Get a credit card. Use the birth control pill. Attend an ivy league college. Rent an apartment alone. Eat alone in some restaurants. Among countless other examples, these are just a few of the things women were prohibited from doing in the 1960s.

Amidst the Civil Rights Movement and the chaos of the Vietnam War, women in America were fighting for their own basic human rights. During this time, young women found an unfamiliar role model: Girl Groups.

The Girl Group Phenomenon was the rise of female only music groups in the 1960s. These groups aimed to not only entertain, but also to inform and empower. Many songs spoke of romance, loss, and sexual etiquette, and many of these groups included women of color at a time when other options were slim.

The Girl Group Phenomenon saw a second rise in the 1990s with groups such as The Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child.

Now, in 2024, the Phenomenon has hit once again.

At #19 on the Spotify Top 50 list, BLACKPINK is arguably the most popular girl band in the world at the moment. Their top song, “How You Like That”, currently sits at 1,109,758,604 streams at the time of writing. The song–according to the group–is about staying strong and confident in times of struggle.

Another popular group is KATSEYE. Their most popular song, “Touch”, is about moving on from a relationship that isn’t good for you. While women are often taught to accept things they don’t like, or behaviors that are unhealthy in relationships, the song encourages them to move on and find a relationship that suits them.

In the current political climate, where women’s rights are being targeted from all sides, where they are being taught to accept the bare minimum from their male relationships, women and girls are looking for a voice that will be heard. They are looking for camaraderie among their fellow women. They are looking for acceptance and safety in all aspects of their life.

Girl groups, as they always have been, are one answer to this.