Boy Power
Azaq BBS - Japan , November '04 - Yoon
http://www.azaq.net/Translated by [Renfu] at 5566 Jungiery
http://5566jungiery.proboards18.com Posted at Flower4Creation
Girls under 14 shape the pop music industry by idolizing group boyband. The group of ardent music fans tells what they like and what they really really like.
When it comes to the music business, girls have always had power. They proved it with other foreign boygroups screaming with excitement long before serious pop fans caught on.
And for the past few years, they have been at it again, propelling the rise of the F4, 5566 and S.H.E, and now a whole new batch of copycat group bands.
F4, 5566, S.H.E, Tension, R&B, Machi, and nearly a dozen others have emerged, most of them emulating the wholesome style and vocal pop sound of foreign bands. And then there are groups like Comic Boyz, 183 Club, Shinhwa.
Blame the explosion of boy groups on girls like 14 and under.
What happens is girls start out stronger in the music market, they always have had the massive influence. Young girls run the pop music world screaming for the pop idols, reason for more boys and more to take over the bands these girls are currently idolizing.
Record companies show that 95 per cent of teenage girls are music buyers, with approximately 7 in 10 considers active music buyers, that is, they purchase at least 4 albums in 6 month- period. Like F4 and 5566, when this group released their albums, 95% that it has different versions and editions. For 5566 latest Love Compilation album, it has been told that it has released 3 different Versions which are all top sellers. Not to mention the on-line shopping fans do in a day. Approximately 80% of F4 fans do their shopping on line for any F4 merchandise.
Majority of the girls also do go to concerts. So what makes the perfect boy band? Is it looks or talent or marketing? And what else are girls listening to these days? To find out, we assembled a survey ranging in age from 11-14, then 15 - 20. Their favorite acts run the spectrum from rock/pop style Machi, dance and hiphop bands like 5566 and pop and ballad acts like F4. Among the things we discovered : Girls younger than 11-14 are more into boybands like 5566 but most of this group still likes F4. While ages from 15-20 are covered on the 3 groups mentioned, F4, 5566 and Machi.
Random Interviews and Surveys
On boy bands
Xui: They are all trying to be like each other, F4, 5566 and Machi. They all have almost the same music. They are the same thing. Machi is good in rapping, they can dance, but 5566 dances the best among them, they are total performers. F4 got ballads, they also have Vanness who is better off with Machi. But over all, they are all talented. Other new are plain copycats.
Krista: I think they are all trying to make money.
Chen: "I think there are too many guy bands out there. When you see girls that are growing up and they are looking up to guy bands, I think it would be better if there were more girl bands around than what there is."
On F4
Huat Koo: "I know that F4, they started it, but 5566 is not far behind. They have different forte. F4 is goodlooking, 5566 is talented"
Teng: "I don't like Tension and R&B anymore. They are worn out! Admit it or not, it is only F4 and 5566 on boygroups, none else and as for rapping, MACHI stands out.Jason and Sam rap are table turn out, and so with Jerry rap, he has improved a lot, mature wise."
Annie "I only like F4 or 5566, Shinhwa is fine, R&B too even if they change members. Energy is also fine when Toro was still in it.
F4 and 5566 are both good looking but I like Vic Chou's songs because it has lots of meaning. They are nice and soft and they do not hurt your ears unlike Machi's songs that sometimes you think they are not singing, but shouting and it has bad tune, it is like anyone can do that because it is easy to shout without tune. Vic's song will not make you get tired of hearing it over and over again."
Chiharu: "I think that the F4 are the most sophisticated group. They have nice hair."
On 5566
Teng: "I think 5566 have nice songs and if you listen to them they make a lot of sense."
Chiharu: "They are not copying F4, they have different hair, and all chinese have same hair, it did not start with F4, but it is not with the hair, it is with the performance -- the way they act, their hair, sometimes the way they dress, weird but they make me laugh on wan yu"
Annie: "Like F4, 5566 will last a lifetime"
Huat Koo: "I would buy their CDs. Like F4, they are nicely dressed on ordinary events, but on concerts they are the worst dressers"
On Other Groups
Annie: "They are like copy cats of F4 and 5566 who started the fame on boygroups in Asia"
Teng: "Like Energy, they are one of the best also before, then Toro went out. I think that whenever somebody goes out of it, it kind of ruins the band."
Xiu : "Will not last, cannot break the fame of F4 and 5566. Not serious like them. They only stay to make money with F4 and 5566. At our age, we are more into talent and goodlooks. We may not consider one group to have the same but not like other groups who do not have the looks, and no talent at all. F4 and 5566 are both talented and good looking.
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