Could Girls Aloud have been successful in the US

[The Exhale Psychic]

I have been thinking about this for a while. Would Girls Aloud have worked in the US? Or are they too British? Let me know what you guys think.

[Isla]

I feel like it's hard to tell, but there was something very 'British' about their pop music that might not have really worked. Also, quite a lot of other British acts attempted to crack the US at the time of Girls Aloud's success and failed (Sugababes tried and got nowhere). I know GA attempted Australia during the Chemistry era but they didn't do as well as expected so just focused on the UK and Ireland, so it's possible if they tried the US at the time same time they may have had the same fate. Some of their earlier singles managed to chart in other European countries (mainly Sound of the Underground and Jump).

Edited April 8, 2021 by Isla

[Slayer]

I don't know, it's SO hard for British girl groups to do well in the US!

Little Mix have struggled too, I think perhaps their US record labels are useless as I know Columbia have been absolutely horrendous with LM.

[Jordan Miller]

17 hours ago, Slayer said:

I don't know, it's SO hard for British girl groups to do well in the US!

Why is the US so basic in this regard

[bitbitboi]

I swear that song makes me feel like a supermodel.

I am not.

ahahaha!

[NobodyKnowsPete]

On 4/8/2021 at 5:53 AM, Britney-fan12332143 said:

I have been thinking about this for a while. Would Girls Aloud have worked in the US? Or are they too British? Let me know what you guys think.

Unfortunately, no.

[bitbitboi]

I think it's a cultural thing: the US loves HUGE personalities (let's sum it up like this: Kanye).

The American girl groups either have one of that (Destiny's Child, PCD), or their members have problematic relationships (Fifth Harmony... PCD haha, Danity Kane even).

On the other hand, girl groups in the UK are known for being super tight and lovely: Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, Little Mix...

[K-man]

This is a good topic to think about. I’m sure they would’ve gotten exposure when the British crossover era (2005- 2007) happen in the states. We got Natasha Bedingfield, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, Adele. I’m sure they would’ve gotten a hit or two. they wouldn’t not been one direction status 

When Cheryl was signed up for the American X Factor I always thought she would’ve launched her solo career and then eventually bring over the rest of the girls. 
 

[Isla]

1 hour ago, bitbitboi said:

I think it's a cultural thing: the US loves HUGE personalities (let's sum it up like this: Kanye).

The American girl groups either have one of that (Destiny's Child, PCD), or their members have problematic relationships (Fifth Harmony... PCD haha, Danity Kane even).

On the other hand, girl groups in the UK are known for being super tight and lovely: Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, Little Mix...

Is that really the case? Not so much Little Mix, they all got on well and Jesy left to focus on her mental health, but wasn't there issues with Spice Girls? I thought I read Geri left because she fell out/had disagreements with at least one of the other members. And Girls Aloud's divide started to become more obvious when they split, it was Chimola vs Nadine and Sarah. However, they seemed to have resolved their issues in light of Sarah's breast cancer battle which is really nice to see. I'm glad they have put the past behind them. And don't get me started on Sugababes...

Edited April 9, 2021 by Isla

[Alexanda]

20 hours ago, Isla said:

I feel like it's hard to tell, but there was something very 'British' about their pop music that might not have really worked. Also, quite a lot of other British acts attempted to crack the US at the time of Girls Aloud's success and failed (Sugababes tried and got nowhere). I know GA attempted Australia during the Chemistry era but they didn't do as well as expected so just focused on the UK and Ireland, so it's possible if they tried the US at the time same time they may have had the same fate. Some of their earlier singles managed to chart in other European countries (mainly Sound of the Underground and Jump).

But Sugababes changed for the US market into se.xdolls, not a good change at all (Get se.xy). I loved Sugababes for their meaningful messages like in "Ugly" or "Too Lost In You", "Stronger" some good songs. 

I literally only know "Sound Of The Underground" which flopped in germany. 

[Isla]

15 minutes ago, Alexanda said:

But Sugababes changed for the US market into se.xdolls, not a good change at all (Get se.xy). I loved Sugababes for their meaningful messages like in "Ugly" or "Too Lost In You", "Stronger" some good songs. 

I literally only know "Sound Of The Underground" which flopped in germany. 

They attempted the US before then.

Their debut album, One Touch, was released in the US in 2001, but it was a very low-key release with no promotion at all and no singles so I don't think it charted. Iirc it was released around the same time Siobhan chose to leave the group, and I imagine Keisha and Mutya promoting as a duo might have been confusing for some US people.

Round Round was released as a single in the US and managed to chart in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, and I think it was more of a club hit there than a mainstream hit.

In 2003/2004, the girls really attempted to crack the US properly, and released Hole In the Head as a single in the US, it charted at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 and I think it topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart. They were going to release a modified version of Three (their third album) in the US with a different tracklisting, including some songs from Angels With Dirty Faces. However, it was shelved by their US label (Interscope) after Hole In the Head flopped. The group were also marketed wrong in the US, images of the group weren't included on the Hole In the Head single cover or the Three album cover for the US market and there is rumours that Interscope did not know how to promote a multi-racial UK girl group (which I find ridiculous giving the fact this is around the same time the Black Eyed Peas blew up and they were on the same label). The girls also didn't actually do that much promotion in the US iirc (if not at all), I'm not sure why. 

Apparently they were going to attempt the US again in 2006 following the success of Push the Button but these plans were changed due to Mutya's departure.

Signing to Roc Nation in 2009 was the final attempt, but Sweet 7 didn't even get released in the US in the end, I think partly because of Keisha leaving the group but also because of the negative reception of the album in the UK and it underperforming. They got dropped from Roc Nation in 2010.

Edited April 9, 2021 by Isla

[Alexanda]

18 minutes ago, Isla said:

They attempted the US before then.

Their debut album, One Touch, was released in the US in 2001, but it was a very low-key release with no promotion at all and no singles so I don't think it charted. Iirc it was released around the same time Siobhan chose to leave the group, and I imagine Keisha and Mutya promoting as a duo might have been confusing for some US people.

Round Round was released as a single in the US and managed to chart in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, and I think it was more of a club hit there than a mainstream hit.

In 2003/2004, the girls really attempted to crack the US properly, and released Hole In the Head as a single in the US, it charted at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 and I think it topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart. They were going to release a modified version of Three (their third album) in the US with a different tracklisting, including some songs from Angels With Dirty Faces. However, it was shelved by their US label (Interscope) after Hole In the Head flopped. The group were also marketed wrong in the US, images of the group weren't included on the Hole In the Head single cover or the Three album cover for the US market and there is rumours that Interscope did not know how to promote a multi-racial UK girl group (which I find ridiculous giving the fact this is around the same time the Black Eyed Peas blew up and they were on the same label). The girls also didn't actually do that much promotion in the US iirc (if not at all), I'm not sure why. 

Apparently they were going to attempt the US again in 2006 following the success of Push the Button but these plans were changed due to Mutya's departure.

Signing to Roc Nation in 2009 was the final attempt, but Sweet 7 didn't even get released in the US in the end, I think partly because of Keisha leaving the group but also because of the negative reception of the album in the UK and it underperforming. They got dropped from Roc Nation in 2010.

Oh, i didn't know all of that. 

But really successful in europe at least, Push the button was everywhere, #2 in germany and 25 weeks in the top 100. All of the albums almost top 10. 

I am really shocked that they never tried it again in Europe (Girls Aloud), because now we only know Cheryl (Fight For This Love)

[NBT]

[2K16NEY]

As much as I love Girls Aloud, I don’t think they would have been successful in the US. I don’t know why but that kind of glittery dance pop music that was huge in the UK never really worked here in the US. Kylie Minogue, for example, has had such a huge career in Australia and UK but really only has one major hit in the US and is somewhat unknown. 

For some reason, girl groups perform only moderately well in the US... besides the Spice Girls. Fifth Harmony had a couple hits but were no where near the success of One Direction... but their music was mostly r&b/pop mesh that was already popular in the US.

[Isla]

13 minutes ago, Alexanda said:

Oh, i didn't know all of that. 

But really successful in europe at least, Push the button was everywhere, #2 in germany and 25 weeks in the top 100. All of the albums almost top 10. 

I am really shocked that they never tried it again in Europe (Girls Aloud), because now we only know Cheryl (Fight For This Love)

Yeah I think GA could have done a lot better in Europe, at least Cheryl had some success there with her solo career.

[Isla]

6 minutes ago, 2K16NEY said:

As much as I love Girls Aloud, I don’t think they would have been successful in the US. I don’t know why but that kind of glittery dance pop music that was huge in the UK never really worked here in the US. Kylie Minogue, for example, has had such a huge career in Australia and UK but really only has one major hit in the US and is somewhat unknown. 

For some reason, girl groups perform only moderately well in the US... besides the Spice Girls. Fifth Harmony had a couple hits but were no where near the success of One Direction... but their music was mostly r&b/pop mesh that was already popular in the US.

I've kinda noticed that most US girl groups that have been successful are R&B ones or ones that do pop/R&B ('urban pop') music.... Destiny's Child, TLC, En Vogue, *****cat Dolls, Danity Kane and Fifth Harmony. I can't think of a successful US pure pop group. Eden's Crush/Dream at least both got a top 10 album but Eden's Crush were more of a one hit wonder and Dream's second album got shelved. Also I guess Dream could be considered pop/R&B as they were signed to Diddy's label.

Edited April 9, 2021 by Isla

[2K16NEY]

18 minutes ago, Isla said:

I've kinda noticed that most US girl groups that have been successful are R&B ones or ones that do pop/R&B ('urban pop') music.... Destiny's Child, TLC, En Vogue, *****cat Dolls, Danity Kane and Fifth Harmony. I can't think of a successful US pure pop group. Eden's Crush/Dream at least both got a top 10 album but Eden's Crush were more of a one hit wonder and Dream's second album got shelved. Also I guess Dream could be considered pop/R&B as they were signed to Diddy's label.

Totally agree. That genre of synth-pop is simply not popular in the US. It’s a hit at the gay clubs though. I remember hearing Biology once at a nightclub in Orlando and I was shook. 

[ObsessedBritFan1]

It's a shame. I bop to all the British acts. 

Rita Ora

Girls Aloud

Cheryl

Cheryl Crow

The Saturdays

Spice Girls

Little Mix

Raye

Charli XCX

Harry Styles

Liam Payne

Nial 

Dua Lipa

SG Lewis

Calvin Harris

Mabel

Maisie

Meduza

I mean .. the list goes on and on ...

In the meantime, gonna bop!

 

[Isla]

17 minutes ago, 2K16NEY said:

Totally agree. That genre of synth-pop is simply not popular in the US. It’s a hit at the gay clubs though. I remember hearing Biology once at a nightclub in Orlando and I was shook. 

What an amazing nightclub that is

[Goten21]

38 minutes ago, 2K16NEY said:

Totally agree. That genre of synth-pop is simply not popular in the US. It’s a hit at the gay clubs though. I remember hearing Biology once at a nightclub in Orlando and I was shook. 

CANT ESCAPE MY BIOLOGY