Busted: Stardom in social media age is a 'different thing'

Charlie Simpson (centre) said being famous was "entirely different" now because of social media

Social media has made being a pop star "an entirely different thing", according to Busted's Charlie Simpson.

The musician was speaking ahead of a tour to celebrate the pop-punk boyband's 20th anniversary.

Busted, formed in Southend, Essex, in 2000, split in 2005 with Simpson's departure but reformed in 2016 for a stadium tour and new album.

Simpson told BBC Radio Suffolk it was "easier to be famous" in the early Noughties before social media.

The musician, who grew up in Woodbridge, Suffolk, said the band was "super pumped" about the new tour and connecting with fans again.

Busted, including musicians Matt Willis and James Bourne, sold five million records at the beginning of the millennium, scoring hits with Year 3000 and What I Go To School For.

The band released another album in 2019 and Simpson said the tour will be a "big celebration of everything people loved about Busted in the beginning".

Busted, from left, James Bourne, Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis, first found fame in 2002

More than 20 years after their formation, Simpson said he thought the music industry had changed a lot and being famous was "much worse now".

"I feel like it was easier then but we had a great time - it was a whirlwind," he said.

"We came out in 2002 and the music industry was a very, very different place back then.

"But it was it all happened pretty fast and it was an amazing time. We got to tour the world and it's amazing meeting fans now, because you sort of see the connection it had then and feel like it sort of stayed with them."

The new UK tour is due to kick off in Plymouth on 2 September.

They will also be releasing an album of revamped tracks which will feature collaborations with McFly, All Time Low, Simple Plan and others.