Album Review: Jurassic

By Kunal Mishra
Daily Cougar Staff

I have two words to describe today's popular music: teen pop. It is a phenomenon that has returned with full force.

There are two facets to the present state of this fictitious label and genre -- boy bands and blonde teenage female singers. My label "teen pop" is misleading because these artists have fans who are post-teens. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of their fan base in America consists of teenagers and pre-teens.

It is this demographic that is fueling the music industry with support for certain types of artists.

Names such as Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, David Cassidy, Leif Garrett, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson are part of the list of past teen popsters. The Jackson 5, a group of brothers organized by their father Joe Jackson, was the first commercially sensational boy band.

The group was led by the young Michael Jackson and its glory years were during the early 1970s.

In the 1980s, Maurice Starr created New Edition and New Kids On The Block. New Edition had the all-star roster of Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Ricky Bell, Mike Bivins, Ronald Devoe and Johnny Gill (who replaced Brown after their third album). After New Edition, Brown and Gill went on to pursue solo careers, while three of the members formed Bell Biv Devoe.

The New Kids consisted of Boston area singers Donny Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jon Knight, Danny Wood and Joe McIntyre. After the successful Hangin' Tough and Step By Step, the group wanted to avoid the boy band image.

In 1994, it re-emerged with Face The Music and the new group persona NKOTB. The new image included harder R&B and hip hop sounds.

Jordan Knight and Joe McIntyre launched solo careers last year; Donnie Wahlberg had a small role in the box-office smash The Sixth Sense.

The Puerto Rican based Menudo deserves mention among '80s boy bands. Menudo had age requirements for the group.

Menudo's most famous alum is Ricky Martin, who now has a successful solo career in both the English and Spanish markets.

Lou Perlman is the '90s incarnation of Maurice Starr. He gave birth to two hit-creating machines know as The Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync. 

The Backstreet Boys began the latest teen pop craze with their self-titled album. 'N Sync, followed right behind them. Now both of the bands are neck-and-neck in popularity. However, England's best boy band Boyzone has failed to make a dent in America.

In the early '90s, British export Take That, which featured Robbie Williams, had the same difficulty. The Spice Girls, England's most popular girl band, was well received in America before their demise (they have now reunited). There are other groups, such as C-Note, 98 Degrees, LFO and Five, that are trying to compete with the overpowering dominance of The Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync.

Right now it is the "in" thing to be a member of a boy band. ABC is showing a real-life documentary called Making The Band. The show follows Perlman's latest project, O-Town.

The show documents the process of becoming a member of the band and the initial struggles of establishing a boy band in the music industry.

The other facet of the teen pop hysteria is the teenage female vocalist. Interestingly, right now all the big teen females have blonde hair.

Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Mandy Moore and Jessica Simpson are the singers that are receiving coverage from the media. Aguilera and Spears are at the forefront.

They are both diverging into different directions. Aguilera is moving toward R&B, while Spears is focusing on dance and pop.

The big question is, when will the teen pop craze come to an end? The marketing of artists and media portrayals can become the kiss of death.

Marketing for teens is dangerous career-wise. Teenagers change their tastes as fast as they change their friends. It is hard to find a teen idol who has had lengthy musical career.

When performers such as Debbie Gibson and New Kids On The Block tried to change their image, they alienated themselves from teenagers, yet failed to capture the attention of post-teens.

If a boy band or a teenage female vocalist has talent, then they should avoid the overnight sensation approach. It is better to establish the credibility at a slower pace.

The Ricky Martin situation is unique. He was marketed as a fad to the women of America. Martin didn't only appeal to teenage girls, but also to women of all ages.

The English-language male market has ignored Martin because of the marketing tactic of portraying him as a one-sided heartthrob to females. Martin didn't help the situation by packaging his self-titled English-language debut as a marketing device. Vuelve , Martin's last Spanish-language album, shows that he really does have talent.

On the other hand, salsa/pop singer Marc Anthony has avoided the pitfalls. He has expanded his Spanish and English-language following through ability rather than marketing.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see who will make it to the next level three years down the road.