10 best girl groups of all time

The 90’s was a decade of girl group and so feature heavily in out top 10 though in no particular order. We have chosen the groups from the golden age of motown to present day.

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As well as selling countless millions of records, girl groups have spread the word of female empowerment across the world and many have addressed surprisingly significant social themes in their music. Those who didn’t tackle such issues head on did, at least, represent something significant simply by scaling the charts and breaking up what was once the boys club of pop music.

From the Spice Girls to Girls aloud, Little Mix and the Supremes, these are the ten best girl groups of all time, listed in no particular order.

Girls Aloud

After forming on ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals back in 2002, Girls Aloud became the first hugely successful group to have their origins in a talent show. The group enjoyed incredible success, recording 20 consecutive top 10 music singles and four number ones, beginning with Sound of the Underground in 2002. It was this extended streak of fantastic songwriting and instantaneous appeal that made them one of the most compelling pop groups of the last 20 years.

Little Mix

As well as releasing some of the most memorable pop songs of the last few years – Black Magic, we’re looking at you – the X Factor-formed group have always been vocal in their support of body positivity and girl power. In an age where social media trolling is unfortunately all too common, the messages that go hand in hand with Little Mix’s music feel especially relevant. They are also the 7th top selling girl band in history!

The Bangles

Pop-rockers The Bangles established themselves as one of the biggest acts of the 80s after releasing the hugely popular singles Walk Like an Egyptian and Manic Monday. The songs announced them on the world stage in 1986, but it was 1989 number one Eternal Flame which really cemented their legacy. This quality piece of songwriting ensures they’ll be remembered as one of the finest girl groups of the decade – and, of course, it got a girl group cover from Atomic Kitten back in 2000.

Fifth Harmony

Fifth Harmony (commonly initialized as 5H) is an American girl group formed on the second season of The X Factor. The group consists of members Ally Brooke Hernandez, Normani Hamilton, Dinah Jane Hansen, Camila Cabello, and Lauren Jauregui. They signed a joint deal with Syco Music, owned by Simon Cowell, and Epic Records, L.A. Reid’s record label, after finishing in third place behind Tate Stevens and Carly Rose Sonenclar on the show.

All Saints

While All Saints formed back in 1993, it was only after the arrival of Canadian twins Nicola and Natalie Appleton that they really begin to find success. After their debut album arrived at number two in the UK charts it was the use of Pure Shores on the soundtrack of Leonardo DiCaprio’s film The Beach put them firmly at the forefront of the pop culture zeitgeist in the early 00s, and they went on to sell 12 million albums. They’ve embarked on a successful comeback too over recent years, releasing new material and supporting Take That on a stadium tour after getting back together in 2013.

The Supremes

Any number of girl groups on the Motown label in the 60s could have made the list, not least Martha and the Vandellas and The Marvelettes, but The Supremes are without a doubt one of the most influential groups of all time and thoroughly deserve to be recognised as such. The group enjoyed 12 number ones between and 1964 and 1969, becoming Motown’s most successful and popular act of the decade. Songs like Baby Love, Stop! In the Name In Love and You keep Me Hanging On are pop at its purest, and while Diana Ross went on to leave the group and become a huge star in her own right, there’s a timeless nature to the music of The Supremes that will endure for decades to come.

TLC

As well as releasing No Scrubs, one of the greatest songs of the 90s, TLC were far more culturally significant and influential than your average pop group. In fact, few best-selling songs are as impactful as TLC’s huge hit Waterfalls and its accompanying video, which makes references to the AIDS crisis and the illegal drug trade in the US. It was pretty groundbreaking at the time and remains a huge moment in the career of a truly great act, who represent the top selling US girl group of all time. Sadly, the music world mourned the loss of founding member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in 2002, but her musical legacy with TLC will never be forgotten.

Destiny’s Child

Before Beyoncé became the iconic feminist megastar we know and love today, she was one third of 00s pop stalwarts Destiny’s Child. Accompanied by Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams in the group’s most widely recognised lineup, Destiny’s Child achieved a string of hits from 1997 to 2005, including Survivor, which has to go down as one of the most empowering songs of the 00s.

Atomic Kitten

Atomic Kitten were formed in 1998 and broke onto the national conscious in late 1999 with their debut single ‘Right Now’ which jumped straight into the UK Top 10 eventually spending 7 weeks in the Top 40. Their follow-up – the infectious and melody-laden ‘See Ya’, released in March of 2000 – crash-landed into the charts at number 6 with the 3rd single, “I Want Your Love” also hitting the top ten. The tracks perfectly picked up the lyrical theme coursing through every Atomic Kitten songs.

Spice Girls

Not only are Spice Girls the most commercially successful girl group of all time, with 80 million records sold during their career, they’re also by far the most influential of modern times.

Just outside the top 10 were B*Witched, Sugababes, Eternal.

Have we missed anyone?

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