The Business Behind One Direction, BTS & The World’s Biggest Boy Bands | Billboard On The Record

Billboard co-chief content officer Jason Lipshutz discusses the business behind boy bands on the On The Record podcast, alongside host Kristin Robinson. Drawing on his book about One Direction, he explains how groups are assembled and marketed, how fandom changes over time, and what may help a band last.

The discussion spans New Kids on the Block, One Direction, Backstreet Boys and BTS. It describes collectibles and other merchandise as part of the business model, and notes that boy-band popularity can fade as young fans grow older. Lipshutz and Robinson also consider the 20-year nostalgia cycle and BTS’s longevity as examples of how groups can return to prominence or sustain a following.