100 Best Girl Groups of All Time

Author:
Ansel Pereira
Updated date:
Jul 13, 2021

I have been an online writer for over six years. I am passionate about books, philosophy, music, and the music industry.

best-girl-groups-of-all-time — Wikipedia Commons

In recent years a number of female pop groups have made a big impression in the male-dominated music industry. While girl groups have been prominent in every decade of music, in recent times all female groups have taken harmony singing, fashion, style, and choreographed dance moves to a whole new level. Women are paving new pathways in music, and this is just the beginning.

The list below showcases an epic collection of girl groups from different decades. If you have a view, opinion, or suggestion, let us know in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Girl Groups of All Time

Blackpink
Little Mix
Fifth Harmony
Destiny’s Child
Spice Girls
The Pussycat Dolls
TLC
Icona Pop
En Vogue
Sugababes

What Is a Girl Group?

A girl group is a musical act that comprises of female singers who sing together. The term “girl group” is used as an umbrella term to give identity to the new wave of female pop groups. While all-female bands are often associated with rock music or referenced with acts from other genres that play their own musical instruments, girl groups are purely identified as vocal and dance ensembles in the realms pop music.

Although the terminology differs universally, girl groups may also be referred to as “girl bands” to differentiate in accordance with musical style and genre. Aside from their signature vocal harmonies, all-female pop groups are also recognized for their supremely stylish fashion sense and scintillating dance choreography.

#11—20

11. Bananarama

12. Girls Aloud

13. The Supremes

14. Twice

15. All Saints

16. Girls Generation

17. Atomic Kitten

18. Red Velvet

19. Expose

20. 2NE1

Pioneering Female Singing Groups of the ‘40s and ‘50s

Some of the pioneering girl groups emerged in the ‘40s and ‘50s. A number of vocal groups in these decades combined influences of swing, jazz, boogie-woogie, R&B, a cappella, and doo-wop. Many acts were recognized for their distinctive close harmony singing style that comprised of intricately-melodic vocal architecture. Female singing groups in these decades performed extensively at big-time theatres. Mentioned below are close harmony singing groups who played a pivotal role in paving the way for a new era of female groups

The Andrew Sisters
Three X Sisters
The Boswell Sisters
The Chordettes
The McGuire Sisters
The Fontane Sisters
The DeCastro Sisters

#21—40

21. Sister Sledge

22. f(x)

23. Itzy

24. The Saturdays

25. The Pointer Sisters

26. SWV

27. Momoland

28. The Ronettes

29. Salt-N-Pepa

30. T-ara

31. B*Witched

32. The Marvellettes

33. GFriend

34. Eternal

35. Stooshe

36. Wonder Girls

37. Morning Musume

38. Baccara

39. The Nolans

40. Mis-Teeq

Female Vocal Groups in the ‘60s and ‘70s

Doo-wop, rock n roll, R& B and traditional pop became the flavor of the '60s. As the musical landscape changed, and racially segregated barriers started diminishing, all-black female vocal groups with a strong influence of choir music came into prominence. Innumerable songs by girl groups in the ‘60s expanded the concept and idea of girlhood through an identity associated with race, class, and gender. All-female formats became hugely popular in different genres during the ‘60s.

With the ‘70s came an element of glam among female singing groups. Numerous pop acts embraced a glamorous image, with psychedelic glitter and color becoming the preferred choice during performances. Extravagant matching outfits and identical choreography started becoming the new norm as the disco craze gained momentum. A large number of dance-oriented girl groups had tremendous chart-topping success in the late ‘70s. R&B songs laced with elements of disco became immensely popular in mainstream.

#41—60

41. The Shirelles

42. Monrose

43. The Veronicas

44. Wilson Phillips

45. The Shangri-las

46. G.R.L.

47. Martha and the Vandellas

48. Xscape

49. (G)I-dle

50. Mamamoo

51. Sistar

52. The Lennon Sisters

53. AKB48

54. Rouge

55. APink

56. No Angels

57. Honeyz

58. Iz*One

59. Nina Sky

60. Danity Kane

Female Pop Groups in the ‘80s and ‘90s

Contemporary R&B became magnanimous in the ‘80s. Although female pop groups adopted sophisticated production techniques to make their music accessible to mainstream audiences, they remained true to their roots of harmonized vocals. As the disco craze started fading away in the early 80s, a new wave of influences morphed with disco-like beats took shape to give songs a unique identity. Alongside new wave and synthpop, dance-pop and europop became hugely popular. Female vocal duos burst onto the scene and changed the musical landscape with their sophisticated disco-pop sound.

With the ‘90s began the era of dance pop girl groups. New jack swing, a fusion of dance-pop and hip hop production techniques combined with the urban contemporary R&B became exceedingly popular in the realms of pop music. A large number of dance ensembles with diverse influences of contemporary R&B, new jack swing, hip hop, funk, and soul took the world by storm with their eclectic blend of dance music and vocal harmonies. Some of the best-selling girl groups in music history emerged in the ‘90s. Both American female groups and British female groups achieved worldwide success with their albums and singles. A great number of female acts of the ‘90s are credited to reshaping and diverting pop music in a new direction.

#61—80

61. The Three Degrees

62. Luv’

63. Miss A

64. t.A.T.u.

65. Girlicious

66. The Emotions

67. EXID

68. Dream

69. Brown Eyed Girls

70. Serebro

71. O’G3NE

72. Total

73. Las Ketchup

74. After School

75. Queensberry

76. Mary Mary

77. Loona

78. SHeDAISY

79. ZOEgirl

80. Labelle

Pop Girl Groups Post 2000

Since the year 2000, a new wave of pop girl groups has emerged. Electronic influences have become a prominent part of dance-oriented songs. With EDM culture becoming a mainstream entity in the 2000s, a number of female vocal groups started restructuring their sound by incorporating elements of synth-pop, electro, house, trap and dub. The trend of female groups collaborating with DJs to produce high-energy EDM dance tracks brought about a paradigm shift in musical structure and took dance-pop in a new path breaking direction.

Post 2010, dance pop female acts from Asia have had groundbreaking success with their brand of music and choreography. While J-pop did make a big impression in the realms of mainstream, it was K-pop girl groups that mesmerized audiences with their fiery brand of music, audiovisual content, fashion, style, and choreography. Thanks to management agencies and talent scouts in South Korea, female idol groups have taken entertainment to a whole new level with their breathtakingly beautiful pop music that encompasses a wide spectrum of audio-visual technology.

#81—100

81. Pink Lady

82. Oh My Girl

83. The Cheetah Girls

84. SING (Super Impassioned Net Generation)

85. The Pipettes

86. Girlfriend

87. Momoiro Clover Z

88. AOA

89. The Chantels

90. Blaque

91. Aespa

92. Mel and Kim

93. Bardot

94. Zhane

95. WJSN

96. Solid HarmoniE

97. Everglow

98. CLC

99. The Blossoms

100. Cleopatra

Other Notable Girl Groups

High Inergy
Sweet Sensation
Perfume
Excellence
Lois Lane
Tic Tac Toe
Neon Jungle
Nogizaka46
Wild Orchid
L5
Girls Can’t Catch
Treble
Lovelyz
Secret
Dreamcatcher
Lucky Star
Rocket Girls 101
The Crystals
Cherish
Strawberry Switchblade
Pump Girls
Fin.K.L
Hot
Nine Muses
Jewelry
Changing Faces
Nobody’s Angel
The Toys
Pandora
Wendy & Lisa
SNH48
Hello Venus
Love and Sas
The Weather Girls
Girls
Prizmmy
K3
Bandana
Mocha Girls
Speed
Precious
West End Girls
I.O.I
Young Divas
Dal Shabet
Romans
P.Y.T.
Sweets
Nonstop
Lollipop
Seduction
Weather Girls
June’s Diary
No Secrets
ZYX
Rainbow
The Honeys
Saphir

The Braxtons
Preluders
Girl’s Day
Alisha’s Attic
The9
S.E.S.
4Minute
DIA
702
The Voices
Ladies’ Code
N’Versity
Electrik Red
Divine
Yumemiru Adolescence
NiziU
Fanatics
Madasun
E’voke
The GTOs
LaViVe
Berryz Kobo
Maywood
Girl Authority
Akishibu Project
TrueBliss
Kiruba
Clique Girlz
Trin-i-tee 5:7
Juice=Juice
Taiyo to Ciscomoon
Boy Krazy
Mania
Teen Queens
4th Impact
Wassup
RichGirl
Laboum
Sonamoo
Tha’ Rayne
Before Dark
Sister2Sister
Flans
Nylon
The Cake
Afro-dite
SeeYa
The Mess
Silver Convention
Feminnem
The Cheeky Girls
Allure
Reflex
Ventino
Destinee & Paris
Moje 3
Soluna
Ex Girlfriend

Bellefire
TrySail
Isyss
3LW
Thriii
Nu Virgos
Shakaya
Millionaires
411
The Reynolds Girls
Leandah
The Flirtations
Sweet Inspirations
Me N Ma Girls
S.O.A.P.
Jade
One Voice
Las Cheris
Sisters Love
The Sequence
Hey Girl
Centerfold
Orange Caramel
Vanity 6
Sistanova
Team Shachi
Point of Grace
SOS
Mango
Tom Gurl Four
Jeans
Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku
Cute
GWSN
First Choice
Leading Ladies
EyeQ
Up Up Girls Kakko Kari
Pepsi & Shirlie
Wonderland
The Poni-Tails
Smile.dk
The Jaynetts
E-Girls
The Bobbettes
Rev. from DVL
N-Tyce
OMG
Dolly Rockers
The Jewels
Mary Jane Girls
The Velvettes
Fairies
Lemonescent
Shampoo
Twins
Coconuts Musume
Tiny-G

Girl Thing
Dolly Dots
Vanilla
The Angels
22/7
The Dixie Cups
Slinkee Minx
Queens
MoKenStef
Belle Epoque
Parade
Tokyo Performance Doll
Stellar
Hi-5
Clea
Four of Diamonds
The Paris Sisters
Out of Eden
Jamali
The Raelettes
Mini Viva
Slumber Party Girls
Frisz
Popu Lady
Uni.T
Sugar Jones
Baby Vox
Quarteto em Cy
Little Trees
Tokyo Girls’ Style
SKE48
The Chiffons
Nature
Tu
Chocolat
The Rounder Girls
Angerme
Marcie and the Cookies
S.H.E.
Bestie
IQ
The Murmaids
The Poppies
Crayon Pop
Q-Genz
Play
The Grace
Bellini
Sakura Gakuin
Innosense
3rd Faze
Mini-Moni
Spica
Happiness
Eden’s Crush
Supernova
Belle Amie