Much of the success of the group came from songwriting of Lennon and McCartney. They had more number one singles than Elvis Presley. Their music was unique, especially after being introduced to drugs such as marijuana and LSD. It seemed that every song The Beatles released climbed the charts instantaneously. Soon, the overwhelming crowds of young girls became too much for the innovative band. Barely being able to hear themselves play irked the band until finally they refrained from live concerts. They focused their efforts on recording in the studio, producing hit after hit.
The Beatles were a revolution in the 1960's. Girls went crazy over the band. Their appearance, music, and dancing were too much for many teens to handle. Almost forty years later, a similar phenomenon gripped America. In 1996, the Backstreet Boys dropped their first album. The record quickly reached the top of the charts in several countries, however they did not gain fame in the United States for two years. A little reminiscent of The Beatles who gained popularity in England before crossing the pond, the similarities between the two boy bands does not stop there. Fashion and personality were major attributed for both bands. Taking a page out of The Beatles' book, the Backstreet Boys too dressed in identical outfits.
The Beatles White Album
vs.
The Backstreet Boys Millennium Album
vs.
The Backstreet Boys Millennium Album
Luckily, the Backstreet Boys could perform live with less stress than The Beatles faced. New advances in stereo technology allowed speakers to drown out the thousands of screaming girls, though their numbers were greater than those The Beatles attempted to perform in front of.
In many ways, the Backstreet Boys learned and improved on The Beatles methods of entertaining. Though it can be argued that their music was not as sophisticated, it is no question that the Backstreet Boys reached the same level of popularity as The Beatles. The album "Backstreet Boys" sold over 14 million copies. The Beatles came close with "Abbey Road" selling 12 million copies. This statistic makes it clear that the Backstreet Boys gave the revolutionary sixties band a run for their money. However, it was the pioneering techniques of The Beatles which led to the success of the Backstreet boys in the late twentieth and early twenty first century. The Backstreet Boys should be thankful that The Beatles pioneered the boy band, and it is obvious that The Beatles will always be the band to idolize.
http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-beatles/bio/
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/backstreet-boys-biography/73228d6cedaf10624825686d0006ecd8
http://www.classicbands.com/bestsellers.html
Images
http://aribeqz.blogspot.com/
http://aloftyexistence.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/top-male-singers-of-the-decade-2000-2010/
http://losslessalbum.com/2010/09/19/the-beatles-white-album-1968.html
http://www.amazon.com/Millennium-Backstreet-Boys/dp/B00000IOOE
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Beatles/+images/2588646
http://www.newsmild.com/last-beatles-concert/update-news.html
http://neonlimelight.com/2009/10/31/live-shots-backstreet-boys-treat-fans-to-concert-in-madrid/
Great job, Larissa! I never would have thought to compare the Beatles to the Backstreet Boys, but now that you did, I totally see the connection! Unlike the Beatles, however, the Backstreet Boys were able to tour longer, and had more advancements in technology, so they had a different sound. Good job!
ReplyDeleteLarissa- this is fantastic. You made comparisons to two bands that I truly love. One being from the 60's and another from my childhood, you really made a connection between the two that I previously thought was impossible. Despite your true comparisons, I believe the Beatles were a lot more musically talented than the Backstreet Boys. They were an actual band with instruments rather than a group full of boys who sang (sometimes even lip-synched) and danced. However, I loved the comparisons you did make; it was very creative and I never would have thought of that idea myself. Well done!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Larissa! I love how you compared The Beatles to the Backstreet Boys including in their music, lip-synching, dances, and in the nature of adoring fans that surrounded them. The ability to connect a modern day phenomenon to one of the past is a key element of understanding history well.
ReplyDeleteWell done as always, Larissa! This was an inspired comparison. It is well written (except that John, Paul, George and Ringo "comprised", not "compromised" the Beatles). Keep up the fine work.
ReplyDeleteProbably one of the best posts! Its super interesting and something everyone can relate to. I remember being a fan of the Backstreet Boys over NSYNC but never realized how similar they were to the Beatles. Their music in a way can be similar to the Beatles but, it seems they are more pop. The pictures and text flowed so well, and it was a pleasure to read.
ReplyDeleteLarissa your a beast at the blogs. But seriously this is cool reading about your connection with The Beatles and the Backstreet Boys! The explanations you give are great on how they are so much a like and I never thought of the Backstreet Boys to be like them. The Backstreet Boys have similar music but in a sense there a whole different pop but that is just to do to times changing but the blog is great.
ReplyDeleteLarissa, this is such a good blog post! I never even thought of this comparison, but now that you point it out, I totally see it! I know that I was very into the Backstreet Boys when I was younger and I would imagine that is how younger girls were into the Beatles. I know that many people criticized this boy band but yet, their audiences were outrageous. I remember that they even had Backstreet Boys CDs at McDonalds that came with Happy Meals and Mighty Kids meals and you could even buy them there if you wanted. I always begged my mom to take me just so I could get the next CD they had at McDonalds. Excellent post Larissa!
ReplyDeleteso the backstreet boys are just beatles wannabe's
ReplyDelete