Five 90’s Pop Groups That Were Awesome (According to Me)

Ahh… the 90’s; back when pop groups conquered the music scene. It was also the time when music was mainly in cassette or CD format and not to forget, mp3’s debut to the world. I’m sure you’ve heard of groups like Backstreet Boys, N’sync, Take That, Westlife, Boyzone and Spice Girls. But of course, there were also others, although not as popular as the ones mentioned above, were awesome beyond words, in their own right. So, before I get O.D’ed with nostalgia, allow me to list down 5 randomly-chosen bands that really defined my 90’s childhood.

#1. A-teens

These 4 excellent Swedish quartret were originally known as ABBA-teens, as they were initially formed as an ABBA tribute band. But they were soon changed to A-teens after Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, two of the original members of ABBA, requested that the group drop “ABBA” from the name in order to avoid confusion. The decision to shorten the name actually gave the group creative freedom to define their own musical path, enabling them to be more than just an ABBA tribute group.

Recommended song: I promised myself

#2. S Club 7

Although they’re clearly a manufactured pop group, you can’t deny that they songs are actually very nice, not just catchy. They were created by none other than Simon Fuller, former Spice Girls manager and also the guy that created the Pop Idol franchise which eventually spawned the American Idol series. Their rise to fame is attributed to the popularity of their own TV series, Miami 7 that lasted 4 series, each in different location. Even though they have disbanded for a long time, 3 of the original members (Jo, Bradley and Paul) have begun performing in pubs and night clubs under the S Club banner again.

Recommended song: Never had a dream come true

#3. Ultra

Contrary to popular beliefs, they were NEVER a manufactured boyband, even though pop was their genre. In fact, they all play instruments. They enjoyed a huge, albeit short success before James Hearn (vocalist) splits up with the group. Ultra eventually re-grouped after a 4-year hiatus.

Recommended song: Say you do

#4. The Moffatts

These four talented Canadian brothers were the Jonas Brothers of the 90’s. They started out in country music before they eventually moved on to pop rock, with such a promising career ahead of them. But, it wasn’t until 2001 that the band disbanded after vocalist and eldest brother Scott decided to quit, feeling that the band did not get enough credit they deserved with all the boyband comparisons. It seems that ever since the split, Scott and Dave are currently doing their own thing, while Bob and Clint decided to return to their country roots under the name Like Strangers.

Recommended song(s): I’ll be there for you (The Moffatts), Wasted love (Like Strangers)

#5 MLTR (Michael Learn to Rock)

Formed in 1988, MLTR has always been one of the biggest bands to dominate the 90’s, particularly in Asia because what makes their songs appealing to Asian audience is the fact that both their music and lyrics are simple and soothing to listen to. Even after a long time, they’ve managed to maintain a clean-living image and also remained relevant in today’s music scene. Not bad for a bunch of Danish dudes who sings in English as a second language.

Recommended song: Paint my love

There you have it. I actually wanted to put in more but I thought, better leave it at that. So, I’d hope you’d also find interest with the groups listed above. You can also share you own list of favourite music groups of the 90’s in the comments section.

Until then…

P.S.: You can also check out my other music-related list right here: My list of 5 female artists that deserves wider recognition.