Top ten girl groups/bands of all time: one blog's list

[smark21]

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145339-dis-does-pop-9--the-top-10-girl-bands-of-all-time-ever?recent-recommended-reading

I doubt the choices will make many people here happy, lol!

[robb_k]

5383
1) Velvelettes
2) Ann Bogan & Andantes/Andantes
3) Martha & Vandellas/Vells
4) Blossoms
5) Cookies/Honey Bees[[Earl Jean, Darlene McCrea, Beverly Warren)
6) Marvelettes/Darnells
7) Ronettes
8) Chiffons/Four Pennies
9) Crystals [[Darlene Love Lead)/Darlene Love & Group/Bob B.Soxx & Blue Jeans
10) Sapphires

Bubbling under:
Shirelles
Alder Ray & group [[unnamed)/Buttons
Candy & Kisses
Supremes
Crystals [[leads other than Darlene Love)
Watesians
Victorians
Cinderellas
Orlons
Charmettes
Orchids
Delicates
Chantels
Butterflys
Jelly Beans
Raindrops
Charmers
Kittens
Gems
Avons
Sweet Things
Poppies
Ramona King & Group
Adorables
Debonairs
Lollipops [[Detroit)
Drewvells
Fascinations

I don't consider Ruby & Romantics nor Gladys Knight & Pips, Exciters nor Cynthia & Imaginations as "Girls Groups". They are "mixed groups".

[roger]

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145339-dis-does-pop-9--the-top-10-girl-bands-of-all-time-ever?recent-recommended-reading

I doubt the choices will make many people here happy, lol!

Well .. it wasn't quite as bad as I had feared Smark .. though a couple of those acts would only make my top-10 if it were my "Top ten acts that make me reach for the off switch" list ... LOL.

I think the compiler was attempting to cover all eras and "tastes" .. hence the handful of "pop" acts .. :)

Incidentally I'd have to have THE EMOTIONS and THE THREE DEGREES in any list I ever did.

Robb_K .. weren't THE ORLONS a mixed gender group???

Roger

[robb_k]

5384
The Orlons, Bob B. Soxx & Blue Jeans, Raindrops and The Drewvells were all mixed groups. But they each just had ONE male member contributing to the general harmony [[only at times) and, more importantly, adding distinctive bass sounds. That all didn't really change the basic "Girls Group" sound of the overall group. Similarly, The Miracles, Platters and various other groups had ONE female member in the background harmonies, who didn't change the basic "male" sound of their group. And, in the case of The Miracles and Platters, the female members only lead on so few songs [[such a small % of overall recorded songs), that I consider them "Male Groups".

That WASN'T true for The Superbs, Ad Libs and other mixed groups, who had more of a balance between male and female leads.

[robb_k]

ATTACH]5385[/ATTACH]
So, Roger [[and all others here)- who would be YOUR all-time "Top 10 Girls Groups"?[

[marv2]

That list is bogus and has no credibility without the Shirelles, Martha & the Vandellas or even the Go Go's on it! How can the Supremes be number 2 when they are the Gold Standard for all girl groups? Who are "Girls Aloud"? I have never heard of them before.

Destiny's Child as number one is a joke! They disbanded less than 6 years ago and already I find it difficult to remember more than a few of their songs. None are considered classics in my opinion. In terms of talent and popularity, The Pointer Sisters rank higher than Destiny's Child and several of the other acts that made this stupid list.

[skooldem1]

The Pointer Sisters are never mentioned on these list and they were one of the best. Those girls could sing and were very entertaining.

[splanky]

First I'd like to say I don't like the terminology being used here because there is a big difference between a group and a band with the latter more often than not implying
the members play musical instruments.
That aside, I wouldn't call the list bogus, it's just not from a perspective most of us have become familiar with. It's somebody else's time, someone who'll probably be here after we're gone so to them our focuses are dated and irrelevant. I can live with that...

@robb k,
while I think your list reflects pretty good taste, I was confused by your line up of The Cookies, who would definitely be in my top ten if I could compose one that didn't fluctuate...I'm pretty sure the sisters Darlene and Earl Jean were never in the group at the same time and I've never heard of a "Beverly Warren". I know Darlene was a Cookie with
Margie Hendrix and Earl Jean with Margaret Ross who could outsing everyone on that bloggers list, BTW, but get back to me if you see this....Anyway, while I do like
The Ronettes, The Supremes and TLC from that bloggers list, none of them would make my top ten. The Shirelles and The Royalettes even, would murder them:)...

[Kamasu_Jr]

It's someone else's opinion and taste. It's not written in stone nor has it been passed down from the mountain. I can accept it as it is. and for what it is, the opinion of someone else. But really, Destiny's Child rated over the Supremes? That's almost laughable. Had there not been the Supremes, there would be no Destiny's Child.

[roger]

ATTACH]5385[/ATTACH]
So, Roger [[and all others here)- who would be YOUR all-time "Top 10 Girls Groups"?[

Well Robb_K .. as a general rule I don't like these lists as they attempt to lump together all manner of acts, eras and genres based on an ill-defined mixture of personal taste and commercial success. To my mind having a list like this that covers 50 years of music just doesn't work, lists that concentrate on a particular musical style and era [[as yours does) make a whole lot more sense .. so .. here are two Girl-Group lists from me .. one for the '60s and one for the '70s ..

60’s
CHIFFONS
CRYSTALS
MARTHA [[REEVES) & THE VANDELLAS
MARVELETTES
RONETTES
SHANGRI-LAS
SHIRELLES
[[DIANA ROSS AND THE) SUPREMES
SWEET INSPIRATIONS
VELVELETTES

70’s
EMOTIONS
FIRST CHOICE
JONES GIRLS
LABELLE
POINTER SISTERS
QUIET ELEGANCE
SISTER SLEDGE
SISTERS LOVE
SUPREMES
THREE DEGREES

Marv2 .. GIRLS ALOUD were/are a British group put together from entrants into the 2002 T.V. talent show "Pop Idol" [[the pre-runner of "American Idol", "X Factor" etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. ) and were a kind of latter-day SPICE GIRLS. They have their web site which has all anyone needs to know about them ..

http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/

Roger

[robb_k]

I'm pretty sure the sisters Darlene and Earl Jean were never in the group at the same time and I've never heard of a "Beverly Warren". I know Darlene was a Cookie with
.
5387
You are correct. Earl-Jean's so-called "solo" cuts were backed up by the remaining Cookies, and Darlene McCrea and Beverly Warren were backed up by The Cookies [[then called The Honey Bees) on Tower and Rust Records [[respectively), Produced by Gerry Goffin [[Goffin-King songs).

[manny]

I'm totally agree with that some of you have stated: no one list of vocal female group is complete without Pointer Sisters, Three Degrees and The Emotions.

I'm not a "girl-groups-fan", i'm simply a fan of music with feeling [[by female, male, mist vocal group, bands, flamenco, jazz, soul or whatever style...). In fact, the soundtrack of the typical "high-school" / teenagers film genre, usually is the Ronettes - Chiffons "bubble-gum" music style from the 60's and I dislike it and not found any relation with SOUL. Sorry, it's MHO and my humble taste [[here in Spain, this kind of films are called "albóndiga" and the same with the OST... !!).

That said, I got some, IMHO, great female vocal groups favorites [[a little from 60's) and the majority from the 70's:
01- Pointer Sisters [[practically ALL I have heard by them)
02- Honey Cone [[practically ALL I have heard by them)
03- Three Degrees [[practically only their PIR records)
04- Jones Girls [[their PIR records, specially Nights Over Egypt)
05 - Love Machine [[I only have "You're the song", but what a song and what a mellow feel!)
06 - Emotions [[practically all, but specially their collaboration with EW&F on "Boogie Wonderland"
07- First Choice [[only the most "soulful stuff", i.e. "Smarty pants", not the discoffied Salsoul stuff)
08 - Clark Sisters [[I knows very little but i likes a lot!)
09 - Ecstasy, passion & pain [[it is a mixt group but lead by the powerful voice of Barbara Roy)
10 - Little Sister [[their "You're The One" was / is "da bomb"!!)

[smark21]

Well obviously the person who compiled the list is British, hence the list being 50% British female groups like Girls Aloud, All Saints, Bananarama, The Sugarcubes, and the Spice Girls. A similar list compiled by an American would probably only include the Spice Girls, not so much for their vocal prowess, but for their huge pop cultural impact on a generation of young girls.

I would certainly include Expose on my list as the freestyle movement of the late 80s was full of female groups and certainly En Vogue whould be on my list to represent the 90’s along with TLC.

[smark21]

Well Robb_K .. as a general rule I don't like these lists as they attempt to lump together all manner of acts, eras and genres based on an ill-defined mixture of personal taste and commercial success. To my mind having a list like this that covers 50 years of music just doesn't work, lists that concentrate on a particular musical style and era [[as yours does) make a whole lot more sense .. so .. here are two Girl-Group lists from me .. one for the '60s and one for the '70s ..

60’s
CHIFFONS
CRYSTALS
MARTHA [[REEVES) & THE VANDELLAS
MARVELETTES
RONETTES
SHANGRI-LAS
SHIRELLES
[[DIANA ROSS AND THE) SUPREMES
SWEET INSPIRATIONS
VELVELETTES

70’s
EMOTIONS
FIRST CHOICE
JONES GIRLS
LABELLE
POINTER SISTERS
QUIET ELEGANCE
SISTER SLEDGE
SISTERS LOVE
SUPREMES
THREE DEGREES

Marv2 .. GIRLS ALOUD were/are a British group put together from entrants into the 2002 T.V. talent show "Pop Idol" [[the pre-runner of "American Idol", "X Factor" etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. ) and were a kind of latter-day SPICE GIRLS. They have their web site which has all anyone needs to know about them ..

http://www.girlsaloud.co.uk/

Roger

Who would you include on your list of top ten female groups of the 80’s and the 90’s, Roger?

[Ngroove]

Based on pop culture recognizability, I'd say:
10. Dixie Cups [["Chapel of Love")
9. Raelettes [["Hit The Road, Jack")
8. Shangri-Las [["Leader of the Pack")
7. Crystals [["He's A Rebel" - featuring Darlene Love)
6. Marvelettes [["Please Mr. Postman")
5. Chiffons [["He's So Fine")
4. Ronettes [["Be My Baby")
3. Shirelles [["Will You Love Me Tommorrow", "Soldier Boy")
2. Martha Reeves & the Vandellas [["Heatwave","Dancing In the Street", " Jimmy Mack")
1. Supremes [["Where Did Our Love Go", "Baby Love", + 10-12 other No.1s)

Subjectively, with-or-without being able to play own music, I'd put in mine:

Love Unlimited [["It May Be Winter Outside [[But In My Heart It's Spring)", Under The Influence of Love"

Mary Jane Girls [["All Night Long", "Boys", "Wild & Crazy Love")

Three Degrees [[ "Year of Decision", "Take Good Care of Yourself", "When Will I See You Again")

Emotions [[ "Blind Alley", "Best of My Love", "Flowers")

Klymaxx [[ "Wild Girls", "Meeting In the Ladies' Room")

702 [[ "Steelo", "Get It Together","All I Want")

Boy Krazy [[ "That's What Love Could Do")

Jade [["Don't Walk Away")

Brownstone [["If You Love Me")

The Fuzz [[“ I Love You [[For All Seasons”)

[arrr&bee]

Girl groups now let's see...the marvelettes[my no.one girl group]..patti labelle and the bluebelles[if they never did anything other than[i'm still waiting]they would still make my list that song is a killer...martha and the vandellas[the only girl group from motown that was anywhere near soulful]...love unlimited...the emotions...the shirelles[maybe the greatest girl group ever]...the chantels...the supremes[maybe the second greatest girl group ever]...the toys[vastly underrated]...the royalettes[too short a career]...the three degrees...opps that's eleven...so sue me..hehehe!!!