Why Are We Brainless

For Talking About Groups Like The Backstreet Boys?

How many of you have been called "brainless" or worse because you like popular music? I know I have. I think of how many times strangers on the net have thought me to be brainless because of my love for the Backstreet Boys. I know I'm not brainless at all. Just devoted to the Baackstreet Boys and I don't think that there's anything wrong with a little fan worship as long as it doesn't get in the way of your everyday life.

I talk about the Backstreet Boys almost constantly but for that I've been called "brainless" or just "dumb." Or even worse. However, being called a brainless dumb-f--k is not the end of the world and it doesn't really bother me. I would just like to say first and foremost that I am NOT using this forum as an excuse to write about the Backstreet Boys.

A.J. McLean

Nick Carter with Hit List Canada hosts Danielle and Rob

People can think what they want about the Backstreet Boys. It's not as if I'll listen to anyone who tells me to grow up.

How did the Backstreet Boys change my life?

Well, quite simply put the fact that I discovered them when I had just turned 20 years old was a happy little accident but I found it to be one of the best accidents I ever discovered. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm 30 now and I still see things in them that nobody else really sees.
At first I thought: "Oh here comes a bunch of New Kids On The Block Wannabes! Here today and gone tomorrow." But after I had started really listening to their music I found that the opposite was true.

Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell: Kentucky's Finest Cousins

I suppose I couldn't help but be intriuged by them. I mean who wouldn't be intrigued by them? I think that the thing, for me, was that I was looking for something to believe in. I couldn't believe that I found what I was looking for 10 years ago.

Howie Dorough

The so-called "brainless" factor doesn't even come into it for me. For me it was a year since Take That broke up and two years since the New Kids On The Block broke up after their final album together bombed.
I couldn't quite figure out what I was going to do in my life. I had to figure it out for myself. That was when I started really listening to BSB and what they've stood for all of these 13 years. I didn't just decide that I liked the Backstreet Boys. I had a reason for liking them that really didn't have anything to do with them being a bunch of cute and squeaky clean guys.
I think it had something to do with their music and how it made me feel. Their music made me feel like there wasn't anything that I couldn't do.

Young Backstreet Boys singing acapella

Their Music.

Their music is the most important thing that I could talk about. The five part harmonies and the smooth vocals are what made their songs so likable to me. I think that what attracted me to their music is that after Backstreet's Back they started writing some of their own material and started writing about things that are important to them such as losing a loved one, Kevin and Howie both lost people who were very close to them, Brian's heart surgery etc.

A behind the scenes picture of a makeup man touching up Brian's make up.

I love the song Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely just because I related to the song a lot. I blubber like a baby everytime I hear it for some unknown reason. Let's just say that I have a lot more in common with Howie Dorough than anyone can ever imagine.

Backstreet on TV.

The Backstreet Boys have been on TV in real-life and in cartoons. I guess you could say that some of their animated debuts have been some of the best that I have ever seen in my life and the live-action stuff is even better. Some examples of these great works are:

Sabrina The Teenage Witch
Date aired: 08/12/01
Network: WB
Summary: Howie Dorough guest stars as a brainless musician named Douche. Sabrina writes an unflattering article about Douche and now he wants her fired. But in exchance for not getting her fired she must be a part of his stage show. So Sabrina casts a spell on Douche in order to teach him a lesson about being humble.

Static Shock: Duped
Date aired: 04/27/02
Network: Kids WB
Summary: A.J. McLean is in Dakota and is busy helping Adam Evans get signed to a record deal while his talentless rival and former business partner Marvin Roper aka Replikon tries to steal all of the glory for himself.

A.J. gets animated on Static Shock

Arthur: It's Only Rock N Roll
Date aired: 09/02/02
Network: PBS
Summary: The Backstreet Boys are coming to Elwood City and Muffy wants to be their manager but Francine thinks that the Backstreet Boys are nothing but a bunch of pretty boys and intends to prove that they're a bunch of one trick ponies by rivaling the Backstreet Boys with her own band U-STINK.

Sesame Street
Date aired: 12/12/03
Network: PBS Kids
The Backstreet Boys sing One Small Voice with Elmo.

Dora The Explorer Christmas Special
Date aired: 12/25/05
Network: Nick Jr/Treehouse TV
Summary: Dora and Boots are trying to deliver a present to Santa Claus while trying to dodge Swipper the Fox. Howie Dorough guest stars as a spanish speaking Santa Claus.

More Howie Dorough

The Sisterhood

Backstreet Boys fandom is just like a sisterhood in a convent or in a sorority. The way I see it is that you either like them or you hate them. But BSB fans are a strong united front that cannot be broken down for any reason.

I guess there's another reason why people like them is because they have such a strong voice for their generation.

There's nothing in the "all male vocal group hand book" that says you need to be a teeny bopper to like pop music. Most adults I've met online like BSB too.

Howie and the gang surprise A.J. on the Oprah Winfrey show and talk about how his chemical dependency almost destroyed everything that BSB worked so hard for.

So why are we brainless for talking about the music that we love?

Nick Carter from his solo album cover.

It could be a lot of things that make us female BSB fans so brainless. Maybe it's the fact that we scream our heads off everytime we see the Backstreet Boys. Or it could be that some of our minds are occupied 24/7/365 with the Backstreet Boys.

I just know that I love the Backstreet Boys and it doesn't matter to me what anybody says. I'll always have a place in my heart for them.

Cowboy Kevin

So the next time you're online and someone calls you "brainless" for liking the Backstreet Boys you can tell them that adults like them too.

A Howie promo pic

Thank you very much for your attention.

Kevin and Brian are playing video games

Comments

It's actually quite funny.. people rate this article down because of your tastes in music not because of how well the article was written. Sadly I think this will occur when ever you publish an article because people have most likely made a habit of it. I liked the article, thumbs up.

Because your taste in music is complete shit and that's why people think you are brainless. Listen to some metal.

Pop music has always sucked.

You got a -9 because most people hate boy bands? I hate 'em but sometimes readers on this site are too harsh.

Ever since the 2000's started, pop music has died. I still got a few of their albums (the first one "Backstreet Boys", their second one "Millennium", their greatest hits one "The Hits-Chapter One", and their third one "Black & Blue). I haven't gotten the fourth one, partly because of reviews who say that it's not any good since most of it is just rock music, but I desperately want their new one "Unbreakable." It's good to see that the BS boys are still making music, though Brian has left the group to pursue life as a contemporary Christian artist (which is just fine with me). My uncle was the one who got me started on the boys. Many people claim that they are gay and use the excuse "they announced it on national television." Let me clear this up: that's not true. One thing that I love about the Backstreet Boys is that they're Christians. I've never heard them say one cuss word in any one of their songs, which makes me all the more happier. Go ahead and call me a faggot for liking a boy band. Yeah, I'm a male. So what? Your insults won't harm me, so shove off.

boy bands suck.go 90's alternetive!

I love 90's pop! Especially the Backtreet Boys. I'm glad to see an article on here sticking up for boy bands and their fans. Good job!

Also, I agree with Optimus Prime Rib:

"Having an affinity for the Backstreet Boys doesn't make you brainless, it just means you have really bad taste in music."

Wow ducktalesfan. For once I actually agree with you (about punk being great.) :0

Well it's okay if you like that, you can. But that's sad to see that people prefer pre-made bands over bands with a real message and who worked hard for their place
But I still give you a hands up for the quality of your article.

Yes I mean the Clash, Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, The Dickies and others not that Green Day shit.

i have to agree with ducktalesfan1977, 90's pop does suck. and hopefully by punk he means the clash and such because i love the clash

Yes,a really bad taste. 90s pop sucks. Punk all the way.

Having an affinity for the Backstreet Boys doesn't make you brainless, it just means you have really bad taste in music.

The message that I'm trying to get across is: I'm a big fan but that doesn't mean that I don't have a brain.

I was in elementary school when New Kids on the Block were in their prime. I hated them back then because all the boys did meanwhile the girls just loved them. However, I had a guilty pleasure of secretly liking the NKOTB cartoon! Anyway, in modern days, their music brings back a lot of memories and I see them differently now as opposed to back then. There is no more ego to be bruised if you liked them just because your peers said it was bad taste or "gay". The guys today would smirk to themeselves if I heard a song on the radio and exclaimed, "Hey, it's the New Kids!" They would know damn well that it takes them back to reminiscent times as it would for me.

My point is this, Backstreet Boys, Nsync, and all the others just fall into the same pattern. I was in high school when these modern boy bands came about, and yes, I bashed on them even when I didn't think their songs were all that bad. Now, like BIGmike721 said, they bring back some good times. Add ten years from now, anyone of the guys from my old high school days will probably just sit back and smirk to themselves when they hear a Backstreet song on the radio, remembering the old days.

"I suppose I couldn't help but be intriuged by them. I mean who wouldn't be intrigued by them?"

I wouldn't be. Your artical is full of retarded assumptions and painful.

www.jejinternet.blogspot.com

I don't much care for the Backstreet Boys music, but I do like Nick Carter's new reality show where he talks black and has petty quarrels with his brother. I think they were fighting over Paris Hilton once. Funny funny stuff.

I'm still confused by your arguments, they're not very clear, but it's definitely a side of the story that needs to be told. I still find myself liking their music even after moving out of the targeted age group. I for one cried when I saw the video for "Show Me the Meaning." These guys have definitely been through a lot, and it shows. That's probably why I liked them better than the other boy bands- they really struggled to get where they were and had many bumps along the way. Just watch BSB Behind the Music, and you'll appreciate them even more.

Their music brings back good memories, good times, 90's.

I think the screaming response to these bands is what makes most people label the followers are brainless. Personally, I don't see anything great about them - except one thing: they bring joy to someone. I can't hate on anyone because I don't "get" their joy. Also, I remember a time when people hated me because I loved the Simpsons so much. I was honestly called stupid because I would talk about an episode I saw and liked the next day during school! Again, The Simpsons! And it wasn't fanatical, I would just bring up the funny jokes. Oh well,...