What Makes Boy Bands More Popular Than Girl Groups?

The late 1990s and early 2000s marked the last era when both boy bands and girl groups dominated the pop charts. Iconic acts like 'N Sync, Destiny's Child, TLC, Backstreet Boys, and the Spice Girls were regulars on MTV — a time before YouTube, when music videos were only found on cable TV! Both types of groups had their fiercely loyal fanbases.

However, the landscape shifted dramatically. Most leading girl groups either split up or faded away, with no significant successors stepping up (we mean "significant," Danity Kane). In contrast, new boy bands such as the Jonas Brothers and One Direction quickly took over the teen pop scene as the older groups lost their appeal.

Currently, the boy band scene is dominated by the K-pop phenomenon BTS, which achieved a historic milestone in 2019 by becoming the first group since The Beatles to have three albums reach No. 1 on the U.S. pop charts in a single year. Their hit single "Boy With Luv" also broke records, garnering 74.6 million YouTube views in just 24 hours.

However, what happened to the iconic girl groups of the past? While solo female artists like Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift are thriving, the once-powerful "girl power" collective energy has faded. While changing musical trends may seem like the culprit, deeper societal factors — ones that have hindered girl groups for decades — could be at play.

Where the Boys Are

The enduring popularity of boy bands is easy to understand. Since the Beatles in the 1960s, each generation of young girls has turned to boy bands as harmless crushes to explore their budding sexuality. Boy bands are carefully crafted, with each member embodying a specific archetype — the rebel, the introvert, the joker — allowing young fans to explore their preferences through these idealized male personas.

Music journalist Jason King, writing for NPR, explained the key differences between boy bands and "man bands": members are typically in their late teens or early 20s; their music targets teenage and preteen girls; and they are often assembled by a manager rather than forming naturally. "The manager oversees the sound, image, and member selection, often leading to frequent lineup changes." Additionally, members rarely play instruments or write their own music.

"For decades, boy band fandom has provided teen girls with a straightforward way to explore and build their identities," noted Sasha Geffen in Fader. "Straight teen boys, on the other hand, may admire male musicians but are neither expected nor encouraged to empathize with female artists in the same way."

Girls Up Front

While some girl groups, such as the Spice Girls, were also assembled by a manager with a clear vision, music journalist Evelyn McDonnell argues that girl groups have always offered a unique and equally compelling appeal. For young female fans, these groups represent empowerment, self-expression, and a sense of belonging.

"Instead of idolizing the members romantically, young fans see girl groups as relatable figures who reflect their own experiences and aspirations," explains McDonnell, an English professor and head of the journalism program at Loyola Marymount University. "They imagine themselves performing alongside these groups onstage, rather than fantasizing about romantic scenarios."

Among McDonnell's top all-girl bands is the Runaways, a genuine "girl group" from the 1970s formed by producer Kim Fowler, featuring a young Joan Jett as one of its members.

Girl Power as a Threat

The Runaways gained fame with their rebellious teenage anthem "Cherry Bomb," but their time in the spotlight was short-lived. McDonnell, who authored a book about the group, argues that they faced sexist criticism and external pressures that male bands rarely encountered.

"The media treated them terribly, labeling them 'bitches' in reviews and questioning their musical abilities," McDonnell explains. "Such hostility doesn't exactly inspire groups to stay together."

McDonnell argues that a key reason girl groups haven't matched the success of boy bands is the inherent discomfort male fans and industry executives feel toward women in positions of power.

She highlights the 1960s, the golden age of girl groups, when the Supremes were producing as many chart-topping hits as the Beatles. Girl groups thrived during this period partly because they were controlled by male producers, who dictated their image, wardrobe, and even their lyrics.

"Those women had to adhere strictly to societal expectations of decorum and style, presenting themselves as polished and non-threatening," says McConnell. "They were literally molded into that image."

New Flavor of Feminism?

Sasha Geffen of Fader offers another perspective on the decline of girl groups since the 1990s. During that era, the "girl power" movement felt revolutionary, attracting young fans to onstage sisterhoods that embodied a joyful and empowering form of feminism.

Geffen suggests that, two decades later, the "girl power" message has become less impactful, giving way to what she describes as "a more self-focused pop feminism."

"The collective power of groups has faded, replaced by the rise of the female executive," Geffen wrote in 2018. "Sheryl Sandberg's 'Lean In' philosophy now shapes mainstream ideas of women navigating male-dominated spaces. Wonder Woman only gains her superpowers after leaving her all-female paradise to join forces with men; meanwhile, immensely talented female artists occasionally dominate the Billboard charts."

McDonnell, who edited the anthology "Women Who Rock" — a tribute to the legacy of female musicians from Bessie Smith to Beyoncé — believes there will always be a unique appeal to all-female musical acts, whether it's iconic R&B groups like TLC or bands from the 1990s Riot Grrrl movement.

"I find it inspiring to see women creating art together and uplifting one another," McDonnell says. "I know firsthand the strength my girlfriends and I share, and it's wonderful to see that reflected in our culture."