In 2006, Lily Allen was a much-needed breath of fresh air during a period in pop music that had gotten a little static and stale — although we didn't really get it in the U.S. until the next year, and then never to the same level as in her home country. In this first half of our 2026 kickoff to our annual Vintage Almost-Pop Stardom mini-series, looking at close-but-not-quite pop stars during their biggest years — be sure to also check out part two about 2006 Arctic Monkeys — Sophie Williams of Billboard UK joins to dive into all things Lily Allen during her singular breakout season, the year of "Smile," "LDN," 'Alright, Still,' and mini-feuds with just about the entire pop scene of 2006.
2006 Lily Allen Playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK_vydQf1SVg&si=uBjBw3GBS8gzgJ7o
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