Assignment 2: Boy Bands

The cultural text I’m going to explore are 90s Boy Bands. “Boy Bands” consists of a youthful all male pop group that market themselves mainly to females ranging from a teeny-bopper age group all the way to premenopausal women. These Boy Bands (usually five members to a group) perform choreographed dances while singing sweet nothings to a catchy pop beat dedicated to their estrogen based fan group. 

Thinking about Boy Bands as a cultural text is interesting to me because I grew up with them. They represent an innocence linked to males where as society usually pin points “purity” on women.  Backstreet Boys, N’sync, O Town, New Kids On the Block, 98 Degrees, and Boyzone, to name a few, all market a softer side to males which is ingenious because women love it; the bands and their songs represents an ideal “love”. It makes fans feel that boys think the same way about “love” as girls do. I think Boy Bands almost represent what girls wish men can be. As cheesy as these bands are, any girl would be flattered if a man told them “No one else comes close to you. No one makes me feel the way you do. You're so special girl to me, and you'll always be eternally”.(Backstreet Boys)

Going back to the thought of Boy Bands representing a woman’s dream man, I feel there will always be a need for them because no one ever wants to give up on the bubble gum version of love. It represents easy, uncomplicated, puppy love with the most important factor; the fact that it is being delivered by men. The typical Boy Band has evolved over time, but it is still here. Justin Bieber, Jonas Brothers, and Big Time Rush are to name a few. I think Boy Bands will remain an active cultural text in society because they are the “Hallmark card of music”. They make girls feel appreciated, they say what women want to hear after a break up, and they give listeners the illusion that boys are looking for love and if you give them a chance it could be what you always dreamed of.