nkotb

OK. I have to get something off my chest. I love boy bands. I always have, and I always will. I am not ashamed of this, even though many may laugh or make comments under their breath about how lame I am. There is something so simple and easy about so-called boy band music. It's about love. It's about heartbreak. It's about sex. It's about youth. The themes are repeated over and over, yet catchy beats and danceable tunes keep songs fresh and fun.

Take, for example, NKOTB, better known as New Kids On The Block. Crazy-popular, drool-worthy boy band of the late 80s/early 90s. Teenage girls around the world went absolutely nuts over Jordan, Joey, Donnie, Danny and Jon singing and dancing along to songs like "The Right Stuff" and "Hangin' Tough." They were marketing dreams with pillow cases, lunchboxes, notebooks and posters ripped off shelves, and sold-out concerts across the country. While they certainly weren't the first "boy band," they definitely helped pave the way for groups like Backstreet Boys, N'Sync and 98 Degrees, who all enjoyed popularity in the mid/late 90s. Now that was my era. I was just a little too young to obsess over NKOTB, but the guys of N'Sync were mine. I instantly fell in love with their simple, fun, catchy tunes and "in sync" dance moves. I was a little more than obsessed, and still listen to their albums often, as well as the solo ventures of Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez. I bought apparel, merchandise and concert tickets (I won't admit to how many show I went to, or how much money I've spent on them over the years, but it's a lot). When they finally get back together, I'll be the first in line for their CD and concert tickets. I'll be waiting for that day.

But for now, here I am writing this blog, listening to "The Block," the latest come-back album from none other than NKOTB. I am a 22-year-old college graduate with a fairly extensive musical repertoire, and I can't help but sing along to songs called "Sexify My Love," "Big Girl Now" and "Twisted." Now I'm not saying that songs with lines like "You go hit the lights, I'll set up the camera, Let's get to the action" are going to go down in history as classics, but they are so fun and enjoyable. A little dirty maybe. But what's wrong with that? They really aren't "kids" anymore (four of the five members even have children of their own!), and their fans have grown up too. Would I want my 13-year-old niece or nephew listening to these lyrics? Probably not. Will they want to listen to it? Probably yes. But alas, these are the times we live in. Boy bands sing raunchier songs. Female pop singers dress sluttier. Vice Presidential candidates have 17-year-old pregnant daughters. We don't live in a wholesome world anymore.

But I've digressed. Moral of the story? Boy bands will always be around in some form or another. And I will always love them.