Reach for the Stars: 19962006: Fame, Fallout and Pops Final Party

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Using the arrival of the Spice Girls as a jumping-off point, this fascinating new narrative will explore, celebrate and contextualise the thus-far-uncharted period of British pop that flourished between 1996 and 2006.
A double-denim-loving time before the glare of social media and the accession of streaming, it was the era in which we embraced Cool Britannia, tiptoed into a new millennium, and unleashed the full force of reality TV and talent shows across the world.


Throughout all these cultural shifts, the bastions of '00s pop - armed with buoyant, immaculately crafted, carefree anthems - provided entertainment, escapism and fun for millions. It was a heady, chorus-heavy decade - populated by the likes of Steps, S Club 7, Blue, 5ive, Mis-Teeq, Hear'Say, Billie Piper, All Saints, Busted, Girls Aloud, Will Young, McFly, B*Witched, Craig David and Atomic Kitten, among countless others - yet the music was often dismissed as inauthentic, juvenile, not 'worthy' enough: ultimately, a 'guilty pleasure'.


Now, music writer Michael Cragg aims to redress that balance. Using the oral-history format, Cragg goes beneath the surface of the bubblegum exterior, speaking to some of the key players about the reality of their experiences. What did they think about the music The videos The hairstyles The fans The labelThe rivalry Did they feel like their success would ever end Did they feel trapped


Compiled from interviews with popstars, songwriters, producers, choreographers, magazine editors, record-company executives, TV moguls and more, this is a complete behind-the-scenes history of the last great movement in British pop - a technicolour turning-point ripe for re-evaluation, documented here in astonishing, honest and eye-opening detail.

Reviews

'A hoot. You don't so much read it as inhale it.' -- The Observer
'So funny and detailed and, most importantly, with such a clear love and understanding of the people in it. (Michael) strikes such an entertaining balance of fan worship and camp detached wit.' -- The Times
'A funny, bright, often poignant read.' -- Sunday Times
'Book of the millennium.' -- Popjustice
'Cragg's knowledge and affection for the music shines through every paragraph.' -- BBC
'An outstanding catalogue of oral testimonies from major and minor players in UK pop in the decade before the financial crash.' -- New Statesman
'The definitive account of turn-of-the-millennium pop.' -- Buzz
'Joyful and eye opening...an enormously entertaining read. 4/5.' -- Record Collector
'Prepare to be left open mouthed...some of the finest secrets from the pop-music landscape of those heady times.' -- Heat
'A brilliant, celebratory, gossipy history of 90s pop. Great stories and interviews. If that's your era, you'll love it.' -- Richard Osman
'Never before has there been a text so close to the reality. It's the first time I've really felt a true reflection and been transported back. (A) fantastic book!' -- Nicola Roberts, Girls Aloud
'Fantastic' -- Xenomania Records
'It was such a rollercoaster ride back then. It was totally the golden era and we loved every single second of it. It was the best time to be a pop star, and it's great to be able to relive it all again in the amazing Reach For The Stars' -- Duncan James, Blue
'We know everything about our current crop of pop stars because they begrudgingly have to make TikToks every morning. In Reach for the Stars, Michael delves into the pre-internet pop era, speaks to the people that (just about) survived it and makes some extraordinary discoveries. I can't think why anyone wouldn't love this book.' -- Greg James, radio and TV presenter
'Arguably the best possible combination of writer and subject since Jesus wrote the Bible.' -- Stuart Heritage, Guardian writer
'A truly hilarious pop culture nostalgia fest!' -- Jack Rooke, comedian, author and creator of Channel 4's Big Boys
'Nobody buys books. No one's going to read this. No one's going to read these sorts of things. They just don't.' -- Louis Walsh
'An outstanding music book. England's Dreaming for people with a working knowledge of 5ive.' -- Fergal Kinney
'A book that does justice to an extraordinarily fertile period for British pop - Michael Cragg's assessment of new millennium bubblegum is top rate storytelling.' -- Bob Stanley
'You won't find a more comprehensive and entertaining pop book than this.' -- Jordan Paramor, journalist and author
'A gloriously funny, often shocking and occasionally poignant trip down memory lane, Reach For The Stars will send you excitedly rooting in the loft for your cargo pants and plucking your eyebrows to within an inch of their lives! It's a must read for any discerning pop fan.' -- Lucie Cave, editor, presenter and podcast host

Author Bio

Michael Cragg has been writing about pop music for over a decade and has interviewed everyone from Lady Gaga to Lorde, via Little Mix, Shawn Mendes, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Britney Spears. He has written for outlets including Vogue, The Guardian, GQ, BBC, The Observer, Popjustice, Dazed and Billboard. During his three years as contributing editor at The Guardian's Guide! newsletter, he interviewed '00s pop luminaries such as Steps, Emma Bunton and Nadine Coyle. He also edits the independent biannual music magazine BEAT.