ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Barbie Girl" by Aqua

Mattel may like "Barbie Girl" now, but back in 1997, there were scandals in lawsuits when one Danish band defamed Barbie's good name with one of the maddeningly catchy songs ever made.
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[@FrothingFanboy]

Surprised Todd didn't mention the most legendary part of the Mattel lawsuit, the judge's closing remark - "The parties are advised to chill."

[@chrisrj9871]

Doesn't get more 90s than that!

[@SmaMan]

@@chrisrj9871 Doesn't get more 20s than that either, interestingly enough.

[@chrisrj9871]

@@SmaMan - baby boomers wanted to still be hip, their kids want to still be hip, it's the hip stuff they grew up enjoying and reminding themselves they don't want to lose that part of themselves as they get older or become the older generations they fought to distance themselves from. Age definitely catches up in the body so that's why people get so angry. I imagine Gen-Z will do the same in 20 years and that next generation will hate them for any reason, too.

[@falconeshield]

Judge said pool's closed

[@RusticRonnie]

@@SmaMannaw… chill would not be used. But the vibe is similar.

[@josemaria8177]

Really impressed by Todd having his schedule align with a real world event

[@vidcas1711]

To be fair, the Barbie movie has been announced for a while, but Todd definitely played his cards right by waiting to do an episode on one of the most notorious One Hit Wonders.

[@Carriedeeznutz]

@@vidcas1711yep, he even says it himself, he’s been holding off making this video for years so he could release it with the movie.

[@tyde4610]

@@shaftlamerit’s just a movie lol

[@VictoriaSobocki]

Same

[@applehack97]

​@@shaftlamer????

[@mekelius]

"I shouldn't attempt Danish pronunciation". One of the universal truths of life.

[@LordBaktor]

One wishes Danish people WOULD attempt Danish pronunciation...

[@typacsk]

Ever seen the "how to pronounce 'dragon'" video? XD

[@idab9958]

Eh, just attempt to speak normally with a large spoon of porridge in your mouth and you'll more or less nail it

[@sundhaug92]

Ironically the trick to Danish pronounciation is to give up about half-way into the word and act like your tongue went numb

[@RandomNonsense1985]

@@sundhaug92I’ve heard that Danish is pretty much Norweigan but with a mouth full of marbles.

[@lbsc1201]

If you can't handle Aqua at their Cartoon Heroes you don't deserve them at their Barbie Girl

[@dorianr4770]

yeah honestly all of the Aqua songs sound intriguing, including Itsy Bitsy...

[@elainejsta]

THANK YOU 🎉🙌

[@robinchesterfield42]

I LOVE "Cartoon Heroes"! I never heard it on the radio, but instead on a mixtape (yes, an actual tape) a friend sent me in the mail. The song is all about like, superheroes and how we wish we could have powers like those characters we see on TV but know we never can, which makes it both kinda badass and catchy and kinda sad. It could easily be a theme song FOR an actual cartoon hero (or a team's worth of them). I just...I dunno, I have a soft spot for songs about nerdy things that get into the way those things make the nerds FEEL, whether they'll admit it or not. And there aren't many of those.

[@aob505]

Damn right! ✌

[@DJBassBoomBottom]

You cant listen to Cartoon Heroes without the signature stomp sound of a DDR machine.

[@tatianar9429]

Look at Todd being all newsy and topical. I’m so proud.

[@OhWellWhatTheHell1]

Need an Oppenheimer related hit next

[@Burnside128]

They grow up so fast

[@josemaria8177]

​@@OhWellWhatTheHell1 half of 80s New wave songs are about nuclear War. He's got a lot to choose from

[@kyokyodisaster4842]

Indeed, todd has gotten so much better at being topical!

[@billynotreallyfr]

@@OhWellWhatTheHell199 red balloons is close enough

[@zachstutzman4059]

The fact that Aqua basically predicted early 2010s edgy parodies with Itsy Bitsy Spider and hyperpop with Barbie Girl is astonishing to me.

[@Dragoncurse4]

Truly ahead of of their time.

[@Gordy3000]

either that or way behind the early/mid 90's rave scene doing the same.

[@litvan420aka.thehazeblazin2]

Hyperpop is just a government experiment to enhance the western tolerance towards audio-visual torture when the russians take over

[@judgesaturn507]

@@Gordy3000 Yeah, the KLF existed before then and they were basically doing both of those things

[@AvsJoe]

Predicted or directly influenced?

[@chishionohana]

The best thing about scrolling through this comment section is that every country outside of America seems to have had a different second Aqua hit. Ours was Halloween. Total banger, highly recommend for your spooky pop playlist

[@dorianr4770]

yeah, it's weird, being from the US, to see in the comments that they are not a one hit wonder. and I love it. I am intrigued to listen to all this "new" stuff

[@marinemanaphy101]

I’ll always argue that Halloween is one of their absolute best songs, and also one of the best spooky pop songs. The fact that it wasn’t a bigger hit in more places is still kinda wild, the back and forth between Lene and Rene with the “Now I can see you” “Oh god, please no!” in the pre-chorus is so much fun, and their voices work perfectly as a last girl/killer who finally (maybe) catches her right before the credits roll.

[@trixxart777]

​@marinemanaphy101 i don't think it's as earwormy as Barbie Girl so that's probably why it isn't as big

[@chdreturns]

Even in the US we had Candyman which I feel was better than Barbie Girl. It charted at 23 here.

[@hardnewstakenharder]

Halloween goes hard during Halloween in the US. My favorite track of theirs.

[@cirrustate8674]

I unironically love this song. It's layered and complicated in a way that the VAST majority of pop music just... isn't. And whether or not the group intended the song to be ironic, it absolutely is ironic.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

It makes it better to confirm it was absolutely intentional

[@tomahzo]

Just consider how many chord changes are in that song. Geez. By today's standards (and even by the standards of the late 90:ies) it's a very well-written song regardless of genre (as long as you stay in the realm of pop at least) ;).

[@Nootathotep]

there's plenty of layered pop music, Todd makes a career out of talking about it

[@user-sg4ov7ng4h]

​​@@Nootathotepnow pop is kinda eh though :/ i meant if its on the radio type of thing. marina does pop and she's good and layered

[@TotoDG]

Damn, if Todd hadn't already done Eve of Destruction, he could've combined the two to make a full Barbenheimer special.

[@cygnia]

I'm still hoping he does "Ballad of the Green Berets" one of these days...

[@ChandlerKeithFlow]

I Melt With You could have also fit the theme.

[@tukke]

Maybe he'll do 99 Luftbal- oh shit!

[@IsaacMayerCreativeWorks]

I’ve been saying Todd should do “Walk the Dinosaur” for years and now would be the perfect time

[@leonardotube]

He could do a pop song review of Blondie's Atomic just for... reasons.

[@mrgiraffeweevil763]

Honestly, I think you could argue Barbie IS the first hyperpop song. Although it might be missing some of the musical elements of hyperpop, I feel like Barbie embodies the spirit of that genre. It's got that "ironic edge but also sincerely enjoying the music you're making" vibe that hyperpop is known for. And it also hits the "so pop it hurts" vibe that makes me love hyperpop.

[@nao-bo4yz]

i love the phrase "so pop it hurts"

[@D0cSwiss]

At the very least, you could call it hyperpop's ancestor, like it isn't quite there yet but it's clear that it'll be there in a few evolutionary changes

[@zebgf261]

you could argue it's the first hyperpop song but it'd be incorrect and ahistorical. genres have more context than that. it's just a major predecessor, that's all it needs to be.

[@perfectallycromulent]

i'm not sure what hyperpop is, but i'll wager ABBA or the Bee Gees did it close to first.

[@uglyaniimals]

@@perfectallycromulentnot quite haha. look up 100 gecs - money machine if ur curious !

[@freyav.5500]

"Now I’ve become Barbie girl in a Barbie world" Robert Oppenheimer

[@jacobhaagerup7816]

Søren Rasted is an acquaintance of mine. His father, who was the city architect of Copenhagen, was a friend of my dad. Anyway, he was the main writer of Aqua's music and he was extremely conscious of what they were doing. It was all calculated. He continued in a new band with his nephew in "Hej Matematik" (ironical, given the Barbie controversy) and had a few hits, particularly "Party i provinsen" which is a pretty edgy banger and very creative. Another great song of theirs is "Walkmand" where the chorus is "A fucking pop song. Getting stuck in my head". Meanwhile he's been laughing all the way to the bank off the royalties from Barbie Girl.

[@jennteal5265]

That might be the most Danish thing I've ever read 🤣🤣

[@mollyeilenberger5318]

Just to add on that: Hej matematik is ironic because "hej matematik" (hello math) is a Danish math book for kids

[@bewilderbeastie8899]

Fuck yeah I love Hej Matematik

[@richmcgee434]

Glad he's making bank off it. Well-deserved.

[@PokettoManStar]

Walkmand sounds a lot like one of Aqua's later songs, Dirty Little Pop Song.

[@joeycoe85]

Plus, you have to give them credit: Lene’s voice is VERY unique, and can’t be the easiest thing to write for. It’s not an insult. She genuinely sounds different, and they make it work. Also, props to her for always having very interesting hair. It probably shouldn’t matter, but she always makes an impression.

[@JustAHorrorShow]

Have you listened to her solo album?

[@GeneralDragon011]

She has a solo album??

[@JustAHorrorShow]

@@GeneralDragon011 I replied earlier but it's looking like it didn't go through... Yes, she has a solo album from 2003 called Play With Me.

[@jjarvicious]

I love her voice, dis song falls apart if its sung by anyone else

[@perfectallycromulent]

If you like that sort of voice, maybe give Bebe Rexha a try. also, one of the singers in the UK girl group Little Mix has a similar thing going (Jesy Nelson), but not really in a solo songs way. you'll probably find there are other girl groups with members or former members with voices of this sort.

[@p8loi12]

It's fascinating hearing Aqua described as a One Hit Wonder. I grew up in Australia in the 90s and I feel like almost every song from the Aquarium album was a hit at some point. It felt like Aqua was as ever-present as the Spice Girls or the Backstreet Boys for those couple of years.

[@jeremybean-hodges6397]

Doctor Jones certainly made a splash.

[@ellenh5468]

I distinctly remember both Dr Jones and Cartoon Hereos

[@petersmv1]

Exactly. in Australia Aquas boom solidified Bubblegum pop for a good 4 years or so. Venga boys, Toy box, and b*watched really owe a lot to Aqua, also to note the Game Dance Dance Revolution also utilized so many bubble gum pop hits from bands like Smilk d.k, Miss Papaya, Bambee and Ni-Ni

[@nikitawyllie-cinemastitch3267]

I came to the comments to make sure the Aussies were joining in. Aqua was massive in Perth in the late 90s.

[@mhawang8204]

Yeah, Turn Back Time also got heavy play in association with the movie, Sliding Doors

[@dysheinkyousine6365]

Cartoon Heroes is probably one of the most well-known songs within the rhythm game community, since it was prominently featured on many versions of Dance Dance Revolution.

[@RisingSunfish]

I kept thinking during the video, “I feel like they had a different song in DDR??” And then he shows the original, snail-pace version of Cartoon Heroes and it all came back to me. I’d heard Barbie Girl due to cultural osmosis, kids singing it on the playground and such, but Cartoon Heroes was my introduction to Aqua as such.

[@dustywaynemusic6297]

THAT'S where I remember it from! 😂😂😂 I was terrible at DDR but I had to watch my other weirdo mallrat friends play it alot in the last hurrah of all ages arcades

[@sc6658]

Barbie as a company had a “university graduate” Barbie doll in the early 1960s, she’s always been collecting degrees and jobs.

[@stunfiskz5720]

as an avid hyperpop listener this video has made me realize i should ABSOLUTELY check out all of aquas discography this is the shit i love

[@edwarddorey4480]

Unlike what Todd says, they might have actually produced the first hyperpop song.

[@mickidoesmedia]

eurotrance and eurodance definitely have a role to play in the bubblegum bass and hyperpop formation for sure

[@homogenic383]

Oh trust, hyperpop and PC music would never exist without any of 90s electro/dance shenanigans

[@mickidoesmedia]

@@homogenic383 that said i think happy hardcore, denpa, breakcore, and variations of max martin sound pop music are more important toward hyperpops conceptualization still always glad people are respecting aqua, cascada, sylver, novaspace, etc now

[@smeqwack7337]

yeah dude, eurodance is like the 90s fever dream of music.

[@daevious_]

You cannot understand the sheer whiplash I experienced from finding out that the people who made Barbie Girl also made Turn Back Time.

[@applemask]

Classic tactic: have a silly novelty hit! Follow up it up with another silly novelty! If that's also a hit, then you throw the curveball and bring out a ballad just to confuse people!

[@SGresponse]

Waaaait.. you didn't know? OH WOW.

[@pokepress]

Guess you can’t say they don’t have range.

[@thecosmicblueautie]

The gag being that songs like those tend to sometimes be deep cuts. Wouldn't want to break the profitable novelty so soon. Even the Baha Men have a slow jam on their breakout album.

[@carolinepalma1470]

I was just going to comment that I love that Todd acknowledged Turn Back Time as the hidden gem it is. And it did get a little bit of radio play in the US! I have a distinct memory of taping it from my local radio station and then buying the album shortly after.

[@voidify3]

I would argue that diamonds are a girls best friend isn’t an “ode to shallowness”. It’s a song about the realpolitik of being unmarried and empowered in the early 20th century Marilyn (or her character in the movie, or the protagonist of the song her character is singing) is a woman living in a time where high-paying jobs aren’t available to women, but she knows her beauty can get her pursued by men who have access to good income, and she uses this pragmatically to earn the means to live and thrive. Rather than becoming a housewife and earning resources from a husband through domestic labour, she chooses to be a serial gold digger and earn resources by dating a succession of sugar daddies. This gives her more freedom than being a housewife, but is also less stable as these men can dump her on a whim with no consequences, so she sets aside romantic ideals to materially protect herself from the worst case scenario- she makes it a rule to get diamonds from any men she spends her time on because that way she’s got a safety net if/when they dump her. Her long-term goal is to get enough diamonds in her prime that she’ll have savings to live off when she grows old and can no longer so easily attract new sugar daddies (“men grow cold as girls grow old / and we all lose our charms in the end / but square cut or pear shaped these rocks don’t lose their shape / diamonds are a girl’s best friend!”) Note also that this was a time where where women couldn’t have a bank account without a male co-signer- it’s important that they’re real diamonds (“I don’t mean rhinestones”) because they aren’t just to look pretty, they’re a means for an independent woman to store money, to later liquidate at a pawn shop when she needs cash for expenses (rent and food mentioned in the first verse as problems that diamonds can solve, legal fees mentioned in a later verse)

[@DallasVakarian]

This is such a good analysis!

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

Banks didn’t have to allow women to have accounts at all, even with a man in the account. Most banks wouldn’t allow women at all.

[@voidify3]

@@NoelleTakestheSky excellent addition, I was erring on the side of caution in my phrasing because I googled quickly to double check my casual knowledge and saw “in 1974 a law was passed which meant women could now get a bank account without a male co signer”

[@DoveAlexa]

@@voidify3 This wasn't even that long ago! I can't believe something like this was a thing only a few decades before I was born! I feel like humanity is still in it's infancy everytime I hear something like this. Not that this particular fact was new to me anyways.

[@FatherTime89]

This is kind of funny when you learn how little diamonds are actually worth and how their expensive price tags came from a monopoly.

[@aijamberisabel]

Don’t know how Todd did not mention they appeared in Eurovision in 2001. They had a set of their biggest hits as the interval that year (Denmark was hosting it) and it was truly baffling. The part that keeps replaying in my heard is when Rene and Lene do the exchange. It starts like it does in the video but then Lene goes of the rails and literally drops the f-bomb in stead of saying “sure Ken” and after the second thing she says “get a life will you?” After that Rene just says “ok” and they continue with the set. It is truly some of the most baffling comedy I have ever seen.

[@bluesrike]

Didn't Aqua perform alongside Safri Duo that time? And that they also played Safri's magnum opus "Played-A-Live" together with some of Aqua's songs?

[@aijamberisabel]

@@bluesrike I think they did if I remember correctly.

[@bluesrike]

@@aijamberisabel They did. Look up "aqua safri duo eurovision 2001".

[@paddyleather5676]

Todds an American . Eurovision is huge everywhere except America

[@znuffyztruggles5744]

​@@paddyleather5676Todd watches Eurovision every year, he does an extra episode of his podcast after the finally. Also I really doubt that this didn't catch his eye when researching the bands history, altough I wouldn't fault him to watch their performance of it.

[@TheBurpMan]

Todd's One Hit Wonderland confirms once again how different was the music landscape in the US compared to the rest of the world: here in latin america Aqua was HUUUUUUGE and Barbie Girl was just a small part of it: Aquarium was a massive success with hit after hit, My Oh My, Candyman, Turn Back Time and Roses are Red were totally inescapable, and their second album has hits too like Around the World and especially Cartoon Heroes. For me Aqua rules and was a totally normal music project because I was entering into my fascination with japanese music in 1997. If you like Jpop and especially Denpa music Aqua is just part of it.

[@ivankuzin8388]

It still is - when Todd is discussing current US hits, I've never heard like half of them, especially all the country music :)

[@Mageman17]

It was huge in the Philippines because Eurodance took off so much. I'm not sure how much bearing they had on local charts, but we didn't just listen to Barbie Girl by them, pretty much all their songs were on the radio, MTV Asia (if you had cable) or playing on cassette players and boom boxes.

[@dwarfy2k264]

Also in australia, the first 2 albums had hit after hit. So odd to see Aqua as a one hit wonder lol

[@AdrienArnouxComedy]

Same in France! "My Oh My" was a big deal, stayed in the charts for like 7 months

[@kurakidan]

Don't forget Dr Jones as well, that was played a lot in the UK.

[@pongo5000]

I won't lie I LOVE Aqua. Unironically love them, I love the bubblegum sound, I adore their music videos with funny stories and awesome costumes and they just make me happy. They are one of the few bands today I really wanna see live if they came to the UK I would be there so damn fast! Also the best part of the lawsuit dismissal was the Judge ruling to Mattel "The parties just need to chill."

[@Nimroc]

A few more tidbits from the judge would be "If this were a sci-fi melodrama, it might be called Speech-Zilla meets Trademark Kong." Or "No one hearing this accusation understands intellectual property owners to be saying that infringers are nautical cutthroats with eyepatches and peg legs who board galleons to plunder cargo." He might have been having a bit too much fun at work that day.

[@rancidkippa4589]

I believe the exact wording was "the parties are advised to chill" :D

[@orionishi6737]

That second album slapped!

[@sorasgirl101]

I love lollipop and cartoon heros hahah they're silly songs to dance to! I still listen to Aqua and Toy-box

[@PrettyPinkPersephone]

@@Nimroci want that guy applied to EVERY intellectual property infringement cases

Here is a fun piece of trivia; My father is a special-effects creator and worked on the music-video in one of his first jobs and he made Barbies arm, which Rene rips off by the end of the song. He molded the arm after my mothers arm.

[@Voreten]

THANK YOU TODD FOR RECOGNIZING THE BEAUTY OF TURN BACK TIME. It's their best song and nobody ever talks about it 😅

[@petersmv1]

Check out their song We Belong To the sea. or My Mamma said.

[@Voreten]

@petersmv1 Not a fan of We Belong To The Sea, but My Mama Said is super catchy but Rene's part kinda ruins it.

[@favoritepills]

Yes!! I absolutely love "Turn Back Time," so glad to see it get the props it deserves

[@KLSPX]

​@@favoritepillsBut what of "Good Morning Sunshine " that was popular in the UK too. My 2nd best after "turn back time"

[@Rik77]

Its not just the song writing, but at the time the production of the song was so unique. There is an effortless, airy, bubbly quality to the overall sound production that stands out from other standard europop. This is a band that really understands the genre and went out of their way to craft the perfect form of europop with all the little sounds woven in. We take that for granted today.

[@USALeonHeart]

With all due respect, as a huge fan of 90s eurodance, "Barbie Girl" is musically very standard eurodance. That light, airy production is something you can hear on, just for example, La Bouche tracks: the synth acoustic guitar and synth organ playing syncopated house rhythms, and the primary melodic hook being like, a music theory 101 lesson in writing melodies over chord changes. EDIT: and NONE of that is inherently a bad thing.

[@BCThunderthud]

​@@USALeonHeart It's obvious they had a huge influence on the future of europop but I think I agree, production-wise the big change was more trance influence. Toy-Box and all the DDR artists wouldn't exist without Aqua, but also not without the Vengaboys. Still, it is a more complicated arrangement than Whigfield and just a million times better than something like Captain Jack.

[@USALeonHeart]

@@BCThunderthud yeah, while Eurodance was always pretty silly, the open goofiness of something like "Barbie Girl" definitely gives way to the similarly compelling nonsense of "Blue" by Eiffel 65

[@BCThunderthud]

@@USALeonHeart One thing I love about KZbin is if you look at the comments on a Dr Bombay or Rollergirl video you get the same kind of "wow, why don't we have real music like this anymore" comments you get on Stevie Wonder or Tom Petty videos.

[@junelawson5719]

@@USALeonHeart It's good I think. Barbie is very standard plastic doll.

[@rockosmodurnlif]

Quality and timely content. I would expect nothing less from the guy who did “Rhythm of the Night” during COVID-19.

[@anamelessyoutuber1462]

No, he did Rhythm of the Night because Black Eyed Peas made a song that sampled it around that time.

[@faeriegraver]

​@@anamelessyoutuber1462the band who did "Rhythm of the Night" was Corona, though. The thumbnail even had little viruses in it.

[@anamelessyoutuber1462]

@@faeriegraver I know about that stuff. I was just adding to Todd's joke.

[@jbwarner8626]

- _Lost and Found_ after the Oscars slap - _American Dream_ after CSNY pulled their songs from Spotify - _Generation Swine_ after "Pam and Tommy" premiered - "99 Luftballons" after the Chinese spy balloon debacle Topicality, thy name is Todd 😁

[@digamejh]

@@anamelessyoutuber1462Why not both? (Seriously though, he says both things)

[@demonoflight]

Growing up in Scandinavia in the late 90s, Aqua was my JAM. Barbie Girl, Doctor Jones, all of it. Their first album was one of the first CDs I ever purchased and nothing can convince me it isn't Europop perfection. And I'm always thrilled when someone agrees Turn Back Time is an underrated gem.

[@kandikidzora]

Fun story for you. I was in middle school when Aquarium came stateside and there was a good 4 months or so, it was the only thing I listened to. When I say only thing, I legit mean the only thing. On repeat. So much in fact I caused my dad to have a bit of a mental breakdown after listening to it on our sound system in our basement just one too many times. During the track Dr. Jones I heard him upstairs yell NO MORE.. comes stomping down the stairs and without even pressing stop on the cd player, pushed the open button, grabbed the CD and said THIS STOPS NOW!!! And took the CD with him. When I got married a few years ago the friend who was djing at the time knew I love Aqua and started playing a few of the tracks and my poor dad had Nam level flashbacks and had to walk out while the songs were playing.

[@avosmash2121]

😂😂😂😂

[@BigOwl51]

Barbie Girl isn’t just your normal eurodance one hit wonder. Aqua had way more personality, way more interesting production, a way cooler persona and way catchier music than anyone else from that era. They definitely didn’t deserve to be one hit wonders, although I understand why they were, because novelty acts rarely see more than one hit.

[@patrickoreilly5528]

I'm not really a pop/dance guy, but ironically really enjoy Aqua--they had such a consistent aesthetic, and as you say, actual personality that other dance groups seemed to lack. Maybe it was different in the states, but in Canada I'm sure these guys were closer to one-album wonders. I remember "Candyman" and "Dr. Jones" getting lots of play up here.

[@gab_v250]

Also Around the World is popular

[@TricksterModeEngaged]

​@@patrickoreilly5528yeah, same. They definitely had a few songs that charted well outside of the States

[@Bigones111]

Its an unfortunate reality for many Eurodance bands. None of them were built for long term success.

[@mrh3894]

They had several hits iirc

[@TheLetterJ0]

Aqua is just so unapologetically upbeat and catchy that I can't help but love them.

[@BradyPostma]

Yeah. They're stupid fun at worst, and surprisingly metaphorical at best. And, apart from 'Turn Back Time' (my favorite of their songs), they are just so instantly recognizable. I remember searching Napster for more songs by them.

[@JKPippa]

Same!❤

[@DeeFig66]

"Turn Back Time" was part of the OST the "Movie Sliding Doors". It was hit up here in Canada because they promoted the movie & I really do like that song. Sliding Doors is also kinda sad & melancholic so it really fits well.

[@LessAshamed]

Canadian born in 85 here, it's interesting to learn that Americans ONLY knew about Barbie Girl. I was never a huge fan of Aqua, but I still could've named you Cartoon Heroes, Turn Back Time, Dr. Jones, and Candyman before watching this video... much in the same way that I could name you the B Tier TMNT characters or the top 10 SNES games each year. All of these songs were just present for my childhood and I'm glad they can be novel for people now... Aqua is weird AF.

[@lasskinn474]

turn back time you'd think it would have made it's way from that movie.

[@sunnybloom7272]

I heard Dr. Jones a ton in middle school for social dance. I didn’t know it was Aqua but we were all super into it as a line dance track

[@RivkahSong]

Ah yes, the 90's Barbie controversies! Most of them were way overblown but the one I always remember was the freak out over skater Barbie's roller skates shooting sparks and little girls like me using them to start fires all over the US. I loved that doll. 🤣 I've always loved Aqua and this song. I like the in-your-face joy they showed at "corrupting" such an innocent and iconic brand and how layered the themes and music are. It's definitely a very smart song. Although yes, also annoying lol

[@windowcreeperbird9669]

Oh hey I had one of the roller skates! Nice too see the sparks scared me shitless.

[@dustywaynemusic6297]

Meanwhile I don't remember anybody batting an eye at all the cheap toy ray guns for boys that shot sparks. Basically grill lighters without fuel 😂

[@littlepotohorrors]

Fun fact: the song the Wangs are singing at the beginning of Everything, Everywhere All At Once is Barbie Girl; which means it's gonna be featured in two Best Picture winners in a row.

[@StringedGuitar17]

I hate to break it to you, but…

[@littlepotohorrors]

@@StringedGuitar17 I'm from a universe where they made the right decision. Anatomy of a Fall.

[@Toshimi1043]

Some group called the Barbie Liberation Organization switched the voice boxes of Teen Talk Barbie and GI Joe dolls, so the Barbies were saying stuff like, "Die, Cobra scum!" Also, apparently Barbie was iconic for being groundbreaking at the time it was introduced for being a doll that wasn't a baby for once.

[@penismightier9278]

I was looking for someone who remembered this. That was hilarious.

[@pedrito6225]

And the marketing campaign they did for the first Barbie was really interesting. They realized moms didn’t want their girls playing with a doll with an adult woman’s body because their husbands were too “interested” in them so they were jealous. (There is a documentary that explains all of that) so then they took their strategy to say that Barbie would teach young girls how to be good wifes. But in its nature Barbie was always supossed to uplift woman, and to encourage creativity in girls. Even if you are not interested in Barbie as a toy, the story on how Mattel has achieved decade after decade to keep her thriving is really fascinating.

[@trobinson9342]

Todd the QT pull is one of the greatest of all time. You're a legend for that one. RIP Sophie.

[@mollymcallister1671]

I have always unironically loved this song, and practically the whole album. Sometimes things are just allowed to be fun.

[@PrettyPinkPersephone]

You know what, me too. Bubblegum Dance as a eurobeat genre is fucking awesome. It’s so much fun!

[@trixxart777]

Honestly there's a lot of campy charm to this it kind of reminds of how people used to hate old Kesha songs for being annoying but you can't hate it because it sounds soo fun

[@BlackWizardClub]

Aqua led me into Toy-Box and Vengaboys as a kid...two other groups I should not have been listening to at that age...but I thank them for that. All three of those groups made killer AMV music.

[@EnnameMori]

Vengaboys! There is a thought I've not had in years.

[@zathanian]

All of the European singles were released in Canada as well. We digest a lot more from Europe than the US does. Doctor Jones was huge here.

[@eamonndeane587]

Was 'Turn Back Time' a Canadian hit as well?

[@Jutrzen]

That's probably the reason, why Canada will join the European Union.

[@DodderingOldMan]

I genuinely, unironically love that song. Todd's right to link it to that baroque sound, it really does have a classical feel to it. But it also works great with the modern instrumentation.

[@Kedai610]

When he played it on the piano at the very start, it really hit me how well constructed it is. Something you really don’t think about

[@winterthrill3900]

Charles Berthoud did a wonderful bass (+ harpsichord) cover that showcases this rather spectacularly!

[@DodderingOldMan]

@@winterthrill3900 Yes! I love Charles, and that video is one of my favourites of his. I was going to mention his performance in my original comment, but I wasn't sure anyone would know what I was talking about... guess I needn't have worried :P

[@IMAMONGUS]

Same.

[@shamaamamamamaah6928]

I hope there's a bardcore version somewhere!

[@MysteriousKammm]

As a child, i really understood the lyrics to be "and dress me everywhere". Granted english isnt my first language, but its still funny how my little brain protect me from the more pervy parts of the songs

[@brendanb2982]

I thought it was either that or " I'm frizzly everywhere " in reference to the previous line " You can brush my hair "

[@bonecanoe86]

To be fair, it isn't Aqua's first language either.

[@ddjsoyenby]

even me as a little kid got "this is really s3xual"

[@99veruca]

I learned it wasn't by watching this video, so...

[@jamesstark6499]

And now Mattel v. MCA is literally used for IP classes in law school. It was great being assigned that case and then the book authors making multiple notes after trying to get the song stuck in your head again.

[@pineoandloeb]

As someone who has personally partied with the whole band of Aqua, i can confidently say they are all incredible, humble, talented and beautiful people. Bless em all! Edit: Attaching the story for those who want to know 😆 Lene picked me and 3 other people to come back stage with the band after their show where we hung out and drank. I mentioned I was a DJ at the local club and invited them all to the club. Lene, Rene, Soren and I all drank and partied until we came into the DJ booth and Rene and Lene performed Barbie Girl and Dr Jones. My girlfriend at the time began making out with Lene then Lene started making out with me (in front of her two ex husbands.) we kept drinking and dancing together till they went to their hotel and I went home 😆 Best night of my life

[@graemewillis410]

Really? That's class.

[@yuri7885]

That's amazing. I'd be incredibly interested to know the story behind that lol

[@pineoandloeb]

@@yuri7885 Lene picked me and 3 other people to come back stage with the band after their show where we hung out and drank. I mentioned I was a DJ at the local club and invited them all to the club. Lene, Rene, Soren and I all drank and partied until we came into the DJ booth and Rene and Lene performed Barbie Girl and Dr Jones. My girlfriend at the time began making out with Lene then Lene started making out with me (in front of her two ex husbands.) we kept drinking and dancing together till they went to their hotel and I went home 😆 Best night of my life.

[@Candyrock15]

Story time!

[@pineoandloeb]

@@Candyrock15 story in the comments 😆

[@scooterthefrog]

Their first album, Aquarium, has never failed to brighten my mood when I listen to it. It's not supposed to be high art, it's feel good club music.

[@Marionettetc]

yeah, i've always had a love for pure pop music - unabashed and to the point feel good music. I don't think something like Barbie Girl deserves mockery for "being a bad song". I'm also musically educated and I think it's a pretty perfect pop song. It was catchy, fun and was really successful.

[@pingidjit]

Agreed. Still listen to that album. Its good.

[@snakesnoteyes]

Their second album is also a lot of fun.

[@TheBfutgreg]

I too also love Haken

[@sprice2344]

It's like the best of the venga boys, you either enjoy it or you hate fun

[@JadeCryptOfWonders]

I always found Aqua's music tinged with a melancholy that flows under the surface of the bubblegum pop they deliver. It's like Aqua was this pre-9/11 phenomenon which is emblematic of a bygone era.

[@embunchofnumbers]

Their Christmas song is an anti-consumerist sad anthem 😂

[@iIliterati]

It's like you really wanted to say something smart, but had absolutely no clue how. So, you just threw together a bunch of words that vaguely work together, but mean absolutely nothing in concert with each other.

[@Alexa-bp8rm]

​@@iIliterati it makes sense though. To simplify: The song is happy because it is singing about fun in the 90's' but it feels a little sad because we can no longer have fun like we had in the 90's.

[@iIliterati]

@@Alexa-bp8rm sentence one and sentence two have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Yet it's written in a way as if they are supposed to.

[@jonsrecordcollection7172]

That was why it was supposedly OK for some Gen X'ers to like them unironically. The rationale was "But they have to make sugary bubblegum pop. They're from a part of Scandinavia that's dark outside 16 hours a day. If they don't, they'll all commit suicide."

[@lovfro]

I experienced this song getting popular twice. I am from Denmark. I experienced Barbie Girl first as a domestic hit during the time of my national service. Shortly after, I moved to London, where I experienced the international breakthrough of Aqua and Barbie Girl. The same thing happened to me with Spice Girls and Wannabe. I had spent a year in London before my national service, when Wannabe got popular in the UK. Then during my national service, Wannabe hit internationally. edit: bonus here is Danish satire on Aqua from the time kzbin.info/www/bejne/n168fGdra92rqqc

[@petersmv1]

Aqua also birthed the worldwide boom of Bubblegum pop. bands like Toybox, chipz, venga boys, miss papaya, and Smile DK owe their success to Aqua, well to an extent 11 year old me was obsessed with this.

[@emmamarshall221]

I have always been obsessed with their song Roses are Red because the intro has this sort of slow build and mystery...and then in comes Rene's remarkable voice with: "COME PICK MY ROSES" It makes me laugh so very much.

[@Eric_Hunt194]

In that voice, it can only be a euphemism... not sure what for though!

[@introvertia1]

"Come pick my roses!" ALWAYS cracks me up, as does "Bite me, I'm yours" in Lollipop.

[@TheGyrocop]

As a Danish person who grew up on this band, owning the CD's and everything, and as an OG 2008 TitS fan, hearing Todd impersonating Rene Dif is such a wild collision of worlds to me. We all did that as kids too.

[@Z_3D]

I have it too. I’m from the inner city and the most hard hip hop lovers had it 😅

[@Haverlock]

Why would you publicly admit to being a Dane?

[@Eric_Hunt194]

@@Haverlock what about Scooby Doo? He was a Great Dane...

[@konskift]

@@Haverlock To make absolutely sure no one mistakes you for a Swede.

[@VictoriaSobocki]

Same!

[@tayloreh]

I almost think of them like the Queen of Europop. Cartoon Heroes is a freakin opera before the beat drops. Immaculately crafted stuff thats also easy to make fun of, like plenty of Queens music too. Mad respect for them for embracing the campiness.

[@lanagievski1540]

Aqua were massive in Australia. It’s always amusing to see what might be considered a ‘one hit wonder’ in the USA while having multiple hits and more in other countries.

[@GhengisJohn]

I wanna say something, I really liked the classical rendition of Barbie girl Todd was doing actually and I want to hear it expanded, lol.

[@succumbtoviolets]

There is a KZbin video of someone turning Barbie Girl into a three-voice fugue, I thought Todd was about to reference it there.

[@thewiirocks]

Todd literally blew my mind when he turned it into a Waltz.

[@mel0-NRG]

Because the song was originally made on the piano, duh

[@thewiirocks]

@@mel0-NRGa piano is not a harpsichord. They're similar. But they're not the same. Barbie Girl Waltz FTW!!!

[@alexandergrande]

Aqua truly deserved better, Aquarium was such a great album and the singles after BG show they had true talent!

[@BeniRoseMusic]

One of the first albums I remember buying with my own money. As far as Eurodance goes, it's pretty top notch. And I definitely feel like Candyman got more play than Todd is giving it credit for.

[@Laizorb]

I felt nothing but despair when he said "they released a couple singles before not worth talking about" knowing those two singles are Roses Are Red and My Oh My. Both are absolute europop/bubblegum bangers. Aqua made writing perfect hooks look easy.

[@vivahate100]

Turn Back Time was an absolutely stellar pop song. Even to this day, it clearly has Heart. It was written for the Sliding Doors movie soundtrack.

[@VerbenaComfrey]

I loved that entire album!

[@4203105]

@@Laizorb at least my oh my was a big hit in Europe, too.

[@whoami.24601]

I’m Norwegian and was like 10 at the time this came out and that first Aqua album was just iconic to me. I did also have a huge Spice Girls obsession, but in general it was just europop all the way back then. So much of that landscape just never made it to the US, which was always a notoriously difficult market to make it into. But yeah, Aqua was huge for us! Turn Back Time and My Oh My we’re my absolute favourites

[@JaXonSlade]

I would argue Barbie was not a movie for children

[@jacksampsonforever]

I'm one of the 6 people who bought their second album. The irony is; their ballads are EXCELLENT. Lene has such a pretty voice for them

[@snakesnoteyes]

I’m another one of the six

[@cormiergames]

I also am one of the 6.

[@Yeaster]

She actually has a beautiful voice

[@NemFX]

Cult of the six here.

[@FantiSciDreaming]

Yup, part of this group! "We Belong to the Sea" is a particularly beautiful ballad...with a seriously weird music video. People are too quick to bash Aqua - they were cheerful and unique in an era of mildly-whiny love songs and boy bands.

[@dimensionhole1]

Aqua is basically the exact opposite of what I like in music and I still love it to bits. Also Lene's solo album is also a banger.

[@SamtheBravesFan]

I'm not going to lie: even years later after this song came out, it sometimes pops in my head. It's a fun tune.

[@TonksMoriarty]

I absolutely love Cartoon Heroes just for the sentiment that we, as a culture, create things which surpass ourselves in ability and will outlive us. Whatever future humanity exists in hundreds of years time will look back on Superman & Spider-man the same way as we in the anglosphere see Robin Hood or King Arthur today.

[@kohlloewen5222]

They actually were quite successful in Canada. Aquarium is a diamond album and one of the highest selling albums in Canada period.

[@PapistWitness]

As a Canadian, it was surreal to hear “Dr Jones” spoken of as some obscure deep cut. In my memory, it was almost as big as “Barbie Girl.”

[@mraaron1584]

ya i recall several of there songs being #1 and replayed on much music for weeks. they even did a 3rd cd way later in 2011 and its got some funny songs on it that good.

[@Dhfjfsggy65tgvf]

⁠this. Candy man was also huge

[@darrylgoodwin7947]

I'm not sure I would tell people that little tid bit

[@Palerax]

Candyman & Dr Jones were hits in Australia also.

[@alwaysme_t]

I didn't realize that people didn't like this song. It's so infectiously peppy I could never get upset over it

[@Teh_Akod]

Yeah it has that effect where when a popular song takes over the radio, it eventually becomes a bit tired.

[@ZapperRS]

Say that to "walking on sunshine"

[@duffman18]

Nobody hated this song. That's what I remember, at least. Although I was like 10 years old when it came out so maybe kids all loved it but adults hated it. (edit: I was actually 7 years old, after looking it up, so yeah it makes sense why I only remember everyone loving it, because kids that age don't really hang out with adults, all our socialising is with other kids the same age) Whenever we had a school disco (kind of like the UK version of a prom, although every kid from every year (i.e. grade) goes to the school disco every year, in primary school, as opposed to only the people from the year who are graduating from school going on the prom, everyone is invited to the school disco) So anyway yeah, whenever this song came on, everyone went nuts for it and were belting it out, all the lyrics. We always found "undress me anywhere" funny, cos we were kids. It was this, the Macarena, and Saturday Night by Whigfield. Those were always the songs that absolutely everyone danced to. Like, all the kids who were sitting down for a while to rest, would hear the opening notes of these songs, and immediately cheer and get up and dance to them. Without exception. Absolutely everyone. Even the teachers joined in.

[@TheEddieJ1984]

@@duffman18 I don't care for Todd saying how hated Barbie Girl was in 97, no it wasn't and I was 12 during it, he cites Rolling Stone whose opinions have always sucked. There was people who hated the song yes, but there was a good number of people who liked the song too.

[@MrMike855]

The vocals, that's why the song is annoying. Although I remember discovering the song in the mid-2000s and enjoying until around age 13.

[@carolinaferreira5890]

They made a portuguese version of this song and that's what I grew up with in Brazil. It's kinda funny bc even though it still has the same tacky vibes of the original, the lyrics give much less of a submissive feeling, saying things like "if you want to date me you gotta be aware I'm very picky", so I didn't stop to think about the og lyrics' subtext until you mentioned it now. They even put a few phrases in the "ah-ah-ah yeah" and "ooh-ah-ooh" bits. Nothing worldshattering or anything, just found it curious.

[@robfigures]

The Bounty references in "Lollipop (Candyman)" were less foreign to us in Canada because they do sell Bounty bars up here. They're basically shredded coconut covered in chocolate, the closest American analogue would likely be Mounds. I don't like Bounty regardless, but the reference was likely lost on many up here, as I definitely heard this song less than Aqua's other singles from that album

[@ebmosier1]

For a long time, I had a false memory that Todd had already covered this song. Googled it today out of curiosity - what a gift to us all.

[@thirteenfury]

I had the same memory. Maybe we slipped in from an alternate universe where he did it years ago.

[@macsnafu]

Right. How could he NOT have already covered this??

[@annarose8253]

yeah same haha

[@judgesaturn507]

I thought it might've slipped away in the shift from Blip to KZbin. That happened to a couple of his videos.

[@gutsmasterson2488]

I believe we have been hit with a Mandela Effect.

[@MsMeiriona]

Honestly, every song on Aquarium is a bop. I adored it as a kid, and everyone I knew did too. The rollar rinks had the same "one time an hour" rule they did for the Macarena for Barbie Girl. But of the Aquarium songs, I think Roses Are Red really needs more credit. Probably the only time you're going to hear the second half of that little poem. Also gonna give a big kudos to My Oh My. The whole album is just fun. (A few songs didnt age well, Calling You had technology marching on very swiftly to make it feel ancient)

[@bbyghostie1044]

Aquarium was the first CD I ever owned as a kid. I think there's maybe one song I would skip. But it's honestly full of fun bops. I was also in Europe when it came out, so they seemed a lot bigger to me than maybe they did in America. Barbie girl reached number one where I was and their other songs got more radio play than I imagine in the states. Truly a time capsule phenomenon. Roses are red still makes me laugh "COME PICK MY RO-SES" Happy boys and girls was one of my faves

[@hallonegative]

The entire Aquarium album is just fantastic. A manic wonderland.

[@willeliot7090]

Aquarium is nostalgic for me because of how many AMVs every song ended up soundtracking back in the 2000s. My autistic brain loved the combination of random anime clips and hyper europop.

[@richardfan7157]

Heat of the Night is another good track, a better ballad than Turn Back Time IMO and should've been a single.

[@PennyAfNorberg]

I didn't know roses are red was aqua until i saw them preform it.

[@Nico-dv7bq]

It's funny, because talking with one of my aunts I learned that in my country (Chile) Aqua became initially known for Roses Are Red, and it was a well-stablished party hit before the release of Barbie Girl. You can hear it at 9:10 and is a total banger

[@CadetRedShirt]

19:18 the friggin perfect cut has me rollin

[@ngrey651]

I actually got introduced to Aqua FROM Turn Back Time cuz it was basically the main theme of the movie Sliding Doors. The focus of the film is around how a single door in a train marks a split in a timeline between the main female protagonist. In the first she discovers her boyfriend is cheating and she leaves him. The second timeline the door slides closed too quickly and she never finds out, and the whole film is a parallel of these two lives and all that comes with it. I really liked it…and the soundtrack.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

Dr Jones I became aware of in 2015 thanks to a British song reviewer covering it in a request I made asking him what his favourite songs of 1998 in the uk were and he decided to choose ten of his own from a big list of options and Dr Jones made his top 5.

[@fearlessfreep]

THAT'S where I heard that song!

[@nomanejane5766]

That woman was Gwyneth Paltrow

[@dmitriyk.2890]

A lot of people hate groups 3rd album but Playmates with Jesus is actually a pretty good song.

[@yckfides5613]

YES! I love that frigging movie

[@sarahbee6758]

I was literally thinking this week “I wonder when Todd is going to do ‘Barbie Girl’?” I should’ve known you’d be timely.

[@lordxavnoodlebrain2286]

Being timely is actually the last thing I expected from TitS, whose tendency to be very late is legendary.

[@sarahbee6758]

@@lordxavnoodlebrain2286 it’s so out of character but at the same time… he’s had over a year to prepare. Glad he took advantage of it!

[@pokepress]

I’m actually surprised he hadn’t already done it.

[@KingHarkinianZC]

Barbie Girl just has a ridiculously catchy melody and chord progression much like most Europop at the time. Always reminds me of keygen/cracktro/demoscene chiptunes since a lot of those came from Europe too.

[@lasskinn474]

the first place I heard it was at assembly, I guess it must have been '97? some guys would just blast the shit out of the chorus every few hours, somehow it was before it started being played in finland on radio etc. i got a similar story about babylon zoos spaceman, that one some guys just blasted the quick part of it. around like 1995- 200x something people would just bring large PA stuff to assembly to blast random stuff at random times. the organizers started discouraging it though imposing random decibel checks and crap... everything was turned off/down during the compos anyway also you could get booze into the venue by stuffing it inside the huge speakers.

[@metapowm4881]

As a Canadian Aqua is definitely way more than just a one hit wonder. Hell I went to an Aqua concert in 2019 and it was one of the most fun shows ive been to and was packed with people of all ages. Im not sure if any artist youve covered before has had this big of a difference between how they are viewed in the US and in Canada. Also Barbie Girl is an absolute banger and so are a lot of Aqua's other songs. They are just such a fun group and you cant help but have fun listening to them

[@pipers_river]

Aquarium was the first CD I owned. As a small girl in 1997 I was definitely the target market. In Australia, Aqua was definitely considered a one-album wonder rather than one-hit. Barbie Girl and Doctor Jones were both at number 1. Lollipop (Candyman) was at number 3 and Turn Back Time at number 10. I loved their songs then and I love them now.

[@adrienaline4894]

Cartoon Heroes definitely charted here too though. I remember it existing around that time. So maybe one album and one song?

[@BinturongGirl]

Turn Back Time definitely holds up

[@Demiglitch]

@@adrienaline4894 Yeah, I remembered Cartoon Heroes the moment I heard those drums. I had it on my MP3 player the first day I got one.

[@SithLordVulcan]

Similar memories from here in Canada. Maybe it's a commonwealth thing

[@thatotherguy8138]

Similar in Canada - Aqua was a staple on the MuchMusic (our MTV) playlists for the entire first album, and at least two of the songs on the second. I was an adult when they came out, and the lyrics in Barbie Girl hooked me IMMEDIATELY because I understood what was going on... and couldn't believe that this was on the radio when kids could listen.

[@dubbingsync]

Out of all the gigs I’ve worked over the years, Aqua’s gig from the last few years was easily one of the most enjoyable. A packed room with a crowd that loved it, the act themselves doing great, and a fair few songs that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them. And they ended on Back to the 80s (with the line that’s not on Spotify) so that was a great ending.

[@racingphotographer8251]

Very true. Todd shit on them (and the Spice Girls etc) for making music fun. Music shouldn't always be serious, deep, etc. Sure, 70's music was known for awesome thought provoking lyrics but it was also known for disco, the polar opposite of that. I would LOVE to see Aqua perform live again, preferably in Copenhagen among their home fans.

[@Taschenschieber]

@@racingphotographer8251 Todd "shit" on them? Have you even watched the video? Did you not understand all the parts where he praises them?

[@wjhealy13]

What is the line that isn't on Spotify?

[@donaldwright8567]

The minute Todd mentioned "Cartoon Heroes", I got a massive flashback to playing DDR

[@StylusShade]

12:06 I now want a historical rom-com where a classical rendition of this song plays through a dance scene. That would be hilarious and fun.

[@Mr111Rose]

Shocked that Aqua is one hit wonder in US. I remember how Aqua's songs playd in Russia just everywhere in late 90s early 00s. And "Roses are red" is one of my favorite pop songs since.

[@LaraFoley]

YESSSSSSS! Roses are Red is by far a top 5 pop song all time for me and absolutely my favorite of Aqua's

[@MsMeiriona]

Yeah! Another fan of "Roses are Red"

[@ddjsoyenby]

yeah we in the us pick international megastars worst hits to make their one song.

[@mikkelvilladsen6430]

Well roses are red is aquas best song

[@4203105]

Yeah same in Germany. They had quite a few hits in Europe.

[@PedroBenolielBonito]

This was EVERYTHING in the Summer of '97. You had to have been there. One of my favourite one-hit wonders. And the video is legendary. However, in Europe, Aqua were NOT a one-hit wonder, as their next few singles also became popular, notably Dr. Jones.

[@vidcas1711]

A summer of The Macarena AND Barbie Girl.

[@PedroBenolielBonito]

@@vidcas1711 *LA Knight voice* nah-nah! Macarena was Summer of 96. Barbie Girl 97. 98 was Vengaboys and 99 was Freestyler.

[@1minion203]

yeah, we were all singing along at the concert last year. It was cool to see them.

[@cheshirecat1212]

@@JPD2587Same in Australia

[@avsie2009]

It was the best of times!

[@hayes_1199]

That whole first Aqua album was massive in Canada for whatever reason. I remember hearing Dr.Jones and Candy Man a lot back then too.

[@Itwas2007]

It's hard to compare Aqua to different eurodance bubble gum bands, because even Todd in the Shadow proved that Aqua was true band, they team up by themselves, they knew what they wanted to do, they fully created everything from music to lyrics... they were not just another random people gathered by greedy producer. You definitely see that everything is not forced, all members of the band enjoyed what they were doing.

[@YelenaSkunky]

I appreciate it about them. There was something special about Aqua's music, but the fact that they were "real", unlike many Europop acts, really made them stand out from their peers.

[@parmat8546]

One of my fav Aqua moment comes from their live performance at the Eurovision 2001 (which was held in Denmark and had them as special guests) where they sung Barbie Girls changing the bit of dialogue at the beginning into that: "Hi Barbie!" "Fuck off Ken!" "No chance of a ride?" "Get a life, will ya?" Even them were getting pissed off at that point

[@TheLadySilverMoon]

I remember watching that performance too. I think at that point in time, the hole band was suffering from burn-out and they split up soon after.

[@jessica23claire]

omg I saw that come up on my Instagram the other day 😂

[@Z_3D]

This whole album was a banger. I baby sat a girl that would play it constantly she’s now in her 20s and is an international DJ 🎉

[@Oddelly]

The whole first album slams and I love it all without a scrap of irony (though I am a Brit). The music is an immediate punch of happiness to my heart. I was kind of hoping this video would mention the fact the band had their own half-time retrospective show during Eurovision - something with a significantly larger number of viewers than a half-time show.

[@AllisonPregler]

This is the first One Hit Wonderland where I knew the other tracks and honestly I enjoy Aqua's music lol

[@robertwilloughby8050]

It's the famous person!😅

[@polaris30000]

I've always loved Aqua for the same reason my dad did. They made people think too much about it. It was like the ultimate unintentional PsyOp. People got overwhelmingly angry at this pop song that, if they hadn't, probably would have just went away. But instead they generated so much rage hype that it propelled the song for the band. Plus it's a banger on road trips.

[@CanonessEllinor]

Being from Denmark, Aqua is in this weird cultural limbo where they are not actually talked about much in retrospectives of *danish* music. To some extent probably because Lene is norwegian and they never made any danish-language music, but I’d argue primarily because they are seen as TOO big to be counted among local musicians. Despite danes usually being obnoxiously obsessed with international acclaim, people just can’t seem to conceptualize them as a *danish* band. They belong in the same category as the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys, not alongside Nik & Jay or Creamy. So it’s wild to realize that they are considered a one-hit wonder in the US. (Also, I suppose that means you guys were spared the Aqua knockoffs like Toy Box and Cartoons that flooded the 90s charts here 😂).

[@SkeletonFlower]

I gotta admit to having a weird affection for Toy Box, even if they are just a worse version of Aqua.

[@kitxxxxxxx]

They're not considered a one hit wonder

[@michaelaivalu]

I don't agree with this at all. They are one of our biggest bands how could you not think of them as *ours*?

[@davidhooper1610]

They’re not one hit wonders, bit of a stretch by a content maker who’s not old enough to remember?

[@TimothyCHenderson]

They weren't one hit wonders, more like one album wonders. Many of the songs on Aquarium did really well in Canada at least, and I think the US as well. Their second album not so much. Any albums after that I have no idea.

[@PokettoManStar]

Their 2011 album, Megalomania, is actually really great. Shame it didn't get more than a brief mention here. Dirty Little Pop Song is probably their best dance track.

[@JKPippa]

OMG this album was perfect. I need them to release a new one!!

[@PokettoManStar]

@@JKPippa Hoping their newfound relevancy and this potential Eurodance revival will lead to them putting out more music, especially if it's a throwback

[@ilmnt.guidance]

In Asia they were BIG! "Turn back time" from them probably still one of my favorite song when I was a kid!

[@_Pauper_]

This accidentally played during martial arts class (typically we listen to more aggressive music so who knows how this happened) and I watched my sparring partner a Detroit fireman the size of a mini Cooper breakdown unable to concentrate. His high rank melted in front of my eyes it was hilarious .

[@connorherron8607]

I had a job at Spirit Halloween a bit back, and they had a playlist that was reasonably easy to glance at whenever I didn't recognize a song. They played one of Aqua's songs from their second album ("Halloween", same album as Cartoon Heroes) and I actually think that one's pretty good as spook-pop for your Halloween playlists.

[@Tyler-sy7jo]

God I remember rushing for the skip button whenever "Halloween" came on because I was terrified of that song when I was nine. I remember that whole album being a fun trip if nothing else.

[@fluidthought42]

Maybe you can answer this for me. Does Spirit Halloween use covers for pop songs for its playlist? Because I remember being zooted in that store and trying to figure out if the songs were uncannily similar covers or if the weed was just hitting too hard.

[@t.c.bramblett617]

@@fluidthought42 I think some of the soundtracks they sell for parties are covers to avoid paying royalties. The stores probably play those for muzak. I have no direct experience working there though, just shopping and hearing the uncanny valley versions of those songs

[@thoughtsappear]

omg me and my friend were obsessed with halloween! it had no right being that good.

[@connorherron8607]

@@fluidthought42 When I was there last (2022 October) the playlist was like, 40% semi-recent songs, 30% classic 'halloweeny' songs-your Backstreet's Back and Thrillers and Somebody's Watching Mes, 15% stuff I didn't recognize by groups I did recognize (Aqua was there, there was once Sugar Ray's version of 'Abracadabra' by the Steve Miller Band) and 15% stuff I'm pretty sure they made in-house.

[@ToruKun1]

Anybody else want a full piano cover of Barbie Girl now? Todd's intro was fire 🔥🔥🔥

[@Voreten]

Aqua is also huge in Canada. We freaking love them. Also Aquarium was the first cassette I bought with my own money as a kid and I played that tape to tape all the time!

[@Septicor]

It's really hard to admit even back then, but I was a huge Aqua fan. I loved all their singles after Barbie Girl. And they got high rotation in Canada as well.

[@schris3]

Well, it seems Canada is more open to whatever charts in the UK than the United States.

[@unj]

@@schris3 Canada was just really really open to Euro Dance in the 90s. While America could create house and techno, Canada just...we didn't have gangsta rap, but man were we content with having 2 Unlimited, Aqua, and The Real McCoy as things people would actually listen to. We even created our own phoney Euro-trash with fake accents, Prozzak.

[@collectibleasmr]

Yeah they were not a one hit wonder here. Turn Back Time is also still a classic. Prozzak is also still hella awesome

[@bullmonty764]

Prozzak deserve more recognition, especially since this year is their 25th anniversary. I mean, those guys were a virtual band before it was cool; there were others before them, of course, but the fact they were big pre-Gorillaz, pre-Vocaloid is something to be applauded

[@SemperVerenda]

My high school cooking teachter (in Canada) would play Aquarium and Aquarium only while we were cooking in class. Just the background radiation of a Canadian childhood.

[@snowyalice]

As someone who was a child in the early 2000s in Australia, I was just having vivid flashbacks to the singles from Aquarium. Those were staples at every kids disco I went to. I think I still know all the words.

[@fixative-xyz]

Same here. 😂😂😂 Everyone always went nuts at those when Barbie Girl came on, especially the girls.

[@drakas110]

here is a fun thing for you as part on movie worlds recent heroes and villains event they use the song Cartoon heroes

[@sjokomelk]

At the age of 41, I put on the Aquarium album in my car the other day. And I knew all the lyrics to all the songs without dropping a beat. It's great. 🤩

[@malegria9641]

As a guy born in the middle 2000s, this is a good song in my view. 2010s Disney pop makes this look amazing by comparison.

[@nikkilee3840]

IDK, as somebody born in the mid 90s, Descendants has some good ass songs, even if they're meant for kids my daughter's age.

[@malegria9641]

@@nikkilee3840descendants has some bangers I’ll admit that.

[@far_and_near_26]

Now that he's covering bubblegum pop again, I wanna see him check out a Toy-Box song

[@raeosunshine24]

I'm shocked to learn he hasn't!! for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with Toy-Box when I was a kid so I'd love to hear his take on it as well

[@user-ny2fk9gm1k]

I think it’s so interesting to see what Barbie means in US American context. When you’re not from the USA Barbie takes quite a different role. To me she was advertised as the “prettier” girl doll and looks were absolutely at the forefront of why we were buying them. How “you can be anything” definitely got lost in translation. We didn’t get “pilot” Barbie in ads but Barbie dressed up as a pilot. Big difference. I really understand why outside of the US Barbie is perceived very differently and how Aqua could come up with this view. It describes Barbie’s marketing perfectly. Maybe Martell had to go at that angle because they have more competition outside the US but it was pretty messed up.

[@LeRatBleu1]

My favorite parts are Todd being topical and "It's a doll!" *thunk thunk* 😂

[@anothercoginthemurdermachi7209]

That album "Aquarium" is full of bangers. They toured in Aus before covid and my friend went. The fans demanded they only play the hits and they played Barbie Girl like 3 times, Aqua weren't thrilled.

[@NickFieldMedia]

Must admit I was not aware this was Aqua's only US hit. Here in the UK they had several hots alongside the 3 number 1s (My Oh My and Good Morning Sunshine were both notable alongside the others mentioned). Interesting that you linked Barbie Girl and Dr Jones to films, but missed that Turn Back Time was actually from a film, namely Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow! I'm pretty sure that Lene and Rene had long since broken up as a couple when Barbie Girl came out, making me wonder how awkward performing the track live was, particularly that final line... Great video as always from Todd. I always learn so much from these, even with songs and bands I'm familiar with.