The End Of The Hit Parade

As the twenty-first century opened, the music industry—the ultimate hit machine—basked in its power. The resounding commercial success of teen pop—from Britney Spears to the Backstreet Boys—showed that the business had its finger firmly on the pulse of American youth culture.

The labels had finally perfected the process of manufacturing blockbusters, and their marketing departments could now both predict and create demand with scientific precision.

On March 21, 2000, Jive Records demonstrated that clout by releasing No Strings Attached, the second album by *NSYNC, the latest and greatest of the boy bands. *NSYNC had been developed at an even larger label, BMG, but on the advice of its marketing gurus had switched to the urban-oriented Jive to get more street cred (and counter a slightly fey image).

It worked.

The album sold 2.4 million copies in its first week, making it the fastest-selling album ever. It went on to top the charts for eight weeks, selling 11 million copies by the end of the year.

The industry had cracked the commercial code. They had found the elusive formula to the hit, and in retrospect it was so obvious: Sell virile young men to young women. What worked for Elvis could now be replicated on an industrial scale. It was all about looks and scripted personalities.

The music itself, which was outsourced to a small army of professionals (there are fifty-two people credited with creating No Strings Attached), hardly mattered.

Labels had good reason for feeling confident. Fans were flocking to record stores. Between 1990 and 2000, album sales had doubled, the fastest growth rate in the industry’s history.

The business trailed only Hollywood in the entertainment industry ranks.