Formed in Dublin in 1998, Westlife followed in the tradition of European boy bands like Take That and Boyzone. The group performed ballads and club-worthy pop songs for a devoted European audience, becoming one of the continent's most successful bands in the process. Although they never managed to find American success, Westlife released six platinum-selling records in the U.K. and eventually sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, a feat that helped them eclipse the popularity of pop titans like Boyzone, whose lead singer had managed the band during its infancy.