o p i n i o n s

The Politics of Pop Boys, Bands Are Really Baramoters of the Office of the President On weekend of June 19th in Chicago, the home of The Produce Section, every news report featured an update on two continuing stories: President George W. Bush’s first visit to Europe and traffic planning around Saturday’s and Sunday’s ‘NSync concerts at Soldier Field. Bush received mixed marks from the European leaders. The ‘NSync boys sold out 100,000 tickets in 4 minutes. Protestors greeted Bush at every stop, outraged over his refusal to sign the Kiyoto Treaty on global warming and his plans for a national missile defense system. There will be a parents’ tent outside Soldier Field offering free soft drinks and a place to sit and wait for children attending the show. These concurrent but seemingly unrelated stories are actually the latest example in a trend of correlation between the Office of the President and the popularity of "boy bands." Is he 'NSync with the political climate? Boy bands experience a resurgence in popularity and usually reach their peak with a Republican sitting in the Oval Office. The Four Freshmen reached peak popularity in 1958 under the reign of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Menudo, 1982 – Ronald Reagan. And as mentioned, the current movement of ‘NSync/Backstreet Boys/98 Degrees began under centrist Democrat Bill Clinton (apparently, good enough to get the ball rolling) and has fully blossomed under the watch of President George W. Bush. It’s unclear if the influence extends both ways (example of note: The Beatles peaked uncharacteristically in election season 1967-68 under sitting democrat LBJ and Nixon was elected). The theory on this correlation is a physical one. Apparently, as the collective ass of the nation tightens as the Republicans assume executive power, tension in the collective ear is released, paving the way for the trademark stacked harmonies and flip-flopping chords of the 4- and 5-member groups. Who knows what the future holds for this president and these boy bands? Their fates are intertwined, that’s for sure. The Produce Section will keep an eye and an ear on it through 2004.