New Edition: The Only Real Unicorn In Boy Band History?
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The history of boy bands is the history of popular culture.
The business of finding telegenic teenagers, who can sing reasonably well as well as perform complex choreography has been the raison d’etre of several record labels.
And this found great meaning in the aftermath of the second world war, when mass media became a phenomenon and changed our lives forever.
Anyone with a bit of knowledge of pop culture will become nostalgic at the mention of the Osmonds and the Jackson 5.
And with good reason too.
Their songs have stood the test of time.
African-Americans who had the smarts, knew that showbiz was one of the few avenues for advancement and it was no surprise that players like Berry Gordy founded record companies.
Motown, as it became known, had quite a few boy bands on the rooster, but none came to having the continued success that The Jacksons and The Temptations had.
While I would be foolish to discount the impact that The Spinners and Four Tops had on popular culture, we must admit that we are still talking about David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Kendricks, till this very day.