Pop groups rarely stand the test of time, but there are some who decide to put the past behind them and reunite after a certain amount of time apart. Some end up just touring their old hits, while others end up releasing new material and becoming even bigger than they were before they first split up. Here are 8 pop groups that split up and then got back together again.
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The Spice Girls
The Spice Girls set loads of records and had a huge impact on pop culture in the late 90s, with many likening their success to Beatlemania. The best-selling female group of all time reformed for a greatest hits album and reunion tour in 2007, then reunited once more to perform at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. Rumours have recently been swirling about another reunion, though Victoria Beckham and Melanie Chisholm (Posh Spice and Sporty Spice respectively), are said not to be on board.
2. Five
Five were one of several pop groups to reunite for ITV’s The Big Reunion – the thing is, only four of them wanted to take part in the show! They still called themselves ‘Five’ and after touring with the other Big Reunion groups, they headlined their own nationwide arena tour.
3. Atomic Kitten
The three-piece girl group, best known for their hit single ‘Whole Again’, reformed alongside Five and other pop groups for The Big Reunion. It was the original line-up that took part in the show, with Kerry Katona’s replacement Jenny Frost deciding not to return. The group have been touring since featuring on the show, though new material is yet to surface.
4. S Club 7
S Club 7 announced their split in 2003 after several years of releasing chart hits and a few successful albums. It was announced in 2008 that three of the group’s seven members would reunite for a mini-tour, with the entire group coming together for a full reunion for BBC’s Children in Need in October 2014. The seven-piece then toured the UK in 2015 playing arenas up and down the country.
5. Boyzone
The hugely successful boyband with a string of hit singles and albums to their name called it quits in 1999 after some six years together. They then reunited in 2007 with the intention of just touring their old material, but after member Stephen Gately’s untimely death, they released an album called Brother as a tribute to him, which was followed by another album. The group have gone on several successful tours since their reunion and since getting back together have sold a further 2 million records.
6. B*Witched
The Irish girl group released their first single ‘C’est La Vie’ in 1997 before getting dropped by their management in 2002, with the group eventually splitting up for good. They joined fellow reuniting pop groups for The Big Reunion and went on to do their own tour and release a new EP.
7. Take That
The boyband were huge in the 90s and left fans devastated when they decided to split. Since they reformed in 2006 as a four-piece (former member Robbie Williams’ was busy with his hugely successful solo career), their record and ticket sales have been exceptionally strong and they’re much bigger than before the split.
8. Steps
The five-part pop group racked up a string of chart hits from 1997-2001, including a few number ones, before calling it a day. They then reformed in 2011 for a TV series, greatest hits album and an album of new material, before calling it a day again. They then reunited for a second time at the start of 2017, releasing their fifth studio album a few months later.
