#and the boys consistently look like pop stars their age which is what matters ultimately

[topweeklyupdate]

TØP Weekly Update SPECIAL TRENCH EDITION (10/6/18)

Ya’ll have had time to listen to the album. Some of you have it memorized already. So let’s pick apart Twenty One Pilots’ latest project track-by-track, explore the new themes and sounds that the band is exploring in this era, and also catch up on all of the latest news to come out in just the last two days.

This Week’s TØPics: 

A Complete Look at Trench

My Blood Music Video

Twenty One Pilots to Return to the American Music Awards

New Interviews About the Album

Picking Fights with Gaga? (Not Really, No)

And MORE!

Track Analysis:

Before we get started, we should acknowledge Trench’s wonderful liner notes, which besides boasting some stellar artistic design reveal a great deal of important information about this album. First, the overall cohesion of the album, like with all of the band’s albums save for Blurryface, can be attributed to the shared vision of the same production team on every track. The impact of Paul Meany on this entire album should not be understated: Paul co-produced every track save for “Levitate”, which he is instead given main credit for with Tyler listed as co-producer. He is also given writing credit on half of the album for his arrangements, again including “Levitate”. We musn’t forget the other heroes: the album was mixed by Adam Hawkins and mastered by Chris Gehringer. Also, the “thank you”s are both touching and occasionally very funny (“And to our haters, we know you liked stressed out.”)

I’ve already expressed my thoughts and reactions to the four previous singles in prior updates, so feel free to look back at them to fill in the gaps. 

“Morph” starts us off real strong with an absolutely stellar groove (thanks, Paul). Lyrically, the track features Tyler ruminating on death, considering its inevitability, worrying over its proximity, and questioning what comes after. It’s the most he discusses faith on Trench; Tyler considers looking “above” for answers a “blind belief”, but he still chooses it anyway, with some reservations. Ultimately, Tyler resolves to “morph to someone” else, to stay on the defensive against the insecurities leveled at him by Nico and keep moving forward. The song also features a “Judge”-esque shout-out to our boy Josh Dun within the stellar ending run- fitting, considering just how good his drums sound on this track in particular.

“Chlorine” is a definite highlight off the album, as it constantly mixes up flow and structure while never losing it’s laid-back psychedelic groove and its consistently excellent metaphorical examination of Tyler’s strained relationship with fame. I’ll be singing that hook forever. And the bridge. And that ending break-down that definitely sounds like a No Phun Intended sample. This thing’s a bop, potentially the best track on the whole project- and that’s really saying something.

“Smithereens” is an odd duck that feels like it doesn’t quite fit in on Trench but is nonetheless a very sweet and enjoyable tune. I mean, it’s love song that snuck onto this album that’s literally about writing a love song and sneaking it onto an album; I have to commend Tyler for being ballsy, clever, and artistic with his grand romantic gesture. I also have to commend Mr. Meany for sneaking that beautiful woodwind section in.

Before I even heard the album, I knew “Neon Gravestones” was going to be the stand-out track for a lot of folks. Rock Sound had promised that this would be the song that saves people’s lives, and hopefully it will. Tyler’s spoken word musings regarding celebrity suicide were always going to be controversial, and publications like The Atlantic and Alt Press have already questioned exactly what he means to say with the song. As someone who just recently lost a loved one to suicide, even I’ve struggled with this song’s message somewhat. Does Tyler disrespect the memory of those that have passed by telling us not to glorify them in death? It skirts close to the line a bit, and he certainly could have gotten a bit more specific in how he suggests we should react. But he reigns it back from the edge, as Tyler so often does when discussing mental illness, by placing the focus on his own lived experience. “If I lose to myself” is the most gut-wrenching lyric Tyler’s written in ages, and it really sells that this idea is something that Tyler truly wrestles with in dark moments. We really do have to de-romanticize suicide if we want to have a chance against it, and I’m proud of Tyler for taking those steps in a public way that can also help others. And the production? Simply bone-chilling.

“The Hype”, aka “Wonderwall” meets “Bittersweet Symphony”, is another highlight. Simple lyrics, sure, but comforting ones. Particular praise goes to the ending, when the echo effects layer onto the vocals and the ukulele comes into mix. One of many great “night-time driving down the highway” songs on this half of the album.

“Cut My Lip” is pretty easily my least favorite song on the album, which is not meant a harsh criticism at all. The overall vibe is very enjoyable, and I especially love how Tyler says “contusions”, but the song is just twice as long as the lyrical content actually warrants. It really is largely saved by Josh’s intricate drumming and Paul’s intervention with the reverbing psychedelic synths: it sounds just as sick as the rest of the album in those respects.

The last two minutes of “Bandito” may just be the best part of the entire album; Paul (I assume it’s Paul) really outdid himself with that composition. The rest of the song is great, too, with “I’m still not sure if fear’s a rival or close relative to truth” in particular standing out as an all-time Tyler Joseph lyric. I can’t wait to hear this live... God, I hope this is played live...

“Pet Cheetah” is... weird. But with a name like that, we expected as much, and it only makes all the more sense when considering the subject matter: writer’s block. Tackling that subject head on really seems to have given an extra boost to Tyler’s creative energies: his rap verse is straight-up fire in terms of both wordplay and passion. All in all, a fun curiosity to come back to when we want to remember that time Tyler wrapped about naming a cheetah after acclaimed British action star Jason Statham.

“Legend” is one of those songs that really is beyond criticism by virtue of its subject matter: Tyler mourning the loss of his grandfather. I do wish the song was given a bit more polish around the edges, but it still boasts a gorgeous horn section, and the rough sound helps demonstrate that this was a deeply personal project that we’re privileged to be able to hear at all.

“Leave the City” is the perfect ending note for this project. As Zane Lowe said, it never fully reaches the crescendo it seems to be building to, and all the better for it. The inclusion of a call to “stay alive”, now directed inward toward Tyler himself, remains a powerful rallying cry of hope, even while it expresses a sense of resignation to knowing our personal battles may never end. There’s no clear answer, only the promise that we are not left alone to face what the future holds. And that’s enough.

Taken all together, Trench was not the album I was expecting, and not at all in a bad way. There was relatively little in the way of “Jumpsuit”’s harder edge, nor was it as obtuse and concept-dedicated as the initial marketing had indicated. But it was still incredibly daring and ambitious, tackling song-structures and concepts that few pop artists (if we can still call them that) would dare approach. While I would have loved an album much more strictly dedicated to telling the story of Dema, I don’t know if most people would have, and that kind of railroading would have prevented Tyler from getting as personal and deep as he does here. There are ideas and individual lyrics on this project that have left their mark on me like few pieces of music have since... well, Vessel. It might not match that album in my own heart, but it might also objectively be the best thing they’ve ever done. 

Major News, Releases, and Announcements:

Shockingly, we’re not even close to done. As reported in the last update, the album’s release was accompanied by the release of an all new music video for “My Blood”. Unlike the prior three videos, this narrative takes place completely outside the world of Dema and Trench, featuring two rebel brothers dealing with all that suburban teen white boy angst (been there) and attending a real funky Halloween party in skeleton onesies, all leading up to a satisfying Fight Club revelation.

The video is also the first one since ��Tear In My Heart” to not be directed by Mark Eshleman or Andrew Donoho. The Clique’s new friend Tim Mattia has been directing some major music videos since 2012, including Troye Sivan’s Blue Neighborhood project, Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen”, and major singles from The 1975, Zedd, Chris Stapleton, and many more. You can definitely tell the difference from the aesthetic (particularly Tyler and Josh being relegated to a glorified cameo). Still, it was a refreshing change of pace, and I look forward to seeing if it helps the song pick up any momentum at radio. 

Upcoming Performances:

American Music Awards, Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles, CA

Capacity: 7,100

On Thursday, we reported that Tyler and Josh would be signing copies of Trench in Hollywood this coming Monday. Turns out they weren’t just looking for some California sunshine- they’ll be performing at the American Music Awards. This marks their first professionally filmed performance this era and their first award show performance since... well, the last AMAs, where they put on a stellar show. Current reports state that the band will be playing “Jumpsuit”, but I would not be at all surprised if they mashed it up or tried to do something clever and attention-grabbing. Whatever they play, seeing the boys back playing live will certainly do wonders for promoting Trench- and it will definitely make me happy.   

Other Shenanigans:

Oh, we’re still not done. Irish radio station Today FM aired an interview they held with Tyler back on the Complete Diversion media day. The interviewer is brilliant and asked a bunch of thoughtful questions that show that he’s done his homework and cares for the band and its fans. Highlights include:

Tyler says that he doesn’t want to talk too much about the “easter eggs” of the marketing campaign (probably referring to dmaorg.info) because he feels it might take away some of the punch.

Tyler shares some very wise words about being aware of the cyclical nature of mental health and self-improvement. He didn’t end the album with a definitive answer because he has recognized that, in our individual journeys, we regularly get sent back to Square 1 and then are left all the more discouraged because we feel the effort is futile. Tyler suggests that awareness that will happen in advance- and that we are all doing it together- will help us to get back to the place we fell from more quickly each time. 

Tyler says that it’s incredibly “heavy” to hear fans say they saved their lives, and that he’s tempted to brush it off rather than deal with that weight. However, they recognize that their platform has given them a responsibility to serve their audience.

When confronted by the possibility that folks wouldn’t like the new imagery, the band had to fall back and just do what they thought was cool. They were so relieved by how well the Complete Diversion show went and how receptive everyone was to them.

The band will absolutely be moving forward with this Trench story- it’s not done yet, not by a long shot.

Australian music site Music Feeds also published a text interview with the band that’s another must-read:

Tyler discusses how Trench is largely meant to represent the “space between spaces”. He was particularly feeling strange about leaving Blurryface to approach this new album, so he channeled that struggle with finding yourself in a liminal space into the music.

He’s hinted at it in the past, but I believe this is the first time Tyler bluntly says that Blurryface is Nicolas Bourbaki.

Tyler jokes that they filmed in Ukraine because the workers don’t take lunch breaks and it saved them money.

Tyler says that all of the songs on the album “completely destroyed him”, but says that “Legend” was the hardest of all because of the subject matter and how he was still developing it as his grandfather passed.

Josh is looking forward to playing “Morph” live because of how different the drum pattern is from their previous work.

Tyler’s still listening to a lot of Death Cab for Cutie, while Josh is mostly just listening to podcasts like Lore.

“You can’t touch a hole.”

Also, in case you missed the title image, the band made a cute joke about A Star Is Born, whose soundtrack is increasingly looking like it will knock Trench away from a #1 debut. Some Lady Gaga stans are mad about it, I guess, but come on, that picture is hilarious.

-

Listen. We’ve been here for a long time. You’ve done a lot of reading of my inane ramblings. I was going to sum up some of the early reviews for the album, but I think I’m going to save that for the next time. Hopefully I’ll be able to include the opinions of a certain Melon... Catch you Friday.

Power to the local dreamer.

|-/

#twenty one pilots #trench #my blood #tyler joseph #josh dun #jumpsuit #levitate #morph #chlorine #smithereens #neon gravestones #the hype #nico and the niners #cut my lip #bandito #pet cheetah #legend #leave the city #a star is born #lady gaga #top weekly update

[thesuper17]

On her fourth record, Ariana Grande locates a stylistic intersection within pop where she's not only comfortable, but masterful. sweetener is an album which carefully sidesteps direct reference to the infernal state of the world in 2018, and in the process, cements itself as one of the year's most important releases.

It's easy to approach Grande with a cynical predisposition. A product of the Disney machine, the sceptical listener may consider this impossibly flawless 25 year old an advertisement more than an authentic artist. The cynicism isn't entirely meritless either. 

Grande has been an international A-list celebrity since the age of 17, and embodies an almost idealized version of how a woman 'ought' to look. She can be seen applying makeup in several music videos, and along with a physically unattainable body type for the vast majority of women, it is difficult to think of a better subconscious sales pitch for the beauty industry and the fitness/wellness industry, or a better symbol of Disney's homogenous and sanitized dominion over popular culture.  

And yet. When she speaks, passionate to the point of tears, on mental health, or when she emphatically praises her fans, or when she opens her mouth and that angelic voice pours out, cynicism is rendered petty and dull. Grande is loudly supportive of and incredibly popular within the queer community. It's not uncommon to see fans, boys and girls, plastering Twitter and Tumblr with selfies, vocally expressing both self-love and gratitude towards Grande for helping them find it. 

This too will be observed cynically, a ploy to cast as wide a net as possible and exploit the insecurity of a young fanbase, but ultimately the impact is what matters*. One of the world's most aspirational celebrities actively embraces her marginalised fans and lets them know: you're loved, you matter.   - Enter sweetener, the fourth and most deliberately crafted record of the Floridian's career. More so than any of her output prior, this album reflects back the kaleidoscopic array of influences Grande has absorbed to develop her own unique voice.  It is also an album that feels miraculously unburdened by both the cultural and musical obligations female pop stars are typically subject to.

The overt sensuality that characterised Dangerous Woman placed it within a lineage of releases (see: Stripped, Good Girl Gone Bad), wherein the previously innocent girl proves herself an actively sexual woman. sweetener, while far from being sanitized, nevertheless largely forgoes the explicit in favour of the poetic. 

There is no value judgement (or indeed a clear dividing line) to be drawn between themes of romance and sexuality, but it's gratifying to hear Grande carve out an individual space where she feels free to shrug off pre-determined archetypes. 

This freedom extends to the sound of sweetener. A true A-list pop star, Grande is able to enlist the highest profile of talent in the studio, an advantage she exploits to the fullest, listing production credits from Pharrell Williams, Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh (among others) and performances from Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliott. This affords Grande a stylistic and sonic flexibility that simultaneously presents the album its first major challenge. It’s not enough for Grande to simply demonstrate a wide ranging taste, she needs to convincingly sell sweetener as a cohesive project of her own design, one where she has determined the direction and executed it successfully. And, for the vast majority of the album's runtime, Grande is more than up to the task, an expert vocalist at the top of her game not merely justifying, but necessitating an album of sweetener's length and breadth. 

In a recent interview, Grande stated that while she loves pop, her 'heart and soul is more in R&B', and the addition of Pharrell Williams on production gives her ample opportunity to indulge this aspect of her sound. Early highlight 'R.E.M' is a simple but shimmering track, floating along at a relaxed tempo and layered with gorgeous doo-wop harmonies and backing vocals. The smooth, almost minimalist instrumental marks the first instance of a recurring device on the album in the use of breathing sounds as percussion. This isn’t a brand new idea (Kanye West's 'Black Skinhead' used this trick in 2013), but it's utilized especially deftly here, evoking carefree sensuality without obviously pushing it to the foreground. 

With the exception of a disappointingly phoned-in feature from Missy Elliott, 'borderline' is another stand out. The synths and beats are much fiercer here, with unpredictable and busy hi-hats accompanying the jazz-inflected harmony of the four main chords, repeated throughout. Grande is still comfortably within her range, delivering lines almost in neutral tones, and as the melodies cycle and repeat, they develop a seductive, hypnotic cadence.

Elsewhere, a more traditional pop voice emerges. 'breathin', an obvious successor to Dangerous Woman's bombastic 'Into You', blurs the line between 80s homage and pastiche, complete with a flamboyant synth solo. In a demonstration of Grande's understanding, both of genre conventions and her own strengths, the song's slow build pre-choruses end in a pregnant pause, clearly designed with the powerful and dexterous high runs she's known for in mind. For its final chorus, the deep breath prior to Grande's upper-register lead vocal is even included in the recording, setting up one of the album's most cathartic, fun moments.   

sweetener isn't strictly bifurcated into R&B and pop though. Grande proves herself able to fluidly incorporate forms of those genres and others besides, frequently within the same song. In tradition and lineage, the gospel choir balladry on the enormous hook of 'god is a woman', backed with wide and arpeggiated electric guitar chords, couldn't be further from the pseudo-rapped triplets of its pre-chorus. But somehow, the building pace of the verse collapses into the chorus' held first note in a naturalistic way that never feels stylistically disjointed. Even hints of Grande's time in musical theatre appear on the joyous, sweeping melody of title track 'sweetener' and its bold grand piano accompaniment. The pivot on this track into a trap-style hook is handled less gracefully however, with strange lyrics skirting the edge of comedy.

A sparse few songs across the album feel as though they could have been left out to produce a leaner, more consistent overall project. Regretfully, as the first track proper of the album, 'blazed' disappoints a little. The song is bouncy and fun, and its three-piece of keys, bass and drums builds into a classic Pharrell momentum (bringing to mind 2014's 'Happy'), but this is also the track's weakness. Where, on the remainder of the album, individual facets of Grande’s style are emphasised and supplemented by the production, Pharrell's voice (figuratively and literally) dominates 'blazed' in a way that relegates Grande to a more textural role.

Especially in preceding the excellent 'breathin', 'everytime' is another such track, listenable and enjoyable, but compositionally dry by the standards the album sets elsewhere. Even here though, Grande's aspirational radiance shines through. The track's lead vocal recording is left running after the final chorus and the listener hears her laugh, maybe in the relief of hitting the track's astoundingly high final notes, maybe for any other reason. The laugh is one of many smaller production touches on the album that help to elevate it above more standard fare, but it's also illustrative of sweetener's value as a piece of culture.

  Another easy route to cynicism over Grande (and pop music in general) is the notion she prioritises aesthetics over substance. Aside from being demonstrably incorrect**, the argument is reductionist and binary in a way that obfuscates the actual value of albums like sweetener. Here, aesthetic is substance. This ostensibly carefree, joy-filled music is the product of addressing and reworking real pain, and its promulgation to mass market reminds the audience of something increasingly easy to forget. No matter how bad things get, we can always make them sweet again.

*here your reviewer emphasises the vitality of criticism towards misogynistic standards women are held to, and concedes that Grande is a part of the culture which upholds those standards. Nevertheless, criticism towards Grande the individual on this basis feels much more often representative of a sneering dislike towards girls and the things they enjoy, than a case against the structures behind them.

** the work required to reach Grande's level of proficiency in vocal performance alone, let alone her musicality, composition and choreography far outstrip the, still considerable, effort required to maintain her appearance. although, for that matter, why one is considered so much more valuable than the other, and why women are critiqued so much more viciously in this avenue than men is reflective of structural issues probably outside the scope of an album review no one will ever read

#this #is #a #great #album #give #it #a listen #please #thanks #pop #ariana #grande #ariana grande #sweetener #review #sweetener review #dangerous woman #my everything

[aion-rsa]

Framing Britney Spears Review: FX Doc Is a Pop Horror Story

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The FX docuseries The New York Times Presents takes a celebrity turn on the installment “Framing Britney.” But this is no tabloid exposé, even as the gossip rags and paparazzi become inadvertently complicit. The series provides consistently dedicated longform journalism as a matter of course. Their beat is varied. It’s covered front line workers, booted a hacking network, and chased a killer.

“Framing Britney” doesn’t present a homicide case, though legal minds might argue a life has been taken away. It is a true crime documentary, but the truth hasn’t been determined, and the crime is hard to define. There is a fiduciary element, and questionable mental health is a contributory factor. It is also a missing person’s case where the exact location of the victim-at-large is known. Well known and splashed across newsfeeds at a moment’s notice if there’s even a hint of a move. That’s part of the problem.

“Framing Britney” does a very good job of breaking down the incredibly confusing legal details. Since what has been called a very public breakdown in 2008, Spears has been under her father Jamie Spears’ conservatorship. This is also known as a guardianship and it is normally limited to people with diminished capacity who might not be capable of making decisions. Spears entered the conservatorship at age 26. She acknowledged it was necessary when it began, but at 39, wants the conditions changed.

The court documents call Britney a “high-functioning conservatee” who is still raking in the bucks. James Spears’ conservatorship may have been legally dubious, but it has been profitable, bringing the star from the depths of a bottomless spending spree to a net worth of well over $60 million. The conservatorship has done so well, even James’ initial co-guardian, the aptly named Andrew Wallet, wants a raise, and The New York Times Presents wants to know why. Britney’s attorney Samuel D. Ingham III tries to explain as much as he can, but he’s only privy to so much information. The documentary makes it seem Spears’ case is too profitable to get resolved. It’s not about health, but money. Even the Los Angeles Superior Court Judge is named Brenda Penny.

The subtext of the documentary has even saturated Spears’ song titles. “Work Bitch,” “I’m a Slave 4U,” “Overprotected,” all describe the neverland Britney inhabits, and “Framing Britney” lets you know it without stating it explicitly. Baby, she’s been hit more than one too many times. And it drives her crazy. It drives her fans mad as well. They’re only angry but they’ve been labeled insane by the opposition. Britney’s father dismisses them as “conspiracy theorists.” Some members of the #FreeBritney movement say they feel so gaslighted they sometimes doubt what they know. But they know, and are very good at getting the inside scoop.

One sequence recounts an anonymous voicemail message to the fan-produced podcast “Britney’s Gram.” It is obviously big news, and the fans who produce it do the right thing. They make all the right disclaimers. They do their due diligence, vetting as much as possible, cross-checking as much information as they can get. The self-appointed Britney-fan-journalists are organized, intelligent, and so well-informed Britney herself thanks them on record highlighting the word. They go to the hearings, take minutes and share them via google doc, insiders confess to them. They are a serious media concern, and this writer hopes when they achieve this goal, they don’t give up on their network and what it can do.

The fan/journalists dig through every conservatorship document available to the public. This may be part of a New York Times series, but they are star stringers, and director Samantha Stark is absolutely justified in treating them this way, albeit with tight editorial restrictions.

This may be the most innovative aspect of the episode. New York Times journalists Jason Stallman, Sam Dolnick, and Stephanie Preiss teamed with Left/Right’s Ken Druckerman, Banks Tarver, and Mary Robertson on this project. They enthusiastically analyze and incorporate the information they get from the grassroots fan-based press which sparked The Free Britney movement. Over the past few years, cellphone-recorded incidents and social media feeds have been changing the way news is gathered, providing first-hand accounts of harassment, protests and aggravated law enforcement tactics. The New York Times Presents produces one of the best mixes of the evolving media landscape. It is a transitional program, adhering to traditional journalistic values while vetting the upstart alternative media.

“Framing Britney” watches Spears’ followers as they scrutinize the star’s Instagram posts. Since disappearing from public view, these are the only glimpses into the megastar’s life, and she appears to be packing as much into the short clips as she can. Almost every post artfully weaves a mysterious clue, but even the fans admit, anyone can read anything into all of them. Spears’ lyrics have come under similar microscopes leading to vast and dark conspiracies. Britney could be singing about watching The Sixth Sense in “Girl in the Mirror.” The lyrics to “911” could be interpreted as a plea from a monarch-programmed sex-kitten. She never even officially released her response to a famous ex-boyfriend’s teary-eyed breakup song.

The documentary includes insightful interviews, especially with Felicia Culotta, who was with Spears from the very beginning of her career. She is to Britney what Mal Evans was to the Beatles, the one who did the day to day work. She was hand-picked by Britney’s mother and James Spears’ ex-wife Lynne Spears. Culotta stood with Britney for Times Square selfies on the first trip to New York. An early talent manager talks about how dedicated Britney was to her musical and performance studies, and the documentary shows stills of the singer on different instruments. We see the rise of a female pop phenomenon in the age of the boy band.

This is where “Framing Britney” earns its title. The directors indirectly infer not only has Spears been set up for some kind of blame, the entire picture is off-center. Sure, the #FreeBritney movement has become a cause célèbre, and the documentary shows Cher, Miley Cyrus, and others hoisting flags during concerts. But when Britney shaved her head and told people to stop touching her, she was a late-night talk show joke regurgitated on daytime game shows.

The documentary highlights how, from the moment Britney took off Mouseketeer ears and got ground through the American pop-star machine, she was a target and an easy score. “Her rise was a global phenomenon,” the FX advance press promised. “Her downfall was a cruel national sport.” One segment of the documentary shows a chorus line of well-known names making sport of Spears. The series shows Justin Timberlake treating radio interviews like locker rooms, and Us Weekly heading the cheerleading squad.

The piece sheds a completely different light on Spears’ public breakdown in 2007 and 2008. While an interview with former MTV VJ Dave Holmes reveals how professional, friendly and focused she was on set, one the paparazzi squad talks about ducking the famous umbrella attack. Even in retrospect, he doesn’t get it. He still doesn’t think his actions, chasing the pop singer around in a car while she tended intricate family business, had anything to do with her beating on his car door with an umbrella in the middle of the night. He acknowledges Britney had told him to lay off, but the cameraman assumed the requests applied to specific moments, not forever. It makes it seem Britney had to advise the paparazzi on a case-by-case photo op basis. Who does that?

One of the highlights of the documentary comes at a big announcement of her second Las Vegas residency in early 2019. Britney, who did her share of comedy acting on Saturday Night Live, does a perfectly broad impression of a Mel Brooks late-night Tonight Show appearance. She walks onto the stage and keeps walking. It is art. It is a major statement from the fabricated pop star.

One of the sad truths the documentary inadvertently points out is a series of artistic “what might have been” scenarios. Known only as a singer and dancer, we’ve never gotten to know the singer as a musician, because everyone cared about the gossip. People dismiss Britney as a dance pop artist without thinking that dance pop is an art. In spite of its intentionally static rhythms, it is often more intricate musically than rock. Britney, the artist, never stopped looking to expand the sounds. She was one of the pioneers of dubstep, taking it from the London club scene to the tops of all international charts. The documentary shows a series of unrelentingly harrowing questions about dating, boys, and the dangers of her young feminine sexuality. At one point Britney has to respond on camera to the news that some mother in the Bible Belt wants to shoot her dead. “I’m nobody’s babysitter,” the singer mouths, ad-libbing like the young professional she is, before cameras linger a little too long.

Ultimately, The New York Times Presents gives us a horror documentary, as scary and unfathomable as The Blair Witch Project, only more chilling because it is not fiction. Even Stephen King veers from this kind of harrowing suspense. It’s a pop-up, and you have to wait for it. They don’t reveal it until the end credits, though we’ve known it from the beginning. As the producers are thanking their contributors, they mention they reached out to Britney Spears herself. She never responded. They don’t even know if she got the message. This is dramatic brilliance. It is subtle, effective, and as the final visual burning in the mind’s eye, provocatively expansive.

“Framing Britney” is worth watching for the details, the history it tells, and the history it captures inadvertently by virtue of its hybrid journalistic filmmaking. This is Millennial Media and it is fitting the subject is Britney Spears, the most iconic figure of that generation. The full-length documentary, without ever expressly proclaiming it, shows how the star is being saved by her peers. An entire community, linked with nothing but love for their favorite singer, comes together to do right by her. It’s their prerogative. K-Pop fans showed the power of their stans as political weapons. “Framing Britney” presents entirely new possibilities.

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The New York Times Presents “Framing Britney Spears” debuts Feb. 5 on FX and FX on Hulu.

The post Framing Britney Spears Review: FX Doc Is a Pop Horror Story appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[onestowatch]

Celebrate Canada Day With 15 Canadian Artists That Are Making Waves

Maple syrup, hockey, and an unending kindness towards Americans making sweeping over-generalizations are just a few of the things Canada is known for. But one of its largest and most consistent exports to this day continues to be revolutionary music. From indie rock legends and staples à la Broken Social Scene, Metric, and Arcade Fire to top-charting pop and hip-hop via Drake and The Weeknd, Canada has established itself as a veritable breeding ground for some of today’s most interesting artists.

So, in celebration of the Constitution Act of 1867 that united the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single dominion, we hand-picked 15 of our favorite rising Canadian acts who are poised for massive things.

Jonah Yano

Jonah Yano came out of seemingly nowhere to deliver a spellbinding series of jazz-inspired releases, all of which culminated in a six-track EP that is utterly breathtaking. The Japanese-Canadian artist is reminiscent of artists such as James Blake and Elliot Smith, with the way he has the power to imbue his softly-spoken sonic meditations with a profound emotional weight and depth. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the aforementioned nervous, which sees Yano enlisting BADBADNOTGOOD, Nono, and MONEYPHONE, to deliver a vibe quite like no other. This is indisputably an artist to watch. 

Verzache

Toronto is certainly not lacking when it comes to talent that excels in taking typical musical conventions and twisting them to create a mirage of sound that feels wholly unique. And you need to look no further than the dance-inducing sounds of Verzache for living proof. The project of Zach Farache, the Toronto-based artist is leading and pioneering a modern experimental acoustic sound. Taking influence from the likes of Bon Iver, James Blake, and Toro Y Moi, Verzache blends experimental and acoustic elements to create a sonic space brimming with an ineffable warmth and sense of life.  

grandson

If you had any lingering questions as to whether or not punk was dead, then grandson has your answer. Emerging from Toronto, Ontario with frenetic energy and a heart-racing amalgamation of electronic and punk rock influences, grandson is so much than just an all-around exhilarating time. There is a sense of dire urgency to grandson’s anthemic music, as he touches upon some of the pertinent socio-political issues of our day. From an abhorrent lack of gun control in the US, the ongoing opioid epidemic, to political corruption, grandson’s music arrives a striking wakeup call. 

Lennon Stella

Lennon Stella may have found her start covering pop icons alongside her sister Maisy on YouTube, but it is her stunning solo work that is poised to launch her to the same icon-like status as the very artists she was once covering. Releasing her debut EP, Love, me, in fall of 2018, the succinct five-track offering cemented the Oshawa-native’s future in music. Currently racking in over eight million monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Stella’s sublime pop meditations that simultaneously manage to feel larger than life yet deeply personal need to be on your radar. 

anders 

Emerging from the lush and competitive soundscape of Toronto, anders stands as one of the city’s most anticipated and acclaimed newcomers. Building on the hype surrounding Toronto’s dark R&B craze, the Toronto artist is bringing his own distinctive flair to the scene to present a sound that is as infectious as it is exceptional. It is a sound and vision realized over the course of two striking EPs, 2017’s 669 and 2018’s Twos. Beyond creating otherworldly bouts of R&B, anders has emerged as a multi-talent, creating his own imprint that has seen him broaden his horizons both in the world of music and fashion. 

Charlotte Cardin

Model-turned-singer Charlotte Cardin is easily becoming one of the most alluring voices in the world of music. The Montreal singer-songwriters blends together the worlds of jazz, electronica folk, and sultry R&B for a listening experience that never fails to draw listeners in. First coming to public attention as a contestant on the vocal competition show La Voix in 2013, Cardin has since paved out a path for herself as a serious artist demanding of the world’s attention. The singer’s critically-acclaimed debut Main Girl EP is a sonic testament to this fact, and she certainly has the live performance chops to back all of it up. 

alcordo

It’s rare for us to champion an artist with only one single to date, but that only goes to show what a rare talent alcordo is. We originally applauded the Toronto artist’s gift for R&B following the release of her debut single “No Good.” alcordo’s vocal talents are not only Ones To Watch approved but JMSN approved as well, having signed to his esteemed White Room Records. Beyond collaborating and touring with JMSN, alcordo has collaborated with Soulection and delivered a stunning rendition of Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat.” For a talent with such a strong and early start, only time will tell just what grand heights alcordo will aspire to.

Harrison Brome

James Blake-meets-The Weeknd in Vancouver native, Harrison Brome’s seductively melancholy take on pop-infused R&B. Inspired by the gloom of his hometown and the works of Motown and jazz greats such as Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Nina Simone, Brome’s music combines exquisite melody lines with deeply somber undertones. A maverick both in his creative and business endeavors, Brome dropped out of high school right before graduating to pursue music full time, a decision he does not regret. More of a lone-wolf kind of an artist, he wrote, produced, and released the majority of his music independently. His most recent release debut EP, Body High is a four-track masterpiece that showcases Brome’s profound writing abilities, gorgeous voice, and intriguingly diverse sonic palette.  

88GLAM

Let’s get one thing straight. There’s more to the 6 than Drake. Toronto’s 88GLAM is bound to be the next big hip-hop act to majorly crossover. The rap duo comprised of Derek Wise and 88 Camino have one full-length release to their name, 88GLAM RELOADED, but it’s a living testament to the duo’s skill for delivering dark, viral-ready rap-n-b jams. Then there’s the fact that the 88GLAM has earned the attention and respect of one of Canada’s most successful acts to date, The Weeknd. Singing to The Weekend’s XO Records and already playing shows across North America, it’s only a matter of the time until The 6 adds another name to its hallowed halls of rap acts that have made it big.

Calpurnia

Calpurnia is an indie-rock band based in Vancouver. After mastering cover songs by classics like The Beatles and a having a few basement jams, the foursome decided to really dive into their own unique sound by recording originals. Fronted by Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard, they are perhaps best known for their success as adolescents, seeing as all members range from age 15 to 17. They may be young, but Calpurnia is composed of some of the most promising young artists in the industry. Prodigious guitarist Ayla Tesler-Mabe, bassist Jack Anderson and drummer Malcolm Craig all complete the backline. Their debut EP, Scout, got a lot of buzz and not just because of their well-known frontman. It's an easy listen and contains authentically playful energy that stems from the genuine excitement of fresh-faced musicians. Their most popular song, "City Boy" has over two-million streams on Spotify alone. Not bad at all for a first crack at releasing music.

ODIE

Nigerian-Canadian artist ODIE draws inspiration from a series of global influences across genres to create music that defies boxes and boundaries.  From Kid Cudi to Fela Kuti, ODIE’s diverse personal taste is apparent in his expert synthesis of elements from alternative rock, hip-hop, and Afro-Gospel beats, resulting in a sound that is wonderfully unique to him. The development of this distinct sound was accomplished through four years of refining his craft and catalogue before releasing any music into the world. In 2018 the young, yet incredibly well-versed 21-year old, released his debut album Analogue, garnering him worldwide acclaim and notoriety. 

Jean-Michel Blais

Jean-Michel Blais arrives at the intersection of the organic and synthetic. The classicists and the futurists. Part classical musician, part electronic artist, Blais creates enveloping works of sonic art. The Montreal artist’s instrumental works are intricately complex yet widely accessible. There is an ethereal beauty to the entirety of it, such as on the stunning debut album II. However, where Blais is arguably at his most fascinating is his when he’s at his most unconventional. His sophomore effort, Dans ma main, sees the classically-trained musician delving into the world of electronic music to compose works that feel out of place in time, belonging to no one particular era. Then there are his live performances, which are nothing short of mesmerizing. 

So Loki

Vancouver’s So Loki is easily becoming one of Canada’s most interesting rap outfits. Comprised of rapper Sam Lucia and producer Geoff Millar, the duo takes a unique avant-garde approach to the genre. Having made a name for themselves in the Vancouver scene over the last few years, so loki is poised to bring their experimental and infectious hip-hop to the world’s stage. Their full-length debut, 2017’s Shine, earned them widespread critical acclaim from some of the world’s leading tastemakers in the world of underground hip-hop–Complex, Noisey, Red Bull just to name a few. And So Loki just keeps getting better, as we bore witness to in their stunning sophomore effort, 2018’s Planet Bando.

Homeshake

Hailing from the Canadian metropolis of Montreal, Homeshake is the current project of singer-songwriter Peter Sagar. Sensual, honest and brilliant with wordplay, Homeshake is the ultimate chill R&B vibe. The tracks are simple and oh-so-pleasing to the ear, melting vocals together with clean guitar licks and sampled sounds. The artist’s latest, Fresh Air, features 14 sultry songs that compliment each other while standing completely on their own as well. Homeshake's DIY sound makes the listening experience distinct and memorable. Homeshake brings sex appeal and an alternative take to R&B to the table, perfectly executing the living room aesthetic that just can't be faked.

Allie X

Toronto’s Allie X is crafting pop music with an artistic flair that just cannot be ignored. Influenced by her theatrical experimentation, all of Allie X’s efforts to date have been indelible works of pop magic that hint at a greater form of art. Take CollXtion 1 and CollXtion 2, the artist’s first two EPs in a series of works, which are actively defining what an album release looks like. Or the persona of Allie X herself, which blends a gothic and pastel aesthetic to deliver something that goes beyond just the music. Undeniably haunting and stylistically crafted, Allie X is the future of pop.

#listicle #charlotte cardin #allie x #harrison brome #88glam #calpurnia #alcordo #so loki #homeshake #jean-michel blais #odie #canada day #grandson #anders #lennon stella #jonah yano #verzache

[keanuital]

In praise of Keanu Reeves, the nicest of meatheads

The  Hollywood star has embraced a life without pretensions.

Rolling Stone journalist Chris Heath once asked Keanu Reeves a simple question: why do you act? The star of The Matrix, Speed, Point Break and My Own Private Idaho paused the conversation to consider the matter. And he paused it for a long time. “Forty-two seconds, he says nothing. Not a word, a grunt, a prevarication, or a hint that an answer might come,” wrote Heath. But then an answer did come: “Uh… the words that popped into my head were expression and, uh, it's fun.” When Heath later asked Reeves if he ever wanted to direct, he waited 72 seconds for: “No, not really.”

Both Coco Chanel and George Orwell observed that by 50, we have the face we deserve. The Beirut-born Reeves is now 52 (the same age as Nigel Farage, as tweeters and bored bloggers periodically point out), but he looks pretty much the same as he has always looked: solidly handsome and straightforward, yet somehow vulnerable, like a Boy Scout who wants to do the right thing in a world that doesn’t. Jan de Bont, the director of the 1994 film Speed, called him “an action hero for the Nineties”. By this, I think he meant that, unlike the muscle-bound shit-kickers of the previous decade, a Keanu hero wouldn’t go out of his way to kill for fun. Where Arnold Schwarzenegger could, in Total Recall, shoot the woman he had wrongly believed to be his wife and joke, “Consider this a divorce,” Keanu always seemed somewhat conflicted while taking care of business – as if his eyes were saying, “Sorry it had to be this way.” The Nineties were the age of hunky romantics: Jason Priestley as Brandon in Beverly Hills, 90210, Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise. Keanu fit that mould. I suppose even guys with guns had to be sensitive.

And even dumb guys, too, with or without guns – for you don’t have to be able to think in order to feel. Reeves began his career describing himself as “a meathead”. “I can’t help it, man,” he said. “You’ve got smart people and you’ve got dumb people. I just happen to be dumb.” He specialised in playing benevolent meatheads, from Ted “Theodore” Logan in Stephen Herek’s Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure to the spaced-out teen Tod Higgins in Ron Howard’s Parenthood (both 1989). Then he traded meathead simplicity for that of the likeable (and, as ever, sensitive) action hero in films such as Speed (1994) and Chain Reaction (1996). The Matrix series followed, as did a few smaller, more indie-ish movies (Thumbsucker, A Scanner Darkly). But the 2014 action film John Wick, whose sequel is in cinemas now, was widely welcomed as a return to form.

Reeves largely plays the assassin of the title as a primitive cinematic archetype, but he can't help but gesture towards something more profound. Wick, in both films of the franchise, is motivated by grief over the death of his wife. (In 2001, Reeves’s girlfriend Jennifer Syme died in a motor accident, a year after losing their child; perhaps the role had a personal resonance for him.) He might stab people in the head with pencils, break necks and shoot guns into crowded rooms like Chow Yun Fat after three espressos, but he’s ultimately a man of feeling.

This narrative of a career of sensitive but slightly dumb simplicity isn’t quite fair on Reeves, however. For he has, on occasion, been capable of delivering complex performances that rank alongside those of his more conventionally actorly peers. In 1991, he held his own opposite River Phoenix in Gus Van Sant’s road movie My Own Private Idaho; he has since appeared opposite Al Pacino as a wily defence attorney (The Devil’s Advocate) and Gene Hackman as a troubled sportsman (The Replacements). He has been directed by film festival favourites such as Francis Ford Coppola (Bram Stoker's Dracula), Bernardo Bertolucci (Little Buddha) and Sam Raimi (The Gift) – if not always successfully.

And he started his career not with excellent dudes, but with Shakespeare. When Reeves was 14 and living in Toronto, he was cast as Mercutio in a local production of Romeo and Juliet. An agent who saw him signed him up and secured for him a string of television roles, which swiftly took him to Hollywood. Reeves’s embarrassingly stilted attempt to portray the evil Don John in Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing (1993) makes me fear the discovery of video footage of that version of Romeo. But the fact that Reeves’s life as an actor began in this way reminds me of his seriousness about his craft. He might not have much range but he has admirable ambition. Many years later, when the studios pressured him to sign on for a Speed sequel, he ran off to play Hamlet in Canada.

In 2011, the New Statesman’s film critic, Ryan Gilbey, observed in the Guardian that Reeves had “some claim to be the most enigmatic, as well as the most warmly adored” actor in Hollywood. That assessment was based in part on the “Sad Keanu” meme that had spread the previous year, in which a paparazzi photograph of Reeves morosely eating a sandwich on a bench led to countless expressions of sympathy online (more than 14,000 people joined a Facebook group called “Cheer Up Keanu”; 200,000 comments about the picture were left on Reddit) and to the declaration by fans of a “Cheer Up Keanu Day”, which apparently takes place every 15 June.

This weird adoration and the sense of enigma surrounding the actor are, I think, closely linked. We know relatively little about Reeves’s off-screen life, which he keeps well guarded, but what we do know suggests qualities that are, for one reason or another, vanishingly rare in entertainment gossip – warm humanity and hidden depths. Hagiographic stories circulate of the actor donating millions of dollars to animal welfare charities and cancer research (his younger sister Kim was diagnosed with leukaemia); of Reeves offering stranded hitchhikers a ride; of a team of stuntmen being surprised with a gift of £6,000 Harley Davidson motorbikes, which he had quietly paid for.

“Money is the last thing I think about,” Hello magazine reported him saying in 2003. Not long earlier, he had reduced his pay by several million dollars so that the producers of The Devil’s Advocate and The Replacements could afford to hire Al Pacino and Gene Hackman, respectively. And, according to ABC News, he “handed over his valuable profit-sharing points” to the special effects and costume design team of the Matrix franchise, which he believed deserved the true credit for its success. (Some place the value of this donation at $50m.) By these accounts, Reeves is most definitely a righteous dude. He’s also a curious one. A few days after the Brexit vote, the New Statesman’s politics editor, George Eaton, was surprised to find him visiting Portcullis House as a guest of the Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi. It was “fittingly surreal”, George told me, and Reeves came across as “courteous” and “modest” when he posed for a group selfie with some of the journalists who happened to be there.

As Reeves’s star rose in the early 1990s, the American men’s magazine Details lamented: “Nearly all celebrities – nearly all people – like to talk about themselves [but] Keanu doesn’t.” I guess it’s frustrating for journalists that someone so clearly interesting should be reticent about telling us about himself.

But I don’t really have to know much about Keanu Reeves to like him, though I’ve never met the guy. And there are things that I can learn from him, too. In Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Alex Winter’s Bill S Preston, Esq., paraphrases Socrates: “The only true wisdom consists in knowing that you know nothing.” To which Reeves’s Ted responds: “That’s us, dude.” That’s them – and every one of us with any sense, if we’re honest. We may think we’re smart and even persuade the people around us that we are. But in the end, most of us are meatheads. Reeves shows in his life and work that meatheads can live good lives, even in the face of disparagement and personal tragedy. Maybe Chanel and Orwell were on to something – he really does have the face he deserves.

NewStatesman

#keanu reeves

[kla-wallace]

The Evolution of the Boy Band: From Beatlemania to One Direction Infection

It’s one of those things you either love or hate. With their catchy tunes, rehearsed choreographies, and iconic style of dress, boy bands are either seen as a group of singer-heartthrobs that know how to frenzy young female audiences or a manufactured ensemble of wanna-be artists who spit out repetitive, unoriginal lyrics. But whatever your take on them- whether you are a fan of boy bands or not- the amount of popularity and desirability they have garnered in the music industry over the past 50 years is undeniable. Though crooners such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis began capturing the hearts of young women in the mid-20th century, no other musical act was capable of flocking female audiences and filling stadiums quite like the boy band. And while the characteristics of the boy band have gradually evolved over the years, one thing remains true: their universal popularity among girls has not dwindled, meaning they will continue to be a music consumption staple during the teenage years of countless girls in the future. 

Beatlemania! 

Paul, John, George, and Ringo - the original boy band. 

Despite the huge success of The Beatles which continues to resonate today, they are not the first music group most people would think about when asked to name a boy band. Though the band consisted of only males who wore similar outfits and sang catchy songs, their widespread popularity among both male and female audiences, along with their talent for playing instruments as well a singing, differentiates them from modern-day boy bands, who generally garner a majority-female following and sing to prerecorded music in order to focus on choreography. However, The Beatles undeniably paved the way for later boy bands in a number of ways. As Billboard.com mentions in its biography of The Beatles, they not only “influenced multiple generations of rock artists, they also helped birth the concept of the good-looking boy group performing catchy pop songs to rabid crowds.” And although their style of music was greatly influenced by the American rock ‘n’ roll of the 50′s, they captured the heart of American music lovers by storm, which not only opened the door for other boy bands to find a following in America but for British bands as a whole. Illustrating this capability of boy bands to expand from regional to universal fame, Starr and Waterman chronicle in chapter 9 of American Popular Music how “American Beatlemania [did] represent the first time this degree of adulation was bestowed on nonnative pop musicians.” 

And when a group of good-looking guys sing lyrics such as these, is it possible to deny their status as a boy band?

Oh please say to me You’ll let me be your man And please say to me You’ll let me hold your hand Now, let me hold your hand I want to hold your hand

With the rise of The Beatles, the road to more boy bands had only begun. 

I Want to Hold You Hand (1963)

“Easy as One, Two, Three”

Another group- though much younger than The Beatles- that contributed to the evolution of boy band hood was Jackson 5.

Comprised by Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael Jackson and managed by their father Joe Jackson, Jackson 5 signed on to Steeltown Records and made its debut in 1964. The group quickly rose to fame for its original “bubblegum soul” style and its popular concept of being a band of brothers. Jackson 5′s later decided to leave Steeltown Records in 1969 and sign on to Motown, which became one of its best career moves in terms of getting its name out. Motown began commercializing off of the band’s success, licensing Jackson 5-related merchandise and even a Jackson 5 TV show. Produced by Rackin/Bass, The Jackson 5ive aired on ABC for 2 seasons, reaching out to the band’s younger audience every Saturday morning. These  steps helped the band gain such as large following that its hit single “ABC” even surpassed the popularity of The Beatles’ “Let It Be” in April 1970. 

But while the band maintained a consistent popularity throughout its run, its inevitable break came in the mid 70′s as several of the band members, the most notorious of which was Michael, decided to try their chances at solo careers. Despite going their separate ways, the music they made together remains widely popular today, often featured in movie soundtracks and throwback playlists. 

And the “band of brothers” concept they popularized would recur in future boy bands as well. 

I Want You Back (1969) - #1 on Billboard Pop and R&B that year. 

Step By Step 

After the success of Jackson 5, a new African American boy band group came to the scene called New Edition. New Edition’s popularity inspired its manager Maurice Starr to try a similar concept, only with group of white kids instead. And thus was the birth of New Kids on the Block.

Ranging from ages 12 to 16, New Kids on the Block- composed of Donnie Wahlberg (brother of former singer and actor Mark Wahlberg), Jordan and Jon Knight, Danny Wood, and Joe McIntyre- debuted its first album in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986. Their debut was so successful that it’s rumored they collectively made $1 million from performances and record sales. The band’s style and popularity, featuring catchy songs and rehearsed choreographies, also helped build the foundation of the teen pop boom of the 90′s. And just like Motown sought to make a few more bucks off the popularity of Jackson 5 by selling band-related merchandise, New Kids on the Block capitalized off their success by releasing their own merch, which consisted of products ranging from dolls to lunch boxes. It’s said that approximately $400 million in bonus revenue was brought in over the course of their career from merchandise alone. In fact, the money they made from merchandise was so much that in 1991, they were the highest paid entertainers in the industry, surpassing stars like Michael Jackson and Madonna. And as discussed in Sounds of Capitalism, big commercial companies sought to profit from the band’s success. One such company was Coke, which sponsored New Kids on the Block’s Step by Step tour in 1990. 

Despite the band’s huge success, all things must come to an end. After much of the group’s fanbase began to grow up, New Kids on the Block had a hard time trying to maintain a following. Though they changed their name to NKOTB and matured their subject matter a little, the band inevitably broke up in 1994, only to regroup in 2008 without as much hype as the first time they debuted. 

Step by Step (1990)

Backstreet’s Back!

After New Kids on the Block temporarily split up in the mid-90′s, “teen pop fans were thirsting for the next big ‘boy band,’” as website AXS says in one of its articles. Created to meet this demand in the music industry, the Backstreet Boys came to the stage! 

This band was formed in Orlando, FL and was named after the Backstreet Market in Orlando. Little did members AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell know at the time, but they would go on to become the most successful boy band of all time, selling a whopping 160 million records in their career. But success did not come to them as quickly as it may seem. After releasing their first single “We’ve Got It Goin’ On” in the United States, they were not met with the response they hoped. However, the single garnered a huge response in Europe, where the band recorded its debut album in 1995. This led the American-made band to release its self-titled debut album in Europe and Canada alone, not the US. In fact, it was not until 1997 that the Backstreet Boys first released an album in the United States. 

But although they had a slow beginning, after their second album Backstreet’s Back, the Boys were on the fast lane. Despite a temporary breakup in the mid-2000s, the Backstreet Boys came back together several years later with as much success as before, even recently completing a much-anticipated world tour. With their charisma, popularity, talent, and good looks, they could still be what we consider the epitome of the boy band. 

I Want It That Way (1999) - Funny story: This lyrically-confusing song was composed by a Swedish songwriter named Max Martin (also wrote “Hit Me Baby One More Time”) who did not have a strong handle on the English language at the time. Though the Boys were offered a revision of the song that would give it more sense, the ill-translated, seemingly-nonsensical “I Want It That Way” that we know and love today was kept and released as it was. 

The Year 3000

Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas - most girls my age will recognize these names. For the majority of us, they were probably the first boy band we grew up listening to and loving.

And part of this, or most of this actually, would be due to Disney Channel.

There are comparatively few JoBro fans that knew the band of brothers before they were discovered by Disney Channel- namely during the time they were still called Sons of Jonas. After a not-so-successful debut album, Disney Channel took the band under its wing, helped them sign onto Hollywood Records, and put the band on its channel in seemingly every opportunity it could find. It started by airing some of the Jonas Brothers songs, such as “Year 3000″ and “Kids of the Future” (a song originally written for the soundtrack of Disney’s movie Meet the Robinsons). Later by starring them in an episode of Hannah Montana, the two Camp Rock movies, and ultimately two Disney Channel series centered around them, Disney ensured the connection between the band and the channel was sealed. The Jonas Brothers differed from boybands in the 90′s in that they played a major role producing their music, both by playing instruments on stage and writing most of their own songs. They also had a squeaky clean reputation, notorious for having a Christian background. But their association to Disney Channel limited their fanbase. After their fans were passed the age where Disney Channel was “cool,” in a way, they ceased to be “cool” as well. And the emergence of other pop icons such as Justin Bieber only sped up their loss of popularity.  

As much as I wish this band of brothers would come back together, I must admit their decision to split definitely propelled their careers further than if they had stayed together.

Year 3000 (2006)

The Infection!

Louis, Liam, Zayn, Niall, and Harry- my high school experience would have been some much different without you boys. I still remember how I was on the way back from a field trip to the National Archives in January, 2012 the first time I heard “What Makes You Beautiful.” Up until that moment, I had mocked and never understood how girls could obsess over an artist or a band. But now I knew. And like wildfire, One Direction Infection spread to nearly every girl in my 8th grade class that year.

I’m sure many other girls in my generation remember how they discovered One Direction. The ones that knew them from the beginning would have first come across their young, teenage voices on the X Factor UK in 2010, when each member auditioned as a solo act. But realizing it was time for a new boy band to take over the world, band manager Simon Cowell, who was one of the X Factor judges that season, put the five boys together and boom! One Direction was born. Though the boys only ended up coming in 3rd place that season, knowing their popularity, Cowell still signed the boys onto his record label, and the band took off like a rocket. 

Girls EVERYWHERE loved their music. They knew their names, where they were from, what kind of food they liked, what they were afraid of (I’m serious… Liam has a fear of spoons). It was not just an obsession with their music, but with them as people too. Of course, commercial companies took advantage of their fame as well. One Direction appeared in a Pepsi commercial alongside Drew Brees and advertised several perfumes. They even guest-starred on an episode of iCarly. 

But due to desires of several of band member to try out solo careers, even the unshakable One Direction had to come to end. Thought they are technically in a “hiatus,” it is not very likely for them to come back as each has already launched a solo project. 

The infection had found cure. 

What Makes You Beautiful (2011)  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJO3ROT-A4E

Sources:

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/6627366/boy-band-timeline-history-evolution-pop

http://www.classicbands.com/jackson.html

https://www.8notes.com/biographies/jacksons.asp

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/new-kids-on-the-block-mn0000390477/biography

https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2012/09/29/new-kids-block-their-early-boston-days/QkknuflO1Uy45M0xDmOIPP/story.html

http://www.axs.com/backstreet-s-back-the-story-of-the-backstreet-boy-s-rise-to-fame-73056

http://www.newser.com/story/231844/backstreet-boys-finally-explain-i-want-it-that-way.html

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nsync-mn0000516929/biography

http://www.nsync-fans.com/history.htm

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/jonas_brothers/biography_2.html

http://www.billboard.com/artist/305153/jonas-brothers/biography

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/06/18/have-the-jonas-brothers-been-eclipsed-by-justin-bieber.html

Sounds of Capitalism 

American Popular Music