Celebrate National Bubblegum Week with These Bubblegum Pop Hits

It’s time to get chewing because March 12–18 is National Bubblegum Week! To celebrate, we’ve rounded up our picks from the world of bubblegum pop.

Characterized by catchy, upbeat tunes and lyrics that are lighthearted and universally relatable, this genre has been around for decades. It rose to prominence in the ’90s when girl bands like the Spice Girls adopted this fun, flirty, and silly style of music (to wild success). There are some who decry the genre as vapid or uninspired, but the continued appearance of it on today’s charts speaks for itself!

Whether it’s the tunes or the lyrics that pull you in, you can’t help but get addicted to bubblegum pop. Read on for our best picks from the genre, and tune in to Hits 1 (Ch. 2) and Pop2K (Ch. 10) for the perfect soundtrack to National Bubblegum Week.

“Wannabe” — Spice Girls (1996)

Heralded as the bringers of girl power in the ’90s, the Spice Girls’ catalog is full of empowering bubblegum pop anthems. In “Wannabe,” they joyfully proclaim the importance of female friendship over a beat that you can’t get out of your head. It’s a great example of this music style — pairing simple and fun lyrics with a catchy rhythm!

“Bubblegum Bitch” — MARINA (2012)

Promising to “pop your bubblegum heart,” MARINA sings an ode to bubblegum pop with this aptly titled song. The upbeat tempo and candy-laced lyrics are classics of this genre, as is much of MARINA’s discography. Nearly 10 years after the song’s release, she performed it live in the desert in a neon green outfit that’s straight out of our bubblegum-flavored dreams!

“Barbie Girl” — Aqua (1997)

An absolute legend of the genre, this song reached number one in over 10 countries on its release and has been stuck in our heads since. The song’s seemingly vapid lyrics parody the misogyny that was associated with Barbie dolls and criticize the culture that produced them. In true bubblegum pop style, it does all this over a catchy beat. And you can bet the words “Come on, Barbie, let’s go party” will still fill any dance floor today!

“Cut To The Feeling” — Carly Rae Jepsen (2017)

Carly Rae Jepsen has been releasing pop hits consistently since her debut. This 2017 bop encapsulates her mastery of the style. It feels like this was made to be sung at the top of your lungs while you dance around your room, and isn’t that what bubblegum pop is all about?

“Likey” — TWICE (2017)

With K-Pop making its way across the world, there’s been an influx of artists that produce slick, stylish, and innovative pop music. TWICE is a great example — they’re a girl group whose upbeat music harks back to the girl-power boom of the 90s. In “Likey,” they sing about the excitement at the start of a new relationship and looking good to impress the person you like. You won’t get this song out of your head any time soon!

“I Don’t Want It At All” — Kim Petras (2017)

Kim Petras has built a career around the “airhead blonde” stereotype, and nowhere is that image stronger than in this song. She asks for the height of luxury but specifies that she wants someone else to buy it. And if she can’t have it, she doesn’t want it at all! This kind of materialist obsession is a hallmark of bubblegum pop, and this song pairs it with a punchy beat that really drives the message home.

“Oops!…I Did It Again” — Britney Spears (2000)

If bubblegum pop were distilled down to one person, it would be Britney Spears. The singer’s iconic tunes and love-obsessed lyrics, combined with her girl-next-door personality, are the perfect formula. “Oops!…I Did It Again” is the epitome of Britney’s pop persona. The idea of letting someone think you’re falling for them only to withdraw your affection at the last minute is just so typically bubblegum!

Wanting more bubblegum pop to chew on? Look no further than Hits 1 (Ch. 2) and Pop2K (Ch. 10).