Press Release: Paramount+ has announced a new documentary that will shine a light on the most enduring genre of music in pop culture and the megastars who dominated the industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s: boy bands.
Produced by two key architects of the height of the boy band era, music manager Johnny Wright (New Kids On The Block, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Britney Spears) and Gunpowder & Sky CEO Van Toffler (TRL, MTV VMAs, Words & Music, Released, Election, Tupac: Resurrection), the documentary will dig deep into the love, pain and tears of joy in the frenetic boy band era with inside information and anecdotes from the key players. Tamra Davis (Rock-CB4, Billy Madison, Half Baked, Crossroads,13: The Musical) is set to direct.
With access to the music, band members and personalities who shaped an era, the documentary will explain the genre’s unprecedented popularity and place it in the context of pop music’s most important movements. The documentary will feature new interviews and material, along with archival concert footage, unaired interviews and candid clips that feature original members, songwriters, producers, managers, family members and fans.
“The ’90s boy band era made an indelible impact and will be forever woven into the pop culture landscape. Boy bands remain bonafide global sensations to this day, as seen in the fan frenzy heard around the world during *NSYNC’s on-stage reunion at this year’s VMAs and the ever-spreading domination of K-Pop’s biggest groups like BTS, Stray Kids and TXT,” said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events, Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music, Paramount+. “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Van and Gunpowder & Sky, harnessing the magic and nostalgia this golden age of boy band culture continues to elicit for the legions of fans across generation and the world.”
“The ’90s boy band era was an extraordinary chapter in music where harmonies and beats came together, along with talented vocal artists who captivated the hearts of millions worldwide,” said music manager Johnny Wright. “Their music spoke to the dreams, aspirations and emotions of the fans, creating a bond that transcended borders and language. To this day, the boy bands continue to inspire, uplift and unite – reminding us of a great time that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”
Van Toffler, CEO, Gunpowder & Sky added, “If you think back to groups like The Jackson 5, who paved the way for boy bands, this music has dominated the charts for decades, but there’s always been a stigma attached. The reality is, these are insanely talented guys who led the requests each week when I was running TRL in the ’90s and early 2000s. And, just when we all think the fervor for boy bands has dissipated, One Direction or BTS emerge, and their disciples like Harry Styles and Justin Timberlake overtake pop culture.”
The documentary turns on the proposition that the most popular music of the late 1990s and early 2000s has been overlooked, not just as a triumph of musicianship, choreography, street-level viral promotion and even songcraft, but as a cultural institution that paved the way for the biggest stars of today.
The announcement comes on the heels of the two recently released Paramount+ music documentaries, I WANNA ROCK: THE ’80s METAL DREAM and SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH, both produced by Gunpowder & Sky.