One of the more universal adolescent experiences captured by Pixar’s Turning Red is in Mei and friends’ complete and utter devotion to 4*Town, the dreamiest fictional boy band of the early aughts. Risking it all for the chance to hear someone cute sing a song in the same general space as you? Totally understandable!
Animation has been giving us great fictional bands and, perhaps more importantly, great fictional songs for decades. In honor of 4*Town, here are eight more jams that Mei and her buds would probably really dig.
“Todokanu Omoi (My Friend’s Love)” — The Three Lights, in Sailor Moon (1992-1997)
In the fifth season of the original Sailor Moon anime, Usagi and the team have a lot going on. First, as Senshi, who are these mysterious new Sailor Starlights, and where do they come from? On the everyday teen girl side, what is the new pop idol group the Three Lights doing at their high school? Even if you haven’t seen this season, you can probably figure out where this is headed.
The Sailor Starlights have come from the planet Kinmoku to find their missing princess, and part of their plan is singing to her under the guise of the Three Lights. “Nagareboshi He (Search For Your Love)” might be their biggest hit in the series, but it is nowhere near the infectious banger that “Todokanu Omoi” is. “Todokanu Omoi” also has the benefit of thematically reflecting one of the most compelling relationships of this season: the friendship-possible romance between Usagi and Seiya.
“My Shiny Teeth & Me” — Chip Skylark in The Fairly Oddparents (2001-2017)
Look, I think we can all agree that sometimes even the best pop songs can get a little repetitive thematically. Love, romance, heartbreak... But where are the bops about dental hygiene? Fortunately for Timmy Turner, Dimmsdale singing sensation and heartthrob Chip Skylark (voiced by NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick) understands the value of singing about a true tale as old as time: the love between a boy and his chompers.
In a season three episode of The Fairly Oddparents, Chip runs afoul of an evil dentist who wants to steal his perfect teeth. With some aid from the Tooth Fairy herself, Timmy, Wanda, and Cosmo come to save the day in time for Chip to shoot the music video for his new hit. Eat your heart out, Justin Timberlake.
“The Night Begins to Shine” — B.E.R in Teen Titans Go! (2013-Present)
Who among us can’t relate to the feeling that all your power is coming from a particularly awesome song? In the episode “40%, 40%, 20%” of Teen Titans Go!, Cyborg claims that listening to “The Night Begins to Shine” by B.E.R. makes anything possible, including his own super heroic efforts. And it’s hard to argue with him.
This song turns out to be not just powerful for Cyborg, but also for fans of the show, and would go on to make more appearances in the series, featuring covers from Fall Out Boy, CeeLo Green, and Puffy AmiYumi.
“Sun Do Shine” — Chanticleer in Rock-a-Doodle (1991)
1991’s Rock-a-Doodle was a movie I was positive I had made up in some childhood fever dream, so imagine my delight in adulthood to discover it is very much real and, more importantly, its songs are still awesome. Directed by animation legend and Disney renegade Don Bluth, Rock-a-Doodle tells the story of Chanticleer (voiced by country music star Glen Campbell), a rooster whose job at the farm is to raise the sun with his beautiful singing voice. But it’s a Don Bluth movie, so some evil owls are going to get involved and send our heroes on a wacky adventure through a hybrid of live action and animation.
While “Sun Do Shine” takes place in the film before Chanticleer is performing in the city as “The King,” it’s still the best song from Rock-a-Doodle. It not only serves as a mighty enthusiastic opening to any movie, but it’s a lyrically simple yet delightful showcase of the power of Chanticleer’s voice. It’s a song that immediately proves why those evil Don Bluthian owls are so determined to get this guy out of their way.
“Outta My Way” — The Misfits in Jem and the Holograms (1985-1988)
Sorry, Jerrica! Every great fictional band needs a darker, spookier, more aggressively cool adversary band, be it The Riverbottom Nightmare Band from Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas or, in this case, The Misfits from Jem and the Holograms. The Misfits, featuring band members named Pizzazz, Stormer, and Roxy, among others, make their first appearance by blasting into the offices of Starlight Records and chasing Jerrica around on guitar-shaped motorcycles while singing this bona fide anthem.
Jem and the Holograms may have won that first episode’s Battle of the Bands, but only the Misfits are getting a spot on this list.
“Killer Tofu” — The Beets in Doug (1991-1999)
“Doug Rocks” is a season one episode of Nickolodeon’s Doug which focuses on some of the most important themes of being an adolescent: parents just not understanding, getting grounded, choosing loyalty to your friends above all else, and, of course, rock n’ roll.
Doug and Skeeter win front row tickets to see their favorite band, the Beets. But Skeeter gets grounded, and what are two best pals to do? After getting kicked out of the house by Skeeter’s dad, they head on over to the Honker Burger and jam out in the parking lot, only to eventually be joined by the Beets themselves. Lennon and McCartney would be proud.
“Hex Girl” — The Hex Girls in Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost (1999)
Just when you think 1999’s Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost already has it all — actual supernatural hijinks, references to the Salem witch trials, and a famous horror author voiced by Tim Curry. It delivers you the greatest gift ever given by a direct-to-video Scooby-Doo movie: the Hex Girls.
Bandmates Thorn, Dusk, and Luna don’t turn out to be actual witches, but instead members of an eco-goth rock band. We first meet them while they’re rehearsing “Hex Girl.” Decked out in fake fangs and spooky accessories, the Girls sing of both casting spells and the importance of environmentalism, and what could be dreamier than that? The power of the Hex Girls was undeniable, and the band went on to make several other appearances in the Scooby canon. In 2021, they even received their own Funko Pops, a true sign of lasting stardom.
“I2I” — Powerline in A Goofy Movie (1995)
The best songs from movies or TV aren’t just great songs on their own. Instead, the true greats work independently, but also offer something important to the narrative of the story in which they find themselves. Could Powerline (Tevin Campbell), the greatest rock star on the planet, have possibly known his big concert would have been crashed by a father and son duo at the end of a rocky but foundationally important road trip? Of course not!
“I2I” rocks solo, but it is also the thesis of what Goofy and Max have learned while living out on the open road. This whole soundtrack rules. Also, we have to give the impossibly cool Powerline credit for finding his stage crashed by the actual goofiest man of all time and not only going with it, but joining along in the perfect cast himself. It’s been 27 years since A Goofy Movie debuted, and I’m still waiting on a full Powerline album. A kid can always dream.