The Streets is an English musical project led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner. The project was founded in the early 90s, while Skinner was still a teenager; however, no music would formally eventuate until the early 2000s. In the initial run of The Streets, the project released five studio albums: Original Pirate Material (2002), A Grand Don't Come for Free (2004), The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (2006), Everything Is Borrowed (2008) and Computers and Blues (2011). The Streets also released a string of successful singles during this time, which reached the Top 40 on the UK Singles chart – including "Has It Come to This?", "Fit but You Know It", "Dry Your Eyes", "When You Wasn't Famous" and "Prangin' Out". After disbanding The Streets in 2011, Skinner pursued several other musical projects before ultimately reviving the moniker in 2017. A mixtape, None of Us Are Getting Out of This Life Alive, was released in 2020. The Streets' sixth studio album, The Darker the Shadow the Brighter the Light, was released in September 2023.
D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat is the first studio album by Danish pop duo Junior Senior. Originally released in March 2002 in Denmark, an altered edition became available later in the year for the rest of continental Europe, and in 2003, the album was released in both the UK and US. It is most widely known for the song "Move Your Feet", the duo's first and most successful single. The United States release of the album received the Parental Advisory rating on its release.
Anne Lilia Berge Strand, known professionally as Annie, is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, record producer and DJ. She began her recording career in 1999 with the underground hit single "The Greatest Hit" and gained international acclaim, particularly from music bloggers, for her debut album Anniemal (2004).
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenomania has written and produced for artists such as Cher, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Pet Shop Boys, The Saturdays and Sugababes. In particular, all but one of Girls Aloud's studio albums have been entirely written and produced by Xenomania. Sugababes' "Round Round" and Girls Aloud's "Sound of the Underground" have been credited with reshaping British pop music for the 2000s. Gabriella Cilmi's "Sweet About Me" and Girls Aloud's "The Promise" were named Best Single at the ARIA Music Awards of 2008 and the 2009 BRIT Awards, respectively.
What Will the Neighbours Say? is the second studio album by English-Irish all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 2004 by Polydor Records. Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania were enlisted to produce the entire album, allowing for more inventive ideas. What Will the Neighbours Say? explores various subgenres of pop music.
Sound of the Underground is the debut studio album by English-Irish girl group Girls Aloud, formed through the ITV television series Popstars: The Rivals. It was released in Ireland on 23 May 2003, in the United Kingdom and Europe on 26 May 2003, and reissued on 17 November 2003 through Polydor. Girls Aloud worked with a variety of musicians and producers on Sound of the Underground, which was largely inspired by 1980s music. Comparisons were made with artists such as Bananarama, The Bangles, Blondie and Spice Girls.
Richard Philips, better known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for artists including Annie, Kelis, Liberty X, Rachel Stevens and Sugababes. According to an early issue of the now defunct Popworld magazine, Philips' alias comes from a postcard which was sealed with a kiss misinterpreted for the letter X.
Anniemal is the debut album by Norwegian singer Annie. It was first released by 679 Recordings in September 2004. Annie began recording music in 1999 with her boyfriend, Tore Kroknes, who died in 2001. She returned to recording later that year, collaborating with Richard X, Röyksopp, and Timo Kaukolampi.
"Giving You Up" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her third greatest hits album Ultimate Kylie (2004). The song was first released as the album's second and final single on 28 March 2005. It was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, Paul Woods, Nick Coler, and Minogue, while production was by Higgins and Xenomania. The song is a dance-pop track, which features instrumentation of synthesizers and keyboards. The track was her last solo single before she was diagnosed with breast cancer two months later; her next single was "2 Hearts" in 2007.
Come and Get It is the second solo studio album by English singer Rachel Stevens, released on 17 October 2005 by 19 Recordings and Polydor Records. It spawned three singles, two of which reached the top 10, while the album itself reached number 28 on the UK Albums Chart. The album received almost universally positive reviews; two years after the album's release, The Guardian placed it on their "1000 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list.
Change is the fifth studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released through Island Records on 1 October 2007. It was their first album to feature complete vocals by Amelle Berrabah, who joined the group following founding member Mutya Buena's departure in 2005.
"Here We Go" is a pop song written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and Matt Gray, originally recorded by Cooper under the alias Moonbaby. The song was initially released as Moonbaby's first single in 2000, later being covered by Lene Nystrøm in 2003 and Girls Aloud in 2004. A version with rewritten lyrics appears as the theme music of the French/Canadian animated television series Totally Spies!.
"Sweet About Me" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Gabriella Cilmi from her debut album, Lessons to Be Learned (2008). The song was released as the album's second single on 10 March 2008 in the United Kingdom and on 24 March 2008 in Australia. One month later, it topped the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and stayed there for five non-consecutive weeks.
"The Greatest Hit" is a song by Norwegian singer Annie. It was written and produced by Annie and DJ Tore "Erot" Kroknes. The song samples Madonna's 1982 debut single "Everybody", and she received a co-writing credit. The track was released as a limited edition 7-inch single in 1999. It became an underground club hit in Norway and the United Kingdom. Retitled "Greatest Hit", the song was later included on Annie's debut album, Anniemal (2004).
"I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me" is an electropop song performed by Norwegian recording artist Annie. It was released on 14 July 2008 as the lead single from her second studio album, Don't Stop (2009). However, the song is not featured on the standard track listing of the album but is available on the special edition bonus disc.
Yes is the tenth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 18 March 2009 by Parlophone. The album was recorded throughout 2008 and was produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania. Xenomania also co-wrote three of the tracks. Guitarist Johnny Marr and string arranger Owen Pallett appear as well. "Love Etc." was released on 16 March 2009 as the album's lead single.
"Songs Remind Me of You" is a song by Norwegian singer Annie from her second studio album, Don't Stop (2009). Written by Richard X and Hannah Robinson, the track was released digitally on 17 August 2009 as the album's lead single.
Kiss & Tell is the debut studio album by American band Selena Gomez & the Scene. The album was released on September 29, 2009 through Hollywood Records. The album is composed mainly of pop rock and electronic rock, with Gomez citing bands such as Paramore and Forever the Sickest Kids as influences on the album. Ted Bruner and Trey Vittetoe worked extensively on the record with Gomez, producing multiple tracks. Gomez worked with Gina Schock on several songs for the album, while Rock Mafia produced two of the album's tracks.
Uzoechi Osisioma "Uzo" Emenike, professionally known by his stage name MNEK, is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He has been nominated for a Grammy and a Brit Award, and has received the ASCAP Vanguard Award. His writing and production credits include H.E.R., Jax Jones, Zara Larsson, Little Mix, Dua Lipa, FLO, Sugababes, Clean Bandit, Julia Michaels, Craig David, Christina Aguilera, Becky Hill, Selena Gomez, Years & Years, Kylie Minogue, Beyoncé, Hailee Steinfeld, Madonna, KSI, Mabel and Twice.
"Some Kind of Miracle" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, appearing on their debut studio album Sound of the Underground (2003). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania. One of six songs produced by Xenomania for Sound of the Underground, "Some Kind of Miracle" was also remixed by Illicit.
