Sugababes
Taller in More Ways
Though the trio has gone through two line-up changes and numerous spats, they always manage to create catchy and perfectly sexy pop music. For manufactured major-label songs, they’re profoundly original and sometimes brilliant.
Listen to “Push The Button,” as each girl coos and purrs come-ons over one of the most electric and propulsive beats uber-producer Dallas Austin has ever created, and try not to fall for their charm.
Girls Aloud
Biology
Like Kelly Clarkson, these girls were found on a reality show and slapped together but have proved every doubter wrong since. By some miracle, they’ve remained together through partying, drugs and WAG-dom (member Cheryl Cole is married to England and Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole.) Still, it is all for the better, considering each album has tweaked with the traditional elements of the pop song (pushing the chorus to the back-end of a three-minute number, for example) and have, nevertheless, remained fun to listen to.
Suede
Suede
These guys played Britpop before Oasis and Blur pushed it to its limits and almost ruined it. This album was bungled on its U.S. release due to a name dispute, but it’s certainly one of the best of ’90s. Tackling racy subjects over layered and distorted guitars, the band owes much to the Stone Roses or the Happy Mondays. Its ability to find soulful moments among the morass distinguishes it from those bands great in their own right too.)
McFly
Just My Luck
Though it’s more pop than punk, this spunky foursome knows how to write buoyant songs. For some it can seem over the top and juvenile, but in the slightly stupid lyrics and easy guitar lines lie some tight and, certainly, crowd pleasing songs.
