Aqua look unrecognisable 25 years on from smash hit song Barbie Girl (2024)

FAQs

What one hit wonder released the 1997 hit song Barbie Girl? ›

"Barbie Girl" is a song by Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua. It was released in April 1997 by Universal and MCA as the third single from the group's debut studio album, Aquarium (1997).

The song, which was originally released in 1997, is lewd in nature using innuendos and lyrics about sex in association with the Barbie image. Throughout the song, singer Lene Nystrom role plays as Barbie and co-singer, René Dif, takes on the role of Ken.

Aqua is a Danish-Norwegian Europop band, best known for their 1997 single "Barbie Girl". The group formed in 1995 in Copenhagen and achieved international success around the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band released three albums: Aquarium in 1997, Aquarius in 2000 and Megalomania in 2011.

These lyrics, from Aqua's 1997 smash hit “Barbie Girl,” are undeniably still a part of the social consciousness 25 years later. It's a bubblegum gem of 90s dance pop, featuring lead singer Lene Nystrøm's vocals and René Dif's raps as they serve up tongue-in-cheek social commentary over uber-danceable synths.

Yes, Mattel, the toy company that owns the Barbie brand, sued MCA Records over the song "Barbie Girl." The song was released in 1997 by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua and became a worldwide hit. However, Mattel was not pleased with the song's lyrics and portrayal of the Barbie doll.

Mattel v. MCA Records, 296 F.

2002), was a series of lawsuits between Mattel and MCA Records that resulted from the 1997 hit single "Barbie Girl" by Danish-Norwegian group Aqua. The case was ultimately dismissed. Mattel, Inc. v.

Mattel was worried that the song would ruin the wholesome Barbie brand and one of their major complaints was that the music video “features the Ken doll dismembering the Barbie doll by pulling off her arm.” A spokesperson for the company also reportedly said “Even if we found the lyrics acceptable, we would be filing ...

What is the meaning behind Aqua's song "Barbie Girl"? The song was inspired by Aqua keyboardist søren Rested's visiting an art exhibit in the groups hometown of conpenhagen. He was calibrated by a round orb of Barbie dolls. As he told Rolling stone,”it made me think of, 'life in plastic, it's fantastic.

Soon after, the band went their separate ways, stating to Billboard: "We have looked each other straight in the eye and reached the conclusion that, for the moment, the spark is missing." But there were rumours going around that the group's split was actually because of a love triangle between Lene, René and Søren.

Barbie writers reveal that Mattel had concerns about one scene in the movie, which involved a fictional executive being shot in the final act.

Was Aqua a one hit wonder? ›

Surprisingly, thanks to their smash hit, Aqua, is the countries best ever selling band. They did go on to release further hits and albums that did chart, however, nothing could compare to Barbie girl, which is also one the decades most sold songs.

1 follow-ups: the moodier “Turn Back Time” and the Indiana Jones–inspired “Doctor Jones.” In America, where the Scandinavian pop band was essentially a one-hit wonder, “Barbie Girl” powered Aqua's debut album Aquarium to triple-platinum sales all by itself.

Sister Hazel was a huge deal if you grew up in the South in the '90s and '00s, but their biggest hit is probably considered a one-hit wonder to the general public.