We know the 70’s gave us classic bands, there are to many to name…
Remember the 80’s? It was the decade of big stadium bands and UK pop. There was a mile long line of girls and guys waiting outside the tour bus only to catch a glimpse of Motley Crue or Poison. Then came Guns N Roses that was led by a frontman known as W. Axl Rose that nearly shook every arena he stepped foot on. Don’t believe me? just watch this video.
In the nineties, Nirvana entered the scene along with their disciples and spread the message across the globe. The female artists were so convinced of the message that they traded pop for poetry. Top 40 radio let go of pop only to lean towards rock. Lilith Fair was a traveling music festival, founded by musician Sarah McLachlan, all of these bands and artists inspired millions of kids and the music biz was doing quite well.
Then all of sudden, darkness was cast upon the earth. Wolves in sheep clothing promised music executives that they would bring them milk and honey only to leave them with a curse that still has a stronghold on the people and on the land. Those false prophets were the boy bands – and when they last walked the earth the music business was setting sales records and the milk and honey were overflowing.
Then came the curse. Now in a bleak era and dark times the labels are looking back to boy bands hoping they will get them out of the tough times.
New Kids On The Block are back together and are recording a new album due in the fall and “nearly every major is pushing its own fresh group of singing, dancing dudes, including Warner Bros.’V Factory, Geffen’s NLT, Capitol’s Varsity Fanclub and Epic’s new Menudo.”
In fact, the major music labels are looking at Disney’s success with their teen stars and they want to get in the game and start hedging bets. Disney has used their networks including the Disney Channel and Disney Radio to launch multi million seller teens including Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers.
“Disney has done a phenomenal job using the assets that they control to create stars,” says Capitol Music Group CEO Jason Flom. “But that doesn’t mean they have a monopoly. The right music trumps everything.”
Of course times have changed and the media landscape has changed so launching a boy band today is much different than yesterday. MTV doesn’t play videos anymore and top 40 is still held hostage by urban and club beats.
So will the false prophets rise again? Or will the angels in white robes regain their lost territory and claim victory once again. Only time will tell….
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