I remember when all the girls in my classes were losing their minds over the X Factor UK runner-up One Direction. My friends were taking Buzzfeed quizzes on which 5 Seconds of Summer members they should date. This was back when Instagram was just emerging and our ability to connect with other like-minded, die-hard tweens got easier by the second thanks to algorithms.
It was the third wave of boy bands. Beatlemania in the 60s laid the foundation for what a few young men and a microphone could muster. Then in the 90s, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC dominated the charts. A mere decade later we saw the most recent rise, only for the beginning of yet another end signalled by One Direction’s disbanding in 2016.
My high and mighty attitude at age 11, coupled with the idea that I was different to all the other girls, contributed to my boy band boycott. That mentality, if you didn’t already think of yourself as a fangirl, was common in the early 2010s.
It’s only now that I can look back on the boy band’s discography and enjoy a lot of it; it’s nostalgic and I respect that it’s classic pop music. As I listen to the fan favourite No Control, I realise that boy bands have disappeared from popular culture.
As X Factor capsized, maybe its formulaic, hyper-gendered groups went with it. Sure, the Jonas Brothers are back in full swing, and 5 Seconds of Summer are still putting out records, but they’re missing the hysteria element so synonymous with the “boy band” ideal.
Have their fan bases aged out of this emotional investment? Or are young people craving something more authentic? After all, the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, and even groups like boygenius and HAIM, are singer-songwriters producing heartfelt ballads and songs that fall outside of the typical pop mould. They have a vulnerability about them, and young women can relate rather than be sold an aspiration or something to attain.
It’s hard to imagine more manufactured pop groups emerging from the Hollywood music hub now, especially given the mistreatment One Direction were rumoured to have suffered at the hand of industry mogul Simon Cowell. It left a sour taste in their fans’ mouths and led to people questioning the health of this approach to music.
The phenomenon that disproves this theory, however, is K-pop. A popular music genre originating in South Korea in the early 90s, K-pop is renowned for synchronised moves, photogenic members and a squeaky-clean image.
BTS, K-pop’s pride and joy, was the most-followed music group on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter in 2022. Fellow K-pop group Seventeen isn’t far behind, selling 5.5 million records in the same year.
These are just a couple of the South Korean boy bands that arose at a similar time to One Direction, but have arguably sustained a level of hysteria among fans on their own shores and abroad that it seems no current Western boy band has replicated.
However, the K-pop industry has also long been criticised over its mistreatment of its band members. The rigorous training they are put through before being presented to the public is reported to involve many hours a day learning skills and practising routines, often with minimal sleep. Meanwhile, the group OMEGA-X accused their management agency of sexually and physically abusing them last year. While the experiences of K-pop idols may vary, these stories are, if nothing else, concerning.
The power of the internet that gave One Direction a nudge has now taken on a life of its own. Due to the sheer volume of content floating around, users are able to find their niche communities easily. Artists and popular songs are more fleeting, but there are so many different corners of the internet to visit that it’s rare a new artist has staying power.
And maybe in the interest of giving more up-and-coming artists a chance, this is for the better. There are 11 million artists and creators to choose from on Spotify, so it seems we no longer have to turn to a reality show to tell us who the next biggest pop stars are.
