So, the early 2000s were a busy time for me, but music always helped me keeping moving, literally. These women made the music that was on my radio. My kids remember it was always on. Now, looking back I admire these women for their work ethic and their sheer will to make their own path. This is a great read for anyone who listened to these women as they were blazing their paths, or who have just discovered them.

This book was made for a 2000s pop loving person like myself. So many of the references in here are still so vivid to me!! I audibly screamed at the United States of Pop reference (iykyk)!! A little over 200 pages I flew through this and immediately needed to listen to Britney Spears blackout afterwards!! I think this is one of those books that looks back on a time so many of us remember fondly and dissects the good bad and ugly!! If you ever walked your dog to Avril’s Let Go or voted for Kelly Clarkson or still sing umbrella everytime it rains… this is for you!!

Hit Girls covers the most influential female artists in pop music during the 2000s. Ranging from Britney to Beyoncé to Taylor this book shows how the music world and culture have changed over the last few decades. I thought this was a very interesting read and liked how the different chapters focused on different artists. I learned a lot I didn’t know about these household names of the time and had a good time reading this. If you are interested in any or all of the women mentioned in this book, I think this is a good, entertaining and informative read.

Earlier this summer I was lucky enough to attend the DC Launch event for Hit Girls - and as author Nora Princiotti intended, I devoured it at the beach. As luck would have it, I started reading it the day after Taylor announced her latest album - talk about kismet!!

Pop music of the 2000s will always and forever be my shit. And this was SO DAMN FUN. Nora dives into the music and women that defined my early years: Britney! Christina! Kelly! Beyonce! Riri! And the gals whose careers were more up and down yet left a DEEP mark and whose music I still know word by word to this day with no shame: Hilary! Mandy! Avril! etc etc

I adore Nora and Nathan on their podcast, Every Single Album, and I loved how deep she went here. It truly took me back to my youth in the best of ways. A must-read for all my pop music girlies!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a nostalgic book for me - it's truly for the girls that spent SO MUCH TIME curating the perfect MySpace page and making all of the playlists - then well, this is a book for you. It's nostalgic and fun!

I really enjoyed Hit Girls. It was such a fun and nostalgic read, since it focused on the pop music I grew up with. Princiotti captures the excitement of that era while also giving insight into the pressures, rivalries, and behind-the-scenes dynamics that shaped these artists’ careers.

I especially liked how the book balanced revisiting the big, memorable pop culture moments with deeper context that I hadn’t known before. I also appreciated the way she traced how pop music itself has evolved, and how it’s increasingly been recognized and taken more seriously as an art form.

Overall, it was both entertaining and insightful and perfect for anyone who wants to relive that moment in music while also learning more about what was happening underneath the surface.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

3.5/5

5/5 ⭐️ Talk about a flashback to my teenage years! This book is so informative of the female side of the music industry throughout the 90s. I highly recommend this book for anyone who ia into pop culture!

As a millennial, I found this a super interesting read! I really enjoyed learning more about some of the "hit girls" and their background and different things throughout their career.

Definitely recommend if you're into pop culture and any of these "hit girls"!

Referring to an artist's assault as her "having sex with" is an automatic DNF. For a book that claims to be about celebrating female pop artists, oof, what a way to let them down.

Princiotti's "Hit Girls" was a fun romp detailing the pop princesses that took me through the end of high school, college and dipping my toes into the working world. Each album a d song outlined takes me back to a certain time and memory in my past and this delightful work of nonfiction musicana deserves a spot on any millennial bookshelf.

**Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.**

Reading challenge category - 2025 Flourish and Blotts: Historian - Chamber of Secrets: Includes/based on a legend (yes. these women are legends)

This was "okay." You can tell which artists that the author personally likes/prefers, because those chapters were more glowing and complimentary. She doesn't write like a girl's girl, because there were a lot of moments that gave me the ick - talking about Avril Lavigne, Kesha, and even paparazzi moments for Britney, Paris, and LiLo. When talking about Dr. Luke sexually assaulting Kesha, she used the terminology "had sex with" which is completely wrong and messed up. Also, for being titled, "Hit Girls," there was a lot of detail about men who were involved in the processes - Max Martin, Lou Pearlman, Dr Luke, etc.

Thanks to #Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

I received “Hit Girls” as an advanced readers copy from NetGalley to review and wow was this fun! The main reason I have this 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ is because a lot was information I already knew but it is very well written . The author is hilarious and so witty and the nostalgic walk down pop music lane from my high school and early college years was so much fun! I highly recommend especially if you’re a fan of the 90/2000’s pop era and the women who made it

Thank you Nora Princiotti, Ballentine Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5 stars rounded down

As someone who grew up in the early aughts, I have a interesting relationship with pop music. There's really nothing like playing Just Dance on the Wii while your parents argue about the 2008 financial crises (during which I asked for said Wii and every single Webkinz that hit the shelves). It was a time to let loose and party like there's no tomorrow- because there might not be a tomorrow. Then, it wasn't cool to like pop music and I made the switch over to the male-validation worthy indie and classic rock genres. And shit, I like those too! At the end of the day though, I can't quite shake my ass to The Shins. So forgive me, pop-loving women, for being a total croon. I'm gay and shaking my ass to Charlie XCX now if that's any consolation.

Now, as an adult, I can see this coming back with the rise of pop princesses like Chappell, Sabrina, Charlie, and Addison Rae. This time though- let's hope we don't torture them under the public's eagle eye of scrutiny. One thing I really liked about this book was that it emphasizes the often cruel way we treated these women who quite literally DEFINED pop music for what it is today.

It's interesting to reflect on where we were culturally at this time, and that's exactly what this book does. Princiotti is masterful at zooming in and out of discourse and the history that went on into producing these pop princesses of the aughts. Each chapter focuses on a cultural aspect of the era and a star that best represents these emerging trends. I didn't even mind the Taylor Swift chapter (yes, I did end up reading it) because it also discusses the rise of stan culture and the beginnings of being permanently online. Even though it was written by a clear Swiftie, she managed to make it interesting and somewhat neutral.

As I was reading, I kept thinking things like "I hope she mentions X,Y,Z..." and then she WOULD. Truly, I don't think any stone was left uncovered and the resulting book is a truly fascinating account of music history. I truly recommend anyone interested in the era pick this one up.

I loved this book! Nora's voice is unique and definitely shone through. It had touches of Nora's commentary from Every Single Album, how I know her originally, and this was such an interesting look at the hit girls who defined the 2000s. Totally recommend this book to anyone interested in music of the era!

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are truthful and my own.
Not only is the subject matter fun to read about but Nora Princiotti has such a fun voice. This book makes you feel like you went out to coffee with your best bud, and she's telling you all about her hyperfixation on Pop music. It's the best.

Wow the way I never wanted this book to end! A wonderful trip down memory lane to the musical artists of my growing up. Reads more like fiction than non-fiction, which was a pleasant surprise!

Hit Girls was so well done, I also listened to the audio and it was easy to listen to. I appreciated the author's way of dissecting certain female pop idols and how society treated them in the 2000s. It was thorough and entertaining

Nora has done an excellent job creating an analysis of something once seen as silly! As a long time listener of her podcasts, I was not surprised by the blend of her personal experience and the musical history. Overall I think I’ve heard a lot of these ideas before, but it was still a fun time and I’ll support Nora in everything she does!

This was a fun trip down memory lane remembering artist and songs that soundtracked my youth. A nostalgic and entertaining read thanks to the authors fun and playful writing. I have not listened to this author before but interested in looking up her podcast she was very engaging especially in the audiobook. I will say if you were a fan of pop in the early 2000s you aren’t going to learn anything new but it was fun to remember. I flew through this book in a day and look forward to reading or listening to more from this author in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Nothing says “Y2K” like the pop stars who defined the decade. After grunge broke the mold of the music industry in the 1990s, a return to glittery pop was due, with Britney Spears leading the pack. But it wasn’t only pop dominating the charts. In “Hit Girls,” Nora Princiotti explores the genres women in music were exploring at the turn of the millennium, from punk to rave to country, and why the stars still fascinate us. (Recommendation sent to readers of WordSmarts.com email newsletter)