SOMETIMES BOY BANDS SHOULD HAVE STAYED TOGETHER…
As discussed in my previous boy band break up post, when boy bands break up, solo stars emerge! But sometimes, the solo attempts don’t go exactly as planned….which leaves boy band fans all over the world chanting “GET BACK TOGETHER!”. So, let’s take a look at some of the LEAST talked about (in a good way), and often forgotten solo albums from boy band break ups!
5. Joey McIntyre
While NKOTB split in 1994, it took Joey McIntyre 5 more years to release his first solo attempt. He actually couldn’t get a recording contract, so used his own funds to record Stay the Same. He released the album on his website and eventually was picked up by Sony Music and the album was re-released. Stay the Same had some success after the re-release, selling almost a million copies globally. In 2001, Joey released his second solo album, Meet Joe Mac, but it did not chart and did not do well at all. Thank goodness NKOTB reunited in 2008 – because let’s face it, they are just better together!
4. Nick Lachey
Nick Lachey released his highly anticipated solo debut SoulO after the breakup of 98 Degrees in 2003 – but the album did not do well. The album peaked No. 51 on the Billboard charts and sold only 171,000 copies in the US. Many critics and fans expected more from the album and it generated buzz well ahead of its release because of the Nick/Jessica Simpson reality show, Newlyweds. However, despite being heavily promoted, it was poorly received, and some speculate it even affected the Lachey- Simpson marriage (the couple divorced two years later). However, Nick tried his hand at solo success later, and did better with his follow up album What’s Left of Me in 2006.
3. Ashley Parker-Angel
O-Town’s Ashley Parker Angel was probably the most recognizable member of the band (but Dan Miller is still my favorite!). After O-Town’s break up, Ashley put out his solo attempt, Soundtrack to Your Life. However, neither fans or critics enjoyed the album and it only sold 150,000 copies in the US. Ashley promised to rerelease album, but that never happened. And instead of joining O-Town on their reunion tours, Ashley has been working steadily on Broadway, making a name for himself as Fiyero in Wicked.
2. JC Chasez
After Justin Timberlake emerged as a huge superstar post NSYNC breakup, it must have been hard for the other members to try and compete. Which is probably why we have only seen ONE other solo album attempt from any of the members. And I do give JC Chasez credit for trying! But Chasez’s 2004 solo endeavor, Schizophrenic, did not do well commercially, and only sold 121,000 copies. Some blame the lack of marketing, promotion and support from his label and some say bad timing with the Superbowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy was to blame. Either way, JC did not put out another album – but in more recent reviews, critics have said Schizophrenic was ahead of its time – so maybe we just didn’t get it in 2004!
1. Nick Carter
After reaching such super star success with the Backstreet Boys, I think everyone expected Nick Carter’s solo album to be a hit. However, almost twenty years since the release of Now or Never, hardly anyone remembers Nick put out a solo album in 2002.The album reached Gold status, but never even approached the success of Backstreet Boys albums. Who knows why critics and fans weren’t receptive to the album. Some think it was a matter of poor timing as both Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera were dominating the radio with their respective albums of the same year – Justified and Dirrty. In amidst the pop explosion of these two albums, Nick’s attempt at pop-rock just couldn’t compete. But in the end, this album flop may have helped get the Backstreet Boys back together – and we can’t complain about that!
The Chatty Enthusiast 