Boy bands have
been around for quite some time. As a child of the 90’s, when I first hear the
term “boy band,” I think of 90s boy bands like NSYNC and BSB. However if you were to ask my parents about boy bands they would talk about the
Monkees, Jackson 5, or the Beatles. Each
generation seems to have there own version of a boy band, but how different are
they really? I decided to take a closer look at each group and how they relate
through music videos.
The Beatles and The Monkees
The 60’s version of "boy bands" contrasts quite differently from the 90s boy bands and our current popular groups. Notably the Beatles and the Monkees dominated the boy band scene. Music videos weren’t popular at the time however there are recordings of the bands preforming various hit songs. The similarities are uncanny. For example, the Monkees music video for Daydream Believer identifies with the Beatles music video for Help! Both videos portray each of the four members in a corky way. The videos both start off serious and direct but as they progress the two boy bands let loose and begin to have fun. The only main difference between the two music videos is Daydream Believer is shot in color. Besides that, both bands have instruments and sing directly towards the camera, as well as have a unique twist like Davy Jones’ singing alone in a funky room and Ringo Starr holding an umbrella.
The 60’s version of "boy bands" contrasts quite differently from the 90s boy bands and our current popular groups. Notably the Beatles and the Monkees dominated the boy band scene. Music videos weren’t popular at the time however there are recordings of the bands preforming various hit songs. The similarities are uncanny. For example, the Monkees music video for Daydream Believer identifies with the Beatles music video for Help! Both videos portray each of the four members in a corky way. The videos both start off serious and direct but as they progress the two boy bands let loose and begin to have fun. The only main difference between the two music videos is Daydream Believer is shot in color. Besides that, both bands have instruments and sing directly towards the camera, as well as have a unique twist like Davy Jones’ singing alone in a funky room and Ringo Starr holding an umbrella.
90s Boy Bands
Flash forward 30 years and boy bands strike yet again, in a similar fashion. Undeniably the two strongest 90s boy bands were NSYNC and BSB aka the Backstreet Boys. Both groups drew inspiration from the 80s boy band, New Kids on the Block. Throughout the late 90s into the 2000’s, NSYNC and BSB competed for the top spot in 90s boy band heaven. Each of there videos throughout the years directly competes with one another.
Flash forward 30 years and boy bands strike yet again, in a similar fashion. Undeniably the two strongest 90s boy bands were NSYNC and BSB aka the Backstreet Boys. Both groups drew inspiration from the 80s boy band, New Kids on the Block. Throughout the late 90s into the 2000’s, NSYNC and BSB competed for the top spot in 90s boy band heaven. Each of there videos throughout the years directly competes with one another.
In 1996, the
Backstreet Boys released their first single, We’ve Got it Goin’ On. At the same
time, NSYNC released their first single, I Want You Back. The videos are pretty
much identical. The first similarity between the pop music videos is the mix of color and
black and white footage. Second, both of the boy bands dance together in perfect
sync. And third, both bands portray playing basketball throughout the videos
mixed with shots of beautiful women.
The comparison between the bands goes even
further with the release of their second and third singles. As Long As You Love
Me (Backstreet Boys) and Tearin’ Up my Heart (NSYNC) are even more alike than
the bands first music videos. Distinctively both 90s boy bands released music videos
portraying themselves in an ambiguous location (a sort of warehouse) singing
directly to the camera one by one. While in the ambiguous location both bands
are on the set of a photo-shoot acting goofy while dancing in front of
beautiful women. The alikeness of these two bands continued throughout the
2000’s however as the bands developed so did their differences. NSYNC became
more of a dance music group, where as the Backstreet boys developed more power
ballad love songs.
One Direction versus The Wanted
More recently, the 90s boy bands craze has spilled into this generation and begun to popularize all over the charts. The two main powerhouse forces in the 2010’s era are the Wanted and One Direction. Like boy bands of the past, these two bands draw inspiration from the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and 98 Degrees. Unlike their predecessors the Wanted and One Direction are focused on the music more than dancing. Glad You Came (The Wanted) and What Makes You Beautiful (One Direction) both portray the boy bands on the beach partying and having a good time. Weirdly enough both the Wanted and One Direction hail from the United Kingdom, representing a new wave of boy bands. The one main difference between these two bands is the age difference, One Direction appeals to a younger audience of preteens where as the Wanted portrays to women into their late 20s. As recently popular boy bands, the Wanted and One Direction will only grow from this point and maybe we’ll see an interesting change for boy bands.
More recently, the 90s boy bands craze has spilled into this generation and begun to popularize all over the charts. The two main powerhouse forces in the 2010’s era are the Wanted and One Direction. Like boy bands of the past, these two bands draw inspiration from the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and 98 Degrees. Unlike their predecessors the Wanted and One Direction are focused on the music more than dancing. Glad You Came (The Wanted) and What Makes You Beautiful (One Direction) both portray the boy bands on the beach partying and having a good time. Weirdly enough both the Wanted and One Direction hail from the United Kingdom, representing a new wave of boy bands. The one main difference between these two bands is the age difference, One Direction appeals to a younger audience of preteens where as the Wanted portrays to women into their late 20s. As recently popular boy bands, the Wanted and One Direction will only grow from this point and maybe we’ll see an interesting change for boy bands.
