Last time we had no big British girl band?

Devil

Devil

I Need A House
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Was just thinking, with Little Mix splitting next year, when was the last time we didn’t have a big (UK based/centric/UK did more girl bands than most other places anyway) female pop band around?

I can only go back as far as I know, but Eternal started in 94; Spice Girls and All Saints then hit us for the rest of the decade by which point Atomic Kitten were top ten regulars, followed by GA and Sugababes ruling that decade, The Saturdays then doing their thing during which Little Mix were formed. Will this be the first time in nearly thirty years where we don’t have a ‘big’ charting and popular girl group around?
 
I guess 1999 was slim pickings, but B*Witched, albeit Irish, were somewhat chart regulars that year even if not huge, whilst All Saints and Spice Girls were absent.
 
Groups are a bit too expensive for the Western music industry these days. Solo artists with an endless array of features is preferred.
 
Looking at the charts right now (well, not RIGHT now because of Christmas) who would we say is consistently charting well with pure pop music? It seems kinda slim pickings across the board.

Obviously Olivia Rodrigo is massive. BTS still seem to do well. Who else?
 
what is pure pop music?

Dua Lipa had the biggest hit of 2021 on the Hot 100 with a "pure pop" song. it's hardly dead!
 
SilVoR Bells said:
Looking at the charts right now (well, not RIGHT now because of Christmas) who would we say is consistently charting well with pure pop music? It seems kinda slim pickings across the board.

Obviously Olivia Rodrigo is massive. BTS still seem to do well. Who else?
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Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift are who I think of but they are technically between projects now, I suppose.
 
SilVoR Bells said:
Looking at the charts right now (well, not RIGHT now because of Christmas) who would we say is consistently charting well with pure pop music? It seems kinda slim pickings across the board.

Obviously Olivia Rodrigo is massive. BTS still seem to do well. Who else?
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DAISIES daisies DAISIES!!!!! out now!
 
SilVoR Bells said:
Looking at the charts right now (well, not RIGHT now because of Christmas) who would we say is consistently charting well with pure pop music? It seems kinda slim pickings across the board.

Obviously Olivia Rodrigo is massive. BTS still seem to do well. Who else?
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Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, The Weeknd (these days), Post Malone, The Kid Laroi

The last few are technically rappers I guess, but they're more pop than hip-hop imo
 
I'm guessing maybe the early 90s was the last time? Post-Bananarama, pre-Shampoo/Eternal/Spice Girls etc
 
Bananarama were active until 1993, albiet very much past their peak. If Shakespeare's sister count, they also had hits in that early 90s period before Eternal came in.
 
Yeah there’s still a solid amount of pure pop around, even if it often isn’t right at the top of the charts. It just feels a little strange that there isn’t currently looking like there will be even one big girl group constantly in the top ten/twenty and with a big fanbase given we’ve had them for so long. Wonder whether they will come back in at some point or if the market will produce one to fill the gap.

I guess boybands are in a similar position, but BTS seem very popular so seem to have that market sewn up.
 
Also Atomic Kitten had their first hit in 99, which seems odd given Whole Again was 2001.

And obviously Destiny's Child pretty much destroyed all in their path if we're counting non-Brits. Spice Girls and All Saints were just on a break. We were still in rich girl group waters that year, even if they weren't all around.

I definitely think it's early 90s too for anything successful, UK or otherwise? I can't exactly remember
 
Anyway I was thinking exactly the same thing recently @Devil and it upset me just a tad! Little Mix have been so prolific and successful which is lovely and deserved, but for a long time now it hasn't felt like anyone has been ready to take over. Or even a lower-tier Saturdays style group doing averagely with big bops in the background. God, even an N-Tyce would do. Or it is happening and I've just missed it because I'm old and the charts are confusing etc.

It makes you realise how much of an impact talent shows had too, giving us Girls Aloud and then Little Mix.

I also accept the rather sad likelihood that, as a gay pushing forty in 2021, a new big girl group is highly unlikely to be making music that appeals to me, or with any intention of doing so. But you live in hope and so I'm grateful for Little Mix still giving us a few gems even now
 
Reindeer On Me said:
Also Atomic Kitten had their first hit in 99, which seems odd given Whole Again was 2001.

And obviously Destiny's Child pretty much destroyed all in their path if we're counting non-Brits. Spice Girls and All Saints were just on a break. We were still in rich girl group waters that year, even if they weren't all around.

I definitely think it's early 90s too for anything successful, UK or otherwise? I can't exactly remember
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Going a bit R&B here rather than Pop, but at least in the early 90s we had En Vogue and TLC for the US side of things.
 
Reindeer On Me said:
Yeah it just makes it sound longer than it is. It's the idea of Atomic Kitten having a hit in the 90s, technically, that sounds odd, I mean it felt like a different group to the slop they became in 01
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Featured on top 40 hits in the 90s, 00s, 10s and 20s!

Now THAT is weird :D
 
Reindeer On Me said:
Yeah it just makes it sound longer than it is. It's the idea of Atomic Kitten having a hit in the 90s, technically, that sounds odd, I mean it felt like a different group to the slop they became in 01
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Don’t forget that “the cracks were starting to show” during the filming of the See Ya video.
 
Reindeer On Me said:
What was the 10s one?!

I counted their top 10s earlier - THIRTEEN I think. Nearly all of which post-Whole Again are completely unhummable. Apart from noted fan favourite The Last Goodbye obviously
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Well… they were featured on the Big Reunion Christmas single :eyes:
 
I was almost expecting that to say '...this was decided at some point last summer but none of us was informed...'

We have our memories.
 
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