With the somewhat terrifying news that S Club 7 are taking their reformation further than a performance on Children in Need – they begin a UK tour next month – it got us thinking about other cheesy pop acts from the '90s. Just for a bit of nostalgia, like.
TV shows like The Big Reunion have been responsible for many pop band reunions in recent years – some of which they shouldn't have bothered with. Others have drifted into a perennial no-man's-land of 'Oh yeah, remember them?'. It’s those tunes that we've honed in on for this list: the pop tunes that only '90s kids will remember.
1. LET LOOSE - Crazy For You (1994)
One of the biggest hits of 1994 by the British trio - who went on to release three albums in total, the last after reforming in 2008. Needless to say, it didn't quite go to plan.
2. NO MERCY – Where Do You Go (1996)
You'll have vivid memories of this video. The eyebrows! The dancing! The sheer bang of '90s off of it! Believe it or not, the American trio are still active.
3. MN8 – I've Got a Little Something For You (1995)
You knew this English R&B band - completely modelled on their American counterparts at the time - were baaaad boys in their double-denim and white-vested get-ups. My mam rang 2FM and requested this song for my birthday once. Thanks mam (and Tony Fenton (RIP)).
4. ALL-4-ONE – I Swear (1994)
A classic one-hit-wonder, but there was no escaping this song in 1994, even if this Californian four-piece were a cheap knock-off of Boyz II Men.
5. LFO – Summer Girls (1999)
"New Kids on the Block had a bunch of hits / Chinese food makes me sick / And I think it's fly when girls stop by for the summer, for the summer". The lyrics to this tune were obviously desperately scribbled on the back of a fag box on the way to the studio. Nonetheless, it did introduce us to the concept of Abercrombie & Fitch (Your dad: "What's he sayin'? Apple crumble and fish?") yeeeeears before it took up residence in Irish society. Not sure if we should thank them for that.
6. ROBERT MILES - Children (1995)
If you didn't like this song, you weren't cool. End of.
7. JENNIFER PAIGE – Crush (1998)
Still a catchy little pop number, all told. Surprised that it hasn't been unearthed and flogged to death by some youngster with no ideas of their own, to be honest. (In my day, etc.)
8. MOUSSE T VS. HOT & JUICY – Horny '98 (1998)
If your parents walked into the room when this was on MTV, you were in for it. Filth. Uber-catchy filth, but filth all the same.
OK, and a bonus track:
THE TAMPERER FEATURING MAYA - Feel It (1998)
You didn't know what the hell she was on about with her 'chimneys', but you sang along anyway. (PS - a 'chimney' was supposedly Northern Irish (?) slang for a black eye. Thanks, Smash Hits.)
