It's about star power. Were they the better boy band? Without a doubt. What were they missing? That one guy. That 'leader'. Even though he wasn't the leader of the band, Justin Timberlake was clearly bigger than the group. You get the teenage chicks and awkward 30-somethings following you, you win the showdown.
You don't believe they were the better band? Here is some knowledge:
-According to Jive Records, the band is "the highest selling boy band of all time", selling 98 million albums worldwide.
-"I Want It That Way" was ranked No. 10 on Rolling Stone & MTV's 100 Greatest Pop Songs list.
-The Backstreet Boys are the only artists to win a record four World Music Awards for three years in a row since 1999-2001.
There's more. But you get the idea. The people that tell you 'N Sync was better either don't know what they are talking about or were mesmerized by the star power.
Let's get into the matchup:
Signature Album:
BSB (Backstreet Boys): Millenium
NS ('N Sync): No Strings Attached
-No strings had the highest first week album sales in pop history (2.4 million copies). That's a big deal. Worldwide, sales exceeded 15 million...or the same level as Black and Blue, Backstreet's 2nd highest selling album of all time.
-Millenium sold in excess of 30 million copies.
Best songs from signature albums:
BSB: 3) Show Me the Meaning Of Being Lonely 2) Larger Than Life 3) I Want It That Way
NS: 3) This I Promise You 2) It's Gonna Be Me 1) Bye Bye Bye
Matchup of #3s, has to go to BSB. #2s, Def 'N Sync...as to #1s...This is where it can get heated. We've got to try and break this down scientifically:
BBB- better video. Hallmark dance steps, still mimicked (I can no longer do this routine for the record...but there was a time that I could...and did)
IWITW: Underrated video, very well done. Just a bunch of shots of chicks losing their minds with the boys getting off a plane and other things. I still have a lip sync dance with gestures to this...
IWITW- The song was voted #10 in the MTV/Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs Of All Time" in 2000. It was ranked #16 on Blender Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born list and #61 on Vh1 100 Greatest Songs Of The Past 25 Years.
BBB- #55 in Rolling Stone's Top 100 Pop Songs List, #165 on Blender's 500 list, and it did not make VH1's list
Take away the visuals, and you have a catchy song vs a timeless ballad of confusion and catchy angst....advantage...'I Want It That Way'.
Both groups broke down around the same time but for totally different reasons.
'N Sync broke up because the band members wanted to pursue other things: JC Chasez and Timberlake wanted to rock solo careers, Lance Bass wanted to be gay (zinger), Joey Fatone wanted to act (and act he did. Can someone say star power!), and Chris Kirkpatrick has been involved with production (albums, some film things and other sundry works)
Backstreet broke up for a few reasons: AJ McLean had some issues with the sauce and other illicit substances. Kevin Richardson wanted to be an actor (he's done some work on Broadway). The other reason for the breakup was the enormous lawsuit the boys filed against their record company claiming a breech of contract. The end result was that everyone left the company and their management agency...except Nick Carter; who, with the backing of Jive Records, released a solo album that sold tens of copies. I honestly don't know what Howie Dorough is doing right now but I can tell you that Brian Latrell played on God's team so, he might be doing something in that vein.
We remember both bands for what they were. We will not forget what they meant to so many of us...
4 comments:
Actually BSB released a "comeback"/reunion CD, "Never Gone" and toured worldwide to promote it in 2005 (better received in Canada, Europe and Asia than in the U.S.), and all the Boys (except Kevin) are currently working on another CD - they're in Nashville right now.
But you called it pretty much on why Kevin left; during the NG tour he was pretty much relegated to piano accompianist.
Brian's still promoting his Christian projects (he just came out with a single also featuring Steven Curtis Chapman and a couple of other Christian artists) between BSB recording dates.
Besides his BSB projects, Howie is co-managing the musical career of George (Nozuka), who's debut CD and singles are doing very well in Canada. He's still doing a couple of Lupus charity events every year (his sister Caroline died from it in 1998), and is an investor in a hotel in Florida.
AJ and Nick are still trying to find their way in life (to put it kindly).
C'mon Danny. Brevity. I can sum up your blog in 5 words..."I, Danny Rouhier, am gay." That pretty much encapsulates your argument.
Yeah, but look at all that punctuation...that sentence doesn't flow.
BSB went on Hiatus, NSync it's really GONE.
Kevin left the group to be an actor. But Brian are still on the group, besides his Gospel solo career.
There are so many reasons BSB is way better than NSync...
Unfortunately, north american people don't think so. I just can't understand that. BSB is so succesful around the world, while NSync is only in Americas.
And BSB's coming back again!!! =D
- Marina,from Brazil.
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