What else should I listen to?

December 24, 2018 6:12 PM

Remember t.a.T.u.? Their image may have been ridiculously manufactured (in a way that seems almost charmingly transparent to me now), but I have rediscovered their music as an adult I am so into it. [warning, that second video is violent]

It's some combination of vocal delivery and style, big over the top emotions, catchiness, production, and some special "thing." I also can't think of any other pop music that gets me the same way. Any suggestions?

posted by Bluebird Wine to Media & Arts (19 answers total)

Response by poster: Damn I don't see a way to edit this, but I just realized the music video for "All About Us" (second link) is pretty violent. So I wouldn't watch that one if you're not comfortable with that.
posted by Bluebird Wine at 6:19 PM on December 24, 2018

Mod note: Added a note to the post
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 6:24 PM on December 24, 2018

My first thought is kpop - though there will be an obvious language barrier there but its hella manufactured and over the top.
posted by vespertinism at 6:51 PM on December 24, 2018 [3 favorites]

How about Republica - Ready to Go but it's 90's A.F.

I only ever heard t.a.T.u. because a video game modder put All About Us in a popular mod for the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
posted by glonous keming at 7:00 PM on December 24, 2018

Kpop for sure. A video game put their characters into a kpop video and it’s very t.a.T.u.esque
posted by infinitewindow at 7:35 PM on December 24, 2018

CHVRCHES
posted by rhizome at 7:36 PM on December 24, 2018 [8 favorites]

t.a.T.u were very much a production project of Trevor Horn. Maybe you'd like other songs he produced?
ABC - Poison Arrow (very eighties)
Seal - Crazy (very nineties)
posted by thatwhichfalls at 7:42 PM on December 24, 2018 [3 favorites]

Curve, perhaps.
posted by sacrifix at 9:04 PM on December 24, 2018 [1 favorite]

Robyn
Ladyhawke
La Roux
Royksopp
The Knife

All kind of from the same era. Chvrches mentioned above is another good one. These don't have that same "image" but I find them to be similar to Tatu musically. Maybe not quite as pop catchy, but similar.
posted by christiehawk at 10:38 PM on December 24, 2018 [5 favorites]

Eisley
Paramore
Au Revoir Simone
Metric
The Like
posted by willnot at 10:57 PM on December 24, 2018 [1 favorite]

Speaking of '90s AF: Sneaker Pimps and Snake River Conspiracy.
posted by neushoorn at 1:02 AM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]

Boney M? Also a manufactured fake band but 70s, though AFAIK the women always did their singing. More disco than tatu. More German.

More timely selection from their catalog
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:22 AM on December 25, 2018

Icona Pop and Charlie XCX I Love it

PS also all the Bananarama
posted by fluttering hellfire at 6:34 AM on December 25, 2018 [3 favorites]

Was also about to recommend Icona Pop.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:25 AM on December 25, 2018

You want enormous, absurd, manufactured pop? You want to work your way through the Xenomania back catalog.
posted by bcwinters at 8:03 AM on December 25, 2018

vocal delivery and style, big over the top emotions, catchiness, production, and some special "thing."
If that aint BLΛƆKPIИK's Boombayah, I don't know what is.
posted by signal at 5:00 PM on December 25, 2018

It's not vapid by any stretch, but Imogen Heap's catalog is highly produced, synth-driven and energetic.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 8:14 AM on December 26, 2018

Maybe Girls Aloud? The Show and "No No No" are both bangers.
posted by josher71 at 7:49 AM on January 9, 2019 [1 favorite]

If we're talking about Girls Aloud, I'd add Graffiti My Soul.
posted by signal at 11:35 AM on January 9, 2019