Formed in 2009 with the intent of refreshing the boy band formula, the Wanted emerged nearly a decade after the commercial zenith of *NSync and the Backstreet Boys. Auditions were held to assemble the lineup in a manner reminiscent of those earlier acts. Max George, formerly of the short-lived British boy band Avenue, stood out as the most prominent vocalist chosen for the group, while Siva Kaneswaran joined as its lone Irish participant. The remaining spots went to British vocalists Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker, and Nathan Sykes. Less than twelve months after their formation, the Wanted secured their first UK number-one hit when the debut single “All Time Low” topped the charts in August 2010.
Their self-titled debut album arrived the following month and entered the UK album charts at number four upon its October 2010 release. In 2011 the band issued its second studio effort, Battleground, which included the single “Gold Forever.” By this point a distribution agreement had already been reached with Def Jam Records in the United States. A self-titled compilation EP was released in 2012 to introduce the group to American audiences, drawing tracks from the first two albums together with two newly recorded songs. Strong reception in the States led to sessions for a third album, Word of Mouth, which appeared in 2013. The record reached the UK Top Ten, after which the Wanted launched a world tour that extended into 2014. Later that year the members began to pursue separate paths and eventually announced a hiatus.
Each vocalist then concentrated on individual projects: Nathan Sykes released his debut album Unfinished Business in 2016, Max George issued several singles and moved into television, Siva Kaneswaran took on behind-the-scenes roles while producing his own material, Jay McGuiness transitioned into theatre work, and Tom Parker developed solo recordings alongside television appearances. Rumors of a reunion surfaced in 2020, yet Parker received a diagnosis of inoperable stage-four brain tumor by year’s end. The COVID-19 pandemic further postponed any return, and the group remained on hold while Parker underwent treatment. In September 2021 Parker curated a benefit concert for the UK charity Stand Up to Cancer that featured performances by Becky Hill, McFly, and Liam Payne. The event also marked the Wanted’s first stage appearance together since 2014. At the close of 2021 the band released its initial greatest-hits collection, Most Wanted, which gathered earlier singles alongside fresh recordings created for the project. Tom Parker succumbed to complications from glioblastoma on March 30, 2022, at the age of 33.
