Sugababes formed when Keisha Buchanan and Mutya Buena (who had been friends since they were 8) met Siobhan Donaghy at a 1998 party, having been introduced by manager Ron Tom. Buena and Donaghy had been working separately with Tom, recording tracks for a debut album, and it was suggested that the teenage group (they were all 13) might work better with a third member, Buchanan (who had appeared aged 6 on Michael Barrymore's “My Kind of Music” TV show, giving a strong vocal performance of Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love Of All"). The group’s name originates from Buchanan's school nickname, 'Sugar baby' – initially known as The Sugababies, they were offered a record contract by London Records and subsequently changed their name to the more mature sounding Sugababes. Debut single "Overload" made the UK Top 10 and was nominated for a BRIT Award for “Best Single”, it also charted at number 3 in Germany and number 2 in New Zealand. With the help of All Saints producer Cameron McVey, the girls co-wrote most of the tracks on debut album “One Touch”, which went on to produce 3 more UK Top 40 hits - "New Year", "Run for Cover" and "Soul Sound". Despite peaking at number 26 on the sales of “One Touch” didn’t meet London Records' expectations, and they dropped the group in 2001. Also that year, during a Japanese promotional tour Siobhan Donaghy left the group, initially saying she wanted to pursue a fashion career, but eventually being diagnosed with clinical depression amid reports of in-fighting between the Sugababes members. Heidi Range, a founding member of Atomic Kitten, was announced as Donaghy's replacement in 2001.

Sugababes signed to Island Records in 2002, and the first single on the new label, "Freak Like Me", produced by Richard X and recorded in his own flat, debuted at number 1 in the UK. Second single, “Round Round", produced by Kent-based production group Xenomania, also topped the UK Singles chart, reached number 2 in Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and made number 13 in Australia (selling over 35,000 copies). Second album ”Angels With Dirty Faces debuted at number 2 on the UK Album chart, eventually being certified triple platinum in the UK, and selling over 1 million copies in Europe. The third single from the album, "Stronger", was the Sugababes’ third straight UK Top 10 hit, with fourth single "Shape" just missing out on the UK Top 10 at number 11, but made the Top 10 in both Ireland and the Netherlands in early 2003. Sugababes won "Best British Dance Act" at the 2003 BRIT Awards.

Third album “Three” was released in late 2003, and fittingly reached number 3 on the UK Album chart. Lead single "Hole in the Head", again produced by Xenomania, was their third UK number 1, also topping the charts in Denmark, and reaching number 2 in Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway. It also became their first single to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 96, and topped the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Second single "Too Lost in You" (which appeared on the soundtrack to the film “Love Actually”), written by Diane Warren, went Top 10 in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Taiwan and China. Third single, 2004’s "In the Middle", went to number 8 in the UK, as did fourth single "Caught in a Moment".

In October 2005, the Dallas Austin produced "Push the Button" debuted at number 1 in the UK, their fourth UK number 1 single, selling over 300,000 copies. It also went to number 1 in Ireland, Austria and New Zealand, and sold around 100,000 copies in Australia, peaking at number 3. In the same month, ”Taller In More Ways” became Sugababes’ first UK number 1 album, as they sat atop the singles, album, airplay, and download charts at the same time. In December 2005 it was announced that Buena had left Sugababes for personal reasons. Amelle Berrabah, who featured in the band Boo2 with her sister, Samiya, replaced Buena later that month. Third single, a re-recorded version of "Red Dress", was released in early 2006, climbing to number 4 in the UK. Around the same time, ”Taller In More Ways” passed 1 million copies sold in Europe, and its final single "Follow Me Home" charted at number 32.

In 2006, Sugababes recorded 2 tracks for their contractual greatest hits collection, entitled “Overloaded: The Singles Collection” – lead single "Easy", co-written by George Astario and Jason Pebworth from Californian band Orson, peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles chart. The collection made number 3 on the UK Album chart in November 2006. In 2007 Sugababes duetted with Girls Aloud on a Comic Relief single, a cover of "Walk This Way", which climbed to number 1 in March 2007.
In October 2007, Sugababes’ single "About You Now", produced by Dr. Luke, topped the UK Singles chart on downloads alone, the first girl band ever to do so. The song, selling over 400,000 copies, also broke the record for the biggest jump to number 1, and remained there for 4 weeks. In the same month, “Change” became the group's second UK number 1 album, meaning that the band topped the singles, album and download charts simultaneously for the second time in their history. In December, second single “Change” debuted at number 26 on the UK Singles chart on downloads alone, peaking at number 13, and third single "Denial" entered the UK Singles chart at number 15. The album “Change” has sold over 500,000 copies in the UK.

Sixth studio album, “Catfights and Spotlights”, released in October 2008, reached number 8 on the UK Album chart, with lead single “Girls’ charting at number 3 in the same month.

Sugababes’ are thus far the most successful all-female act of the 21st century in the UK, and have sold more than 5 million albums in the UK.