The X Factor (British TV series) discography
The X Factor is a British television singing talent series. It was broadcast from 2004 to 2018. The winners, runners-up and other contestants of the show have seen varied levels of success, but have gone on to produce a total of 42 number ones and numerous UK chart hits. Sales figures show that artists from the show have sold around 30 million singles and over 18 million albums. One Direction have sold more than 80-90 million records worldwide, making them the most successful act to have ever appeared on any country's version of The X Factor and one of the best-selling boy bands of all time.
The first eleven winners of the show—Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Leon Jackson, Alexandra Burke, Joe McElderry, Matt Cardle, Little Mix, James Arthur, Sam Bailey and Ben Haenow—reached the top spot with their winner's singles, whilst 2015 winner Louisa Johnson only reached number 9, 2016 winner Matt Terry reached number 3, 2017 winners Rak-Su reached number 2, and 2018 winner Dalton Harris reached number 4. The winning contestant's single from 2004 to 2010 was released in time for the end-of-year chart battle for the UK's Christmas number one, a spot which was gained in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. Brookstein and McElderry both instead claimed the New Year's number one spot a week later in 2004 and 2009 respectively, while Little Mix achieved the top spot a week earlier in 2011. In 2012, Arthur achieved the number one spot a week earlier as well, but also claimed the New Year's number one spot, making him the first winner to regain the top spot on the charts.
In 2008, the contestants from the fifth series released a cover version of Mariah Carey's "Hero" to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes; the single charted at number one in the United Kingdom. In 2009, the contestants of that year released a cover of Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone", in 2010, they released a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes", and in 2011 they released a cover of "Wishing on a Star" featuring former boyband contestants JLS and One Direction. The process was discontinued in 2012, although all winner's singles since 2012 have been released as charity singles.
Albums
| Artist | Series | Position in show | Album title | UK release date | UK peak chart position | UK certification | Ref |
| Steve Brookstein | 1 | Winner | Heart and Soul | 9 5 2005 | 1 | Gold | |
| G4 | 1 | Runners-up | G4 | 28 2 2005 | 1 | 2xPlatinum | |
| G4 | 1 | Runners-up | G4 & Friends | 28 11 2005 | 6 | Platinum | |
| G4 | 1 | Runners-up | Act Three | 27 11 2006 | 21 | Gold | |
| G4 | 1 | Runners-up | G4 Love Songs | 3 2 2017 | 56 | rowspan=3 | |
| Rowetta | 1 | 4th | Rowetta | 3 10 2005 | 89 | - | |
| Voices with Soul | 1 | 6th | Celebration | 16 12 2005 | 87 | - | |
| Shayne Ward | 2 | Winner | Shayne Ward | 17 4 2006 | 1 | Platinum | |
| Shayne Ward | 2 | Winner | Breathless | 26 11 2007 | 2 | Platinum | |
| Shayne Ward | 2 | Winner | Obsession | 15 11 2010 | 15 | Silver | |
| Shayne Ward | 2 | Winner | Closer | 12 04 2015 | 17 | ||
| Andy Abraham | 2 | Runner-up | The Impossible Dream | 20 3 2006 | 2 | Platinum | |
| Andy Abraham | 2 | Runner-up | Soul Man | 13 11 2006 | 19 | Gold | |
| Journey South | 2 | 3rd | Journey South | 20 3 2006 | 1 | Platinum | |
| Journey South | 2 | 3rd | Home | 22 10 2007 | 43 | rowspan=2 | |
| Maria Lawson | 2 | 8th | Maria Lawson | 28 8 2006 | 41 | - | |
| Leona Lewis | 3 | Winner | Spirit | 9 11 2007 | 1 | 10xPlatinum | |
| Leona Lewis | 3 | Winner | Echo | 16 11 2009 | 1 | 2xPlatinum | |
| Leona Lewis | 3 | Winner | Glassheart | 15 10 2012 | 3 | Silver | |
| Leona Lewis | 3 | Winner | Christmas, with Love | 29 11 2013 | 13 | Gold | |
| Leona Lewis | 3 | Winner | I Am | 11 09 2015 | 12 | ||
| Ray Quinn | 3 | Runner-up | Doing It My Way | 12 3 2007 | 1 | Gold | |
| Ben Mills | 3 | 3rd | Picture of You | 12 3 2007 | 3 | Gold | |
| The MacDonald Brothers | 3 | 4th | The MacDonald Brothers | 2 4 2007 | 18 | rowspan=2 | |
| The MacDonald Brothers | 3 | 4th | The World Outside | 15 10 2007 | 41 | - | |
| Leon Jackson | 4 | Winner | Right Now | 20 10 2008 | 4 | Gold | |
| Rhydian Roberts | 4 | Runner-up | Rhydian | 24 11 2008 | 3 | Platinum | |
| Rhydian Roberts | 4 | Runner-up | O Fortuna | 30 11 2009 | 25 | Gold | |
| Rhydian Roberts | 4 | Runner-up | Waves | 13 08 2011 | 39 | rowspan=2 | |
| Rhydian Roberts | 4 | Runner-up | One Day Like This | 07 04 2014 | 19 | - | |
| Same Difference | 4 | 3rd | Pop | 1 12 2008 | 22 | Gold | |
| Alexandra Burke | 5 | Winner | Overcome | 19 10 2009 | 1 | 2xPlatinum | |
| Alexandra Burke | 5 | Winner | Heartbreak on Hold | 4 06 2012 | 18 | rowspan=2 | |
| Alexandra Burke | 5 | Winner | The Truth Is | 16 03 2018 | 16 | - | |
| JLS | 5 | Runners-up | JLS | 9 11 2009 | 1 | 5xPlatinum | |
| JLS | 5 | Runners-up | Outta This World | 22 11 2010 | 2 | 2xPlatinum | |
| JLS | 5 | Runners-up | Jukebox | 14 11 2011 | 2 | Platinum | |
| JLS | 5 | Runners-up | Evolution | 05 11 2012 | 3 | Gold | |
| JLS | 5 | Runners-up | Goodbye – The Greatest Hits | 18 11 2013 | 6 | Gold | |
| JLS | 5 | Runners-up | 2.0 | 3 12 2021 | 4 | rowspan=2 | |
| Eoghan Quigg | 5 | 3rd | Eoghan Quigg | 6 4 2009 | 14 | - | |
| Diana Vickers | 5 | 4th | Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree | 3 5 2010 | 1 | Gold | |
| Diana Vickers | 5 | 4th | Music to Make Boys Cry | 15 9 2013 | 37 | ||
| Ruth Lorenzo | 5 | 5th | Planeta Azul | 27 10 2014 | DNC | N/A | - |
| Ruth Lorenzo | 5 | 5th | Loveaholic | 9 3 2018 | DNC | N/A | - |
| Joe McElderry | 6 | Winner | Wide Awake | 25 10 2010 | 3 | Gold | |
| Joe McElderry | 6 | Winner | Classic | 22 8 2011 | 2 | Gold | |
| Joe McElderry | 6 | Winner | Classic Christmas | 25 11 2011 | 15 | Gold | |
| Joe McElderry | 6 | Winner | Here's What I Believe | 10 9 2012 | 8 | Silver | |
| Joe McElderry | 6 | Winner | Saturday Night at the Movies | 14 7 2017 | 10 | ||
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | Olly Murs | 28 11 2010 | 2 | 2xPlatinum | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | In Case You Didn't Know | 25 11 2011 | 1 | 3xPlatinum | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | Right Place Right Time | 26 11 2012 | 1 | 4xPlatinum | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | Never Been Better | 24 11 2014 | 1 | 3xPlatinum | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | 24 Hrs | 11 11 2016 | 1 | Platinum | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | You Know I Know | 9 11 2018 | 2 | Platinum | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | Marry Me | 2 12 2022 | 1 | rowspan=6 | |
| Olly Murs | 6 | Runner-up | Knees Up | 21 11 2025 | 5 | - | |
| Stacey Solomon | 6 | 3rd | Shy | 18 4 2015 | 45 | - | |
| Jedward | 6 | 6th | Planet Jedward | 16 7 2010 | 17 | - | |
| Jedward | 6 | 6th | Victory | 15 8 2011 | 34 | - | |
| Jedward | 6 | 6th | Young Love | 22 6 2012 | 63 | - | |
| Matt Cardle | 7 | Winner | Letters | 17 10 2011 | 2 | Gold | |
| Matt Cardle | 7 | Winner | The Fire | 29 10 2012 | 8 | Silver | |
| Matt Cardle | 7 | Winner | Porcelain | 28 10 2013 | 11 | rowspan=2 | |
| Matt Cardle | 7 | Winner | Time to Be Alive | 27 04 2018 | 28 | - | |
| Rebecca Ferguson | 7 | Runner-up | Heaven | 05 12 2011 | 3 | 2xPlatinum | |
| Rebecca Ferguson | 7 | Runner-up | Freedom | 29 11 2013 | 6 | Gold | |
| Rebecca Ferguson | 7 | Runner-up | Lady Sings the Blues | 06 03 2015 | 7 | rowspan=2 | |
| Rebecca Ferguson | 7 | Runner-up | Superwoman | 14 10 2016 | 7 | - | |
| One Direction | 7 | 3rd | Up All Night | 18 11 2011 | 2 | 4xPlatinum | |
| One Direction | 7 | 3rd | Take Me Home | 12 11 2012 | 1 | 4xPlatinum | |
| One Direction | 7 | 3rd | Midnight Memories | 25 11 2013 | 1 | 3xPlatinum | |
| One Direction | 7 | 3rd | Four | 17 11 2014 | 1 | 3xPlatinum | |
| One Direction | 7 | 3rd | Made in the A.M. | 13 11 2015 | 1 | 2xPlatinum | |
| Zayn Malik | 7 | Mind of Mine | 25 03 2016 | 1 | Gold | ||
| Zayn Malik | 7 | Icarus Falls | 14 12 2018 | 77 | Silver | ||
| Zayn Malik | 7 | Nobody Is Listening | 15 01 2021 | 17 | rowspan=2 | ||
| Zayn Malik | 7 | Room Under the Stairs | 17 05 2024 | 3 | - | ||
| Harry Styles | 7 | Harry Styles | 12 05 2017 | 1 | 2xPlatinum | ||
| Harry Styles | 7 | Fine Line | 13 12 2019 | 2 | 2xPlatinum | ||
| Harry Styles | 7 | Harry's House | 20 05 2022 | 1 | 3xPlatinum | ||
| Niall Horan | 7 | Flicker | 20 10 2017 | 3 | Gold | ||
| Niall Horan | 7 | Heartbreak Weather | 13 03 2020 | 1 | Gold | ||
| Niall Horan | 7 | The Show | 09 06 2023 | 1 | Silver | ||
| Liam Payne | 7 | LP1 | 06 12 2019 | 17 | Silver | ||
| Louis Tomlinson | 7 | Walls | 31 01 2020 | 4 | Silver | ||
| Louis Tomlinson | 7 | Faith in the Future | 11 11 2022 | 1 | Silver | ||
| Cher Lloyd | 7 | 4th | Sticks and Stones | 07 11 2011 | 4 | Gold | |
| Cher Lloyd | 7 | 4th | Sorry I'm Late | 28 07 2014 | 21 | ||
| Mary Byrne | 7 | 5th | Mine & Yours | 28 03 2011 | 6 | Silver | |
| Mary Byrne | 7 | 5th | …with Love | 05 03 2012 | 28 | rowspan=2 | |
| Aiden Grimshaw | 7 | 9th | Misty Eye | 20 08 2012 | 19 | - | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | DNA | 19 11 2012 | 3 | Platinum | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | Salute | 08 11 2013 | 4 | Platinum | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | Get Weird | 06 11 2015 | 2 | 3xPlatinum | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | Glory Days | 18 11 2016 | 1 | 4xPlatinum | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | LM5 | 16 11 2018 | 3 | Platinum | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | Confetti | 06 11 2020 | 2 | Platinum | |
| Little Mix | 8 | Winner | Between Us | 12 11 2021 | 3 | 2xPlatinum | |
| JADE | 8 | 1st | That's Showbiz Baby | 12 09 2025 | 3 | rowspan=5 | |
| Perrie | 8 | 1st | Perrie | 26 09 2025 | 3 | - | |
| Marcus Collins | 8 | Runner-up | Marcus Collins | 12 03 2012 | 7 | - | |
| Janet Devlin | 8 | 5th | Running with Scissors | 09 06 2014 | 43 | - | |
| Janet Devlin | 8 | 5th | Confessional | 05 06 2020 | DNC | - | |
| James Arthur | 9 | Winner | James Arthur | 04 11 2013 | 2 | Platinum | |
| James Arthur | 9 | Winner | Back from the Edge | 04 11 2016 | 1 | Platinum | |
| James Arthur | 9 | Winner | You | 18 10 2019 | 2 | Gold | |
| James Arthur | 9 | Winner | It'll All Make Sense in the End | 05 11 2021 | 3 | Silver | |
| James Arthur | 9 | Winner | Bitter Sweet Love | 26 01 2024 | 1 | Sliver | |
| James Arthur | 9 | Winner | Pisces | 25 04 2025 | 3 | ||
| Jahméne Douglas | 9 | Runner-up | Love Never Fails | 22 07 2013 | 1 | Silver | |
| Jahméne Douglas | 9 | Runner-up | Unfathomable Phantasmagoria | 23 09 2016 | DNC | ||
| Union J | 9 | 4th | Union J | 28 10 2013 | 6 | Silver | |
| Union J | 9 | 4th | You Got It All – The Album | 08 12 2014 | 28 | ||
| Ella Henderson | 9 | 6th | Chapter One | 13 10 2014 | 1 | Platinum | |
| Ella Henderson | 9 | 6th | Everything I Didn't Say | 11 03 2022 | 8 | Gold | |
| Lucy Spraggan | 9 | 9th | Top Room at the Zoo | 8 9 2012 | 22 | ||
| Lucy Spraggan | 9 | 9th | Join the Club | 19 10 2013 | 7 | Silver | |
| Lucy Spraggan | 9 | 9th | We Are | 04 05 2015 | 22 | rowspan="4" | |
| Lucy Spraggan | 9 | 9th | I Hope You Don't Mind Me Writing | 27 01 2017 | 12 | - | |
| Lucy Spraggan | 9 | 9th | Today Was a Good Day | 03 05 2019 | 12 | - | |
| Lucy Spraggan | 9 | 9th | Choices | 26 02 2021 | 5 | - | |
| Sam Bailey | 10 | Winner | The Power of Love | 24 03 2014 | 1 | Gold | |
| Sam Bailey | 10 | Winner | Sing My Heart Out | 16 09 2016 | 33 | rowspan=2 | |
| Nicholas McDonald | 10 | Runner-up | In the Arms of an Angel | 1 03 2014 | 6 | - | |
| Ben Haenow | 11 | Winner | Ben Haenow | 13 11 2015 | 10 | Silver | |
| Fleur East | 11 | Runner-up | Love, Sax and Flashbacks | 04 12 2015 | 14 | Silver | |
| Fleur East | 11 | Runner-up | Fearless | 20 03 2020 | DNC | rowspan=5 | |
| Andrea Faustini | 11 | 3rd | Kelly | 15 07 2015 | 14 | - | |
| Matt Terry | 13 | Winner | Trouble | 24 11 2017 | 29 | - | |
| Saara Aalto | 13 | Runner-up | Wild Wild Wonderland | 27 04 2018 | DNC | - | |
| Grace Davies | 14 | Runner-up | The Wrong Side of 25 | 11 07 2025 | DNC | - |