All Saints (GB)

About

Also known as: All-Saints Ensemble, おーる・せいんつ, オール・セインツ

All Saints built their reputation on a run of UK number ones that few girl groups could match. Formed in London with Melanie Blatt and Shaznay Lewis at the core, the group found their footing after Nicole and Natalie Appleton joined in 1996, and the four quickly signed to London Records. Their debut album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and went five times platinum, with 'Never Ever' shifting 1.2 million copies in the UK alone and winning two Brit Awards for Best British Single and Best British Video. It remains the third best selling girl group single in UK chart history. Their second album Saints and Sinners went one better, hitting number one and spinning off two more chart toppers in 'Pure Shores' and 'Black Coffee'. After splitting in 2001 and a less successful comeback on Parlophone in 2006, they eventually reunited properly and released Red Flag in 2016 and Testament in 2018. Artists like Charli XCX and Jessy Lanza have name checked them as influences, and their cargo pants era aesthetic is still talked about as a defining look of late nineties British pop.