Showbiz

Iconic 90s dance group are still raking in the royalties despite split after track becomes ‘most played sports theme worldwide’ – 30 years after release

Iconic 90s dance group are still raking in the royalties despite split after track becomes ‘most played sports theme worldwide’ – 30 years after release

Iconic 90s dance group 2 Unlimited were catapulted to fame with their catchy hits, selling a whopping 18M records worldwide. 

The Belgian-Dutch duo, fronted by rapper Ray Slijngaard and singer Anita Doth, will be best remembered for 1993 single No Limit with it’s repeтιтive nature helping it become their most successful release to date.

But it’s their debut single Get Ready For This that has cemented them in music history after becoming one of the most frequently played songs at sporting events around the world, according to Pitchfork.

Upon its initial release the track, which was produced by the pop pioneer Pete Waterman, reached number two in the UK charts and led to the pair performing on Top Of The Pops in 1991.

Last year Billboard said Get Ready For This had cast a greater shadow over ’90s sports culture than anything besides [basketball star] Shaquille O’Neal’.

As well as being played at major sporting events, the song has also featured in numerous films including Space Jam and Scooby Doo 2.

Iconic 90s dance group 2 Unlimited were catapulted to fame with their catchy hits and sold a whopping 18M records worldwide(Anita Doth and Ray Slijngaard pictured 1995)

Iconic 90s dance group 2 Unlimited were catapulted to fame with their catchy hits and sold a whopping 18M records worldwide(Anita Doth and Ray Slijngaard pictured 1995)

The Belgian-Dutch duo will be best remembered for 1993 single No Limit (pictured) with it's repeтιтive nature helping it become their most successful release to date

The Belgian-Dutch duo will be best remembered for 1993 single No Limit (pictured) with it’s repeтιтive nature helping it become their most successful release to date 

But it's their debut single Get Ready For This that has cemented them in music history after becoming one of the most frequently played songs at sporting events (pictured 1991)

But it’s their debut single Get Ready For This that has cemented them in music history after becoming one of the most frequently played songs at sporting events (pictured 1991)

The group released forty five songs, four albums and split in 1996 before eventually launching a comeback in 2009.

However the pair were forced to perform under the name name of Ray & Anita after it was believed that  producer Jean-Paul de Coster denied them permission to perform as 2 Unlimited due to him owning the band’s copyright. 

They then split again in 2016 for Anita to concentrate on her solo career, she was replaced by Kim Vergouwen and later Michele Karamat who continues to tour with rapper Ray.

As a solo artist she has released numerous singles as well as a 2000 album Reality.

It comes after fellow 1990s star James Dean Bradfield, 55, of The Manic Street Preachers shed light on the trials and tribulations of being in a band, reflecting on the group’s heyday opening for Oasis.

Their group’s hits included If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next and The Mᴀsses Against The Classes, both of which made it to the top of the UK singles charts. 

In conversation with Chris Molyes on his X Radio show, the frontman joined lyricist and guitarist Nicky Wire in reflecting on the struggles of a band in the modern age and crazy times spent travelling around with the Gallagher brothers as they opened for Oasis at some of their biggest 90s shows.

He said: ‘I think it’s a famous Orson Welles quote where he kind of said, “Some days acting is like driving a tricycle through a barrel full of molᴀsses.” Some days it’s just rubbish. It is. 

Upon its initial release the track, which was produced by the pop pioneer Pete Waterman, reached number two in the UK charts and they performed on Top Of The Pops (pictured)

Upon its initial release the track, which was produced by the pop pioneer Pete Waterman, reached number two in the UK charts and they performed on Top Of The Pops (pictured)

The group released forty five songs, four albums and split in 1996 before eventually launching a comeback in 2009 Ray pictured 2025

The group released forty five songs, four albums and split in 1996 before eventually launching a comeback in 2009 (Ray left in 1991, right in 2025) 

However the pair were forced to perform under the name name of Ray & Anita (pictured 1991) Anita pictured 2024

However the pair were forced to perform under the name name of Ray & Anita due to a row over copyright (Anita left in 1991, right in 2024)

They then split again in 2016 for Anita to concentrate on her solo career, she was replaced by Kim Vergouwen and later Michele Karamat (second left) who continues to tour with rapper Ray

They then split again in 2016 for Anita to concentrate on her solo career, she was replaced by Kim Vergouwen and later Michele Karamat (second left) who continues to tour with rapper Ray

As a solo artist she has released numerous singles as well as a 2000 album Reality (pictured 2023)

As a solo artist she has released numerous singles as well as a 2000 album Reality (pictured 2023)

‘But you know that if you just hang in there, you know, keep in the game, stay in the game, you know, the good days will just come. It’s as simple as that, really. 

‘I’m not trying to be wise or, you know, I’m not trying to be David Carradine wandering through the desert with a bit of wisdom. But, kind of, if you just hang in there, it comes, you know?’

Read More The forgotten noughties pop star who has an incredible ‘£10million net worth’ and is still making huge sums of money abroad article image

It was revealed that Nicky, who has normally stuck to guitar and backing vocals, will get the opportunity to lead the singing on the band’s new single ahead of their 15th studio album, тιтled Critical Thinking, which is due for release this year.

He said: ‘Yeah. I’ve sung before, but yeah, this is the first time it’s on a lead track.’

James, meanwhile, added: ‘We’ve learned that kind of having different vocalists on tracks actually just gives new life to the song.’ 

‘Yeah, we’ve had Nina Perrson, Ian McCulloch, you know, and for Nick to actually be singing this single, just like, somebody goes, “Is that the Manics?” and then you realise it is.’

Manic Street Preachers guitarist and singer songwriter Richey Edwards famously disappeared on February 1, 1995. To this day his disappearance remains a mystery.

Things have changed over the band’s 40 years together and the duo reflected on the group’s halcyon days which saw them open for Oasis during a string of iconic tours in 1996, including at Knebworth, Maine Road and the US. 

It comes after fellow 1990s star James Dean Bradfield, 55, of The Manic Street Preachers shed light on the trials and tribulations of being in a band

It comes after fellow 1990s star James Dean Bradfield, 55, of The Manic Street Preachers shed light on the trials and tribulations of being in a band 

This musician explained how times have changed for the indie collective since the wild times they enjoyed three decades ago He was joined by a bandmate on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X

This musician was joined by a bandmate on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X to explain how times have changed for the indie collective since the wild times 

Nicky explained the Gallaghers’ immense popularity and revealed that the trip to the states was something of a high point for the Manic Street Preachers. 

‘We’ve supported them a lot, and it’s some of the best gigs I’ve ever seen,’ he said. ‘Like, Maine Road for instance, I thought Maine Road was going to fall apart.

‘I’ve never seen a stadium shake like that, it was nearly frightening. We toured with them America, when they sort of cancelled the two halfway through, which was brilliant. 

‘There was so much jeopardy and anxiety. And we were on; we were finished by half seven. We could just sit back every night. They were really excitingly on the edge.’

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