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The Niche Reference

The Niche Reference

A new name, inspired by all influences…

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The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 19)

May 11, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Even as they played to expected form by slowing things down for their third single, even this was not approached from a conventional angle by Aqua...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 18)

May 4, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

Offering two cover versions for the price of one, All Saints' double-A-side take on tracks by both the Red Hot Chili Peppers and LaBelle was descively different.

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 17)

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

Proudly waving the Welsh flag, with their second album, Catatonia gave indie rock lovers something to feel hopeful about with the burst of the Britpop bubble...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 16)

Apr 20, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

British audiences weren't as familiar with hip hop titan Busta Rhymes before 1998. Thanks to a thundering sample of the theme from KnightRider, they soon were...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 15)

Apr 13, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

A number of false starts happened before Savage Garden broke it big in the UK. When they did, it was with one of the year's most romantic love songs...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 14)

Apr 6, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ Leave a comment

The age old story of girl being spotted by guy on a nightclub floor did come true for Billie Myers - with a song that was a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 13)

Mar 30, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Even though it was the love theme from a film she was then too young to see, LeAnn Rimes enjoyed one of the year's most enduring - and biggest selling hits...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 12)

Mar 23, 2023Mar 29, 2025 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

With only a modest set of top 40 hits to their name, it took covering some old favourites - with guest vocals from Shelley Nelson - for Tin Tin Out to become top 10 hitmakers...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 11)

Mar 16, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 3 Comments

Run DMC had helped pioneer the breakthrough of hip hop in the early 80s - and were pivotal in a revival, thanks to Jason Nevins turning a classic track of theirs into a hard house floorfiller...

The Story of Pop: 1998 (Chapter 10)

Mar 9, 2023Apr 27, 2024 ~ Alex the Pensmith ~ 1 Comment

Following up a megahit like "Torn" was never going to be an easy task. But with her second single, Natalie Imbruglia established her own artistry whilst continuing her huge success...

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