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Submitted by Vanessa from Kansas City KS US
Date: Sun Dec 26 01:39:50 1999
The article wasn't totally bad as others may think, it had some truth to it, not all artists survive the music business. That's not to say the BSB will "fizzle", it all depends on if they keep making good music, then people will like it. In every genre of music, let it be rock, hip-hop, alternative there are many artists alike or there are even "imitators" who don't make it. Only the cream of the crop does, the one with the true talent that sticks around even when music trends come and go. Look at bands like Aerosmith, they've been here for a loooooong time, and even though they aren't #1 on every music chart people still respect them and like their music, they haven't gone away. Same for BSB, as long as they keep wanting to, and no one goes crazy or gets thrown in jail it's inevitable that records will keep coming, I mean look they've already signed the contract for $60 million & a 5-album deal. I don't know about everyone else, but as long as they keep reaching for the stars I'll be right there to support them & scream my head off everytime they come on TV! =)
Submitted by Sylvia from Cali U.S.
Date: Sun Dec 26 01:29:35 1999
Ok u guys this will be a long one!!lol...I am so sick and tired of critics...Need proof that this article means nuthing? Well go back..How back? Way back!! Back to 94 and 95... What were these same people saying about the BSB?? That theyre just another band and that they will die out realllly soon and yada yada yada...Well haha..Now back to December 25, 1999...Where is BSB?? Here!! Are the gone?Umm I dont think sooooo!! Are they popular? Ummm I think soooooo!! OK what I am trying to say is this... Critics are just that- critics! What they like or what they say doesnt mean we have to like and agree with because truthfully, what do they know anyways????!!! Now as 1999 is soo close to coming to an end, everyone from here to Timbukto can truthfully say that BSB was truly the best artists of 1999!!They broke records held by artists these CRITICS LIKE!!! They sold out tour dates within minutes... Artists of the Year, Album of the Year, Group of the year, Diamond sales for both Millenium and Backstreet's Back, MTV viewers choice and if I may recall, isn't Rolling Stone a magazine that these critics regard as so high and mighty?? Well BSB fans who is going to be on the cover of this very magazine come next Friday(oh and for a second time, might I add)... ???Yes thats right, Backstreet Boys with the title of Best Artist, Best Album...The list of BSB's accomplisments are endless.... Well what I am trying to say is that We all, as true BSB fans, owe so much to these guys and the impacts they've had on our lives!! As long as WE stick by them through the thick and thin, we have the power to prove these critics DEAD WRONG!!!! Sure artists come and go... Thats true in every type of field!!Actors come and go, sports stars come and go ...but time only tells with these things!!If these critics actually took the time out to go to a BSB concert, they would see that not only are there 3 year olds, but 10 years, 16 year olds, 24 year olds, 45 year olds and finally 60 year olds!! I can attest to this from personal experience..I remember so clearly seeing two guys that looked around 25 come to the concert together and talk bout how awesome it was..I also saw so many couples in their mid-thirties and forties come - WITHOUT KIDS!!! This my BSB pals are proof of the power of BSB's music and not looks..After all, why would the married man care bout how so cute Nick looks for example... So in closing, I just wanna tell u guys that it is us, the true fans, that will prove these critics wrong in the coming years..We still have to be there when BSB are accepting the Grammy for Best Album in 2009 and 2010 and 2020 and well u get the point, lol...Keep the Backstreet Pride alive and Spread it for a beautiful and healthy seed always grows eternally!!Thanks and Peace!!Email if ya want...
Submitted by Gina from Terre Haute Indiana USA
Date: Sun Dec 26 01:26:34 1999
Ok, I was writing a response to the article quote by quote, but lovely aol booted me for inactivity so I will put it in a nutshell. Please be aware that these are my personal opinions, and I have as much right to them as anyone else. So, anyways, as I was saying..I believe that though there is truth in the heart of the article, basically it was distastefully written by a man who believes his outlook is very impactful. I think he's wrong. No 40 or 50 year old editor of a magazine knows about us. No critic really knows what will happen. BSB aren't NKOTB. They have proven that. NKOTB didn't have such a large and broad fanbase. They didn't sell nearly as much music, and they didn't really have much talent as a GROUP. BSB is the exact opposite of every menudo, new edition, or NKOTB. They are respected by children at the naive age of 6 all the way up to adults at the wise age 65. I darest say no rock group such as Limp Bizkit or Korn is very popular with our elders. BSB aren't a boy group, and their music isn't bubble gum pop. If anything, they started out as a boy group, the only one of its kind, and they had bubble gum pop at first, but, hey, they were young. They became popular and the spin offs started a rollin, but none could really compete with BSB. Think about it. BSB does grow with their audience. There is a reason for that. They have had to overcome some great personal obstacles, and some as a group. That drew them closer. Some, if not all of their personal tradgedy has given them a greater appreciation for life. They have become stronger, realer(i know, it isnt a word) people. This strongly affects the mature way they handle their proffesional career. They can actually realte to the music they sing and write, therefore, we can too. And as they grow and live as human beings, they will more be able to share with us their experiences through their music. They do it for the fans. They did it for the fans before the money, that tells you something. BSB have been big since early '95 in every country but ours. In 97, they struck gold. They became infamous around the world. And they don't act unproffesional at all. they are doing this for us. The only thing that can decide when BSb will fade out, ultimately, is BSB themselves. If they go along the same track they are going, they won't be gone for awhile, and a long one at that. They will never be like N*SYNC, they are really too good for that. There is the possibility of them becoming unpopular with the younger kids because of the deepness that will eventually be what their music becomes, but they will gain as they lose. And when those kids grow up, BSb will still be around, and they will again gain fans. Sure, they have to start a family if desired, but they are doing a fine job with their personal lives. Bands do not fail because they reached the age where any "other 28 year old would have a family". They fail when they stop doind it for the love of their passion. I believe that while, yes, someday, they have to come to an end, that day is no where in sight. They haven't even reached the opitomy of their career, the world hasn't seen what they can do yet. I think that BSB will be around for awhile, and thought their songs may not be at the top, their albums will be, and that is feat. They may not be the most popular group 5 years down the road, but they won't be nearly forgotten. And they will resurface big. They will come back. I will always be a BSB fan, and I know I will. I have a thing for the music, it touches me. I will support them always, through thick and thin, and you can bet I will be first in line, with my little old cane and dentures at age 50, waiting for the release of the latest greatest hits album. I'm 14, but I've known about the boys since the age of 10. They so far have had an impact that is undescribable on my teen years. There was a time my room was a shrine to them, but now as i am older, my mind and my heart is where they really are in me. Yeah, they're cute, but hey, I just can't get enugh of the music...Feel free to email me!
Submitted by chelsea from minneapolis mn usa
Date: Sun Dec 26 00:15:52 1999
i think the thing about the short lives of pop groups is true, look at the past. all types of music, groups and artists start to fade after awhile. to me the backstreet boys seem to be one of the most talented and successful pop acts out there and they probably will be around for a long time. but there are other pop acts that have had their 15 minutes of fame and are probably going to be over in the next few months and there are a few that i wish would be done now, like britney spears and n sync. i know some of you will disagree w/ me but i just don't think they are all that great. compared to bsb i just don't think n sync is much competition. that's just because i am a loyal bsb fan. people say how pop music takes over and it's all you hear about, well there are just as many alternative and rap and r&b artists out there, it just always seems like the pop acts are heard about the most. all of today's artists will be over one day and a new age of pop, rap, r&b artists will come about and the whole process will start all over again. it's how the business works. but bsb will live on forever!!!!
Submitted by Another Fan from Anaheim CA US
Date: Sat Dec 25 23:56:21 1999
Right on!
Submitted by A Fan from -- -- --
Date: Sat Dec 25 23:53:36 1999
Ya know, a lot of you are close minded fools and all you can really do is insult the critic because you have nothing better to base your allegations on.It seems to me that the only ppl who are posting here that completely hate the article are the only ones instulting it. Everyone else says it is credible and has truth in it, although they disbelieve the part about the Boys. You guys need to open up a little more and accept reality. What do you expect them to do, be your music slaves and keep making music when they are 70? Ask adults anyways. Only the adults have been around long enough to see that music does move in trends. So stop insulting the article just because you can't believe it. Who the hell cares who wrote it? It's credible and makes sense. What you ppl suggest that they will be around forever is completely uncredible. Get over it, nothing lasts. You only degrade yourself and your own credibility when you insult the article cuz all you can pick on is the grammer or how old the critic is. That's pretty sad. Grow up.
Submitted by Becky from new rochelle ny USA
Date: Sat Dec 25 23:41:23 1999
I THINK THIS ARTICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN. THE BSB ARE NOTHING LIKE THE NEW KIDS....BECAUSE THE BSB HAVE TALENT AND ARE BREAKING RECORDS EVERYWHERE THEY GO. I DO HOWEVER AGREE WITH THE FACT THAT NSYNC IS DYING OUT BUT THATS CUZ NSYNC ISNT GOOD. THEY DONT REALLY HAVE TALENT THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE GROUP WHO CAN SING ARE JOEY AND JC. BUT BSB ARE FULL OF TALENT!! BEFORE U GO AROUND WRITING ANOTHER ARTICLE LIKE THIS THINK ABOUT WHO U MIGHT BE HURTING AND SCARING. READING THIS ARTICLE HURT ME....CUZ WHEN U SAY THINGS LIKE THAT ABOUT THE BSB IT NOT ONLY HURTS THEM BUT IT ALSO HURTS THERE MILLIONS OF FANS. SO UNLESS U HAVE SOMETHING NICE TO SAY ABOUT THEM DONT SAY ANYTHING. BACKSTREET BOYS RULE FOREVER!!!
Submitted by Anonymous from Zyzyba ZZ US of A
Date: Sat Dec 25 23:40:48 1999
I completely agree with the article, whether for the Boys, N Sync, or Britney Spears.As much as many of you must hate to admit, it is true. Music trends are always fluctuating (with the exception of perhaps Country, they almost have their own degree of music trends). Like the article says, there are cylces and eventually Pop will be at the other end of the cycle. For some reason, I see rock music getting bigger and bigger and the whole "Boy Bands" (yeah yeah yeah, stop complaining, it's just a phrase) going out. And like faithful fans, we will stick with then. They'll always have fans as long as they don't do anything stupid, but the fan base would shrink with age. They can't keep catering to the age group, eventually it'll get completely different. I mean, if rock became REALLY popular tomorrow, can you imagine the Boys as being like Blink 182, or even Korn? No, I don't think so. And when they do start aging as the current fans age, they won't pick up any newer fans, since they have their own generation of music and music groups. And eventually our own Boys will decide that it was enough and that they need to have their own lives. I mean, look at Kevin. He's at the age when most ppl are already married. They're human just like you and me and eventually they'll say to themselves that it's time to end all the recording and touring to settle down and enjoy the rest of their life. Of course they'll have other jobs and stuff but the music industry has to be one of the most stressful occupations in the world (well...maybe High School Student is more stressful, but that's not an occupation). But it is very possible for them to stay in the industry. It's been done. Look at Cher. She's been around for so long (ok..that sounds a little exageratted) and she's still making music. Hit music at that. So yes, it is possible for Backstreet to stay alive. Is it plausible though? I don't think so. Truthfully I would bet that before Kevin is 33 they'll consider themselves done. Probably before (i'm pessimistic so...). Sadly though, I feel that if they really want to stay in the hearts of all the fans they would end after the next album, no matter how successful it is (especially if it does worse than Millenium). Do you all remember the Beatles (ask you parents if you don't know)? They split up at the height of their careers when they were the most famous people in the world and they are remembered for all their success (because they didn't stick around long enough for the mistakes to outweigh it). In fact, Yoko (who advised them to split up) had given the best advice you could ever get. But so many people at the time hated her cuz she ended the world famous Beatles. But look at them now, they are one of the most successful bands of the century (perhaps even the most). Now look at another band who faded out. Take New Kids. They were pretty famous for a while (I dunno...i'm at the age where i can faintly remember their success) but they died out and are remember for all the follies and other crap like that. Cuz they stuck around long enough to rack up mistakes. Hardly anyone remembers their success. They are just compared to as the failure of Boy Bands. And you know it's true. That pretty much works for all the artists. Most of them know that they won't be in the industry long so they try and squeeze out as much money as they can while they still can. Sooner or later they'll fade and eventually won't be remembered. But of course, there are those who would rather not do this. I imagine the Boys aren't doing this, otherwise tickets would have been at the 75$ level. Garth Brooks feels the same too. I hear his concert tickets are less than 30$. Anyways, I've wondered off the subject. What was my point again? Oh yeah. The article is right. They won't last, but nobody really knows how long they will last. It all depends on how fast the music trends move. But for now, pop is on top. Female pop singers are getting more popular though. So are some rock groups. Blink 182 is doing pretty good. And like the article says, when all of America hates you, you're dead. You are so completely dead. And lots of America is already sick of the "Boy Bands." Look at Woodstock. Didn't they decapitate mock Backstreet figures? Blink's video completely mocks all the groups. Eventually this will be pretty popular thoughts. Then that generation of boy band haters will grow old and stop caring so the new generation that is boy band-less will rise to new pop groups. But by then we'll probably be 60 living on Mir (or what's left of it I should say). Anyway, for now the Boys are doing good, and that's all we should really concern ourselves with. Seriously there is nothing that you can do, unless you have a time machine and an ax.
Submitted by Anonymous from Zyzyba ZZ US of A
Date: Sat Dec 25 23:39:54 1999
I completely agree with the article, whether for the Boys, N Sync, or Britney Spears.As much as many of you must hate to admit, it is true. Music trends are always fluctuating (with the exception of perhaps Country, they almost have their own degree of music trends). Like the article says, there are cylces and eventually Pop will be at the other end of the cycle. For some reason, I see rock music getting bigger and bigger and the whole "Boy Bands" (yeah yeah yeah, stop complaining, it's just a phrase) going out. And like faithful fans, we will stick with then. They'll always have fans as long as they don't do anything stupid, but the fan base would shrink with age. They can't keep catering to the age group, eventually it'll get completely different. I mean, if rock became REALLY popular tomorrow, can you imagine the Boys as being like Blink 182, or even Korn? No, I don't think so. And when they do start aging as the current fans age, they won't pick up any newer fans, since they have their own generation of music and music groups. And eventually our own Boys will decide that it was enough and that they need to have their own lives. I mean, look at Kevin. He's at the age when most ppl are already married. They're human just like you and me and eventually they'll say to themselves that it's time to end all the recording and touring to settle down and enjoy the rest of their life. Of course they'll have other jobs and stuff but the music industry has to be one of the most stressful occupations in the world (well...maybe High School Student is more stressful, but that's not an occupation). But it is very possible for them to stay in the industry. It's been done. Look at Cher. She's been around for so long (ok..that sounds a little exageratted) and she's still making music. Hit music at that. So yes, it is possible for Backstreet to stay alive. Is it plausible though? I don't think so. Truthfully I would bet that before Kevin is 33 they'll consider themselves done. Probably before (i'm pessimistic so...). Sadly though, I feel that if they really want to stay in the hearts of all the fans they would end after the next album, no matter how successful it is (especially if it does worse than Millenium). Do you all remember the Beatles (ask you parents if you don't know)? They split up at the height of their careers when they were the most famous people in the world and they are remembered for all their success (because they didn't stick around long enough for the mistakes to outweigh it). In fact, Yoko (who advised them to split up) had given the best advice you could ever get. But so many people at the time hated her cuz she ended the world famous Beatles. But look at them now, they are one of the most successful bands of the century (perhaps even the most). Now look at another band who faded out. Take New Kids. They were pretty famous for a while (I dunno...i'm at the age where i can faintly remember their success) but they died out and are remember for all the follies and other crap like that. Cuz they stuck around long enough to rack up mistakes. Hardly anyone remembers their success. They are just compared to as the failure of Boy Bands. And you know it's true. That pretty much works for all the artists. Most of them know that they won't be in the industry long so they try and squeeze out as much money as they can while they still can. Sooner or later they'll fade and eventually won't be remembered. But of course, there are those who would rather not do this. I imagine the Boys aren't doing this, otherwise tickets would have been at the 75$ level. Garth Brooks feels the same too. I hear his concert tickets are less than 30$. Anyways, I've wondered off the subject. What was my point again? Oh yeah. The article is right. They won't last, but nobody really knows how long they will last. It all depends on how fast the music trends move. But for now, pop is on top. Female pop singers are getting more popular though. So are some rock groups. Blink 182 is doing pretty good. And like the article says, when all of America hates you, you're dead. You are so completely dead. And lots of America is already sick of the "Boy Bands." Look at Woodstock. Didn't they decapitate mock Backstreet figures? Blink's video completely mocks all the groups. Eventually this will be pretty popular thoughts. Then that generation of boy band haters will grow old and stop caring so the new generation that is boy band-less will rise to new pop groups. But by then we'll probably be 60 living on Mir (or what's left of it I should say). Anyway, for now the Boys are doing good, and that's all we should really concern ourselves with. Seriously there is nothing that you can do, unless you have a time machine and an ax.
Submitted by Cindy from ~~~ NC USA
Date: Sat Dec 25 23:04:13 1999
I already wrote here, but I just had to let some more out! Does anyone realize what this woman (the critic) is trying to do? She's just asking for a obsessed BSB fan to read the article, get mad, and want to make a big fuss over it. So here we are, making our big fuss! Which I think is good. "WE ARE THE BACKSTREET FANS, HEAR US ROAR!" lol. Here's some comments this woman stated, and my response to them! -"Any girl will love boy bands for their looks..." Ok, out of all the fans I've talked to, all the entries I've seen here, and including myself...probably 75% of all BSB fans heard one of the first songs on the radio, and became a fan. I heard "Quit playin' games.." 3 years ago, and now I am a HUGE fan, giving all my heart and soul to loving them, like many other girls I have seen! -"The Seventeen and Tiger Beat magazine covers, the shrieking legions of fans, the royalty checks, gone before A.J. or J.C. or Howie or Joey can wail, I Want You Back." First of all, what the he*l is this supposed to mean?! Secondly, you should brush up on your BSB and Nsync music/facts BEFORE you write an utterly rude article about them...k? k. Also, I'm sorry, but being a critic, shouldn't you have gone through "Language Arts 101?" A.J. or J.C. or Howie or Joey" UH UH, reword!! Now now now, don't be getting all offensive on our Seventeen and Tiger Beat magazine covers, those things are the best! (I'm being sarcastic, I just think this woman is utterly and completely stupid for referring to those mags! lol!) Oh yeah, A.J. and Howie don't wail, they sing! And obviously they don't "wail" the song "I Want You Back!" -"'I don't think they're going way, but in the next sux months, you'll see them fizzle,' said a women who should know, Seventeen magazine's music editor, Heidr Sherman. Sherman said that by summer, "the boys will be out, and the girls will be in," which means good news to Britney, Mandy, PYT and the girl group racing to fill the Spice Void." Well well well, a woman who should know. I'm guessing this woman is in her late to mid 40s, working for Seventeen magazine...yeah I can see how she'd know. For one thing, Britney and Mandy couldn't hit a high note if it killed them, and who the freak is PYT? Sorry, but girls still like guys! And whats the point of that? We love the guys for their music too, GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULL!!! If any female pop sensation gets bigger, I think it'll be Christina Aguilera, the queen herself. NOT BRITNEY! (sorry brit fans.) Christina has a wonderful, powerful voice, which I think will take her places! -"For N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, LFO and other boy-group contenders, "it's been a great teen-pop moment" Sherman said.. "But it can't last forever." "N'sync is cooling off fast, because of lawsuits and everything else [holding up their newest CD]," syndicated music critic Ed Bumgardner said. Well, the BSB, having been around (popularly) for about 2 years, in the US...they haven't had enough time. Neither has Nsync, and especially not 98 Degrees or LFO (whom I met and are very very nice.) I feel sorry for Nsync although I don't like them that much, I respect them as good artists and thats how all musicians should be thought of as. "ya always gotta be a critic, eh?" I'm hoping, for my friends who love Nsync, that they can get through all of their troubles...although if they do 'fizzle', it won't affect me. -""After a while..... The audience decides that they've had enough of it," Helligar said. "And kids age out of their love for these boy groups." I guess this guy/girl knows lots about the teenage mind. Especially since he probably grew up in the Elvis era! Listen Helligar, you don't know anything about me, or how us BSB fans love them...so don't pass your judgement before you talk to a real teenager!!! Not some psychology book! Besides, there are many older fans, will they go through a phase? Do you believe that people that have passed their teenybopper stage but still like the new stuff are going to pass this phase? Really, you are misinformed! -"Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough, in the liner notes to Millennium, predicts that they will "be heard for a thousand years to come, God willing." Howie, you really pinpointed it!! You are so smart!! Being a Backstreet Boy, talking to so many fans, I think that maybe you'd know more about the teenage mind than old Helligar!!! You didn't have to read a psychology book for that! -""One day, the kids wake up and think that their music's corny and they move on to something else," Helligar said. As comedian Chris Rock put it in one of his many jabs at the pre-fabs in this year's MTV's Video Music Awards, "Didn't you see New Kids on the Block? Don't you know how this movie ends?" Ya know, I'm really getting tired of this Helligar person. There are few fans who one day wake up and think their music is corny...it just doesn't happen like that. Its peer pressure. In my grade, which is 8th, so many guys love people like Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit. Lots of girls think thats what they should like too, to attract guys' attention or just because they have been lead to believe that it is "real" music. Side Note: No one but other teenagers realize what could have lead those 2 high school boys to kill their classmates. They were most likely criticized for the way they acted, how they dressed, what music they listen to, etc...Adults just don't realize that. I knew thats how it was from the moment I heard about the shooting. Its all about peer pressure when you're a teenager. All the news broadcasters in their big voices say "What could have lead these boys to this brutal killing?" But you know, I don't think the students of Columbine are all that innocent. They all knew who the boys were, and that they were teased. In fact, they probably teased the guys themselves. Also, Marilyn Manson probably wasn't the boys' cause for killing, sorry, I don't like him, but you can't blame him all the time. Now, once and for all, STOP COMPARING THE BACKSTREET BOYS TO NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK! I love Jordan and all, but coooome onnn. Chris Rock was making me mad, even though he is a comedian and it is his job, when he was saying this stuff about "boy bands." Oh yeah, Chris, didn't you see what happened to that one comedian long ago who talked about New Kids like that, YOU KNOW HOW THAT MOVIE ENDED. (not true, just being sarcastic.) Remember all those thousands of fans beating the guy to death??? Yeah thats what I thought. -"Few people understand the fickleness of the young youth market better than Johnny Wright of Wright Entertainment, the man who manages N'Sync and Britney Spears, who used to manage the Backstreet Boys, and before that was the road manager for New Kids on the Block. He well remembers the final days of the New Kids, "when they had become the most hated musical group in America." And he doesn't plan to let that happen again. Ya know, I think I'm gonna have to put a gun to my head if they say that one more middle aged man knows sooo much about the "market of teenage ficklenss." Just shut up already, you know not a thing!!! Why do you think the BSB got a new manager?? Cuz you wanted to make the guys look bad after a while, probably. Did y'all ever see the movie "SpiceWorld" and how the magazine guy tried to make the Spice Girls look bad and break up, well hello, thats probably what you tried to do to them! And you managed NKOTB, look what you did to them!! Its really sad that they couldn't get a NEW MANAGER! -"Backstreet Boys broke off with Wright when the group thought he was spending too much time on N'Sync, whom many regard as "Son of backstreet." Wright praises the Boys' efforts to give their sophistication and holds that up as a model for what teen groups such as N'Sync could follow." You deserve what you get Mr. Wright. Neglecting the Boys? Well, how nice of you. Truly, why spend so much time on a useless group of guys when you have the best 5 men waiting!! I'm sorry people, I'm rambling on and on...but I can't help it, when you analyze what these things are...you just realize the critics (if thats what u want to call them) just favor a certain group of music. Rock will be the forever loved genre of music by critics, unfortunately. If you read the article on, they say that "pop music runs in cycles." I guess it does, but the pop music of the moment I believe will stay. Although, I hate when people call the BSB a "boy band", or "bubblegum pop music", accepting what people say is really all you can do to avoid the insults. All I know is, that if you listen to the Boys music, like them for who they are, not what they've been labeled...then they will last. As long as the fans are there, so are the Backstreet Boys...and thats what forever gives me Backstreet Pride. I love all my fellow fans, goodbye and Happy Holidays!
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