History
Although most remember the 1990s for gangster rap, many fans remember the soaring girl groups that emerged during the 1990s. The rising interest in contemporary R&B and hip-hop led to this phenomenon. American girl groups like Destinys Child, TLC, SWV, and Xscape rose to fame during this decade. Girl-groups became extremely popular as R&B became more mainstream. Young teens admired girl-groups because it gave them a relatable quality and their music helped empower the young girls of that decade.
TLC
TLC was formed in 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia. The group members consisted of Tionne Watkins, Lisa Lopes, Crystal Jones, and Rozonda Thomas. They debuted February 25th, 1992 with their album “Ooooooohhh… ON the TLC Tip”. Their songs combined hip-hop, funk, and R&B. Their songs “Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg”, “Baby-Baby-Baby”, and “What About Your Friends” rose to the top on the Billboard charts. Their songs were light and playful with a youthful mood. Young teens were able to relate to their music and style. On November 15th, 1994 they released their album “CrazySexyCool”, it featured multiple collaborations and rose up the Billboard charts. It included deep groves, hip-hip beats, and smooth vocals. This album was even named one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone. Each album they produce sold over 10 million copies propelling them to success. Although the group eventually disbanded due to solo projects (and one member passed away) they inspired young teens and the future musicians of our decade. TLC remains the most successful full girl group during the 1990s.
SWV
SWV was formed in 1988 in New York City, New York. The group members consisted of Cheryl Gamble, Tamara Johnson, and Leanne Lyons. They debuted October 27th, 1992 with their album “It’s About Time”. This album was critically acclaimed and was certified multi-platinum. They went on to produce an array of singles such as, “Right Here”, “I’m So into You”, “Weak”, and “Right Here/Human Nature”. All of these songs rose to the top of the Billboard charts. In 1996 SWV released their second album “New Beginning” and it was certified Platinum. Their last album “Release Some Tensions” was released on November 18th, 1997. It featured numerous influential artists and was certified gold. Shortly after its release, the group disbanded in order to pursue solo projects.
Xscape
Xscape was formed in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia. The group members were, Kandi Burruss, Tameka Cottle, LaTocha Scott, and Tamika Scott. They debuted in1993 with their hit album “Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha”. This album was certified platinum and sold more than 6 million copies. Their next two albums “Off the Hook” (1995) and “Traces of My Lipstick” (1998) were both certified gold/platinum and many of their singles (Feels So Good, The Arms of the One Who Loves You) achieved critical acclaim. They inevitably ended up disbanding to work on solo projects. They just recently came back together in 2017 and have been releasing music ever since.
