Whatever happened to real boybands? You know the ones I’m talking about. As James Corden put it on The Late Late Show, the proper ones with the matching outfits and synchronized dance moves. Before One Direction exploded on the scene with skinny jeans and absolutely no dancing ability, and the Jonas Brothers dared to use instruments as their main draw, boybands were an entirely different beast.
They used to come in groups of four or five with specific traits: the young one, the cute one, the funny one, the bad boy and … that other guy. It didn’t matter if it was NSYNC, O-Town, 98 Degrees or even New Kids on the Block, they always fit the formula while remaining distinctively different. Oh, and they either began in or lived in Orlando because that city was just a breeding ground for huge pop acts during the mid ’90s to early ’00s.
As if picking up on our longing for the old ways, James Corden decided to bring back the true boyband with one of the highest selling acts of all time—the Backstreet Boys. And yes, they were all present (even Kevin). The group performed their megahit “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” with Corden as an additional member, and I swear this took me all the way back to middle school.
If you’re looking to start your day with a pep in your step, check out the video above, and then get nostalgic in the comments below. Who was your favorite boyband and why?
(via The Hollywood Reporter, image via ccreencap)
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