Top 10 Boy Bands of All Time

Emily,

I did some research this week. According to About.com, the Backstreet Boys made #1 on the Best Boy Bands of All Time. Does this surprise me? Not in the least.

Here's what they had to say about the Backstreet Boys:

The Backstreet Boys were acknowledged leaders, along with Britney Spears, of the sweeping popularity of teen pop in the late '90s. The group came together in 1993 in Orlando, Florida with the assistance of producer Lou Pearlman. The Backstreet Boys achieved tremendous success between 1997 and 2001. After a four-year hiatus, the Backstreet Boys returned with the album Never Gone in 2005. Their next release Unbreakable appeared in 2007.

Damn Right.

New Kids on the Block came in at #2 - fitting, seeing as they're now doing a joint tour with BSB. Why not take the top Boy Bands of all time and tour together? Swoon. 20 and 30-somethings everywhere are dipping into their savings to get a piece of this.

Other honorable mentions:

• NSync came in at #3. I would have guessed as much.
• Take That at #4. Robbie Williams was the lead singer of this band who topped the charts in the UK but I personally don't remember much of what they did way back when.
• Boyz II Men at #5. End of the Road. Yes and Please.
• Monkees at #6. Talk about a throw-back. But you gotta hand it to 'em. These guys paved the way for Pop Boy Bands back in the 60s.
• Jonas Brothers at #7. Now I don't know about this. #7 best boy band of all TIME? I think I've only heard one of their songs on the radio - and no I'm not counting the Disney AM station because, really, who listens to that after they're 9? I'd put Hanson in their spot, personally.
• New Edition at #8. Popular in the late 70s to early 80s. A little before my time but I can respect this.
• Westlife at #9. Never made it huge here in the US. But actually, these guys were on Making the Band Season 4. How great was that show in its prime? Back in the day when MTV still played a few music videos from the hours of 11pm to 5am. ahhh the days.
• Day26 at #10. I have no idea who Day26 is. Research is a must.

Some of you may be wondering, where are the Beatles? The Beatles definitely paved the way before the Monkees, right?

Actually, yes and no. While the Beatles DID have the same type of crazed following and fan base that the Backstreet Boys did in 98/still do today, they are technically considered a "rock" band, not as much a "pop" band. They're on a whole other level. As per Wikipedia: Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the group later worked in many genres ranging from folk rock to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. The nature of their enormous popularity, which first emerged as the "Beatlemania" fad, transformed as their songwriting grew in sophistication. The group came to be perceived as the embodiment of progressive ideals, seeing their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s. Their music did quite a transformation over the years. Don't believe me? Listen to Please Please Me (1963), then Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club (1967), then listen to Abbey Road (1969).

I Saw her Standing There
Love Me Do
vs
A Day in the Life
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
vs
Come Together
I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Not quite the same as what we consider Pop music. Don't get me wrong, though, The Beatles were and always will be one of the best bands of all time. They're just in their own category completely. But I digress.

So there you have it, the Top 10 Boy Bands of All Time. I'm so happy to see BSB at number 1! And yes, I'm fully aware that the one exclamation point is probably one too many for the average person. But I'm ok with that.

Time to head into the treachery and debauchery that IS the weekend. Dream skinny dreams for me. I'll be dreaming of Brian and Nick.

~Sarah