As a new idea to keep this forum ticking over, every week, I'll do a new topic like this for every year leading up to 2013 where we can discuss any Girls Aloud related events, whether it be news articles or album/single releases, that occurred in that year.

 

2002

 

Important events:

- Girls Aloud formed through Popstars: The Rivals.

- Sound Of The Underground getting the Christmas #1 and winning the show for the girls.

 

Releases

- Singles

• Sound Of The Underground

  - UK chart run:

  [1st Entry: 22/12/02] 01-01-01-01-03-05-09-15-19-19-22-27-38-42-57-56-71-67-56-71-73-77-Out

  [2nd Entry: 29/06/03] 127-111-114-Out

  [3rd Entry: 27/07/03] 128-134-Out

  [4th Entry: 17/08/03] 131-144-135-195-170-198-189-Out

  [5th Entry: 19/10/03] 196-152-188-Out

  [6th Entry: 04/01/04] 167-Out

  [7th Entry: 18/01/04] 176-Out

  [8th Entry: 21/12/08] 169-200-186-Out

   

  [660,000 sales as of Feb 2013]

Do you have any memories from this time? Were you a fan? How has Sound of the Underground held up in your affections? Post all about that here ^_^

 

http://girlsalouddiscography.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/5/6/25564815/202217491.jpghttp://girlsalouddiscography.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/5/6/25564815/616352007.jpg

I remember watching the final of Popstars: The Rivals and being completely shocked that Javine didn't make it, seeing as though she was favourite all the way through. I think it was between her and Sarah IIRC and I thought Sarah was a terrible vocalist when compared to Javine :lol:

 

Never really expected them to be so successful really and it's strange to think that the girlband beat the boyband. Something I doubt would happen today if it was the same style sort of show ie a direct battle!

I remember it quite vividly too although I was only 5 :lol: I got the CD of SOTU the week it came out!

I wasn't aware of their existence really until I bought the album (at age 6 awww x) but it really is quite remarkable how a group formed this way could last so long! Kinda makes me wonder why they never did this format again. If Javine had gotten in instead of Sarah, I really don't think they'd have lasted so long. And Girls Aloud without Sarah isn't worth thinking about :cry:

I have no idea if I actually watched the final as I was only 5 :lol: But I do recollect hearing Sound of the Underground on the radio around the time when I was really young. {2002/2003 are my earliest years of actually remembering music at the time}

 

Sound of the Underground is definitely up there with their best for me :wub:

Edited April 21, 201411 yr by Jade

You were all so young! I was 14 when this programme aired! :lol:

 

From quite early on I was more on board with the girls than the boys. They'd alternate between the genders every week for the live shows, but I was always more interested to see the girls perform. My favourites throughout the process were Nadine (obviously x) and Nicola.

 

When it came to the final, I voted for every girl bar Sarah ( :snif: ). I remember being so shocked when she made it through over Javine, and I was initially disappointed. Thank God she did make it through!

 

I remember the first time I heard 'SOTU', it was on the radio. My first impression was that it sounded bizarre! :lol: There was nothing quite like that song in pop, so it was certainly refreshing. Ended up loving the track after a couple more listens. As soon as I heard the boys' track, I felt incredibly confident that Girls Aloud could actually get the #1. Even though some of my school friends were definitely backing the boys, and thought it was obvious that One True Voice would get to #1! Let's just say I was very smug when I saw them after the Christmas holidays. :kink:

 

I reckon if 2002/3 had today's sales levels than 'SOTU' would have been a potential million seller. I'm pleased that it did go comfortably Platinum though. Although it's not my favourite track of theirs, it's certainly worthy of being their best selling.

'Sound of the underground' hasn't grown old at all, it's scary how fresh and current it still sounds to my ears. :wub:

Thank god they were given such a modern song and not a cover or something like the boy were given.

 

I was 15 at the time but I only heard about them later with ISBY/WMU, so I can't really comment on 2002. :P

Me and my mum couldn't believe Cheryl got in, every other week we were like 'How has she got through AGAIN!', 'All of Newcastle must have her on speed dial'. :kink: Thank goodness she did.

 

And yes I was so pleased they got 'Sound Of The Underground'. And it was a good decision to drop 'Stay Another Day' because it was gonna be a double A-side!

I, like Jay, was 14! I remember loving watching Kimberley and Nadine's blossoming friendship.

 

When it came to the final, I was still confused and thought I fancied Sarah, therefore voted for her (5+ times). My sister voted for Cheryl.

 

I LOVED Sound Of The Underground at the time, I bought the single eventually but at the time I was young and downloaded it on Napster - Eek :unsure: (I don't think I actually started buying their singles on release week until after being furious that biology didn't make the top 3). It's lost its edge slightly for me now and isn't even in my top 5 Girls Aloud songs, but I still recognise it as a masterpiece of a pop song.

I have a question, did the final 6, each record the whole song. So they all had a bit to sing no matter who the final 5 were? Or was it recorded after Javine was told buh-bye?

I have a question, did the final 6, each record the whole song. So they all had a bit to sing no matter who the final 5 were? Or was it recorded after Javine was told buh-bye?

 

They recorded it in advance! I remember reading that they hadn't actually planned a scenario without Javine so they had to make some last minute changes to it :o

I always remember loving Nadine, Nicola and Javine. I also liked Kimberley and Cheryl but I remember being really shocked/annoyed that Sarah got in over Javine. Now I really can't imagine not having Sarah in there, I really don't think Javine would have worked in the band.

I also remember initially preferring the boys as I thought they were better vocalists and thinking that they would win, until I realized that Sound of The Underground was a far superior single!

I remember watching the show and my favourite then was Nadine (still is.) I don't remember ever specifically wanting Javine in the band, but I definitely did not want Nicola in the band at all! Thank god she got in. I wasn't impressed at the time though!

I didn't follow the show that closely, but I was definitely impressed that they'd put some effort in for their debut single.

 

I didn't expect the girls to last and wasn't that excited by them initially, then 'No Good Advice' came along and totally blew my mind and changed my mind about them (but that's for 2003).

 

Killer debut single though, pretty much an all-time classic.

The Popstars: The Rivals final feels like it could've been last week. Crazy to think how many years have gone by. I was addicted to it as I was with the previous series (I was a HUGE Hear'Say stan :wub: ).

 

Nadine was my favourite right the way through. I remembered her from Irish Popstars, thank goodness she was too young to stay in Six!! She was consistently brilliant each week, I still sometimes YouTube her 'Fields of Gold' performance.

 

Javine was my second favourite which is why I'm still baffled by the fact I frantically text voted for Sarah when it came down to the final place in the band. I think I felt sorry for her, she was a wreck before Davina announced the fifth member of the group whereas Javine just stood stony faced (she probably knew what was about to happen). I have a theory that my last minute pity votes are the reason Sarah got in the band :P . Saying that, they probably didn't count at all, this was before the days of "don't vote now or your votes will not be counted and you may be charged". I echo previous comments that Javine probably wouldn't have worked in the band. I loved her solo stuff though, 'Real Things' remains a gem!

 

I went out and bought both singles but I never expected the girls to come out on top.

Edited April 29, 201411 yr by AltheGreat