Definition of the word boy band

The term "boy band" originally emerged in the UK during the late 1980s to describe a group of young, male singers marketed specifically to teenage girls. The term was coined by journalists and music industry insiders to describe acts such as Brother Beyond, Hombvue, and East 17, who followed in the footsteps of successful groups like Thin Lizzy's predecessors, The Seven Secrets, who were known as '6 Secrets'. The idea of boy bands was not new, as groups like The Jackson 5, The Monkees, New Kids on the Block, and Menudo had previously enjoyed massive success with young female audiences. However, the term "boy band" became widely used in the 1990s to describe a new wave of British acts, such as Boyzone, who successfully emulated the formula developed by groups like New Kids on the Block, singing catchy pop songs with slick choreography and androgynous fashion sense. The term quickly caught on and became a ubiquitous part of the music industry's lexicon, as labels began signing groups like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and Westlife, who achieved global success by following the successful formula developed by their predecessors. Today, the term "boy band" is still used to describe groups made up of young, male singers who sing pop songs aimed at young female audiences, although the term's meaning has expanded to include K-Pop acts like BTS and male solo artists like Justin Bieber and Harry Styles.