Boy Bands 4Eva: The Hidden Costs of Success

From overwork to exploitation – why boy bands’ stories hold a mirror to our own lives.

If you've been regularly following my posts, you'll know that my secret guilty pleasure is pop culture. Every now and again, I'll get really passionate about something that, frankly isn't very important in the grand scheme of things, like the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders or J Lo and Ben Affleck's relationship.

Warning: today is one of those days.

I recently binge-watched a BBC documentary on the rise and fall of 90s and early 2000s boy bands. Do you remember North & South? Me neither. 911? Vaguely. Take That? Of course. East 17? Yes, but I was too obsessed with Mark and Robbie to pay them much attention.

So, why am I talking about boy bands? Well, in a nutshell, OH MY GOD, THE F**KING MUSIC INDUSTRY. Also, Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and that journalist from the News of the World can actually do one.

I'm going to assume that you have better things to do with your time than watch three hours of various former boy band members explain how they were mentally and emotionally broken by their experience of being world famous for a few years.

Here’s what I learned: The manufactured boy band era was born in the early 90s thanks to Nigel Martin-Smith, who modelled Take That on New Kids on the Block (NKOTB if you were a fan). Take That - five boys plucked out of obscurity - were relentlessly worked into the ground for years until Robbie Williams finally cracked under the pressure at just 21. Drugs, alcohol and tabloid drama led to his abrupt exit which shattered the group, who split six months later.

Then there was East 17, managed by the arsehole that is Tom Watkins, who allegedly orchestrated a News of the World takedown of lead singer Brian Harvey, which ultimately ended the band. Next came 5ive, pushed into a gruelling four-year schedule by Chris Herbert and Simon Cowell. They achieved global success but fell short of breaking America because they were burnt out by the time they had the chance. Members couldn’t even attend family funerals, as every single moment was deemed too valuable to the machine.

These boys were commodities, squeezed for everything they had and then replaced by the next set of eager wide-eyed kids desperate for some kind of acknowledgement and recognition. It was incredibly sad watching some of these grown men almost break down when recalling their experience of boy band hell.

Simon Cowell shrugged, saying, “Well, if you don’t like it, go be an accountant.” Louis Walsh scoffed at suggestions of racism in the music industry when Damage hit a glass ceiling. The News of the World journalist, whose name I've deliberately forgotten, simmered with pleasure when he recalled the power he had to make or break people's careers.

By the end of the series, I was left thinking about two things.

1) The exploitation in the music industry is just a window into what happens everywhere else. Stress, burnout, and mental health crises aren’t unique to boy bands - they’re symptoms of a capitalist system that prioritises profit over people.

2) The treatment of artists as cannon fodder continues to be nothing new.

Having worked with many emerging artists over the last 15 years, I know how tough it is to navigate a successful career in music. Post-Covid, the industry has shifted dramatically, and it’s taking its toll. Survival mode was the norm for a lot of creatives in the years after the pandemic with no time to reflect or plan.

Some artists are finally seeing their hard work pay off but have struggled to get where they are and often feel isolated despite knowing everyone else is in a similar boat. Others may seem to be enjoying apparent success, but are worrying about an assortment of things including whether they have the right team in place to take their career to the next level; what the plan is beyond the next six months; what to prioritise out of the many things they’re currently working on; the changes they need to be making now to prepare for the future; and meeting their self-imposed deadlines.

Even with a team to support you, there’s no guarantee you won’t end up being worked into the ground. That’s why I’m going to say this outright: Invest in a coach. A good one.

A coach doesn’t care about profiting off your decisions. They care about helping you figure out what you want and how to get there. They’ll help you see beyond the grind, uncover what’s truly important, and create a plan for the future that will lead to long term success on your terms.

Nothing will change if you don’t change. And let’s be real - change is hard. It’s easier to stay in your comfort zone than to face the energy and discomfort that come with transformation. Sometimes that transformation is not what you think it is, sometimes it’s having space, slowing down and saying no to what’s no longer working for you. But the rewards are priceless.

So, here’s my advice to you:

1. Don’t ever join a boy band.

2. Protect your emotional, psychological, and physical needs as no one else will do it for you.

3. If you’re ready to make transformative changes in your life, career, or business, find a great coach.

Last but not least, my questions to you are: What needs to change in your life or career so you can achieve your long term goals? And what’s one step you can take today to start making that change a reality?

Till soon!

Jennie x

P.S. Want some help? Book in a quick chat to let me know what’s going on with you using the link HERE. If you think I can help we can talk further, if not, I’ll suggest someone else.

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I work with ambitious, purpose-driven creative entrepreneurs & entrepreneurial creatives who are noticing that they’re feeling a bit stressed, worried, or isolated.

?? I provide 1:1 career coaching to help you:

? Achieve your goals for your career or business without burning out.

? Ensure you have the right support around you so that you can excel in what you do.

? Get clear on your priorities so that you can plan for a long-lasting, successful career or business on your terms.

?? I also work with teams who want to work better together.

I facilitate bespoke sessions that will creatively and playfully engage your team to build trust and connection with each other so that they can work well together, especially under pressure.

?? Last but not least, I work with primary educators who want to enhance their PHSE curriculum.

My drama and storytelling workshops, alongside my children’s book Becoming Brave, help children explore and express their feelings, building emotional intelligence and resilience.

? Find out more here: www.jenniecashman.com

?? Instagram: @jenniecashman ?? LinkedIn: in/jenniecashman