blog post Class Reunion: Class of '99

Every few years, artists of roughly the same age and genre come to prominence. We look at these movements as graduating classes, and in Class Reunion, we cast an eye on who fulfilled their potential, who exceeded theirs and who missed the mark. Today, we feature the class of ’99.

In the late 1990s, as the Spice Girls’ grip on the pop charts loosened, a new generation of pop stars, many still in their teens, emerged. The class of ’99, among other things, was the last generation of artists to enjoy sales and success before music piracy became widespread.

(Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

Britney Spears
Then: Most likely to succeed, valedictorian. When “...Baby One More Time” was released in 1998, the 17-year-old Spears became the pigtailed face of the teen pop movement. It wasn’t long before she became one of the most famous people in the world.

Now: Over the past 13 years, Spears has released seven hit albums and become a pop icon similar in stature to Madonna. Offstage, Spears has suffered through personal struggles, and tabloids questioned her relationships and mental health. But she seems to come back with more hit music every time and continues to influence the next generation of pop stars.

(Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

Christina Aguilera
Then: At 18, Aguilera had spent years in Britney Spears’ shadow on the Mickey Mouse Club when she scored a hit with “Genie in a Bottle” in 1999. Again, she was compared to Spears and again, despite having more singing talent, she came up short.

Now: Much of Aguilera’s early career can be seen as a reaction to Britney Spears, from her squeaky clean debut to the more “Dirrty" Stripped. In recent years, she has played to her vocal strengths as a soulful balladeer. She has also gained notoriety as a host of the musical reality show The Voice.

(Photo by Brenda Chase/Getty Images)

Destiny’s Child
Then: As the Spice Girls and TLC’s stars faded, Destiny’s Child became the central girl group of the era. The Houston, Texas-based group was known for its soaring harmonies and frequently changing lineup. The only constant member was Beyonce Knowles. I think you know where this is going.

Now: Most of Destiny Child’s members have faded into obscurity, but Beyonce is arguably the most successful member of the class of ’99. While her classmates may have had more success at different times, none is more important than Beyonce today. She continues to have popular and critical success in the pop, R&B and hip-hop worlds.

(Photo by Diane Freed/Getty Images)

Backstreet Boys
Then: The glee club. This boy band was formed in Orlando, Fla., way back in 1993. While the band struggled for years to gain popularity in the U.S., BSB found success in Europe early on. In 1999, the band scored its biggest hit, “I Want it That Way.”

Now: While the public’s infatuation with boy bands has cooled, Backstreet Boys have remained popular. Members have attempted solo careers, but none have taken off. BSB has carried on after Kevin Richardson left the group in 2006, and in 2011 they joined forces with teen pop forefathers, New Kids on the Block, for the NKOTBSB Tour.  With 130 million records worldwide, Backstreet Boys have sold more albums than any other member of the class of ’99.

(Photo by HENNY RAY ABRAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

‘N Sync
Then: The other glee club. ’N Sync and Backstreet Boys had a rivalry much like Britney and Christina’s, though it was more evenly matched. Like BSB, ’N Sync formed in Orlando. Unlike BSB, ’N Sync had a breakout star. Justin Timberlake was one of their lead vocalists, and he became a fan favourite. He also dated Britney Spears. Oh yeah, remember that?

Now: ‘N Sync’s members have enjoyed varying levels of success as actors, TV hosts, astronauts and musicians. Timberlake has become a superstar, with two successful albums and starring roles in a handful of movies. Timberlake’s success ultimately doomed the group’s ability to compete with Backstreet Boys, and ’N Sync broke up in 2002.

(Photo by Brenda Chase/Getty Images)

98 Degrees
Then: Glee club understudies. This Florida-based four-piece represents the second-tier in of late ’90s boy bands.  While ’N Sync and the Backstreet Boys were at the head of the class, 98 Degrees (and LFO, B44, 3-Deep, and others) were left with the scraps.

Now: 98 Degrees never reached the heights of the top boy bands and has been on hiatus since 2002. The group’s Nick Lachey has enjoyed some success as a TV host and reality star, with his marriage to Jessica Simpson featured on the show Newlyweds. Nick’s brother Drew won the second season of Dancing with the Stars. The other two are also still alive.

(Photo by Steve W Grayson/Getty Images)

Pink
Then: The Bad Girl. While her debut album, Can’t Take Me Home, didn’t come out until 2000, the pink-haired singer can be considered part of the same movement. Her tough-girl exterior and refusal to be manufactured made her something of an anti-Britney. After her R&B-heavy debut, Pink took control of her career, co-writing the majority of her own music with the likes of Linda Perry and Dallas Austin.

Now: Still a fixture of the pop scene, Pink has released five albums. She’s never achieved the astronomical popularity of some of her classmates but she has become known for her songwriting, including a credit for co-writing Adam Lambert’s 2009 hit “Whataya Want From Me?”

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Jessica Simpson
Then: Teacher’s pet. While Britney and Christina were criticized for their Lolita-style sexuality, Simpson kept her act squeaky-clean. She never dominated the chart like her peers, possibly as a side-effect of her outward chastity. The 18-year-old Simpson released her debut album, Sweet Kisses, in 1999. It did just fine but, y’ know, not Britney or Christina.

Now: Simpson has never caught up to her peers musically, but she may have matched them in fame and fortune. Her 2002 marriage, since ended, to Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees was the basis for the reality show Newlyweds. Simpson has become a tabloid target, known for her divorce, her fluctuating weight and the football players she’s dated. In 2005, Simpson started her fashion line, the Jessica Simpson Collection, expected to be the first celebrity clothing line to top $1 billion in annual sales.

(Photo by George DeSota/Getty Images)

Mandy Moore
Then: Drama Queen. Another singer with career origins in the pop mecca of Orlando, Florida, Mandy Moore is the youngest member of the Class of ‘99. Moore was only 15 when she released her debut album, So Real. Her early music was criticized for being too innocent and sugary, as evidenced by “Candy.”

Now: While Moore’s music career has spawned several minor hits, her acting career has taken off. With the possible exception of Justin Timberlake, Moore may be the most successful actor from the class of ‘99. While her classmates are known for single roles in films of varying quality (Britney Spears’ Crossroads, Christina Aguilera’s Burlesque, Jessica Simpson’s Dukes of Hazzard, Beyonce’s Dreamgirls), Moore has become a versatile actress in such movies as Saved!, A Walk to Remember, Chasing Liberty, and Tangled.

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