I will shamelessly tell just about anyone about my love of boy bands. It started at a young age, when I was three years old to be exact. I’d carry around my Fisher Price cassette player and play “MMMBop” by Hanson endlessly. Much to the chagrin of my dad, this is a phase it seems I will never grow out of (although I will forever be grateful of the support he showed through the purchase of Jonas Brothers concert tickets for me). And believe it or not, there are reasons why boy bands have such a strong fan base.
1. Their Music is AddictingThere are plenty of people out there who don’t want to admit it, but they secretly love “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction. In fact, even Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone magazine gave a nod to the Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer, giving their hit “She Looks So Perfect” the No. 1 spot on his “Top 25 Songs of 2014” list. The songs of boy bands are not only infectious, but they’re also memorable. “Bye Bye Bye” by *NSYNC is still an old favorite of just about everyone I know.
2. They’re Fans of Their FansIn the era of social media, it makes it easy for high-profile celebrities to communicate with everyday fans. And many of the guys in bands are willing, and take the time, to reply to fans, often on Twitter. The boys of 5SOS tweet funny responses and send some love back to fans. They even had a convention that went to several places around the world to interact with and meet their fans. It’s dedication like this that makes it hard not to appreciate the bands.
3. They’re LovableFinally, it’s impossible to deny that boy bands have extremely lovable members. For the longest time, I was indifferent to One Direction. Then, one fateful night, I saw One Direction: This is Us by chance, and from there was I was hooked. Each member had his own quirks and humor. My best friends and I have traveled a couple hours to see One Direction in concerts, and their personalities didn’t disappoint. Plus, Zayn bought his mom a house. And if that isn’t a good reason to like someone, I don’t know what is.
Needless to say, I’ve spent a fair amount of time dedicated to boy bands. There’s plenty of reason to enjoy them. So next time you find that a band is visiting your town, you should attend because you might be pleasantly surprised.