Mandy Moore’s debut single ‘Candy’ was arguably the truest and most unapologetic representation of the ’90s bubblegum pop sound.
Lene Marlin – Sitting Down Here
‘Sitting Down Here’ was perfectly composed to slip innocuously onto commercial radio playlists and remain there for years to come.
Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera – Nobody Wants To Be Lonely
‘Nobody Wants To Be Lonely’ is a heartfelt ballad, where Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera convey emotion by bellowing at each other for four minutes.
Aqua – Cartoon Heroes
Long before Robert Downey Jr. donned his Iron Man suit, Aqua released ‘Cartoon Heroes’ and brought several comic book icons to the mainstream.
Victoria Beckham – A Mind Of Its Own
There was a sizeable market for a song like ‘A Mind Of Its Own’, even if it wasn’t one you’d typically associate with Victoria Beckham.
Jessica Simpson – A Public Affair
‘A Public Affair’ found Jessica Simpson dragging Christina Milian, Christina Applegate and Eva Longoria to the local roller disco for a girls’ night out.
Backstreet Boys – All I Have To Give
An R&B slow-jam wasn’t the obvious choice for a Backstreet Boys single, but ‘All I Have To Give’ gave the group yet another huge hit.
Kaci – I Think I Love You
Having seen her chart fortunes falter, Kaci returned six months later with renewed determination – and a cover version – in her quest for a top ten single.
Jordin Sparks – One Step At A Time
‘One Step At A Time’ was the third single from Jordin Sparks’ debut album and a textbook example of a good song that was elevated by a great singer.
Holly Valance – Naughty Girl
Holly Valance wasn’t afraid to shock. But the biggest surprise with ‘Naughty Girl’ is that it is so much more than a titillating piece of pop fluff.
Eternal – I Am Blessed
‘I Am Blessed’ is – quite simply – one of the best songs Eternal released, delivering a performance easily as good as any by their American counterparts.
Lolly – Big Boys Don’t Cry
But few would have anticipated that Lolly’s festive single ‘Big Boys Don’t Cry’ would transpire to be one of the most chillingly haunting songs of the ‘90s.