Ellie said:

N'Sync were pretty much a US phenomenon. They were just about starting to gain momentum internationally when 'Girlfriend' was a hit and then they broke up. Kind of like the Spice Girls in the US. They had loads and loads of hits in Europe but only 2 or 3 big ones state side.

Backstreet Boys were much bigger overall. I still don't get where those huge first week sales for N'Sync's albums came from though. Wasn't one of them 2 million in a week? Crazy. It was that weird bubble of time before legal downloads but after the physical single had died out in America so the only choice for the consumer was to buy the CD album. It explains why so many of those teen pop albums were so terrible (3 singles, 10 fillers).

One good thing about NKOTB that as been said was that they were clearly all good friends. Even the 10 years between the split and reunion they all saw eachother regularly.

I respectfully disagree, they were huge over here from their second album onwards. I don't know how it was in the US, but when No Strings Attached came out, BSB were already losing momentum, and N'Sync were pretty much seen as their younger (don't know if the guys were actually younger, but they were newer), cooler, more fun replacements.

alphastreet said:

MickyDolenz said:

During that time period, I'd say NKOTB. In the US, Hangin' Tough sold more than Rhythm Nation. Plus, NKOTB had a few other albums selling at the same time: the debut, a Christmas album, and Step By Step. Around the same time, Milli Vanilli's, MC Hammer's, & Vanilla Ice's albums sold more than RN too, although she had higher charting singles.

[Edited 6/8/13 9:58am]

Exactly, I knew of nkotb through seeing merchandise even if not music yet, Janet I did not know. I also knew the others outsold rn though its my favourite, which is why I don't understand why it's called best selling of 1990. I wish it was, but if it isn't and people are saying, that's a lie.

I think Janet's RN album sold more in the calendar year 1990...more than any other album in the U.S.

According to RIAA, Hangin' Tough sold more albums in total than RN, but I guess you gotta divide the sales per year. HT was released in Mar 1988, and went 8x plat by May 1990, so maybe NKOTB sold something like 6 million in the 1988 calendar year, and then another 2 million in 1990 calendar year or something to that effect. While Janets RN sold more from Jan 1 to Dec 31 1990, more than any other album in the U.S. during that period so thats why billboard/soundscan or whoever gave RN that title. I'm just taking a wild stab in the dark here.

Yes NKOTB sold more than Bieber and One Direction now, mainly as back in 1990, you did not have downloads or Xfactor/idol shows that have saturated the market with marginal talent performers known for more their looks rather than talent.

Very few singles sell any more, 1990 was still a singles market with vinyl singles, cassingles and CD singles competing everywhere. Now in 2013 its all downloads, itunes, burning songs and lkive performances.

Plus I will say todays bubblegum/popcorn performers are even less talented than the ones of 10 and 20 years ago. NKOTB I did not like, but they had some very catchy songs and they did at least have some strong vocal talent. I just do not see much genius in the voice of Justin Bieber or One direction.

If anything I am drawing parallels between Bieber and Leif Garrett, teenage star, booze and drugs and problems taking their toll. What will Bieber be doing at the age of 48? And One Direction are practically on the down already, they have still only had one huge hit and their voices are below average, they are just cherry boys.

I blame the Idol/X factor type shows, as in the start they produced great talent, but the winners get one hit and an album and they are mostly forgotten (Of course Taylor Swift and a few others are glittering exceptions).

Plus too that mainstream music is more lame now, its all lame ass producers with booty shaking drum machine beats and women all being booty shaking hos and music that is all synths and no instruments. Real groups like Mumford and Sons have a hard time competing with Pharrell and Usher and all the other marginal talents. Standards are lower, record companies want beautiful boys and girls who can deliver overnight hits now.

I agree with the person who said that Nsync, BSB and others were quite good compared to Bieber and One Direction. Nsync weren't that big here, one hit. The British acts were more popular 5ive, Westlife, Boyzone, Liberty X and S Club 7 (Yeech). Blue lasted a while too. The British stuff bubblegum has always edged out American bubblegum because NZ'ers are more inherently British in their preferences than American. Hence why a lot of black R and B does only marginally well here.

Adorecream said:

Yes NKOTB sold more than Bieber and One Direction now, mainly as back in 1990, you did not have downloads or Xfactor/idol shows that have saturated the market with marginal talent performers known for more their looks rather than talent.

Perfect explanation.

This group earned more money than any entertainment act on the planet in 1988-1989, including Michael Jackson when he conducted his first solo world tour...

Scorp said:

This group earned more money than any entertainment act on the planet in 1988-1989, including Michael Jackson when he conducted his first solo world tour...

No, it was 1990-1991 that they topped the highest earners list and earned more than MJ & Madonna (MJ wasn't doing anything that year other than recording). 88-89 they were just gaining momentum but their tour at that time was just a domestic arena tour when they started out as Tiffany's support act and swapped with her a bit later as they gained more popularity.

It was 1990 that they properly went global with their tours.

[Edited 6/28/13 0:02am]