Andrew Roachford

"Roachford" redirects here. For the album, see Roachford (album).

Andrew Roachford MBE (born 22 January 1965) is a British singer-songwriter and the main force behind the band Roachford, who scored their first success in 1989 with the hits "Cuddly Toy" and "Family Man". He has also had a successful solo career.

Andrew Roachford MBE
Roachford performing with Mike + The Mechanics in 2011
Background information
Born	(1965-01-22) 22 January 1965 (age 60) London, England
Genres	Pop rock R&B soul
Occupations	Musician singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals keyboards percussion
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Columbia Absolute Peppermint Jam SPV M3 Sony BMG
Member of	Roachford Mike + The Mechanics
Website	roachford.co.uk

He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to music.^[1]

Early life and career

Andrew Roachford was born on 22 January 1965 in London, England to parents of West Indian descent. A band of the same name was formed in 1987, the line-up featuring Andrew Roachford (vocals, keyboards, percussion), Chris Taylor (drums), Hawi Gondwe (guitars) and Derrick Taylor (bass guitar).^[2] By 1988, the band were touring, supporting acts such as Terence Trent D'Arby and the Christians.^[2] Shortly afterward, a seven-album recording contract with Columbia was signed.^[2] They went on to have a string of success throughout the 1990s, becoming Columbia's biggest-selling UK act for ten years.^[3]

Roachford released his first solo studio album, Heart of the Matter, in 2003. His next studio album Word of Mouth was released in June 2005 under the band name Roachford. In 2010, Roachford joined Mike + The Mechanics along with Tim Howar. The following year the band's seventh studio album The Road was released featuring Roachford and Howar as lead vocalists, as well as their eighth studio album Let Me Fly (2017).

Roachford collaborated with Beverley Knight on his studio album Twice In a Lifetime, which was released in September 2020. It charted at number 31 on the UK Albums Chart. This was the first Roachford album to chart in the top 40 after a 23-year absence, last charting in 1997 with Feel.

Discography

Albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions								Certification
		UK [4][5]	AUS [6]	AUT [7]	GER [8]	NZ [9]	SWE [10]	SWI [11]	US [12]
Roachford	Released: 9 September 1988 Label: CBS	11	—	—	—	—	48	—	109	BPI: Gold[4]
Get Ready!	Released: 1991 Label: Columbia	20	176	—	36	—	49	—	—
Permanent Shade of Blue	Released: 30 March 1994 Label: Columbia	25	2	—	52	11	—	—	—	ARIA: 2× Platinum[13] BPI: Gold[4]
Feel	Released: 29 September 1997 Label: Columbia	19	61	47	37	—	—	50	—
The Roachford Files	Released: 9 October 2000 Label: Columbia	88	—	—	—	—	—	100	—
Heart of the Matter	Released: 4 August 2003 Label: Absolute Released under the artist name Andrew Roachford	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Word of Mouth	Released: 27 June 2005 Label: Peppermint Jam/SPV	—	—	—	88	—	—	—	—
Where I Stand	Released: 10 April 2011 Label: M3 Records	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Addictive	Released: September 2011 Label: M3 Records	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
This Beautiful Moment	Released: 2013 Label: M3 Records	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Encore	Released: 2016 Label: M3 Records	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Twice in a Lifetime	Released: 11 September 2020 Label: Sony BMG	31	—	—	68	—	—	72	—
Then and Now	Released: 8 December 2023 Label: Sony BMG	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions										Album
		UK [4][5]	AUS [6]	AUT [7]	FRA [14]	GER [15]	IRE [16]	NED [17]	NZ [9]	SWI [18]	US [19]
1988	"Family Man"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Roachford
	"Cuddly Toy"	61	73	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Find Me Another Love"	100	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989	"Cuddly Toy" (re-release)	4	—	—	—	49	7	17	—	—	25
	"Family Man" (re-release)	25	157	—	—	—	18	—	—	—	—
	"Kathleen"	43	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1991	"Get Ready!"	22	—	—	35	43	—	—	—	—	—	Get Ready!
	"Stone City"	77	—	—	—	—	—	58	—	—	—
	"Innocent Eyes"	91	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Higher"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994	"Only to Be with You"	21	18	—	—	57	—	44	24	—	—	Permanent Shade of Blue
	"Lay Your Love on Me"	36	26	—	—	55	—	—	7	—	—
	"This Generation"	38	53	—	—	60	—	—	32	—	—
	"Cry for Me"	46	103	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1995	"I Know You Don't Love Me"	42		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997	"The Way I Feel"	20	105	—	—	91	—	—	—	46	—	Feel
1998	"How Could I? (Insecurity)"	34	198	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Naked Without You"	53	—	—	—	—	—	71	—	—	—
	"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" (MOBO Allstars)+	47	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Non-album singles
1999	"Walk Away" (PF Project featuring Roachford)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2000	"From Now On"	90	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	The Roachford Files
2001	"Run Baby Run" (Bustafunk featuring Roachford)	—	—	—	11	—	—	—	—	60	—	Bustafunk (Bustafunk album)
2003	"The Pressure"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Heart of the Matter
2004	"Pop Muzak" (Mousse T. with Roachford)	—	—	14	—	19	—	—	—	73	—	Word of Mouth
2005	"River of Love"	—	—	—	—	—	—	85	—	—	—
	"Tomorrow"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2007	"Ride the Storm" (Roachford & M.Y.N.C. Project)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Non-album singles
	"Ride the Storm" (Remix) (Carl Kennedy vs. M.Y.N.C Project featuring Roachford)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2010	"Survive" (Laurent Wolf featuring Andrew Roachford)	—	—	—	9	—	—	—	—	—	—	Harmony (Laurent Wolf album)
2011	"Wishing You Knew"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Addictive
	"Complicated"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019	"Love Remedy"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Twice in a Lifetime
2020	"What We Had" (featuring Beverley Knight)[20]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

• ⁺ "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by MOBO Allstars was a charity single released collectively by MOBO Award nominees in 1998, reaching No. 47 on the UK Singles Chart. The artists featured on the recording were Another Level, Beverley Knight, Mica Paris, Damage, Nine Yards, Don-E, Hinda Hicks, Celetia, Dina Carroll, Dru Hill, Shola Ama, Truce, Misty Oldland, Ultimate Kaos, Kleshay, Lynden David Hall, Kele Le Roc, East 17, Conner Reeves, Des'ree, Cleopatra, Glamma Kid, Honeyz, Kelle Bryan, Roachford, Byron Stingily, Alyson Brown, D'Influence, Michelle Gayle, Ignorants, Soundproof, Tony Dortie, David Grant and Carrie Grant.