N Sync vs. Backstreet Boys

If you were a 90’s kid like me, you would have to be completely out of the loop on pop culture to not know about the rivalry/semi-rivalry of the two major boy bands of the era – N Sync. and Backstreet Boys.

In order to answer the question of which actual boy band was better, we must take a look at 7 major factors: 1) Name 2) Members 3) Appeal/Cultural Impact 4) Commercial Success 5) Quality of Lyrics  6) Longevity 7) Awards

Part 1: Name

N sync’s name was formed as sort of a homage to how much “in sync” the boys of the group were. Furthermore, their name pays homage to the last letter of all the member’s names. JustiN, chriS, JoeY, LansteN (nickname of Lance), and JC.

Backstreet Boys was named after Orlando’s Backstreet flee market…. ZZZ.

There is a clear winner in terms of the name – N Sync!

Part 2: Members

Backstreet Boys (from left to right): Howie Dorough, AJ Mclean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, and Kevin Richardson

N Sync (from left to right): Chris Kilpatrick, Lance Bass, J.C. Chasez, Justin Timberlake, & Joey Fatone

Considering Backstreet Boys lost one of its member recently, and the fact that Justin Timberlake and J.C. Chasez had relatively good (but perhaps brief) selling albums out, N sync wins another point. (Despite Nick’s brother Aaron singing this song).

Part 3: Appeal/Cultural Impact

Both bands had relatively strong appeals. For the girls, they were good eye candy. For some, it was based on their catchy pop tunes that you would blast on the radio on a daily basis. While N sync was on The Simpsons, Backstreet Boys was on Arthur. They touched every part of mainstream culture, becoming worldwide phenomenons, leading the way to other successful boy bands in the name of O-Town.

Because I love the Simpsons and Arthur, I’m compelled to give both bands a point, making the score 3 to 1.

Part 4: Commercial Success

N Sync top hits:

Bye Bye Bye – #1 on Billboard Pop
It’s Gonna be Me – #1 on Billboard Pop
This I Promise You – #4 on Billboard Pop
Pop – #5 on Billboard Pop
God Must have spent a little more time on you – #6 on Billboard Pop
Tearin’ Up my Heart – #6 on Billboard Pop
Gone – #7 on Billboard Pop
I Want you Back – #7 on Billboard Pop
Girlfriend – #13 on Billboard Pop
I Drive Myself Crazy – #14 on Billboard Pop
Merry Christmas, Happy Holiady – #37 on Billboard Pop
It’s Gonna be Me – #1 on Billboard Hot 100
Music of My Heart – #2 on Billboard Hot 100

Backstreet Boys Top 40 Hits:

Show me the Meaning of Being Lonely – #1 on Billboard Pop
I Want it that way – #1 on Billboard Pop
Quit Playing games with my Heart – #2 on Billboard Pop
As Long as you Love me – #3 on Billboard Pop
I’ll Never Break Your Heart – #4 on Billboard Pop
Larger than life – #6 on Billboard Pop
All I have to give – #7 on Billboard Pop
Shape of My Heart – #8 on Billboard Pop
Incomplete – #8 on Billboard Pop
The One – #11 on Billboard Pop
Everybody – #11 on Billboard Pop
Drowning – #12 on Billboard Pop
More than That – #14 on Billboard Pop
The Call – #19 on Billboard Pop
Just Want You to Know – #21 on Billboard Pop
Crawling Back to You – #31 on Billboard Pop
Inconsolable – #34 on Billboard Pop
We Got it Going on – #35 on Billboard Pop

According to these statistics, and the fact that Backstreet Boys has outsold N Sync in terms of total album/single sales, Backstreet Boys get the point for a bigger commercial success (but barely).

Part 5: The Quality of Lyrics

In dissecting the best line of 5 songs from each group, I will come up with my conclusion on whose is better.

The Music of My Heart: “You taught me to run. You taught me to fly. Helped me to free the me inside. Help me hear the music of my heart.” (Inspirational + 5 points)
God Must Have Spent a Little More time on You: “Your love is like a river… peaceful and deep. Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep. When I look into your eyes, I know it’s true. God must have spent a little more time on you.” (Romantic +4 points)
It’s Gonna be Me: “Every little thing I do. Never seems enough for you. You don’t want to lose it again. But I’m not like them. Baby, when you finally, get to love somebody. Guess what. It’s gonna be me” (Catchy but nothing special +3 points)
Pop: “Do you ever wonder why. The music gets you high. It takes you on a ride” (Eh +2 points)
This I Promise you: ” When the visions around you, bring tears to your eyes and all that surround you, are secrets and lies I’ll be your strength, I’ll give you hope, keeping your faith when it’s gone, the one you should call, was standing here all along..” (Inspirational & Romantic +5 points)

N Sync Total: 19 points

As Long as you Love me: “Although loneliness has been a friend of mine, I’m leaving my life in your hands. People say that I’m crazy and blind, risking it all in a glance. And how you get me blind is still a mystery, I can’t get you out of my head” (+4 for lyrical content)
All I Have to give: “But my love is all I have to give. Without you I don’t think I can live. I wish I could give the world to you. But love is all I have to good.” (Romantic, but unnecessary clingy +3)
I want it that way: “You are my fire. The one desire. Believe when I say, that I want it that way.” (Catchy, but not much to interpret: +3)
Shape of my Heart: “Sadness is beautiful loneliness that’s tragical. So help me I can’t win this war, oh no. Touch me now don’t bother if every second it makes me weaker. You can save me from the man I’ve become.” (WOW +5)
Show me the meaning of being lonely: ” Show me the meaning of being lonely… So many words for the broken heart…It’s hard to see in a crimson love… So hard to breathe” (WOW, Crimson +4)

Backstreet Boys Total: 19 points.

I’m just going to say this straight out before I come to a conclusion. Although I find both songs of both groups catchy, I think Backstreet Boys does a better job of “using bigger words”, and not really dumbing their lyrics down to the mainstream music you’d find nowadays. Bigger words = deeper lyrics = Backstreet Boys getting a point making the score now tied 3 to 3.

Part 6: Longevity

N Sync lasted from 1995-2002, making it a 7 year commercial success. The original Backstreet boys lasted from 1993-2006, making it a 13 year commercial success. Although Kevin Richardson left the group in 2006, the band continues to make music, all the way up to the present. Thus, being the Backstreet Boys survived, it gets a point for at least lasting through the turmoil of the 2000’s.

Part 7: Awards

Without having to type any of the awards, you could see on these two pages below which group actually has received more awards:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_received_by_’N_Sync

&

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Backstreet_Boys_awards

Because Backstreet Boys has been around longer, and because of the fact that it’s received more awards internationally and such, it gets the point, pushing it towards victory with a score of 5 to 3.

Personally in my opinion I prefer N sync, but the facts point to Backstreet Boys. What do you think?