The Hollies Biggest Hit?

The Hollies had many big hits over the years, including “The Air That I Breathe,” “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress),” and “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” But their biggest hit of all was probably “Bus Stop,” which reached No. 5 on the Billboard charts in 1966. The song was written by Graham Gouldman, who would later find success with the group 10cc.

How Many Number One Hits Did The Hollies Have?

The Hollies are a British pop group formed in 1962. The group achieved success with a string of hits throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including “Bus Stop”, “Stop, Stop, Stop”, “The Air That I Breathe”, and “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”. They also had two number-one singles in the United States, “I’m Alive” and “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”. In total, the Hollies have had 19 top-ten singles in the UK.

Who Were The Original Members Of The Group The Hollies?

The original members of the group the Hollies were Graham Nash, Allan Clarke, Eric Haydock, Tony Hicks, and Bobby Elliott. Nash and Clarke were the lead vocalists, Haydock was the bassist, Hicks played guitar, and Elliott was the drummer. The group formed in Manchester, England in 1962. They released their first single, “Ain’t That Just Like Me,” in 1964. The Hollies had many hits in the 1960s and 1970s, including “The Air That I Breathe” and “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress).” They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Who Wrote The Hollies Songs?

The Hollies are a British rock group formed in the early 1960s. The group was founded by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks, and they were one of the leading British Invasion bands of the 1960s. The Hollies had hits with songs such as “Bus Stop,” “Stop, Stop, Stop,” and “I Can’t Let Go.” The group continued to have success in the 1970s and 1980s with hits such as “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” and “The Air That I Breathe.” The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Clarke, Nash, and Hicks were all songwriters, and they wrote many of The Hollies’ hits. Some of the other songwriters who wrote for The Hollies include Bobby Elliott, Eric Haydock, and Tony Hicks.

Most Searched For Hollies Songs

The Air That I Breathe – 2008 RemasterSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
He Ain’t Heavy He’s My BrotherSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Just One LookSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Bus StopSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Carrie AnneSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
We’re ThroughSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
I’m AliveSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Sorry SuzanneSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Jennifer EcclesSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon