5ive (1997-2001)
Who were they: Ritchie, Sean, Abs, J and Scott – if you’re a girl and you’re currently over the age of 25, one of those names is probably still carved into the back of your hand with a compass and drawn over in biro. No? Oh.
What was their ‘style’: They were ‘homeboys’ from ‘da ghetto.’ (‘Da Ghetto’ in this case being Kent). In 1997, they answered an ad in The Stage for young male singers/dancers to join a boyband with ‘edge and attitude.’ So their pop had a hip-hop edge and some quite poor rapping from J. Word.
Songs you might recognise: Their debut was the classic Slam Dunk Da Funk in 1997, but it wasn’t until October 1999 that they finally got a much-coveted No.1 with Keep On Movin’.
What happened to them: Sean got ill and was replaced by a cardboard cut-out during the video of their first single Let’s Dance from their third album. Scott had personal problems and had to leave for a bit. The other three struggled on for a while, then gave up.
Where are they now? Abs popped up on Love Island, of course. Scott has had some success in musicals, and J is now a writer/producer. So there you go.