Five: The Album

Initially lumped in with Westlife, Boyzone, etc., as just another fabricated pop boy group, Five were one of the few bands who actually did stand out from the crowd. Eschewing soppy love songs in favor of far more in-your-face rowdy pop, Five bounced onto the scene with attitude, slightly more streetwise styling than their contemporaries, and some truly great pop tunes. From the inspired sampling of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock & Roll" on "Everybody Get Up" to the sing-along-and-clap-your-hands party vibes of "Got the Feelin'," it's hard not to be seduced by Five's charm. Things do go a bit Backstreet Boys on weaker tracks like "Until the Time Is Through" and "Satisfied," but these are forgivable blips on an otherwise stellar trajectory. The opening line of "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)" says it all: Five have "the power to rock you.