So I had this thought today about boy bands because New Kids on the Block came blasting on my radio. Talk about whiplash to my childhood. I remember mad-crushing on Joey. Anyway, it got me thinking about how often I heard a lot of members of boy bands say they want to be successful as a solo artist like the Beatles soon were. So I was wondering, do you think boy bands are just a giant try-out segment for a lot of up and coming artists or are they just a quick way to sell records to millions of boy-crazy girls like I once was. Your thoughts? And who do you like now? Also, is Bruno Mars the name of the band or the name of the artist? I have never been sure about that one. Either way I like Bruno Mars and I think he's got a long career ahead of him if he keeps producing music.
First of all, they shouldn't even be called boy bands, they are singing groups, just as they were in the 60s and 70s from The Temptations on down. If people didn't feel the need to denigrate them so, the guys would be more willing to stay together and make as much money as they possibly can. Having said that, this is a generation of wannabe stars, from the talented to the untalented, so even if these guys were given their just due, the ego would take over and they'd be convinced that they could get even more attention, money and fame, if they were solo. That has never changed, so if a group has a primary lead singer, it is inevitable that they would decide to go solo or at least release a solo project while within the group. Oh, and Bruno Mars is a solo artist.
Bruno Mars is definitely a solo artist. Where is the confusion there...? Boy band members are almost always more successful together than they are apart. Justin Timberlake's career is a major outlier, but he's proven a talented singer and actor in the past few years. It's not like boy bands are actually that good or talented anyways these days. They're propped up by 13 year-old girls that will take anything autotuned and attractive. Not a hard formula to repeat constantly, but these guys fail as solo artists miserably most of the time.
I've never really been a fan of boy bands, I was a little young to be into the first wave of them. I personally wonder what will happen to bands like One Direction in a couple of years. They're at the top of the world, but I guess when you're at the top, the only place to go is down. Justin Timberlake is pretty much the only boy band member to not become a nobody. I wouldn't like those odds if I was in One Direction.
I think you can consider both scenarios when it comes to boy bands. They're grouped together to make money appealing to the teenage boy-crazy fan girls and also during this process, there is potential for one or more of the group members to rise to the occasion and become successful solo artists since some are most likely not gonna to stick together forever and will want to branch off into their own singles career. As for the boy bands I like now, I'm not a fan of any existing ones today. I was a fan of Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boyz, and N'Sync in the old days growing up though. And yes, Bruno Mars is not a group, he is a recording artist.
I love that you made this topic. I am all about boy bands. It might sound girly or childish but I have an excuse. I am a lady who is spiritually a teenager (I usually use the term trans-aged but that either offends people or confuses them). I'm not into the ones of today really though, it's more the 90s and early 00s ones. I don't get the big deal of One Direction for example but maybe I have to be a real teenager to get it. *shrugs* It doesn't really matter to me though if people like them because music shouldn't be so criticized. It's not like TV. It'd be like criticizing someone for breathing different. I guess it do helps that I love the Jonas Brothers which most people consider a boy band. I'm not sure why maybe because they are boys and are in a band but they certainly don't fit the bill of what "boy bands" have been. They play instruments and they don't really dance. Are they a quick way to sell records? That's not entirely true because that would mean artists never wanted to be in a group together. Image wise I guess they often are but that's not just boy bands. That's the music industry in general. A lot of times it is hard to transition from that. I guess who you are working for can help. Since the JB for example were always known as Disney artists it was hard for the average person to see them as anything than just noise. Heck even I didn't like them when I first heard one of their songs.
Bruno Mars is a solo artist. Anyway, going back to your topic about boy bands, I think it's a combination of both. Some labels "manufacture" boy bands and use it as training ground so they can mold the career of these guys in the future. Because as we know, people can't be young all the time and most probably than not, these boy bands won't stay in their group for long. Also, they are being used to shell out albums that would return a lot of revenues for the label.
Westlife was an OKish boy band. They made some good music back in time but all good things come to an end. Since boy bands music targets preteens and teens, when they hit their 30s and can't pretend to be much younger they won't be much loved by their target audience so the smart ones when it dawns on them that they won't be young forever, will try to go solo. Some make it, most don't.
Yes, Michael Jackson was part of the boy called Jackson 5 before he ever became a solo artist, and he was known as one of the most successful music act ever in human historical times. Donnie Wahlberg, one of Mark Wahlberg's brothers, has been successful guy after being in the boy band known as New Kids on the Block. Dude Nick Lachey is doing pretty good for himself; ex-member of 98 Degrees band. Of Justin Timberlake from Nsync, has made himself a good career in solo music and acting.
The irony about One Direction is that the band members never set out to be in a boy band. They individually tried out as single artists on the UK X-Factor. But when it became clear that none of them were going to make it on their own, Simon Cowell thought it would be a good idea to put them together as a band. And the rest is history...
I haven't really given much attention to boy bands. But from what I've seen of most of them, they're the "hot" thing for 3 years tops. Then when they break up, the lead singer usually has a strong enough voice to extend his career. And then the others try their hand at being solo acts and fail. So in a nutshell, they make the lead singer's career. The others fall by the wayside. And the records sell until the next "hot" band comes along.
Well, everyone wants to be rich and selling millions of records is definitely a way to be. On the other end, of course, aside from being multi-platinum recording artists, they also want to be influential to other people. But right now, personally, I think artists are more interested in being "billionaires" rather than being an inspiration to people. Old school music is way much better than the current pop songs. P.S. Bruno Mars is a solo artist. He's a talented songwriter and musician. You should check him out.
Yes, I also think it's a combination of both. The record company bosses recognise that cute, good looking boys will always sell because of all the young girls going gaga over them. There's always going to be cute, good looking boys and there's always going o be young girls loving them and buying into the whole thing. It's an ongoing conveyor belt of boy bands. I love Maroon 5 and Adam Levine, not that they've gone their separate ways. I just had to get it out there that I think he's HOT!!!
I think it's up to the members if they have the chops to remain relevant after the life of being in a boy and. For the most part it's usually just a fad and mostly just a business decision but for some who were fortunate enough to gain enough publicity and had some skill to keep themselves in the limelight, it works out as a long term career.
Sometimes that's true but I think most of the groups don't even have a lead singer to carry on. They just fade. One example is LFO. Haha I'm not sure Maroon 5 would be classified as a "boy band". Like the Jonas Brothers they would just be a band. I like Adam too. I'd probably still be attracted to him if he wasn't married.
Hehehe I know what you mean NickChick, I just had to get it out there seeing as I don't fancy any of the real boybands. I'm way too old for that lol
