The 5 Worst Trends Started By the Class of '99

By Nathan Smith Thu., Dec. 27 2012 at 7:00 AM

Britney Spears between classes.

2. Pop Tarts
In 1999, record executives suddenly discovered that sexualized teen girls sold records. Blame the Spice Girls, I guess. The most irresistible specimen of all was Britney Spears, who tantalized shamelessly without ever acknowledging her electrified sex appeal. The nice 'n naughty ('n blonde) routine would quickly be replicated to varying degrees of hotness by Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson and a slew of others that nobody wants to remember.

If that paragraph came off a little creepy, you're beginning to get the picture. The teeny-poppers were icons to little girls and lonely men alike. Both, as it turned out, have a lot of disposable income.

Zenith of Popularity: Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time", released January 12, 1999, sold 17.4 million copies that year, making it the biggest-selling debut of all time for a female artist.

The fad was driven by huge singles and hot videos, without a whole lot more going for it. Albums were chock full of garbage filler, and the hits were badly overexposed. The chanteuses may have enjoyed comparisons to Madonna, but Madonna had great songs and shows. Britney Spears didn't even pretend not to lip-sync.

Where Are They Now: Reality TV. Britney Spears judges The X-Factor; Christina Aguilera does The Voice. Jessica Simpson found greater fame playing a ditz on cable than she ever did as a Britney wannabe. Mandy Moore landed a few Hollywood roles and transformed herself from sultry jailbait to America's sweetheart.

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1999

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pawlie73

It may have been a crappy time or mainstream music but I remember it as a great time for alternative tastes. Radiohead, James, the Verve, and other British acts put out great records. Electronicaü and many musical forms (trip-hop, drum n bass, acid jazz) were some of the most innovative music to come to light in ages. Older guys and gals like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, n Joni Mitchell put out some great stuff. Lotsa terrific regional Texas and hip-hop stuff as well. Don't let me forget Rock en espanol, alternative Country, and the birth of Screw (for better or for worse).

arianam

Haha the year that Gap came out with the kahki commercials I was in choir at North Shore High School and we performed "jump jive" and a whole mix of swing songs....dressed in khakis and white shirts LMAO.

Houston Press Rocks Off

Papa Roach still sells out smaller venues like Warehouse Live, oddly enough.

Nathan Smith

Wherever Papa Roach is these days, it's probably nicer than wherever Powerman 5000, Spineshank, Taproot and Soulfly are.

eden21

@Nathan Smith Isnt Soulfly a Sepultura side project? Sepultura was actual, non-'nu' metal - so i think they're okay. Powerman 5000 was awesome hahaha, the frontman is actually Rob Zombie's brother, so I'm guessing he's doing okay... Goddamn, did i ever hate Papa Roach.

Rottweiller2000

@HoustonPress I would argue the movie ‘Swingers’ and not the Gap commercial pushed the swing music phenom

NathanSmith topcommenter

@Rottweiller2000 Swingers definitely helped put swing back on the pop radar. It didn't really explode on to the charts until that commercial, though. That ad made Brian Setzer a lot of money, and he didn't even play on it.

MadMac topcommenter

Especially since only about eight people saw Swingers and because they thought it was art pr0n.

Kelly Switzer

1 Like

Ring watches are a recycled fad from at least the 70s, maybe even before that. Slap bracelets are back, though! Lets just hope that Jennifer Aniston layered haircut is gone for good.

kelly.d.switzer

Perman or Pearlman?

NathanSmith topcommenter

@kelly.d.switzer The latter.

healthy skeptic

Fun, bizarre fact: Lou Bega is German (specifically, Bavarian). I don't know about y'all, but that mostly blows my mind.

Christina Lynn

i was in 6th grade when all this madness happened. I remember it well even though I wasnt allowed to listen to 104 krbe back in the day. Even worse is some of the fads are coming back from back then - like ring watches.