Robbie Williams Biography

Birth of Robert Peter Williams, later singer with Take That and a major British solo artist.

Joins Take That as the youngest member after auditions organised by manager Nigel Martin-Smith.

Appears on Take That's debut single Do What U Like as the group begins its recording career.

Appears on A Million Love Songs as Take That build a strong British pop audience.

Performs with Take That on It Only Takes a Minute, one of the group's early breakthrough singles.

Appears on Take That's debut album Take That and Party.

Appears on Everything Changes as Take That become Britain's leading boy band.

Performs with Take That on Pray, the group's first UK number one single.

Appears on Relight My Fire, a major Take That single featuring Lulu.

Takes lead vocals on Babe, giving him a major vocal showcase within Take That.

Appears on the album Everything Changes, which strengthens Take That's commercial dominance.

Appears on Nobody Else, his final studio album with Take That before leaving the group.

Leaves Take That during the Nobody Else period and begins moving toward a solo career.

Releases a solo cover of Freedom, marking his first single after leaving Take That.

Releases Angels, the ballad that becomes one of his signature solo songs.

Releases Old Before I Die as an early solo single before his debut album.

Releases Life Thru a Lens, his debut solo studio album.

Releases Let Me Entertain You, establishing a swaggering live persona for his solo career.

Releases Millennium, his first solo UK number one single.

Releases No Regrets, reflecting on fame, friendship and the aftermath of Take That.

Releases I've Been Expecting You, consolidating his solo success after Life Thru a Lens.

Releases She's the One, which becomes another UK number one single.

Releases Strong, a concert favourite from I've Been Expecting You.

Releases The Ego Has Landed for the North American market.

Releases Rock DJ, a provocative pop single with a widely discussed music video.

Releases Sing When You're Winning, expanding his international commercial reach.

Releases Eternity, a UK number one single paired with The Road to Mandalay.

Duets with Nicole Kidman on Somethin' Stupid, taking the song back to the UK number one position.

Releases Swing When You're Winning, a standards album inspired by swing and big-band entertainment.

Releases Feel, one of his biggest international singles.

Releases Escapology, including Feel and Come Undone.

Releases Live at Knebworth, documenting the huge 2003 concerts.

Begins three Knebworth concerts that draw a record-breaking audience across the weekend.

Releases Greatest Hits, summarising the first phase of his solo career.

Releases Tripping, the lead single from Intensive Care.

Releases Intensive Care, written largely with Stephen Duffy.

Releases Rudebox, moving into dance, electronic and hip hop-influenced pop.

Releases Reality Killed the Video Star after a break from studio albums.

Releases Shame with Gary Barlow, publicly repairing a key Take That relationship.

Rejoins Take That for Progress, the first album with the five-man line-up since 1995.

Tours with Take That on Progress Live, one of the major British stadium tours of the period.

Releases Candy, returning to the top of the UK singles chart.

Releases Take the Crown, restoring his run of solo number one albums.

Releases Swings Both Ways, returning to swing material with new songs and standards.

Releases The Heavy Entertainment Show, opening another period of arena-focused pop performance.

Receives the BRITs Icon Award, adding to his record haul of BRIT trophies.

Releases The Christmas Present, a seasonal album mixing original songs and festive standards.

Releases XXV, reworking major songs with orchestral arrangements to mark twenty-five years solo.

Releases Better Man, a soundtrack linked to the biographical film about his life and career.

Releases BRITPOP, earning a sixteenth solo UK number one album according to Official Charts.