Boy Bands

Just like many teenagers, my favorite hobby is listening to music. Music, I believe, is a very efficient tool to help you calm your nerves down and is a way to help you relax.

Listening to music can soothe your mind like nothing else can. Every single person has his/her own taste of music. The music that I listen to that soothes me might not soothe one of my other friends. Nowadays, the type of music that I listen to most is pop music. I like to, in particularly, listen to all those boy band music that are out there, especially N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, etc. It is true that these boy bands are somewhat materialistic. It is true that these boy bands do, not only sell there their music, but also sell their looks.

The music industry, I believe, is becoming more and more corrupt. Not only do you have to have the voice to become a singer, but also you have to have the looks. Much propaganda is used today to promote all of these boy bands. If I know that these boy bands are materialistic then why do I still listen to their music? It's a simple answer. I continue to listen to these boy bands because they do produce nice songs. Their voices are very soothing and their music is very beautiful songs. For instance, do you not agree with me that the song "I Do (Cherish You)" by 98 Degrees is a really pretty song? I know that I do buy the boy band albums because of the songs that they sing and not by their looks. It is just coincidence that the guys in these artist groups are good looking people. I am not saying that you have to like these boy bands, but all I'm saying is that before you start to criticize them, listen to their music first. The point of listening to music is to soothe your soul, and if these types of songs can soothe you then why not listen to them. I don't think that listening to these boy bands can do any harm.

And just because you listen to some of their songs it doesn't mean that you're gay. 

Kim Sevinski <stu15-319@isb.ac.th>
International School Bangkok, Thailand

 
Many may think that boybands don't count as a band and that they ruin the music industry. However, what is the definition of music? Music is the melody, the words, or both. Thus hitting glasses fill with different levels of water would still be consider as music. So would pop, rock, folk, country, blues, jazz, etc. Boybands would belong to pop, and thus would still be consider as music.

The controversy of the boybands issue arises from the fact that they did not product their own music and that the composers should win awards instead of the singers. Why then won't the composers sing themselves? Because they get better payment? No. Some composers would just prefer to compose, and some can't sing. Yes, the boybands can't compose, but they also have abilities that composers don't have as well. And I agree that a lot of the time, singing well is really hard. I am a musician and I play in a band, and so I know how hard it is. In our case, we're trying so hard to find a singer, and guess what, we can't find the right one to sing it. We have like so many drummers, actually 3 people in my band can play drum, 4 can play guitars, and all guitarists can play bass if they try to, but we just can't ever get a singer. In my school's music competition (Comedy Improv. and All that Jazz), we've been seeing teh same people singing again and again for different bands (actually, they're the musicians). But that actually prove something, that is, the number of people that can actually sing well is low. It takes talent and practice to sing as well for singing well is not an easy thing that someone that never practice can do.

All boybands do is imposing a different kind of music in which the voice overshadow the instruments, but that does not make the music any less interesting or getting worse. If singing is not music and does not take talents, why then does opera famous and last for a very long time? Is it not because of the singers' voice and ability? So, it is inaccurate, in my opinion, when some claims that it ruins the industry. Boybands would if they can't even sing well, but there's those that can sing as well as those who can't. In every kind of music, there are always those who are better than others. It doesn't matter what kind of music it is. Those that aren't good will not be remembered for a long time, but those that are good become oldies and classics. (such as some the Beatles, Elvis, Beetoven, Mozart) What do you think? I want to hear what others think about this. 

Nicha Suebwonglee <nicha16@hotmail.com>
International School Bangkok, Thailand

 
Just like many teenagers, my favorite hobby is listening to music. Music, I believe, is a very efficient tool to help you calm your nerves down and is a way to help you relax.

Listening to music can soothe your mind like nothing else can. Every single person has his/her own taste of music. The music that I listen to that soothes me might not soothe one of my other friends. Nowadays, the type of music that I listen to most is pop music. I like to, in particularly, listen to all those boy band music that are out there, especially N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, etc. It is true that these boy bands are somewhat materialistic. It is true that these boy bands do, not only sell there their music, but also sell their looks.

The music industry, I believe, is becoming more and more corrupt. Not only do you have to have the voice to become a singer, but also you have to have the looks. Much propaganda is used today to promote all of these boy bands. If I know that these boy bands are materialistic then why do I still listen to their music? It's a simple answer. I continue to listen to these boy bands because they do produce nice songs. Their voices are very soothing and their music is very beautiful songs. For instance, do you not agree with me that the song "I Do (Cherish You)" by 98 Degrees is a really pretty song? I know that I do buy the boy band albums because of the songs that they sing and not by their looks. It is just coincidence that the guys in these artist groups are good looking people. I am not saying that you have to like these boy bands, but all I'm saying is that before you start to criticize them, listen to their music first. The point of listening to music is to soothe your soul, and if these types of songs can soothe you then why not listen to them. I don't think that listening to these boy bands can do any harm. And just because you listen to some of their songs it doesn't mean that you're gay.

If you disagree or agree with me then write me back. I would be happy to hear what you have to say about this issue.

Jennifer Kraipaspong <stu10-319@isb.ac.th>
International School Bangkok, Thailand