Top 10 Best Girl Groups of the 1990s
#10: All Saints
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Never ever have we seen a girl group like this. All Saints brought something different to the table. Instead of focusing on their individual images, they spent more time fine-tuning the music. Their self-titled debut studio album included the breakout hit “Never Ever,” along with covers of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” and Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade.” That’s saying nothing of unforgettable tunes like “I Know Where It’s At.” If you were around in 1997, you probably knew All Saints pretty well. It’s no small thing to come in in the latter half of a decade and have a lasting impact on the time period. But they made it look effortless, continuing to grow and define their sound into the new millennium.
#9: Blaque
You’ve been touched by an angel, girl -- three of them, to be exact. That’s right; a trio of the Clovers from “Bring It On” were also an R&B group in the late ‘90s. Signed by TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Blaque officially debuted in 1999. Their name stood for “Believing in Life and Achieving a Quest for Unity in Everything,” and their music was similarly ambitious. Late group member Natina Reed worked on many of Blaque’s songs, including debut single “808” and the subsequent “I Do,” which featured Left Eye. However, the group’s biggest song was “Bring It All to Me.” The track includes guest vocals from *NSYNC’s JC Chasez. It may have come out in 1999, but it undeniably embodied the decade.
#8: The Chicks
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Before a barrage of political backlash told them to “shut up and sing,” the Chicks were the first ladies of ‘90s country music. They began their best-known line-up in 1995 with the arrival of lead singer Natalie Maines. The trio balanced ballads with fiddle-led foot-tappers, and proved that the decade’s girl power wasn’t just reserved for pop and R&B. The Chicks’ songs always told a story: on “Wide Open Spaces,” they sang about a young woman leaving home with infinite possibilities ahead. “Ready to Run” saw the group as runaway brides, while “Cowboy Take Me Away” is about a pastoral romance. As we saw in the 2000s, it would be a cold day in July before they stopped using their voices – thank goodness.
#7: Salt-N-Pepa
After breaking barriers for women in hip-hop in the 1980s, this flavorful group continued to push it in the ‘90s. Made up of rappers Salt, Pepa, and secret weapon DJ Spinderella, Salt-N-Pepa weren’t afraid to get down to business and discuss taboo issues of the time. On “Let’s Talk About Sex,” which was released amid the AIDS epidemic, they confronted the title topic and how it doesn’t always equate to love. They returned to the subject on “Shoop,” where they turned the tables on their male hip-hop peers by objectifying the men for once. Then on “Whatta Man,” Salt-N-Pepa added some more seasonings to the mix with vocal girl group En Vogue, updating the ‘60s original with some much-needed ‘90s girl power.
#6: Xscape
Kick off your shoes and relax your feet, here are the origins of a Georgia peach. Long before Kandi Burruss was calling out the lies, the lies, the lies as a Bravolebrity, she made her mark as a member of producer Jermaine Dupri’s R&B group, Xscape. The group’s breakout hit “Just Kickin’ It” isn’t exactly a feminist anthem, but it’s still really catchy. Its follow-up, “Understanding,” fares better in that department, with the group communicating their needs in a relationship with conviction. There’s no denying that Xscape’s work in the ‘90s left a lasting impact on girl groups. Burruss and fellow member Tameka “Tiny” Cottle were two of the co-writers for TLC’s “No Scrubs.”
#5: SWV
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Unlike the title of their biggest hit, this group possesses some powerful pipes. SWV released their first studio album, “It’s About Time,” in 1992. It was bolstered by several hit singles, like “I’m So into You” and “Right Here.” Of course, one of these was “Weak.” The R&B slow jam hit
#1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and ensured we’d never forget SWV. They released three more studio albums in the mid-’90s, continuing to impress. Though they went on hiatus in 1998, the body of work they produced during the decade cemented their influence on it. Fortunately, the Sisters with Voices reunited in the aughts, and continued to knock us right off our feet.
#4: En Vogue
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These funky divas will never go out of style. At the turn of the ‘90s, En Vogue busted onto the scene with the new jack swing-style “Hold On.” They followed it up with their blockbuster sophomore album, “Funky Divas.” Filled with hits and tons of personality, the group delivered hard rock-flavored social commentary on “Free Your Mind,” and dropped perhaps their catchiest offering with “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It).” Then a few years later in 1996, they released their magnum opus, “Don’t Let Go (Love).” The power ballad contains an epic piano riff, with magnetic guitars underlying mature vocals. Despite undergoing lineup changes, such as the departures of original members Dawn Robinson and Maxine Jones, En Vogue is still going strong today.
#3: Destiny's Child
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Destiny’s Child’s lineup would undergo changes, but the inaugural four-piece group consisted of Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LeToya Luckett, and LaTavia Roberson. By the aughts, they had already become a trio, with Luckett and Robertson out and Michelle Williams in. In the 1990s, Destiny’s Child was a true force of nature. If you ask anyone to name their favorite girl group songs from that period, chances are you’ll hear at least one of their titles – “No, No, No”, “Say My Name”, “Jumpin', Jumpin'” – take your pick. We also couldn’t forget the likes of “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Their influence on the musical landscape at the time was undeniable, as they worked with top-notch producers like Missy Elliott, blowing listeners away with mesmerizing hits.
#2: TLC
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Here’s a group whose talents bring the house down. TLC members Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas first burst onto the scene in the early ‘90s. The audacious trio combined elements of new jack swing and hip hop soul, notably spitting assertive bars about female sexuality on their debut single “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg.” TLC went for world domination with album
#2, “CrazySexyCool,” which included four hit singles: “Creep,” “Red Light Special,” “Diggin’ on You,” and the bittersweet, topical “Waterfalls.” They kept the commentary going on 1999’s “FanMail” — “Unpretty” deals with unrealistic beauty standards, while “No Scrubs” calls out guys who think they’re fly from the passenger side. Thus, TLC embodied and shaped the ‘90s, and their influence remains. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. B*Witched The Irish Girl Group Huffed, Puffed, & Blew Us Away 702 The Las Vegas Ladies Were Co-signed by Missy Elliott 3LW The Group, Some of Whom Would Go On to Form the Cheetah Girls, Flipped the Script Wilson Phillips They Held Onto the Charts
#1: Spice Girls
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Rather than adhering to a singular image, this quintessential ‘90s girl group offered a whole array for us to choose from. Whether you’re a fan of Ginger, Sporty, Scary, Baby, or Posh, the Spice Girls had something for everyone. The proof is in the 23 million sales of their debut “Spice” album, which made it the best-selling by a girl group ever. While they’re best known for upbeat bops like “Wannabe” and “Say You’ll Be There,” the Spice Girls were equally adept at building a sentimental atmosphere, as seen on “2 Become 1” and “Viva Forever.” Their pop culture reign extended beyond music as evidenced by all the merch and the release of the camp classic, “Spice World.” They will always be the 1990s personified. Which ‘90s girl group defines the decade in your mind? Let us know in the comments!
