Girls Aloud by Louis Walsh until 2005 when Hilary Shaw replaced him. The new group competed with the boys' winning group, One True Voice to have 2002's Christmas number one single. Girls Aloud won the battle with their single "Sound of the Underground", produced by Brian Higgins and Xenomania. The song spent four consecutive weeks at number one and was certified platinum in March 2003. The song received critical acclaim; Alexis Petridis of "The Guardian" stated that "it proved a first: it was a reality pop record that didn't make you want to do physical harm to everyone involved in its manufacture".
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits high-octane pop all the way"; however, she felt that the ballads were not really necessary, as "Girls Aloud sound far more exciting when they're simply having fun". In 2007, "The Guardian" included the greatest hits collection in their list of "1000 albums to hear before you die". Dorian Lynskey wrote, "Years from now, when someone wants to know how bold and brilliant mainstream British pop could get in the noughties, play them this." "The Sound of Girls Aloud" became Girls Aloud's first album to debut at number one in the United Kingdom, and stayed on the UK Albums Chart for