Often credited for launching the girl group genre, The Shirelles was a pop group that was originally formed for a high school talent show in Passaic, New Jersey before going on to become one of the most prominent acts in music. With an affinity for pop melodies and unexpected sexual themes sewn throughout its innocent, school girl sound, The Shirelles quickly earned attention with its first single "I Met Him on a Sunday," and eventually released a string of hits starting with the iconic tune, "Tonight's the Night," in 1960. The group moved forward with "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," and subsequently became both the first African American girl group and the first group of any kind to earn a number-one single. The Shirelles maintained it status as the premiere pop group throughout the decade, capturing a mixed-race audience and playing an early role in the success of the civil rights movement, with more timeless songs like "Dedicated to the One I Love," and iconic albums such as 1962's Baby It's You. Though the music landscape shifted into the 1970s to accommodate British Invasion rock and roll acts, The Shirelles are remembered as the girl group that forged its own genre, clearing the path for other legendary acts including The Ronnettes and The Supremes.
