The Art of the Boy Band
Written by Daphne Bryant
Image courtesy of Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Netflix
I’ve always liked boy bands, and strangely enough, that love and appreciation has increased over time. What I mean to say is, they weren’t something I was obsessed with growing up. I never had posters on my wall, I didn’t cut out pictures in teen magazines, and to this day I have yet to see a boy band in concert. Most girls I know can remember being really into some boy band when they were younger. I mean, it makes sense right? There were just so many of them and they were wildly popular: One Direction, Mindless Behavior, 5SOS, The Jonas Brothers and Big Time Rush, just to name a few. I grew up really Christian and sheltered, and boy bands, who often performed love songs marketed towards girls and young women, felt like forbidden territory, and TBH, that went for any hot, young guy making music that was in any way sensual or suggestive. If the Baz Luhrmann Elvis film is any proof, a lot of young women discovered and started to explore their sexuality through music, and I think I knew that, and I think tween and teenage me was afraid of it.
It’s true what they say: male popstars and boy bands are addictive, mostly because they’re able to form strong emotional connections with each other and with their often young fans. These fans consume the music in droves, develop parasocial relationships, spend hundreds on tickets, fan clubs and merch, and well, the rest is history. Boy bands are a pillar of popular culture, and anyone who disagrees clearly doesn’t know anything about the power of MTV. Though I’m not currently a stan of any particular boy band, the art of the boy band intrigues me.
Boy band as a term and concept was coined in the late 1980s by Lou Pearlman, an American music manager, scam artist and the person behind many successful 1990s boy bands such as the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. That being said, boy bands have existed for much longer. The Jackson 5, initially formed in the 1960s, was a founding father of sorts. Everything they did, from the choreography to the coordinated clothing, from the harmonies to the brotherly chemistry, served as a template for what we now know as the modern boy band. A boy band is classified as a vocal group consisting of male singers, usually in their teenage years or early twenties at the time of formation. They dance, and they sing, and they don’t usually play musical instruments (of course there are exceptions). The global rise of K-pop sort of revolutionized boy bands conceptually: having at least one rapper and/or one member who is heavily involved in the songwriting and producing process has become increasingly common as boy bands have evolved.
I like boy bands for the same reason anyone else does: they’re charming and gorgeous, their songs are catchy, and they’re fun to watch live. With unforgettable lyrics, fashion, looks and performances, it’s no wonder boy bands are as big as they are. Some are formed organically, others are handpicked, and some are a mixture of both.
This week I decided to watch Building the Band, an American reality television singing competition where 50 artists form 6 groups through a personalized selection process. The format will be familiar to any fans of The Voice or American Idol: eliminations occur until one group is selected as the winner, and that winner earns a $500,000 prize. Spoiler alert: the S1 winners were 3QUENCY, a super talented girl group made up of singers Brianna, Nori and Brianna! I was glad to see a group with two women of color win it all, but my mind kept going back to Soulidified (also known as Iconyx: the god-awful name management gave them in the middle of the show). Soulidified was the only boy band to make it to the finals, and there’s just something about them that gels so well. Maybe I’m biased because I love R&B and pretty boys that are sort of twink-y, but I really did enjoy their covers, and each and every member is endearing in their own way. Shade is a natural leader, an Usher clone who oozes personality and confidence. Bradley is tall and handsome with a voice like butter; he brings a certain 2014 swag that Tumblr girls would have eaten up. Then there’s Malik, who in my opinion sounds the best and is the most inspiring; it’s refreshing to see a guy who is so very gay stand out in a boy band, and in such a positive way. I hope that young men who are discovering they are queer will look up to him and know that straight cis men and gay men can not just co-exist, but also form close and authentic bonds (something conservatives love to discourage). Landon is what some may consider the“ weakest” link; his voice is not as polished as the other boys, but he makes up for it with his earnest perspective and Troy Bolton-like sweetness (yes I’ve seen the YouTube comments). I was hooked on Soulidified from the start, but not everyone seemed so convinced of their star quality...
Throughout the show the judges constantly made comments about their appearance, the fact that the band was comprised of two black boys who had grown up in the church and two blonde white boys that looked like they’d just stepped out of a surf commercial, which I thought was kind of strange. It seemed like every episode someone would joke about how a traditional record label would never put the four of them together, and I suppose that makes sense, since most boy bands and groups are racially monolithic. But come on: it’s 2025! Soulidified being a mixed group didn’t throw me off at all; if anything it made them more nuanced and complex and awesome. Each member comes from a different, unique background, and that not only increases their reach but makes their friendship feel all the more special. Race isn’t a barrier for them, and it shouldn’t be.
After watching the Netflix show (and mourning Soulidified’s loss) I’ve been thinking to myself: what makes a good boy band good? I’m no Lou Pearlman (fuck that guy BTW), but here’s what I think.
1. genuine talent
I’ve touched on this before in other pieces I’ve written about boy bands, but there seems to be this stigma that boy bands are not legitimate artists. I think this stems from a general distaste for anything young girls or fangirls enjoy. If a woman likes it, it’s gotta be foolish right? Bullshit! Boy bands are wildly talented. They have to blend their voices to create intricate harmonies and arrangements; even if each member has their own rich vocal tone, together they must sound as one. Modern boy bands also have to be good at picking up choreography and then executing synchronized dance routines; many train for years to perfect their moves.The modern boy band might also be skilled in other ways, with many members having strong songwriting expertise, the ability to play musical instruments, and/or experience with sonic production. What boy bands do is not easy, and a good boy band can often fight off the negative stereotypes simply by being good at what they do.
Image courtesy of Dennis Leupold; Han Myung-Gu/WireImage; Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Dan Groshong/AFP/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
2. GOOD LOOKS (#sorryforobjectifying)
This might be controversial to say, but let’s be real: boy bands have to be attractive. A lot of fans don’t just come for the music, they come to be woo’d with Colgate white smiles and stunning physiques. I mean, there’s a reason why K-pop groups literally have a role called the visual (designated or not), and as you might have guessed, this is a member of the group who best fits Korean“ beauty standards” and embodies the perceived ideal of physical attractiveness. Like, the bulk of their job is to be pretty! No shame in it: hot sells. It’s fun to fantasize about a boy band member and claim them as your unofficial boo, and fans aren’t going to do that if they’re not attracted to them. Not to say that an unconventionally attractive group won’t make it big, but all it takes is one look at the most famous boy bands of all time to see that looks are clearly part of the formula.
3. GROUP CHEMISTRY
This one seems like a given, but boy bands (and any musical group) have to have some level of chemistry to even work in the first place. Mostly when I’m referring to chemistry, I’m talking about how well the group gets along: can they joke with each other, are they comfortable with each other, do they fill in each other’s gaps, knowing their strengths and their weaknesses as a group and as individuals?
The judges on Building the Band always pointed out how close Soulidified was, that there seemed to be this invisible force making for a strong trust and brotherhood, right off the bat. They’re right: Soulidified had one of the deepest connections on the show, and it made a difference. It’s what got them to the finals, and it’s what’s fueling their social media success right now.
Group chemistry is important for so many reasons. For one, it makes performances more engaging. Boy bands with chemistry naturally bounce off of each other and have fun singing together. You can quite literally feel the aura radiating off of Soulidified, and that’s a powerful, captivating thing. Chemistry also fosters open communication; in the future, when Soulidified are writing and releasing their own songs or exploring new sounds, their compositions will still feel cohesive because they’re working as a team. Groups with strong bonds are also resilient, and can overcome challenges in respectful ways (which we see in real time during the show).
As a side note, I also think groups with good chemistry often have a mix of personalities; in other words, not everyone is the same. A lot of the time boy bands take on different archetypes: bad boy, boy next door, the goofball, etc., and this makes them more interesting. With a diverse group, fans are able to latch onto a personality that they love and pick a“ bias”, while still appreciating the group dynamic as a whole.
The last, main reason why group chemistry is such an elevating quality for boy bands has to do with audience connection and relatability.
Image courtesy of Netflix
4. influence, impact, and a connection with the fans
Boy band fans are naturally drawn to the genuine camaraderie and affection between band members. When you’re in boy band land, your connection with the members feels authentic because you can relate to them. Relatability and connection breeds influence, and influence breeds impact. It’s how boy bands manage to be pop culture trendsetters, influencing fashion, lingo, and the music industry itself. Global recognition doesn’t come without a little love on the local level first.
5. LONGEVITY
The final key? Longevity. Boy bands can be amazing at their core, but if they only last for a few months they’ll be easily forgotten. In order to release multiple studio albums, tour the world, go platinum, and earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a band’s popularity has got to be sustained for many years, sometimes even decades. This might mean a willingness to experiment with genre, or they might simply need a loyal enough fanbase, but whatever the special factor is, bands that can stick around for a while become household names. It’s a fact!
