With the Meteor Choice Music Prize nominees announced this week, we can’t help but reminisce about the original Meteor Music Awards.
Ireland’s answer to The Grammys, sure, they didn’t have Jennifer Lopez showing up in a dress with a neckline lower than her bellybutton, and Lady Gaga certainly never arrived in a giant egg shaped pod, but come Boyzone showed up.
From performances by some of the country’s best known artists like Snow Patrol and U2 (we’ll get to Westlife in a minute) and presenters like Podge and Rodge and Dara O Briain, it’a shame we don’t have the Meteors to keep us warm on a cold January night anymore.
But fear not, because at Goss.ie, we love nothing more than a trip down memory lane, so here are our top five reasons why we loved the Meteors.
Flying without good hair: Westlife were always on the red carpet | VIPIRELAND.COM
1. Westlife were in their prime
The Meteors were to Westlife what the Oscars are to Meryl Streep. As if 50 million records sold worldwide wasn’t enough, the boys took home Best Pop Act every single year from 2001 to 2010.
We’re not sure why Six never managed to nab the trophy from them back in 2002, but you had to hand it to the Mandy lads, they really knew how to make an old song good again.
And let’s not forget about the Westlife wives, whenever there was a Meteor Awards red carpet, there was always a long line of stylish ladies.
We love this picture of Westlife other-halves Gillian Filan and Georgina Byrne.
In the perfect 90’s crop top and short hair-do Georgina of course added a glitzy silver belt to her tight jeans, with Gillian in a white dress with a flower right in the middle.
It was definitely a while before these ladies started making a name for themselves as style stars.
2. Jennifer Maguire’s red carpet interviews
Who are you wearing? Are you excited for tonight? Isn’t it an honour just to be nominated?
We’ve all heard the usual questions asked on the red carpet, but at the 2010 Meteors, Republic of Telly star Jennifer Maquire decided to make things a little more interesting.
From confusing Brian Kennedy for a fifty-year-old man to calling The Coronas ‘The Peronies’, Jennifer certainly brightened up the awards with her hilarious interview skills. We hope Kian Egan isn’t too upset about always being asked the same questions anymore.
3. Kerry Katona
The mother of Brian McFadden’s children has never been known for being a gentle, refined lady – and that’s exactly why we loved her at these awards.
Back at the 2007 Meteors, Kerry and Brian’s marriage was over and it looked like the Atomic Kitten singer got a little lonely.
So the reality TV star decided to take a leaf out of Katy Perry’s book and snog her friend Sam on the red carpet.
Girls just wanna have fun: Kerry snogged her friend at the 2007 awards | VIPIRELAND.COM
We’re not sure if things ever worked out between these two lovely ladies, but one thing is certainly for sure, Kerry definitely made us Whole Again.
4. The A-listers
It wasn’t just local celebs that attended the Meteors over the years, some very noteworthy international stars arrived to the award shows to celebrate the best in Irish music.
Hollywood superstar Charlize Theron turned up for the 2008 awards with former partner Stuart Townsend. The pair were together from 2001 to 2010, the same length as the Meteors themselves (oh the irony).
We hope the awards ending didn’t have anything to do with the split, but if it did, we can certainly understand why.
Love is in the air: Charlize and Stuart in their happier days | VIPIRELAND.COM
The Meteors also provided us with a blast from the past in the form of girl groups.
US pop stars The Pussycat Dolls were present at the 2007 show and were all smiles, except for Nicole Scherzinger. Probably because she was sick and tired of doing all the work.
Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like them? | VIPIRELAND.COM
 5. Dodgy Outfits
While they were all top notch at the time, looking back at some of the styles on the Meteor’s red carpet we can’t help but wonder were there any stylists alive in Ireland at the time.
We had our own Britney and Justin in the form of celebrity couple Ronan and Yvonne Keating.
The pair turned up in matching styles in 2005, with Ronan sporting a shaved head and Yvonne donning a large black hat.
Matching: Ronan and Yvonne in 2005 | VIPIRELAND.COM
Even top models failed to make the Best Dressed list at the music awards.
If the fashion police were active during the early 2000’s pals Samantha Mumba and Glenda Gilson definitely would have been prosecuted.
The now stylish duo sported two racy black dresses with large slits on the side, clearly these two pulled an ‘Angelia Jolie’ before she even came up with the idea herself.
6. Cringy hair styles
When you’re in a boyband, your hairstyle is just as important as your voice.
Would Harry Styles be anything without the curls? Would NSYNC have been the same without Justin Timberlake’s famous noodle hair?
Unfortunately, Brian McFadden did not get this message. While he may not have been officially part of Westlife anymore at the 2007 show, he still made a statement on the red carpet with ex Delta Goodrem,
Old flame: Brian with Delta Goodrem at Meteors 2007 | VIPIRELAND.COM
Delta sported a matching haircut as they walked the red carpet together, but like the Meteor Awards these two didn’t last, and now Brian is married to the lovely Vogue Williams.
With the Meteor Choice Music Prize back in action this year, we can’t help but think the Meteor Awards need a proper comeback.