TEEN POP DEFINED
Ah, the annals of teen pop. The genre enjoyed its greatest renaissance to date in an unique time period from 1996 to 2002. "Wannabe" (Spice Girls, 1996) and "Complicated" (Avril Lavigne, 2002) serve as bookends for the countdown and both singles were pivotal points of the rise and demise of the teen pop boom. Within this six-year period, the music industry bombarded the market with groups and singers totally manufactured from formation to celebration. There are a small handful of artists who were not driven by the machine and there are some others who went on to even greater success but the majority will stay forever locked in time with clean-cut haircuts and trendy preppy attire. And that is the point of this countdown...to feature the best (and the worst) of these oh-so-crazy moments of pop culture and music.
The teen-pop genre (especially from the late '90s/early '00s era) is split into five different flavors: First, there are the boy bands, usually four to five to a group. Each singer had a different appeal to the audience: the heartthrob, the serious one, the tough one, the shy one, and the weird one. Most groups incorporated harmonies within their package and some groups split their leads vocals equally while some put their weight into their best singers. Girl groups followed but were not quite as successful, partially due to younger girls desiring to idolize the men instead of the women. Then, there were the mixed-gender groups, with the women usually taking the lead in those groups. Pop princesses, however, were just as popular as the boy bands, and emphasized sex appeal to enhance their product. There are a fair number who are still active today. Meanwhile, there were less boys who can do it on their own as solo singers. In addition, there are the bubblegum groups, who were a little bit older in their early twenties and inserted crafty sexual metaphors and innuendos within their sugary sweet messages. There is a seventh category I will add – the "so bad, it's good" category. Some of the above music videos are so hilariously entertaining because it's amazing how much of a cringe factor they induce.

COUNTDOWN DEFINED
Rule No. 1: Every artist represented must have been manufactured to some degree.
The focal point of any teen pop artist or group is generate money for their record company. Teen pop was serious business and the artists were guided (and somewhat controlled) by consultants from fashion to fan relations. In addition, outside producers and songwriters provided the genius behind the hooks. Merchandising appeal is a plus. Some artists eventually broke the mold and secured creative freedom but the majority were just puppets of the whole show.
Rule No. 2: Every artist represented must have had their breakthrough in between 1996 and 2002.
This rule disqualifies artists such as Ricky Martin [associated with Menudo], Robbie Williams [Take That], Joey McIntyre and Jordan Knight [New Kids On The Block] who were still teen idols in the late '90s but found their initial success in an earlier time.
Rule No. 3: Artists and groups over the age of 25 are not invited.
Youth is a powerful elixir and those over 25 have simply lost the mojo for mass market appeal. There were some artists were pushing their luck in this category. For example, Chris Kirkpatrick was in his late twenties in the heyday of the *NSYNC explosion.
Rule No. 4: Songs represented must have a "pop" flavor.
The teen pop genre incorporated elements from a variety of different music styles, and while the variety is appreciated on the countdown, the artists themselves must be "pop" on their very core. To keep a seperation between artists who crossover to teen pop, the line is drawn at what demographic is the artist's greatest appeal situated. For instance, there were teen R&B groups in the period (most notably, Destiny's Child) were known more for R&B than for teen pop.
Rule No. 5: Songs must have charted somewhere in the world between the time of "Wannabe" and "Complicated".
"Wannabe" (Spice Girls, 1996) and "Complicated" (Avril Lavigne, 2002) serve as convenient bookends for the countdown. "Wannabe" jumpstarted this era teen pop and ushered in a whole slew of artists and groups ready to make their mark. "Complicated" is teen pop at its core but the single was marketed as an "anti-teen pop song," the first obvious sign that the market was ready to breakaway from all the negative connatations of teen pop (to some), including the choreography and music emphasized by image rather than songwriting. Teen pop never died after "Complicated"; it just manifested itself into a different form, one of singer-songwriters with real guitars. This is where it stands today with The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift continuing the new era.
Rule No. 6: Artists must have no set of singles within 4 positions of each other. In addition, no artist may not be represented more than once in the top 15.
The method to this rule is to spread the wealth. Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and Britney Spears were the forerunners of the genre, and thus had the best singles, so the rule keeps the countdown from having too much, too soon from those artists. In effect, this rule makes it not a countdown based solely on best songs but a weighted countdown designed to give a selection of artists more exposure in the countdown's top half. This rule is only broken once -- to allow a quartet of Steps singles to squeak in near the very end of the countdown.

START OF THE COUNTDOWN
1
2
3
4
Backstreet Boys
Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
*NSYNC
I Want You Back
Britney Spears
Oops!...I Did It Again
Christina Aguilera
Genie In A Bottle
5
6
7
8
Hanson
MMMBop
LFO
Summer Girls
Mandy Moore
Candy
Five
If Ya Gettin' Down
9
10
11
12
S Club 7
S Club Party
Billie Piper
Because We Want To
Atomic Kitten
I Want Your Love
98 Degrees
Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)
13
14
15
Dream
He Loves U Not
Jessica Simpson
Irresistible
All Saints
Pure Shores

REST OF THE COUNTDOWN
#
ARTIST TITLE
16.
Backstreet Boys As Long As You Love Me
17.
*NSYNC Bye Bye Bye
18.
Five When The Lights Go Out
19.
Hoku Perfect Day
20.
Aqua Lollipop (Candyman)
21.
Hanson Where's The Love?
22.
Britney Spears Lucky
23.
Aaron Carter Crush On You
24.
Backstreet Boys Get Down (You're The One for Me)
25.
*NSYNC Tearin' Up My Heart
26.
Eden's Crush Get Over Youself
27.
B4-4 Go Go
28.
Britney Spears Sometimes
29.
Billie Piper Girlfriend
30.
*NSYNC U Drive Me Crazy
31.
Mandy Moore So Real
32.
Five Got The Feelin'
33.
Backstreet Boys The Call
34.
soulDecision Ooh, It's Kinda Crazy
35.
Jessica Simpson A Little Bit
36.
*NSYNC Pop
37.
S Club 7 Don't Stop Movin'
38.
Billie Piper Honey To The B
39
Backstreet Boys I Want it That Way
40.
Britney Spears ...Baby One More Time
41.
*NSYNC It's Gonna Be Me
42.
Boyzone No Matter What
43.
Westlife Flying Without Wings
44.
Backstreet Boys Larger Than Life
45.
Christina Aguilera Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)
46.
Britney Spears Stronger
47.
Billie Piper She Wants You
48.
*NSYNC I'll Never Stop
49.
Spice Girls 2 Become 1
50.
Mandy Moore In My Pocket
51.
Backstreet Boys Shape Of My Heart
52.
2gether U+Me=Us (Calculus)
53.
Willa Ford I Wanna Be Bad
54.
O-Town Liquid Dreams
55.
Britney Spears Born To Make You Happy
56.
Five Slam Dunk Da Funk
57.
All Saints Black Coffee
58.
Aqua Barbie Girl
59.
Dream This Is Me
60.
Backstreet Boys Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
61.
S Club 7 Reach
62.
Atomic Kitten Right Now
63.
98 Degreees The Way You Want Me To
64.
Jessica Simpson I Wanna Love You Forever
65.
bbMak Back Here
66.
*NSYNC I Drive Myself Crazy
67.
B*Witched C'est La Vie
68.
Len Feelin' Alright
69.
B4-4 Get Down
70.
soulDecision Faded
71.
Spice Girls Wannabe
72.
O-Town All Or Nothing
73.
Five Keep On Movin'
74.
Britney Spears (You Drive Me) Crazy
75.
ATC Around The World (La La La)
76.
A*Teens Dancing Queen
77.
Lil' Bow Wow Bounce With Me
78.
*NSYNC Here We Go
79.
Mandy Moore I Wanna Be With You
80.
Steps 5, 6, 7, 8
81.
Backstreet Boys More Than That
82.
S Club 7 Never Had A Dream Come True
83.
Aqua Bumble Bees
84.
Five Rock The Party
85.
Usher You Make Me Wanna
86.
98 Degrees The Hardest Thing
87.
LFO Every Other Time
88.
Sugababes Overload
89.
Innosense Say No More
90.
S Club 7 Bring It All Back
91.
Christina Aguilera What A Girl Wants
92.
Britney Spears From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart
93.
Michael Fredo This Time Around
94.
A1 No More
95.
Five Let's Dance
96.
M2M Don't Say You Love Me
97.
Spice Girls Say You'll Be There
98.
Another Level Freak Me
99.
Whoa! Rub One Out
100.
Avril Lavigne Complicated
101.
Britney Spears I'm A Slave 4 U
102.
Hanson Weird
103.
Mandy Moore Crush
104.
Backstreet Boys Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely
105.
*NSYNC This I Promise You
106.
bbMak Ghost Of You & Me
107.
98 Degrees Because Of You
108.
Chrsitina Aguilera Reflection
109.
Willa Ford Did Ya Understand That
110.
O-Town We Fit Together
111.
A1 Take On Me
112.
Vitamin C Smile
113.
Hanson This Time Around
114.
Atomic Kitten Whole Again
115.
2gether The Hardest Part Of Breaking Up (Is Getting Back Your Stuff)
116.
Delta Goodrem I Don't Care
117.
Aaron Carter Not Too Young, Not Too Old
118.
3LW Playas Gon' Play
119.
Spice Girls Holler
120.
Westlife Uptown Girl
121.
Josie & The Pussycats Three Small Words
122.
*NSYNC Gone
123.
Backstreet Boys We've Got It Goin' On
124.
Usher My Way
125.
Christina Aguilera I Turn To You
126.
Hanson Thinking Of You
127.
S Club 7 You
128.
Boyzone When The Going Gets Tough
129.
Backstreet Boys All I Have To Give
130.
98 Degrees My Everything
131.
Britney Spears Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know
132.
Vengaboys Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom
133.
B2K Uh Huh
134.
Hoku Another Dumb Blonde
135.
Five We Will Rock You
136.
Billie Piper Walk Of Life
137.
Steps Tragedy
138.
All Saints Under The Bridge
139.
Aqua Doctor Jones
140.
*NSYNC Girlfriend
141.
Spice Girls Goodbye
142.
Lil' Bow Wow Bow Wow Wow (That's My Name)
143.
Backstreet Boys The One
144.
Hanson If Only
145.
All Saints Bootie Call
146.
A1 Like A rose
147.
Aaron Carter I Want Candy
148.
Westlife My Love
149.
S Club 7 Have You Ever
150.
Backstreet Boys Drowning
151.
Mandy Moore Candy
152.
ATC Why Oh Why
153.
Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey Where You Are
154.
Christina Milian AM 2 PM
155.
Britney Spears Overprotected
156.
Boyzone A Different Beat
157.
S Club 7 Two In A Million
158.
Jump5 Spinnin' Around
159.
Atomic Kitten You Are
160.
Westlife When You're Looking Like That
161.
bbMak Still On Your Side
162.
LFO Girl On TV
163.
98 Degrees I Do (Cherish You)
164.
Britney Spears The Joy Of Pepsi
165.
*NSYNC God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You
166.
A1 Ready Or Not
167.
Spice Girls Spice Up Your Life
168.
Westlife Fool Again
169.
Aaron Carter Crazy little Party Girl
170.
Five Don't Wanna Let You Go
171.
Steps Stomp
172.
98 Degrees I Do (Cherish You)
173.
All Saints Never Ever
174.
Hanson I Will Come To You
175.
Britney Spears I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman
176.
Westlife I Have A Dream
177.
S Club 7 Natural
178.
Atomic Kitten Eternal Flame
179.
Jessica Simpson I Think I'm In Love With You
180.
A1 Summertime Of Our Life
181.
Backstreet Boys I'll Never Break Your Heart
182.
Boyzone Baby Can I Hold You
183.
Mandy Moore Walk Me Home
184.
Aaron Carter Aaron's Party (Come Get It)
185.
Billie Piper Day & Night
186.
Boyzone Words
187.
A*Teens Super Trouper
188.
Aqua My Oh My
189.
Vitamin C Graduation (Friends Forever)
190.
Westlife Swear It Again
191.
M2M Mirror Mirror
192.
Dreamstreet It Happens Everytime
193.
98 Degrees This Gift
194.
B*Witched To You I Belong
195.
Youngstown I'll Be Your Everything
196.
Boyzone Words
197.
*NSYNC For The Girl Who Has Everything
198.
Sugababes Soul Sound
199.
Aaron Carter How I Beat Shaq
200.
Steps Deeper Shade Of Blue
201.
soulDecision No One Does It Better
202.
Westlife World Of Our Own
203.
S Club 7 You're My Number One
204.
B*Witched Blame It On The Weatherman
205.
Spice Girls Who Do You Think You Are?
206.
Billie Piper Something Deep Inside
207.
Boyzone Picture Of You
208.
A1 Same Old Brand New You
209.
Lil' Romeo My Baby
210.
A*Teens Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
211.
Five Closer To Me
212.
Westlife If I Let You Go
213.
Atomic Kitten See Ya
214.
Steps Chain Reaction
215.
Aaron Carter Oh Aaron
216.
B*Witched Jump Down
217.
Westlife I Lay My Love With You
218.
Hear'Say Pure & Simple
219.
Boyzone You Needed Me
220.
Solid Harmonie I'll Be There For You
221.
A1 Be The First To Believe
222.
Spice Girls Move Over
223.
Sugababes Run For Cover
224.
Steps Better The Devil You Know
225.
A*Teens Halfway Around The World
226.
Hear'Say Everybody
227.
All Saints Lady Marmalade
228.
Scooch When My Baby
229.
B*Witched Rollercoaster
230.
Vengaboys We Like To Party (Vengabus)
231.
Human Nature He Don't Like You
232.
Natural Put Your Arms Around Me
233.
Boyzone Isn't It A Wonder
234.
Spice Girls Let Love Lead The Way
235.
Five Until The Time Is Through
236.
Steps Heartbeat
237.
PYT PYT (Down With Me)
238.
B*Witched I Shall Be There
239.
Britney Spears Anticipating
240.
A*Teens Upside Down
241.
Spice Girls Too Much
242.
Boyzone All That I Need
243.
Atomic Kitten Follow Me
244.
Steps Here & Now / You'll Be Sorry
245.
Sccoch The Best Is Yet To Come
246.
Human Nature When We Were Young
247.
Sugababes New Year
248.
Westlife Queen Of My Heart
249.
A1 Everytime
250.
Steps Lest Thing On My Mind
251.
All Saints I Know Where It's At
252.
B*Witched Jesse Hold On
253.
Spice Girls Viva Forever
254.
Human Nature Last To Know
255.
B4-4 Endlessly
256.
Steps One For Sorrow
257.
On The Line All Stars On The Line
258.
Toy-Box Tarzan & Jane
259.
Solid Harmonie I Want You To Want Me
260.
Hear'Say The Way To Your LOve
261.
A*Teens Mamma Mia
262.
Scooch More Than I Needed To Know
263.
*NSYNC Together Again
264.
Steps Say You'll Be Mine
265.
3LW No More (Baby I'ma Do Right)
266.
Boyzone I Love The Way You Love Me
267.
Skye Sweetnam Shattered
268.
Spice Girls Stop
269.
Steps Summer Of Love
270.
Sky Love Song
271.
VIP Just My Luck
272.
Human Nature Whisper Your Name
273.
Hear'Say The Way To Your Love
274.
Steps Better Best Forgotten
275.
Scooch For Sure
276.
B4-4 Everyday
277.
Sky Some Kinda Wonderful
278.
Toy-Box Best Friend
279.
Steps It's The Way You Make Me Feel
280.
Steps Love's Got A Hold Of My Heart
281.
Steps After The Love Has Gone
282.
Steps When I Said Goodbye
283.
Aaron Carter Surfin' USA
284.
Dojour Back Door Lover
285.
Daphne & Celeste U.G.L.Y.

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