Five girl groups we want to make a comeback

To celebrate Salt-N-Pepa gracing the Woman’s Hour studio with their spunky presence, here’s just a handful of girl groups across the decades that we’d like to see shine in the spotlight once more…

Technically The Supremes formed in 1959 but they were at the height of their global stardom in the mid-Sixties, with Diana Ross leading on vocals. It was hit after hit. With chart-topping, singing-in-the-shower classics, such as Baby Love, Stop! In the Name of Love and You Can't Hurry Love under their belt, it's no wonder that they were the biggest act in the world at the time (alongside The Beatles, of course.) But come the Seventies, there were a series of departures from the group and their releases weren't performing as well as those halcyon early days. In 1977, The Supremes took to the stage at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, for their farewell concert. Still, we can't forget their music, or how they arguably became Motown Records' biggest success story.

More duo than girl group but Althea Forrest and Donna Reid, then only 17 and 18 years old, showed how it was done when their reggae song, Uptown Top Ranking, topped the UK charts in 1978. Sadly, their album of the same name didn't share the same success, and the girls’ foray into the music world was over in 1979, just two years after they started. Such promise, hope, gone forever. Shame.

So, they might have broken up and got back together over the years, (performing as recently as February at a tribute concert, ahem) but the LA-born, pop-rock band had to be included, and not just because they were the most popular choice from the Woman’s Hour team. Whether it’s those brilliantly cheesy moves to Walk Like an Egyptian, bemoaning the start of another working week with Manic Monday as your soundtrack or, of course, wailing along to Eternal Flame on a karaoke night, these girls are guaranteed to make your soul sing.

Who wouldn't want a band, who gave the world self-assured lyrics, such as, "I don't think you ready for this jelly" in their lives? Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles and Michelle Williams bounced into our lives in 1997, with their empowering feminist anthems following soon after, including Bills, Bills, Bills, Say My Name and, of course, Survivor, which could see you through the toughest of break-ups. Talking of which, the multi-award-winning wholesome girls from Houston, Texas, announced they were breaking up in 2005. A sad day indeed but at least the group's dissolution bore Queen Bey. Quite frankly, we wouldn't want to imagine a world without her, or her music, either.

Ah, would you look at them, all fresh-faced, new to fame. Girls Aloud, the ultimate reality show girl band success story, were put together on ITV's Pop Stars: The Rivals in 2002. As much as you might admit it, it's hard to resist singing along to their top 20 hit, Something Kinda Ooooh. In fact, catchy tunes (Sound of the Underground, anyone?) were their thing (so much so that they had 21 top 10 hits in the UK, more than any other girl group.) Following a three-year hiatus pursuing solo projects, the girls regrouped to celebrate a decade together, with a 12-date tour and greatest hits album, before calling it a day in 2013 after the last night of their reunion tour. Maybe they'll be back for another in 2022?

You can listen to the full interview with Salt-N-Pepa here, and watch our video with them, too. And if you haven't already, follow Woman's Hour on Twitter and Instagram.