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The Niche Reference

The Niche Reference

A new name, inspired by all influences…

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Category: Boyband

Pop Essays #51: JLS, ‘The Club Is Alive’

Jul 6, 2024Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Following their hugely successful first album, JLS prepared to launch their second album in the summer of 2010 - with a Julie Andrews referencing lead single that, unintentionally, nobody could sit on the fence about...

Pop Essays #43: Westlife, ‘Hey Whatever’

Apr 18, 2024Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

With a new sound, new image and new album, Westlife were poised to enter the second chapter of their career - until Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh had other ideas.

Pop Essays #29: North & South, ‘Breathing’

Jan 11, 2024Apr 26, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

The stars of the hit CBBC show No Sweat attempted to hit upon a wintertime smash as they slowed the pace down for their third single.

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 45)

Nov 9, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

A new name, a new line-up, a new record label and a new sound for Walthamstow's first sons of pop - even if the success was to be short lived...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 42)

Oct 19, 2023Oct 18, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Although not one of the 90s more feted boybands, 911 showed moments of brilliance - as they indeed did covering a well known Bee Gees classic that went onto be one of their biggest hits...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 36)

Sep 7, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Four singles into their career, Five solidified their reputation as the - relative - bad boys of late 90s pop music with a Joan Jett sampling anthemic monster of a hit...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 32)

Aug 10, 2023Apr 28, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

For all their adulation and avid fanbase, Boyzone still lacked a huge selling crossover single. That was until Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber entered the equation...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 28)

Jul 13, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Deep diving into the great big songbook of 90s R&B baby-making jams paid dividends for many - as it indeed did for Another Level on their freaky second single...

The Story of Pop: 2002 (Chapter 50)

Dec 15, 2022Oct 25, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Blue had already cemented themselves as the UK's biggest boyband of the moment, but teaming up with the legendary Sir Elton John underlined the crossover they had successfully achieved...

The Story of Pop: 2002 (Chapter 43)

Oct 27, 2022Nov 2, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

With *NSYNC entering their hiatus after five years of success, Justin Timberlake began his solo career in style with a funk R&B workout more than a little indebted to his musical heroes...

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