Girl group facts for kids
A girl group is a music group made up of female singers. These singers usually sing together in harmony, meaning they combine their voices to create a richer sound.
The term "girl group" often refers to American pop singing groups from the late 1950s and early 1960s. These groups became very popular after the first wave of Rock and roll music and before the British Invasion of bands like The Beatles. Many of them were inspired by a singing style called doo-wop.
Contents
How Girl Groups Formed
Early Groups: Friends and Family
In the 1950s and 1960s, most girl groups formed naturally. They were often made up of girls who knew each other well. Many grew up together or went to school together.
For example, The Chantels were four girls who sang in a choir at a high school in the Bronx in 1957. The Ronettes were two sisters and their cousin. The Supremes came from a public housing area in Detroit, Michigan. They became one of America's most successful vocal groups ever.
These early groups found managers after they formed. The managers helped them deal with the music industry. But the groups themselves were already together before a manager stepped in.
Modern Groups: Created for the Market
Later on, many girl groups were put together by music professionals. These professionals, often called public relations (PR) managers, created groups to fill a need in the music market.
The Spice Girls are a great example of this. A family management team formed them in the mid-1990s. Their goal was to create a girl group that could compete with the popular boy bands of that time. The Spice Girls became incredibly successful. They sold many albums and had one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Differences in Group Formation
There's a clear difference between how early and later girl groups were formed.
Early American girl groups usually had similar social backgrounds. They often came from the same neighborhood or community. They had usually sung together and spent time together before forming their group. This was also true for many early British boy groups.
Later Groups: Chosen for Variety
Later girl groups were often chosen for their variety. Managers picked members from different backgrounds. This was done so that more people in the audience could find someone in the group to relate to. These members might not have known each other or sung together before their manager introduced them.
Changes in Music Marketing
The way popular music is sold has changed a lot over time. Because of these changes, it's hard to compare sales directly. Today, digital sales are very important in many parts of the world.
Images for kids
-
thumbnail
-
Singing group Labelle, circa 1975
-
The Ronettes in 1966
-
The Supremes in 1966
-
The Spice Girls in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Girl group para niños
