Post-X Factor
After The X Factor, G4 signed a £1.5 million album deal with Sony BMG. Having not been picked up by Cowell, Sony A&R Nick Raphael said that his label decided to pursue the band because, "We felt that they were the best act on the show." With the rules of The X Factor allowing any band or artist that doesn't win to sign with anyone, Sony competed with Universal and EMI for G4's signatures. Raphael believes their manager Louis Walsh accepted Sony BMG's advances because,
"We had a plan of how to work with the band, as opposed to our competitors who just had a desire to sign the band. ... We had a definitive release date, a definitive date to put out merchandise and we had already organised the structure to make the record."
Their debut album, G4, was released on 28 February 2005. It reached Number One for Mother's Day weekend 2005 and sold over 245,000 copies in the first week. Their debut single, a cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", was released on 14 March 2005, and entered the charts at #9. Their second album, G4 & Friends was released on 28 November 2005, and entered the charts at #6.
G4's third album Act Three was released on 27 November 2006. It entered the charts at #21.
In 2006, G4 made a special appearance at the American 4 July party at Winfield House, home of the US Ambassador to the UK, and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner".
On 5 April 2007, the band announced on GMTV that they would be splitting after their 2007 tour due to disagreements within the band. G4 made their final performance at Romsey on 28 July 2007.
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