The Boy Band Appeal

Boy bands are on the rise again. If you’re a 90s kid, you probably grew up listening to boy bands like N*SYNC, The Backstreet Boys, Westlife and Take That. N*SYNC recently reunited for an all-too-brief performance at the VMAs, but were unfortunately forced to take a backseat due to Justin Timberlake’s arduously long, overly choreographed routine. In the last few years, new-age boy bands like One Direction have been taking the world by storm, elevating the status of ‘boy band’ to new heights. But what makes boy bands so appealing?

Their super good looks?

Whether it be Harry Styles’ scruffy hair, or the super cool clothes they wear (check out any photo of Westlife from the early 2000s), boys in boy bands are always ‘hot’, right? Boy bands are usually carefully composed of guys that each fit a different stereotype, making it more likely that there will be at least one member of the band that you’ll somewhat fancy.

Catchy music?

There’s no denying that a lot of boy bands make catchy music. There aren’t many people that can resist singing along to ‘I Want It That Way’ by The Backstreet Boys if it starts playing. And as much as I hate to admit it, ‘Best Song Ever’ by One Direction is a song that gets stuck in my head if I hear it on the radio.

Social media?

Odd one to throw in, but it makes sense when you think about the evolution of boy bands. Sure, boy bands back in the day were big, but compared to One Direction they were nothing. Sites like Twitter make it easier for fans to discuss the band with each other and fuel the fanaticism.

I don’t know exactly what it is, but there’s something about boy bands that makes the world go gaga. I’m not even sure if people like the music or the members of the band more, though, especially nowadays when boy bands are more about selling themselves instead of the music. But one thing’s for certain: Simon Cowell is a boy band-making genius. I mean, One Direction are worth nearly a billion dollars – that’d be music to Simon’s ears!

Photo credit: www.mtv.com