The Real Reason The Wanted Broke Up

According to All Music, The Wanted, a British boy band that topped the charts in the early 2010s, formed in 2009. Like their predecessors (including NSYNC), the group was manufactured through a nine-month audition process by industry heads (via The Independent). Ultimately, the final lineup consisted of Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker, and Nathan Sykes. Together, the boys dominated U.K. airwaves before breaking into the American market. Per Hull Live, their biggest single was 2011's "Glad You Came."

However, after four years together, two No. 1 singles, and several other hits, The Wanted announced that they were going on hiatus (via PopCrush). CBS News reports that the news came to light as the group was getting ready to embark on a new tour. As explained in a statement put out by the group, the boys had "collectively decided to take time to pursue personal endeavors following the tour's conclusion." As promised, The Wanted went their separate ways, after the Word of Mouth tour came to an end back in 2014 (per the Daily Mail).

The Wanted broke up due to career differences

Despite the cordial message, the Daily Mail states that tension was growing behind the scenes. While George and Sykes wanted to pursue solo careers, the rest of the group did not. "Our personal lives drove us apart," and the group was "drifting," George later stated (via PopCrush). Meanwhile, Sykes said that there was "nobody to blame" for the hiatus. Per The Mirror, Kaneswaran, however, faulted their reality TV show, "The Wanted Life," for the split. "Everyone was thinking of themselves," he said.

In the years after The Wanted's demise, The Independent reports that Sykes pursued a solo career, and McGuiness and George went on the U.K. show "Strictly Come Dancing." Kaneswaran stayed out of the limelight (per Hull Live). Tragically, Parker was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2020. After being apart for seven years, The Wanted got back together to perform for a cancer benefit show in September 2021. Though they wanted to reunite sooner, the pandemic had put their plans on hold. In addition, they released a greatest hits album in November. According to the BBC, Parker's cancer was later deemed as "stable." The Wanted's website currently lists several upcoming 2022 U.K. tour dates.