Figure 1.--A HBC reader has suggested that the trendy fashions worn by young entertainers involved with popular music should be represented in HBC. A good example is Aaron Carter. If you look at his press photos, Aaron is always dressed in trendy clothes like these bib-front jeans. His photography department always does an excellent job in presenting him to his fans.

This is not a section which intially occurred to HBC. A HBC reader has suggested that we should add a section on popular music and entertainment. This is a little difficult to define and would appear to have been a rather minor, but growing phenomenon. There have for centuries been musical prodigies and child actors. HBC already has sections on both. Recently a new category has developd with children singing popular music and involved in entertainment. The children do not seem to quite fit in the prodigy category as their talent is often not prodigious--although their fans might take issue here. Rather their appearance comes from the burgeoning buying power of children--especially pre-teens. This is one of the principal difference from prodigies in that the audience for these entertainers is children and not adults. Often their appeal seems more due to marketing than talent--but this may be just HBC's percptions. We would be interested here on assessments from our younger readers. Also much more than for prodigies, these children are usually attracive to add to their show-business appeal. The children involved are of some interest to HBC because they tend to choose trendy clothes and wht they wear is very influential with their young fans. Thus their clothing and costumes are an interesting indicator of contemorary boys' hairstyles and clothing. We will attempt to assess this trend and archive information on individual entertainers.

Chronology

We first begin to note youthful entertainers singing popular music in the 1970s. The first boys were part of family groups, the Osmonds and Jackson Five. Other boys participated in popular non-family groups. Some teenagers young attempted to break into popular music from their popularity on TV programs. Ricky Nelson was perhaps the most sucessful, bith a host of others like Leif Garrett made the attempt. In the 1990s boys have more commonly attempted music careers on their on without first becoming TV stars.

Phenomenon

This is a little difficult to define and would appear to have been a rather minor, but growing phenomenon. There have for centuries been musical prodigies and child actors. HBC already has sections on both. Recently a new category has developd with children singing popular music and involved in entertainment. The children do not seem to quite fit in the prodigy category as their talent is often not prodigious--although their fans might take issue here. Of course there always a financial factor in the history of child prodigies. It is likely that some talented children who once might have pursued more classical music in the tradition of many child prodigies are now drawn into the world of pop-entertainment for the same financial allures. We would be interested here on assessments from our younger readers. Also much more than for prodigies, these children are usually attracive to add to their show-business appeal.

Background

This phenomenon is in part dur to the burgeoning buying power of children--especially pre-teens. This is one of the principal difference from prodigies in that the audience for these entertainers is children and not adults. Often their appeal seems more due to marketing than talent--but this may be just HBC's percptions.

Clothing

The children involved are of some interest to HBC because they tend to choose trendy clothes and what they wear is very influential with their young fans. Thus their clothing and costumes are an interesting indicator of contemorary boys' hairstyles and clothing. It is interesting to note the difference in the clothing of these boys to the much more formal, often fancy or traditional clothing clothing of child prodigies who were usually involved in classical music. Normally these boys involved in popular entertaiment have chosen trendy casual clothes. These boys in the late 1990s and early 2000s appear to favor overszed "T"-shirts and baggy bib-front jeans and long baggy short pants.

Countries

While HBC has only limited information at this time, most of the youthful entertainers that we have noted are Americans.

Individuals

HBC will attempt to assess this trend and archive information on individual and groups of entertainers. Man of the pop singers we have noted are American becauise of our greater familiarity with American singers anbd groups. HBC has little knowledge in this area of popular culture, but will be glad to add individual entertiners suggested by our readers. We also have a section on prodigies that deals primarily with music, but these individuals and groups have focused on popular mkusic and commercial performances. Several readers have forwarded us information on singers and groups in their countries. Hopefully more readers will do so to expand this section.

Max Galleries

This extensive site has much more extensive coverage of boys involved in popular music and entertainment. HBC readers who care to persue the subject in greater detail may want to have a look at this website.

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Created: November 22, 2001
Last updated: 2:35 AM 1/17/2005