Fan x Girlgroups [Sugababes: #03]

[Fan]

A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of whom were influenced by doo-wop, and which flourished in the late 1950s and early 1960s between the decline of early rock and roll and start of the British Invasion.

I have always had a thing for girlgroups ever since I fell in love with the Spice Girls as a 5-year-old boy, and what would be a better way to celebrate some of my favourite girlgroups with a countdown of their, in my opinion, best songs? I'll start in a few days and expect some of the biggest (mostly British) girlgroups of the last 20 years.

Thanks for the inspiration Mainshow!

[JakeP]

This should be an amazing countdown Fan.

Ahh so you're only a couple of years younger than me then. Will be interesting to see how some songs fare in this countdown compared to my UK #1s countdown.

[Fan]

Ahh so you're only a couple of years younger than me then. Will be interesting to see how some songs fare in this countdown compared to my UK #1s countdown.

He he, you thought I was younger?
It will! I'm certainly expecting to see some SOTU/Whole Again love in your chart

[JakeP]

He he, you thought I was younger?
It will! I'm certainly expecting to see some SOTU/Whole Again love in your chart

Ahh because you said you were 5 years old when Spice Girls started, and i was 8.

Whole again is such an amazing pop song. Mind you, you only need to look at that really amateurish banner i made for my thread and you'll see Atomic Kitten and Sugababes amongst the single covers.

[Mainshow]

You're welcome, honey. Glad you got inspired and I feel a bit honored haha. Can't wait to see your first countdown.

Btw, the next artist of "Mainshow Goes Diva" will be a band as well.

[Erotica]

Will be interesting for sure

[Fan]

Thanks for the comments guys!!
And let's start right away with the first one.

Girls Aloud are an English-Irish pop girl group, which was created through the ITV talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. The group comprised singers Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. The group achieved a string of twenty consecutive top ten singles in the United Kingdom, including four number ones. They also achieved seven certified albums, of which two reached number one. They have been nominated for five Brit Awards, winning the 2009 Best Single for "The Promise".

I wanted to start my countdown with one of my all-time favourite music acts, the wonderful Girls Aloud. The group, who managed against all odds, to have an amazing career and surprised even their own fans with their success and longevity. I always loved SOTU and No Good Advice, but it wasn't until the release of Love Machine that I became a fan and started to support them. During the years, they have had a massive impact on me and my life, their music helped me with a lot and I even improved my English because of them (and this is no joke ). So yeah, I am excited to go through their top 10 finest singles and looking forward to read your replies!

[Fan]

10. Wake Me Up

Feels like I'm back at school
Makes me want to break the rules

We start the countdown with Wake Me Up, the fourth single taken off 'What Will The Neighbours Say? and saw the girls take a more rocky sound (and I say this very loosely, because this is obviously far from being a rock song). It did however was a slight change of sound, something which suited them well. It never used to be one of my favourites, I always prefer the previous I'll Stand By You, but it has grown on me a lot over the years. The lyrics are typically bonkers and the video was fun. Overall a great song and for me a good way to start the top 10.

[JakeP]

Ohh ok, i thought it was gonna be like a top 100 favourite girlgroup songs.

In that case it'll be even more interesting seeing everything broken down. Girls Aloud is a great way to get things started. Wake me up was a great track, not quite one of my overall favourites, but still very good. I loved the music video with some really cool and funny ways of incorporating riding motorbikes and applying make up.

[Fan]

09. Sexy! No No No...

Did you tell him? No, no, no,
Give him kisses? No, no, no,
Whisper honey? No, no, no,
You're god delicious? Hell no!

HELL NO! Well, that was actually the thing I thought when I heard this for the very first time What the fuck is this sound and do they think they will be a hit for them?? Well, turned out they pretty damn knew what they were doing. After my initial reaction, this slowly began the grow on me (helped by the 'Fighter' inspired video) and now I can truly say it is one of their finest moments. The song is all over the place, shouldn't work, but it so does! I cannot imagine any other girlgroup releasing a song like Sexy! No No No... and that is one of the reasons why I love Girls Aloud so much. They weren't afraid to take a risk and it usually paid off for them.

[Fan]

Ohh ok, i thought it was gonna be like a top 100 favourite girlgroup songs.

In that case it'll be even more interesting seeing everything broken down. Girls Aloud is a great way to get things started. Wake me up was a great track, not quite one of my overall favourites, but still very good. I loved the music video with some really cool and funny ways of incorporating riding motorbikes and applying make up.

Oh, sorry Maybe I should have been more clear, haha. I'm just going to post top 10's of some of my favourite girlbands, combined together it could almost be a top 100 though

The music video is very fun indeed, as fake as it looks

[JakeP]

I've always been a bit :-? with Sexy! no no no... because the first part of the song (the slower intro) is immense and amazing and everything. Then the beat comes in and i sort of feel like the song loses its impact really quickly from that point onwards. :( It's still an ok song but not amongst my favourites.

[Mainshow]

You're moving fast

Personally, I have never been a huge fan of Girls Aloud and strangely, I don't know many singles by them because they have never been a thing here in Germany. In fact, after "Sound of the Underground" performed quite decently here (I remembered the music video being played on TV a few times), they or their label never cared about trying to break one of the biggest markets worldwide. I think they had a lot of potential but in retrospective, I have to admit that I know why they never tried to be successful in continental Europe. Their songs a very "British" and that sound would not have worked probably.

Anyway, I loved their (too short) comeback. "Now and Then" is a masterpiece. <3

Listening to "Wake Me Up" now and I actually enjoy it. It's not brilliant but like you said, that "rock sound" suits them and it's quite catchy.

"Sexy! No No No..." is utterly horrendous, tbh. I really loved the intro and the music video but the song's is a mess afterwards.

That being said, I bought every album by Cheryl and I love her to death. + I loved Nicola's album. I am still desperately waiting to listen to her sophomore album. So strangely, I enjoy the girls' solo outputs waaaaaay more than Girls Aloud's stuff. - But I will take your countdown as a chance to get familiar with some of their tracks.

Hopefully. "Something New" will be very high (or even top the chart).

[Erotica]

Sexy No No No is a good song overall but I don't like the chorus as much as the rest of the song

[Fan]

I've always been a bit :-? with Sexy! no no no... because the first part of the song (the slower intro) is immense and amazing and everything. Then the beat comes in and i sort of feel like the song loses its impact really quickly from that point onwards. :( It's still an ok song but not amongst my favourites.

For some reason I was expecting you to like S!NNN... quite a bit Don't know why, but hope you will like the next one a bit more!!
The intro is immense indeed, agree with you on that.

You're moving fast

Personally, I have never been a huge fan of Girls Aloud and strangely, I don't know many singles by them because they have never been a thing here in Germany. In fact, after "Sound of the Underground" performed quite decently here (I remembered the music video being played on TV a few times), they or their label never cared about trying to break one of the biggest markets worldwide. I think they had a lot of potential but in retrospective, I have to admit that I know why they never tried to be successful in continental Europe. Their songs a very "British" and that sound would not have worked probably.

Anyway, I loved their (too short) comeback. "Now and Then" is a masterpiece. <3

Listening to "Wake Me Up" now and I actually enjoy it. It's not brilliant but like you said, that "rock sound" suits them and it's quite catchy.

"Sexy! No No No..." is utterly horrendous, tbh. I really loved the intro and the music video but the song's is a mess afterwards.

That being said, I bought every album by Cheryl and I love her to death. + I loved Nicola's album. I am still desperately waiting to listen to her sophomore album. So strangely, I enjoy the girls' solo outputs waaaaaay more than Girls Aloud's stuff. - But I will take your countdown as a chance to get familiar with some of their tracks.

Hopefully. "Something New" will be very high (or even top the chart).

Yes, the same here! SOTU, No Good Advice and Jump all did really well, but after they the kind of gave up. They did perform, out of nowhere, Love Machine and a Dutch awards show, totally random as nobody knew the song. Never took off after that performance either. Agree with your comments about their British sound, a lot of songs definitely wouldn't have made any impact in the European market. Although I think The Promise could have done well.

On The Metro >>>>

Awh at you describing S!NNN... as as mess :( I do understand it, it kinda is a mess, but that is also why I love it so much.

Cheryl? Better than Girls Aloud? Okay, I could forgive your We Found Love comments. But this!? I'm not too sure anymore.

JK.

But I totally disagree on that one. She did release some massive tunes (Fight For This Love, Parachute), but she never delivered a good album for me, always very hit and miss. Nicola on the other hand is amazing. Cinderella's Eyes is one of the best records of the last ten years and I am also still waiting for her follow up.
Thanks for your lengthy reply and I hope you will discover some new gems <3

Sexy No No No is a good song overall but I don't like the chorus as much as the rest of the song

It apparently a song that divides opinion quite a bit Always thought it was a popular choice among their fanbase, but like I said above, I can understand the dislike. It is a weird one!

[Fan]

08. Call The Shots

I've seen life flow by, like a river,
So full of twilight, dreams that glitter

After the release of Sexy! No No No... the girls decided to slow it down for the song that would officially launch the album, a wise move as a song like Call The Shots shifts a lot more copies of an album. Combined with heavy promo, including a X Factor performance (their first) and good airplay this became yet another top 5 hit for them.

Call The Shots is a song I have always liked, an instant like right after the first listen. It is not their most exciting release, but just a lovely song. I cannot say something about this song without mentioning Nicola's part. Like in most Girls Aloud songs, Nicola always has the best lines for me, and that is certainly the case with this one. So full of twilight, dreams that glitter <3

[Fan]

07. Biology

So I got my cappuccino to go,
And I'm heading for the hills again

Biology, also known as the song the turned me into a full-on Girls Aloud stan, has become one of their signature songs. On paper, this song shouldn't work. It has the weirdest structure (where is the chorurs?) and the lyrics make no sense and are actually complete bonkers. But boy, does it work! I don't think any other girlgroup could release a song like this and that is why I love Girls Aloud so much. They were not afraid to take a risk and experiment.
Biology has to be one of their biggest experiments, it did pay off as I have always thought this song really put them on the map. Maybe not chart wise, but it did gave an impression of what they were capable of and I always felt the music press took them more seriously after this release.

[JakeP]

Call the shots <3 What a sublime song this is. It's still up there as one of my favourite Girls Aloud singles. Nichola's middle 8 bit when the drum beat goes quiet and those sweeping synths come in before the final chorus. This was easily one of their most sophisticated pop songs.

Biology is a great track. It's not on the same level as Call the shots for me, but its still another cracking pop song. I love the way the beat intertwines with each section. Oh, and surely the chorus is the "you can't mistake my biology, the way that we walk..." bit? I still find the part around 2:28 in the music video really clumsy looking though, as if they only had an hour to film everything and the director didn't have time to film a smooth transition. :evil:

[Mainshow]

Oh, please, Cheryl is Kween material. I absolutely adore her. She has amazing plays on my last.fm account and I pretty much love her three last albums (even though, her best song is "Parachute" for me). Her sound is very much different to the British-esque vibe of Girls Aloud.

To be honest, the last two entries aren't my cup of tea at all but I really enjoyed to watch the trashy and camp music video of "Biology". Their "time" move was excellent and on point.

At least, Girls Aloud had a bit more success in the Netherlands ;) - Strange that such a HUGE British band didn't make any impact on other markets (minus Ireland, obviously). They clearly had the potential to dominate the pop industry for some time.

[Erotica]

Call the shots is nice, but I don't like Biology

I really love Nicola and somehow also like Sarah, and Nadine usually has great vocals

[Fan]

Call the shots <3 What a sublime song this is. It's still up there as one of my favourite Girls Aloud singles. Nichola's middle 8 bit when the drum beat goes quiet and those sweeping synths come in before the final chorus. This was easily one of their most sophisticated pop songs.

Biology is a great track. It's not on the same level as Call the shots for me, but its still another cracking pop song. I love the way the beat intertwines with each section. Oh, and surely the chorus is the "you can't mistake my biology, the way that we walk..." bit? I still find the part around 2:28 in the music video really clumsy looking though, as if they only had an hour to film everything and the director didn't have time to film a smooth transition. :evil:

Sophisticated is perfect word to describe Call The Shots indeed, and yess @ the Nicola comment <3 Pure bliss.

I have never been too sure about that being the chorus to be honest. I mean, it could be and would make sense But at the same time, it only starts after two minutes within the song and doesn't scream chorus. I just love the weird structure of that song, haha.
I have to rewatch the video now!

Oh, please, Cheryl is Kween material. I absolutely adore her. She has amazing plays on my last.fm account and I pretty much love her three last albums (even though, her best song is "Parachute" for me). Her sound is very much different to the British-esque vibe of Girls Aloud.

To be honest, the last two entries aren't my cup of tea at all but I really enjoyed to watch the trashy and camp music video of "Biology". Their "time" move was excellent and on point.

At least, Girls Aloud had a bit more success in the Netherlands ;) - Strange that such a HUGE British band didn't make any impact on other markets (minus Ireland, obviously). They clearly had the potential to dominate the pop industry for some time.

Nicola is Kween, Cheryl is just Cheryl I absolutely cannot stand Will.I.Am, so that is probably a huge reason while I am not totally onboard with her solo albums. She does have so tunes though, like I mentioned already with Fight For This Love and Parachute, but I also adore A Million Lights, Stand Up, The Flood etc.

You don't like Call The Shots? :(

It is very strange indeed, it seemed like they never even bothered after the first album. They did release Biology in Australia and NZ though and became a minor hit over there if I remember correctly. They even did a promo tour over there and in Asia as well for some reason during the Chemistry era.

Call the shots is nice, but I don't like Biology

I really love Nicola and somehow also like Sarah, and Nadine usually has great vocals

Ah, Biology is a classic! <3

Nicola is brilliant, Nadine does have the strongest vocals but I have never really liked her that much to be honest.

[Fan]

06. Whole Lotta History

I'm dammed if I do and I'm dammed and if I don't, But you cost me so much love, yeah

This may come as a bit of a surprise, as Whole Lotta History seems to be one of the girls most forgotten singles and I also think, despite peaking at #6, it is one of their least-selling ones.
For me, however, this has always been a clear stand-out for me since hearing Chemistry for the first time and was therefore delighted when it was announced as fourth single. While the girls are mostly known for the uptempo, feelgood tracks, I do think they can deliver a brilliant ballad and this has to be their best one. A gorgeous track, opened by Kimberley who has never sounded better than on this song and Nicola once again delivers with her mix of vulnerable and strong vocals. The video was shot is beautiful Paris and creates the right setting for this song.

[Fan]

05. The Promise

So here I am, walking Primrose

From one of their lesser known singles to one of the biggest hits- The Promise. It doesn't usually happen that talent show winners release one of their biggest hits as 19th single, but that is exactly what Girls Aloud did when the released this tune back in 2008. With Cheryl riding high on the X Factor and a full promo schedule, this song was always going to do well, but I do not think many people expected it to do this well when it became their fourth #1 single (and first #1 that wasn't a winners or charity single).

The Promise has this brilliant 60s feel that suited them quite well, delivered with charm and a lot of fun, this song is always a joy to listen to. I have always loved the video as well, the five of them always had great chemistry and it certainly shows in this one. I was actually just watching their X Factor performance of this one back and it made me realise how much I miss them. Come back again, please. We need another comeback!

[Mainshow]

Since you mentioned it, I am not a huge fan of will.i.am either but I personally think that his songs with Cheryl are the best ones of his career; especially "3 Words" is absolutely brilliant. I am glad you like "A Million Lights". This album is so freaking strong (perhaps her best one); even the deluxe tracks are enjoyable. I am pretty sure she named her song after her track "teddy BEAR". It should have been a single.

"Call The Shots" is nothing I would ever want to listen again, I think.

I agree that it's strange they never tried to break other markets and I strongly believe it's because of their sound (like I previously said). I had no clue why had some semi hits in Australia/NZ, though; but those places are still a bit more influenced by the British market than other places around the world

"Whole Lotta Story" is a song I have never heard before. Definitely more than listenable. Nicole indeed delivers on this track.

However, "The Promise" <3 - Personally, I think this is their best song of their entire career (before their comeback). Should have been a bit higher ;)
Oh, I had no clue it was released THAT late in their career. As a 19th single? - Wow, I had no clue they had so many singles! I agree, it's great to see an artist surviving the "new artist" effect and continue being successful many years and singles after they debuted!

[Erotica]

Don't like these two songs, The Promise is somehow their worst single I think