Boyband vs Boyband

            In 1994, Lou Pearlman, a big business man, put five guys together for the first boyband since The New Kids on the Block. Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, AJ McLean, and Howie Dorough became The Backstreet Boys and took the world by storm. A little over 16 years later, Simon Cowell, a judge on the X Factor UK, put five guys together to form the first boyband on the British television show. Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson became One Direction.

            Almost two decades apart, the Backstreet Boys and One Direction have quite a bit of overlap in the way that their music sounds and how they came up with ideas for music videos, even to how the band is set up with certain people and where they got their start. It’s easier to understand once it’s broken down.

            Let’s start off with their music:

1.)    Backstreet Boys’ What Makes You Different (Makes You Beautiful) & One Directions’ What Makes You Beautiful

\     One Direction’s first single, “What Makes You Beautiful” sounds a lot like a song that was on Backstreet Boys’ “Black & Blue” album.

2.)    Backstreet Boys’ More than That  & One Directions’ More than This.

\     Both are slow songs, wishing that the “girl” could see that the boy could love and take care of her more than the guy she is with. Basically the difference is two letters…. is/it.

3.)    Backstreet Boys’ It’s Gotta be You & One Directions’ Gotta Be You

\      While the songs are different tempos, the names tell all.

4.)    Backstreet Boys’ Madeline & One Directions’ Diana

\      Both song titles with female names, but both songs released in 2013 have to do with bullying and depression.

Next, let’s look at their music videos:

1.)    Backstreet Boys’ I’ll Never Break Your Heart & One Directions’ Gotta Be You

\     Cold weather, fires, playing around with girls in lovely winter wear….

2.)    Backstreet Boys’ Anywhere With You & One Directions’ What Makes You Beautiful

\     Both videos, while over 15 years apart, show the guys playing around on the beach, being flirty with girls. Very popular with the boy bands, but it gets weirder.

3.)    Backstreet Boys’ Inconsolable & One Directions’ You & I

\     Deck/bridge at a beach.

4.)    Backstreet Boys’ As Long As You Love Me & One Directions’ You & I

\     They merge into another member of the band. It’s obvious One Direction didn’t come up with the idea one their own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gl2QnHNpkA&feature=kp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kqQDCxRCzM&feature=youtu.be               

Now, let’s look at the band members:

1.)    Harry Styles (One Direction) and Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys)

\     Both more desired in the US than their other band mates. “Heart throbs,” if you will.

2.)    Niall Horan (One Direction) and Brian Littrell (Backstreet Boys)

\     Both blonde and have a sense of humour that is difficult to understand. They’re both more in the background when it comes to publicity.

3.)    Liam Payne (One Direction) and Howie Dorough (Backstreet Boys)

\     Both are in the background when it comes to the songs. They can both hit high notes that males shouldn’t be able to hit.

4.)    Zayn Malik (One Direction) and AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys)

\     Both are known as the “mysterious” ones with tattoos and piercings. Two people couldn’t be more alike.

5.)    Louis Tomlinson (One Direction) and Kevin Richardson (Backstreet Boys)

\     Both are the oldest of the groups and the funniest in their own, sarcastic ways.

            




           As you can see, there is quite a bit of overlap when it comes to the Backstreet Boys and One Direction. Not only has some of their music sounded a like or music videos were similar, but both boybands got their start in England. When the Backstreet Boys got their start, no one in America cared about another boyband, but in England, people did. One Direction, being British and competing on a British television show, got their start in England as well. Both bands infected America with their music and then that turned into the entire world.

The Backstreet Boys and One Direction are by far the BIGGEST boybands in the WORLD.

All images and information from: http://www.buzzfeed.com/karahleigh/10-ways-one-direction-has-copied-backstreet-boys-k1qb#.hgRKOJKN9