In the 90’s and early 2000’s, we had legendary girl groups like the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child to listen to. But what about now? Who are the heirs to the Golden Age of Girl Groups? Here are a few of our picks.
1. The Saturdays
Admittedly, the Saturdays are a little older. They were formed in 2007 but are still together, having announced plans to begin recording another album toward the end of this year. The U.K.-based band has five members: Frankie Bridge, Mollie King, Rochelle Humes, Vanessa White, and Una Foden. They have six full-length studio albums, the most recent being 2013’s Living for the Weekend. While three of the members are married with children, and all of the members are currently pursuing their own projects, they have repeatedly insisted that the Saturdays are not over! (Bonus: follow unafoden on Instagram for loads of photos of her gorgeous rugby-playing boyfriend and her two adorable kids).
2. Neon Jungle
In 2014, another British girl band released their debut album, entitled Welcome To the Jungle. The album featured two U.K. top 10 singles, which made it even more heartbreaking when Neon Jungle announced their separation in July. All four of the former members (Amira McCarthy, Asami Zdrenka, Jess Plummer, and Shereen Cutkelvin) are extremely talented, and definitely worth a listen. One special recommendation is their cover of Hozier’s “Take Me To Church.”
3. Little Mix
Just like the Saturdays, Little Mix is based in England. Each of the four members—Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Perrie Edwards—auditioned for 2011’s X Factor competition and were subsequently put into a group by the judges. Their upcoming third album, Get Weird, is due to be released on November 6th. The group has had several popular singles in the U.S., including 2012’s “Wings,” 2013’s “Move,” and this summer’s “Black Magic.” Their music is a catchy pop collection, with some tracks featuring some R&B influences. But the best things about Little Mix are definitely their positive attitudes and their friendship. They’re so much fun to watch, and the title Get Weird is definitely fitting, because that seems to be what they do all the time.
4. Fifth Harmony
Representing this side of the Atlantic are Fifth Harmony, who were also formed on the X Factor in 2012. The five-member group is arguably the biggest girl group in America right now, and has so far released one full-length album, 2015’s Reflection. Consisting of Ally Brooke Hernandez, Camila Cabello, Dinah Jane Hansen, Lauren Jauregui, and Normani Kordei, the band tries hard to make their music and messages empowering and positive, especially for young girls. They make music that can be classified in many different genres, a tribute to the musical diversity of the girls’ influences.
5. M.O
The last group on the list hasn’t actually released a full album yet. M.O was formed in 2012 by its members: Annie Ashcroft, Frankee Connolly, and Nadine Samuels. All three girls are English, and while they have released several songs, they are still working on their debut album. M.O have a slightly less polished sound than the other groups on this list, but their latest single, “Preach,” shows promising signs of development. The girls bring a 90’s vibe to the table both in their music and their clothing style, but still manage to keep it fresh. When all is said and done, M.O is definitely a group to keep an eye on.