Music journalist Jason King defines boy bands as “an all-male vocal group. They're usually in their teens or their twenties. They could be a duo, a trio, quartet…But they're generally performing crossover pop material to a largely teen or preteen female demographic.” According to King's definition of a boy band, artists such as The 1975 and 5 Seconds of Summer fit into the boy band label because of their large female audience.
The term “boy band” is often linked to the 1980s, but the origins of all-male groups can be traced to the 1800s, with barbershop quartets. The Beatles are a great example of a group who had crazed fans that are associated with boy bands. Almost every generation has had its major boy band to obsess over; the 1980s had New Kids On The Block, the '90s had NSYNC, the Jonas Brothers rose to fame in the early 2000s, and the 2010s featured bands such as Big Time Rush, 5 Seconds of Summer and One Direction. It is time to take a look at why boy bands are so popular and important to pop culture.
These groups are so popular because of the characteristics within the band. In almost every boy band each member takes on an archetype. There is always the “older brother” that Jonah Marais took on in Why Don’t We, or “the boy next door” that Niall Horan had in One Direction. Big Time Rush even had a whole episode of their show dedicated to boy band tropes such as the “bad boy” cliche. These personas they put on for the world give everyone a member to obsess over.
The impact that boy bands have on the media is undeniable, not to mention the books that have been made based on fanfiction of boy bands. Boy bands have also changed the music scene in some aspects. NYSYNC has a pop sound infused with some R&B influence. Combining these sounds opened the door for more artists to experiment with different genres.
The music industry has trends that come and go, yet boy bands keep coming back. While there are periods when boy bands aren't as popular, pop culture does not last long without one. This year, Simon Cowell, who is credited for the success of One Direction, announced he is searching for the next big boy band. Cowell stated, “Every generation deserves a megastar boyband.”
Boy bands have loyal fans that stick around long after the groups break up. In March, NSYNC had a reunion with Justin Timberlake. It was the first time since 2013 that the band performed together. Fans of One Direction still reminisce about the band's heyday and stream their music. There is speculation of a reunion anytime the members interact, such as when Harry Styles was recently spotted at Niall Horan’s tour, “The Show.” People went crazy at the smallest interaction between the two ex-bandmates.
While it can be argued that there hasn’t been a boy band with success like One Direction in recent years, it won’t be long until another one comes along and dominates the charts. The creation of the boy band society hasn’t lasted long without one.
Cassie is a junior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
