It's a man's world in pop music right now.
Only three of the current top 20 singles on Billboard's Hot 100 chart are by female artists. The most inescapable songs right now are by men—try listening to the radio for any length of time without hearing "Stitches" or "What Do You Mean?" over and over.
But if you scroll down far enough, you'll find a girl group that has arrived just in time to inject some much needed estrogen into these pop proceedings.
Meet Little Mix.
After initially auditioning for the U.K. version of "The X Factor" separately and getting cut in early rounds, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirwall were brought together as a group by Simon Cowell. They ended up becoming the first group to win the show and have had huge success across the pond. Their first two albums, "DNA" and "Salute" debuted and no. 3 and no. 4 on the U.K. album charts, respectively.
What's that? Don't they sing "Worth It," you ask?
That would be Fifth Harmony, a band created after the success of Little Mix. Yes, there can actually be two successful girl groups at the same time.
This is Fifth Harmony.This is Little Mix.
No shade to Fifth Harmony (really, their album "Reflection" is quite good), but Little Mix >>>>>> Fifth Harmony.
Little Mix first tried to crack the U.S. with their song "Move" from "Salute" in early 2014. Despite the group's TV performances of the song and the song's placement in a Victoria's Secret commercial, the single only peaked at no. 22 on Billboard's Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart. Seemingly a female answer to One Direction, it's puzzling why they have not experienced the same kind of transatlantic success.
Now they're back again with "Black Magic," a bouncy, guitar-driven song about the secret to attracting boys being confidence in yourself. The first single from Little Mix's upcoming album "Get Weird," it's been making its way up the charts since its release this summer, hitting no. 1 in the U.K. The adorable music video surely didn't hurt the song's progress.
The band has since released "Hair" and "Love Me Like You," both equally as irresistible as "Black Magic."
I know, I know. There's been scores of girl groups that have come and gone without any kind of real, lasting success. So why will Little Mix succeed where others have failed?
They're known for their catchy, girl-power anthems—and they actually write the songs. Nine of 12 songs on their album "Salute" were co-written by Little Mix themselves, including single "Little Me."
They're best friends in real life, and they aren't afraid to do the weird stuff on social media you do with your friends.
Each of the girls is an incredible singer in her own right. However, Little Mix is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Whether they're singing a cover...
Acoustic...
Or acapella (shout out to Perrie's Britney Spears impression!)...
...they sound amazing. Period.
So America, let's fix this problem. Stream Little Mix's music, buy "Get Weird" when it drops in November, write your congressperson. Do whatever it takes to give these girls the love they deserve!
