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The Niche Reference

The Niche Reference

A new name, inspired by all influences…

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Category: Music

Pop Essays #59: Preston, ‘Dressed To Kill’

May 22, 2025May 28, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Whilst his post-Ordinary Boys solo career was marked dead on arrival before it'd even been given a fair hearing, it helped Preston rebirth into a prosperous new career behind the scenes - crafting absolute bangers like this one...

Pop Essays #58: Mini Viva, ‘Left My Heart In Tokyo’

May 15, 2025May 21, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

The key cornerstone of Xenomania's branch out into an in-house record label, Mini Viva were positioned as the all new pop duo phenomenon to take them from their success in the 00s to the 2010s...

Pop Essays #57: Janet Jackson, ‘Someone To Call My Lover’

May 8, 2025May 5, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

No one had due cause to think Janet Jackson was about to slip into the realm of only being as good as her last single. But for better or worse, that's what happened with the release of the third single from her All For You album...

Pop Essays #56: S Club, ‘Who Do You Think You Are’

May 1, 2025May 25, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Seeing Double, S Club's debut and only big screen jaunt, may have been marred in its execution, but one of its songs proved they were still at the top of their game musically prior to their split...

On the eve of his 15 Years of Hits Tour, a definitive ranking of all of Olly Murs’ singles.

Apr 22, 2025Apr 22, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

We take a look back and offer our hand-picked ranking of all 31 of the Essex pop legend and all round good one's singles from 2010 to today. Good news for "Oh My Goodness", bad news for practically all the singles off Marry Me...

Pop Essays #55: Alda, ‘Real Good Time’

Oct 17, 2024May 2, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Even though it's intense pre-release airplay preceded it's overall success, Alda's debut single was one of the liveliest and most charismatic UK chart hits of 1998...

Pop Essays #54: Kristian Leontiou, ‘Some Say’

Oct 10, 2024Dec 1, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Even with a huge marketing launch that set him at odds with his own musical ambitions, the debut - only? - album from Kristian Leontiou was full of promise, even if it was squandered away on major record label clownery...

Pop Essays #52: Olive, ‘Outlaw’

Sep 26, 2024Oct 2, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Following up the unprecedented success of their number one with "You're Not Alone", Olive opted instead to mine their latter trip-hop inspired groove further still...

Dear The Saturdays: it is time for the reunion tour

Aug 25, 2024Aug 25, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

With a decade now passed since their last tour and album, it is surely time for one of our best - if unfairly overlooked - girl groups to make their return to the concert halls of the UK?

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...

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  • Pop Essays #66: Olly Murs, ‘You Don’t Know Love’
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  • A Reflection On A Year
  • Top 10 Singles and Albums of 2025

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