WXTJ 100.1 FM

Almost every generation has a boy band or girl group that defined its youth and early adulthood. 

The Baby Boomers had The Beatles and The Supremes topping the charts worldwide. For Generation X, The Jackson 5 and The Osmonds defined the 70s, with New Edition and New Kids on the Block defining the 80s. For Millennials, the cookie-cutter teen-idol image gave way to new talent like the Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, Spice Girls, and *NSYNC. Gen Z was the generation when music groups went global, with listeners tuning in to groups like BTS and Blackpink alongside One Direction. 

For a time, boy bands and girl groups were among the biggest music phenomena, drawing crowds beyond their country of origin and dominating the decade. But they’ve become figments of the past. At their peak, they represented the power of a joint ensemble and served as cultural checkpoints for fans of all ages. At their weakest, they showed how jealousy, money, and other issues can break groups apart and turn close friends into distant enemies. 

For the sake of this piece, I think it is important to note what counts as a boy band and girl group and what doesn’t. By definition, a boy band or a girl group is an ensemble of young male or female vocalists who, in addition to singing, perform choreographed dance routines. Often, companies or executives produce these groups rather than letting them form organically, meaning someone handpicks young vocalists and gives them prewritten songs with simple messages for audiences. These groups are normally marketed to younger audiences, typically teenage girls and young women. 

So what’s the appeal of boy bands and girl groups? What makes fans and music executives alike flock to creating new musical ensembles? It mostly comes down to the marketability of talented individuals to young audiences. From a marketing standpoint, boy bands and girl groups let studios project certain images onto members and then onto their impressionable fan bases. Production companies also marketed them on platforms such as MTV and in popular teen magazines of the time.

Many boy band fans, from the Beatles to BTS, find the musicians attractive and personable beyond the music. Within even larger fanbases, smaller ones focus on individual members. Teen magazines once had full pages dedicated to individual members, with fun facts and cheeky comments about them. This allows fans to explore relationships and sexuality through often parasocial relationships with members of a designated group. These types often stick with fans until they enter real relationships. 

These groups also often have large followings. One clear example is Beatlemania. Beatlemania refers to the fanaticism of Beatles fans during the height of the Beatles’ fame. These images include screaming girls, large crowds outside of a musician’s hotel room, and the commercialization of boy bands.

Since Beatlemania, the classic fanbase model has persisted, including the fanatic fans behind Spice Girls. Spice Mania, the phrase coined to describe the fanaticism behind the Spice Girls, highlighted the unprecedented phenomenon girl groups could achieve. Like the Beatles, the Spice Girls had their own film and immense popularity with teen audiences worldwide.

Moreover, girl groups fill a gap in the music industry by promoting female empowerment. They do this through unified sisterhood and songs that often exemplify confidence. Notable examples include “Independent Women Part 1” by Destiny’s Child and “No Scrubs” by TLC. For young female listeners, girl groups can serve as role models and sources of inspiration, from relationships to self-confidence with their unapologetic lyrics. Furthermore, girl groups push back against industry norms through fashion, language, and image. 

Boy bands and girl groups also let artists enter the music industry at a young age in a presumably less threatening environment. Instead of being the sole focus of an entire brand and industry, they can share that burden with others in the group. Many boy band and girl group members begin their careers as young as five.

From these musical ensembles, some of the biggest stars have emerged, including Michael Jackson from The Jackson 5/The Jacksons, Beyoncé from Destiny’s Child, Justin Timberlake from NSYNC, and Harry Styles from One Direction.  Essentially, boy bands and girl groups offer an ideal entry point for emerging stars to make their presence known in the industry before launching solo acts. 

While boy bands and girl groups often appear as joyful, happy contributors to the music scene, they also carry the burdens of the music industry’s darkest sides. Because many boy bands and girl groups start when members are young, they may sign contracts that promise big gains but leave members with minimum pay while studios keep most of the money. Furthermore, young, talented vocal groups may sign contracts with predatory managers who don’t act in their best interests. 

The group model also exposes young performers to financial exploitation. Lou Pearlman, who managed the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, became a prominent example of this imbalance, using fraud and exploitation to harm young artists. His case shows how performers’ commercial success doesn’t necessarily translate into financial security when managers control their careers and earnings.

So where have all of the boy bands and girl groups gone? The answer is somewhat convoluted. The traditional American boy band and girl group formula has become outdated, but where the American scene has failed, the international market is booming. Boy bands and girl groups are still prevalent in the music industry. While they aren’t as popular as they used to be, many people find success in musical groups, as seen in newly formed groups like KATESYE, which has received critical acclaim. 

But several reasons explain why boy bands and girl groups have lost popularity. First, many studios don’t have the time or resources to support the full rollout these groups require to promote them to the public. Record labels had to build mystery and suspense for new groups while also managing paychecks for multiple members, funding specialized wardrobes, and even paying for extra touches like choreography lessons. 

That makes solo branding easier for music executives because they can focus on one musician’s image instead of spreading themselves too thin across an entire group. This also saves executives time because they don’t have to create archetypes for each member and can focus on authenticity by letting the artist be fully themselves. 

Boy bands and girl groups have been reemerging, at least in part, because of nostalgia. With shows like Dream Academy, the industry is clearly trying to fill the gap left by girl groups and boy bands. From Dream Academy, KATESYE emerged, and they have found success, earning two Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

Furthermore, boy bands and girl groups are increasingly popular in foreign music markets, including K-Pop and J-Pop. In these markets, the group model works well and has found immense success beyond the United States. The best examples of K-Pop groups that have become immensely popular outside their home market are BTS and BLACKPINK. Songs like BLACKPINK’s “How You Like That” and BTS’s “Dynamite” have become staples on American and international radio alike.

These groups’ fandoms are broad and growing through online communities, and they attract listeners who may not even understand the song’s original language. These groups have also gained popularity with American audiences. These examples show that girl groups and boy bands can form and thrive under different conditions, but more importantly, that audiences still want to see group ensembles and participate in the fanbases that gather around them.

Though musical groups like boy bands and girl groups may not be as popular as they were decades ago, their legacy still appears throughout music and culture today. They remain central to conversations about music, as they are nearly a constant for every generation. Their music still resonates with people of all ages, but it speaks especially to the young soul in all of us who still chase the highs of coming together and obsessing over singers. 

Phoenix Banks (she/her) is a second-year student and DJ for WXTJ. She is the Editor-in-Chief for WXTJ Writes! and also hosts her radio show, “the rhythm archive” on Fridays from 8 am to 9 am.