N-Dubz isn’t a name you’ll hear a lot nowadays as the trio has now split so they’re not releasing albums under their stage name any longer, however in their active years, N-Dubz were a pretty popular group outside of the US. But what was their first song?
N-Dubz’s first song was the 2006 single You Better Not Waste My Time. Originally it was released in 2006 by the group as a digital download single, but a year later it was re-released with their new record label Polydor Records and it went on to feature in their debut album Uncle B.
Although the group did not even make it onto the US charts as they were more popular in the UK, N-Dubz still has some great songs that they released together. You can read more below about their greatest hits.
The Best of N-Dubz
Across their eleven-year long career as a group from 2000 to 2011, N-Dubz released a total of three albums, one extended play and 20 singles. Across their career, out of eight awards nominations, the group won five of these for titles including the Best UK Newcomer and the Best UK Act.
Many of their greatest hits come from the last two albums that they released in 2009 and 2010 called Against All Odds and Love.Live.Life.
Let’s take a look at the best of N-Dubz.
Against All Odds (2009)
After the release of their debut album Uncle B, N-Dubz released their second album entitled Against All Odds. This album reached number six on the UK charts which was a step up from their first album which just missed making it into the top ten, ranking at number 11.
The album contained their first and only chart-topping hit I Need You which came in at number five on the UK charts but on the R&B chart it soared to the top position.
Another single contained within their 2009 album is Playing With Fire which features the British singer Mr Hudson reached number three on the R&B chart and it performed quite well on the general chart as it reached number 14 on there. Playing With Fire also won a MOBO Award for the Best Song in 2010.
In his review of the album, Mike Diver from the BBC said, “This is an honest, authentic audio document of contemporary teenage Britain, and all should be thankful it’s almost exclusively positive of a message – if you can dream it, you could well achieve it.”
Another such review by Will Dean from The Guardian noted that while the album wasn’t entirely unique, it was brimming with “vitality and chutzpah.”
Love. Live. Life (2010)
Another year and a fresh new album from N-Dubz. 2010 marked the year that the group released their third album together, and within it were some of their highest-charting singles. Overall, the album came in at number three on the R&B chart (this is their highest position for an album on that chart), while it reached number seven on the general chart.
Out of four singles that charted, all of them obtained a position in the top 20 on the general charts while the three that appeared on the R&B charts ranked within the top ten. The four singles from their album were Say It’s Over, We Dance On featuring the British duo Bodyrox, Best Behaviour and Girls.
Since its release, the album has been certified platinum after selling 300,000 units within N-Dubz’s native country of the UK.
As with their previous album, this one was met with mixed reviews from critics.
For instance, Emily Mackay from NME notes that when N Dubz attempt to express their wisdom, it comes out “braggier” and “shoutier” than they perhaps mean for it to. Whereas The Metro describes the album as “oddly endearing” because of their enthusiasm.