School Gyrls:
This girl group accomplished a lot in just four years. They made three movies, released two albums, rotated through nine members and underwent a name change before calling it quits in 2012. The group which was put together by Nick Cannon in 2008 released a debut record and starred in their first movie in 2010. They found success with both.
Later that same year, they made another film titled a ‘Very School Gyrl’s Holler Day’ and released an album with the same name. Soon after, new girls were brought in and a couple of the members left to go solo. Then in 2012, they re-emerged as ‘Forever.’
Ironically, singers continued to quit the group following the rebrand which obviously marked the end.
Girl Thing:
Simon Cowell is probably best known for wearing tight t-shirts and being a straightforward television show judge, but he’s also a record executive who has signed some very successful artists. However, he once reportedly botched a chance to work with the inimitable ‘Spice Girls.’
In an apparent attempt to make up for that miss, he created another girl group called ‘Girl Thing.’ The band was hyped up as the next big thing and lots of money was thrown into getting them out there, but their music never truly took off. Soon enough, ‘Girl Thing’ became nothing more than a memory. However, they did briefly reunite between 2013 and 2014.
Iz*One:
With 12 members, Iz*One is remains one of the largest girl groups ever. Sadly, they only lasted two and a half years. But this South Korean-Japanese pop phenomenon certainly made an impression in that time. As has become commonplace, we have a reality competition series to thank for Iz*One’s conception.
In 2018, they put out their debut EP ‘Color Eyes’ and it was a big hit on the charts. They even snagged a number of new artist of the year awards. Though many fans rallied for a different result, the group members ended up going their separate ways at the end of their contract in 2021.
2NE1:
This groundbreaking South Korean foursome sold millions of records, explored multiple genres and cemented themselves as one of the biggest k-pop icons of their time. 2NE1 emerged in 2009 and broke up for good in November 2016, just a few months after one member’s departure.
However, the group did previously take an extended break after the release of their final album. We were disappointed, but not exactly shocked when they ultimately dissolved. Luckily, fans got one final treat in the form of the aptly titled 2017 track ‘Goodbye’ which featured three of the girls.
Danity Kane:
The multiple editions of Danity Kane that have come and gone over the years give the many hulk movies a run for their money. It all started in 2005 when the group was created on MTV’S Making The Band series. In 2008, two of its five members were axed and Danity Kane worked as a trio until their 2009 disbandment.
In 2013, they reunited as a foursome that soon became a trio once more. But in August of 2014, they dramatically split. Three of the girls then reunited in 2018 and two years later Danity Kane emerged again, this time as a duo. However, the group has effectively been inactive since then.
Fifth Harmony:
Although Simon Cowell didn’t find the success he’d hoped for with ‘Girl Thing,’ he had better luck with Fifth Harmony. Originally known as LYLAS and 1432, they came in third place on the second season of the X Factor. While they didn’t win, Cowell signed them to a pretty sweet record deal.
The group quickly skyrocketed to fame and kept fans entertained with plenty of music for quite some time. Of course Camila Cabello then made waves with her 2016 departure and while the rest of the band successfully went on for a while, they’ve been on an indefinite hiatus since 2018.
Dream:
Though it sometimes feels like it was all a dream, this girl group really did exist. They were created in 1998 and found success in the early 2000s thanks to their first single ‘He Loves You Not.’ At the time, they were signed to Bad Boy Records and once put out a track featuring P Diddy himself. But trouble began brewing in 2002 after member Melissa Schumann’s departure.
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While they did retool their subsequent single ‘Crazy’ didn’t do as well. Thus, Dream was eventually released by the label and essentially vanished. In 2015, the girls posted that they were reuniting and even treated fans to a little bit of music. Sadly, by october 2016, they had broken up again.
Girls Aloud:
Girls Aloud are undoubtedly UK’s most successful girl group of the past century. Assembled on the British reality show ‘Pop Stars: The Rivals’ in 2002, the group went on to rock the British charts until their 2009 hiatus. In those first seven years, they kept the hits coming. Though their one-year break turned into three, they released new music in 2012 and toured in 2013 before officially breaking up.
Sadly, beloved girls allowed member Sarah Harding succumbed to breast cancer in 2021. But she left behind legions of adoring fans and a powerful legacy.
Wonder Girls:
Affectionately dubbed South Korea’s retro queens, the Wonder Girls made their official debut in 2007 and disbanded a decade later in 2017. Those 10 years were definitely action-packed and included various lineup changes, a hiatus and scores of music. They remained innovative through it all.
In fact, the group was known for mixing k-pop with musical elements from the latter half of the 20th century. What is more, their single ‘Nobody’ made them the first South Korean group to crack the Billboard Hot 100 in 2009. Needless to say, the Wonder Girls left their mark on the music industry.
Destiny’s Child:
It goes without saying, but this group birthed one of the most influential solo acts of a generation in Beyoncé. But Destiny’s Child also did big things together, namely: they sold over 16 million records, won hundreds of awards and made Billboards All-time Hot 100 top artists list.
The group underwent some changes throughout the years, but Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland were present for its entire run. Of course Michelle Williams name is basically synonymous with the band too. Thankfully, the trio has shared the stage a few times since they went their separate ways, most notably at the Super Bowl Halftime show and Coachella.
