Back in 1989, a band from Hull was formed in Hull, UK, by ex-Housemartins vocalist Paul Heaton and drummer David Hemmingway. They released their first single, Song for Whoever, with the help of vocalist Briana Corrigan, drummer David Stead, bassist Sean Welch and guitarist David Rotheray. "The Beautiful South" were born!

As the single rose to No. 2 on the charts, the band worked on the completion of their first full-length album Welcome to the Beautiful South, which they released in 1989. Their second effort, Choke, housed their first No.1 hit single, "You Keep it All In." 0898, their third album, was never released in the United States, but was a great success in Britain. For the 1994 Miaow release, Jacqui Abbot took the place of Corrigan, who had since left the band.

Nothing, however, prepared the band or the music industry for the success of their Greatest Hits album, Carry On Up the Charts, that was released in 1994 and entered the British charts at No. 1. Spending several months in the No. 1 spot, Carry On Up the Charts became one of the most successful selling albums in British history. It has now sold 3 million copies (and still rising) in the UK alone - meaning that one in seven UK households have bought a copy!

The band continued its string of U.K. hits with Blue Is The Color (1996) and Quench, though their success in the U.S. continued to fall short of their overseas acclaim. In the fall of 2000 - the same time as the release of their latest album, Painting It Red - Abbot left the band. The current band members are: Paul Heaton, Alison Wheeler, Dave Hemingway, David Rotheray, Sean Welch, David Stead and Damon Butcher.