Don't tell us that you're done as far as we go because in this episode of Can't Stop The Pop, we're sitting down to have a chat about The Saturdays' 'Ego' – which snuck into the UK chart at the very end of 2009.

'Ego' was a pivotal moment in The Saturdays' career. The second single from the group's second album, 'Wordshaker' – and later included on the 'Headlines!' EP – marked a point where commercial success wasn't solely defined by peak chart position and album campaigns shifted from traditional models.

Matty and Craig reflect on what it is about 'Ego' that connected so well after 'Forever Is Over', break down the superhero-themed music video and examine the chart stats. We also discuss the B-side 'Flashback' and look at where this single fits into The Saturdays' career overall, which features a wide-ranging and occasionally divisive discussion that includes 'Notorious', 'Gentleman', and even 'What Are You Waiting For?'. Buckle up – it's quite the journey!

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In this episode of Can't Stop The Pop, we commemorate (or should that be commiserate) 30 years since the UK entered 'Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit' into the Eurovision Song Contest 1996 and finished in…eighth place!?

Matty and Craig discuss how Gina G's debut single tore through the UK chart for months prior to Eurovision, then became an international hit and even reached the top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100, earning a Grammy nomination in the process. Yes, you read that correctly.

But what happened at Eurovision? We speculate on possible reasons why the track didn't sweep to victory – or indeed even come close – but how impactful it was on the contest in the following years, nonetheless.

As well as talking about the rather basic music video and those all-important chart stats, Matty shares a surprising fact about 'Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit' and Top Of The Pops, while Craig explains the legal drama that stemmed from the song and left Gina G stuck in a bad record deal.

To read about 'Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit' on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/03/23/gina-g-ooh-aah-just-a-little-bit/

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. And if you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon and subscribe from as little as £1 a month: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

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Get your vibe on because Can't Stop The Pop is back for a new year-long series of monthly episodes, and where better place to start than with Dannii Minogue vs. Flower Power's mid-'00s anthem, 'You Won't Forget About Me'.

Matty and Craig explore how the track represented a timely evolution of the 'Neon Nights' formula and marked a new era for Dannii Minogue's career as she signed with All Around The World (AATW). Yet, despite high expectations commercially, the fallout of what actually happened when the single was released, and the subsequent stop-start album(s) campaign leaves much to discuss – including an impassioned rant from Craig about the ineptitude of AATW and a wild comparison by Matty.

As ever, we cover the song, its unflattering video (Dannii Minogue should *not* be cleaning up drink spillages), the chart stats and a notable remix that reimagines 'You Won't Forget About Me' as elevator music. No, really.

To read about 'You Won't Forget About Me' on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2022/10/24/dannii-minogue-you-wont-forget-about-me/

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

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It's the season three finale of Can't Stop The Pop, and as befitting such an occasion, we're looking back at 'Viva Forever' by the Spice Girls.

Matty and Craig reflect on how this – the fourth single from the 'Spiceworld' album – marked the end of the group's imperial era as Geri Halliwell quit. We examine what makes the song so sonically and structurally different from any other Spice Girls ballad, how the surrounding context elevated its impact and offer interpretations of the music video featuring those infamously creepy fairies. Matty also gives a thorough critique of the ill-fated 'Viva Forever!' jukebox musical and what went so wrong.

Along with the all-important chart stats, we discuss how Geri Halliwell's departure altered the plans for 'Viva Forever' to be a double A-side with 'Never Give Up On The Good Times' and how the song stacks up in the list of best-selling Spice Girls singles.

To read about 'Viva Forever' on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2019/07/15/spice-girls-viva-forever/

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

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Things take a supernatural turn in this episode of Can't Stop The Pop as Matty and Craig discuss Goldfrapp's 2005 hit, 'Ooh La La'.

We examine how the duo's sound evolved from their earlier material, resulting in a breakthrough that propelled them to new commercial heights and helped shape the charts. It seems only fitting that in approaching the work of such a creative, diverse act, the episode contains tangential references to Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, 19th-century poetry, Rachel Stevens and a well-known Soho sauna. But it's all (mostly) relevant to contextualise and celebrate the quality of 'Ooh La La', its visually striking music video and those all-important chart stats…before closing with a rant about the Grammys.

This episode is anything but Baudelaire!

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

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In this episode of Can't Stop The Pop, two divas join forces to deliver a vocal masterclass as Matty and Craig discuss Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston's superstar duet: 'When You Believe'.

We look at the manufactured rivalry between the two singers and how their duet for the soundtrack to the animated movie 'The Prince Of Egypt' was an almost inconceivable prospect in the '90s. There's some convincingly technical discussion about how their voices complement one another both on the track and in the live performances. Plus, we get into the Oscars drama where Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – who co-wrote the 'pop' version of the song that Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston performed at the ceremony – missed out on an Academy Award for his contribution.

And, while 'When You Believe' wasn't a chart-topping hit for Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, the track did later reach #1 when Leon Jackson released it as his X Factor winner's single. So, we felt compelled to talk about that, too (be warned: strong opinions are expressed).

To read about 'When You Believe' on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2022/12/05/mariah-carey-whitney-houston-when-you-believe/

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

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The S Club bandwagon comes to a crashing halt in this episode of Can't Stop The Pop as we look back at the bizarre turn of events that was I Dream.

Find out what happens when you merge S Club 8 with five additional aspiring singers/actors, cast them all in a TV show and then release a single featuring just two members of the group. It's fair to say that Matty and Craig have very different opinions on the resulting product that was 'Dreaming (Feat. Frankie and Calvin)'.

As well as the song itself, we discuss the muddled marketing for I Dream, share some first impressions of the TV show, try to work out what the ambition of the project was and vent our frustrations at S Club 8 being thrown under the proverbial bus in such a peculiar manner. Plus, we have the all-important chart stats for both 'Dreaming' and the accompanying album, 'Welcome To Avalon Heights' (brace yourselves for the peak position…).

To read about 'Dreaming' on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2020/11/09/i-dream-frankie-calvin-dreaming/

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

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In this episode, Matty and Craig revisit the electrophonic revolution that was Phixx and their very '80s, very (homo)erotic debut single: 'Hold On Me'.

We're joined by Peter Smith from the group to discuss his dramatic exit from Popstars: The Rivals, how the sound and image for Phixx came together and what went wrong with One True Voice. In a brutally honest interview, Peter also reveals the truth about his experience in the music industry, his departure from the group and what he's been up to since.

To read about 'Hold On Me' on Can't Stop The Pop: https://www.cantstopthepop.com/2023/09/04/phixx-hold-on-me/

If you like what we do, please leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. If you want even more exclusive Can't Stop The Pop content, head over to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/cantstopthepop

You can follow Peter Smith on Instagram: @petermsmithofficial and Facebook

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