90’s Sensations Making a Comeback

Remember “Bug a Boo”? “I Want It That Way”? What about “Cry Me A River”? In the midst of boy bands like One Direction and The Wanted creating new reasons for girls to throw their panties on the stage, the 90s can be heard yelling, “Don’t forget about me!”

Many classic late 90s/early 2000s groups are making comebacks to remind their listeners, who have now likely outgrown their choker necklaces and Tiger Beat posters, that they’re still here—and they’ve still got it. So where are they now? Many big name groups from college girls’ youth have been releasing new music and even joining with other nostalgia-inducing groups while on tour.

98 Degrees

On May 7, The Lachey brothers and their fellow group mates will release 2.0, the group’s first album in 10 years. Fans of the band: be “True to Your Heart” and keep an eye out for the new album, a project Nick Lachey said in a news release was “a long time coming.” In addition to new music, the group is also adding another pinch of oh-crap-I’m-old and embarking on a tour with New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men.

Destiny’s Child

Okay, ladies. This is what you’ve been waiting for. With the news of a new album with a new single (!) and the preview Beyoncé, Kelly and Michelle put on during the Superbowl, everyone’s been saying their name and waiting for the fierce threesome to reunite. With Beyoncé stealing the scene with her general and unrivaled diva power, a reunion was just the next step. The girls released Love Songs at the end of January, featuring a compilation of love songs as well as new single “Nuclear.” It was their first project together since (sadly) splitting in 2005.

Backstreet Boys

And then, as if you didn’t feel old enough, the Backstreet Boys announced for its big 20^th anniversary this year, the group will release a new album. Member Kevin Richardson had left the boys for a brief time but will reunite with his group mates for its first release with all 5 members since 2005. The new album will have an “indie-pop-rock feel” according to an interview in Rolling Stone, which is a bit different from its usual sound.

 Justin Timberlake

Even with his curly, frosted tips, JT was (and probably still is) many 90s girls’ first crush.  When *NSync announced its end, a collective sob could be heard wherever the 90s girl dwelled. But that didn’t mean it was the end for the members of the band. From “Justified” to dominating SNL skits, Justin Timberlake has stayed on the scene and can still make the ladies swoon. After a long hiatus from hearing his sweet falsetto, Timberlake showed listeners a few things about love with “Suit and Tie” and announced he would be releasing a new album in March.

Honorable mention:

Though they’re from a later time, Fall Out Boy has burst back on to the scene with a new single randomly featuring current rap phenomenon 2Chainz with “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)” earlier this month. As its mouthful of a title suggests, it has a traditional Fall Out Boy sound with a little more instrumental power. The group is also going on tour this year with a new album, “Save Rock and Roll,” slated for release in mid-April.