alrightokay

I'm with you--he's adorable. Yeah, I'm still really surprised that Sergio made it, because he seemed to fade, performance-wise, the last couple of weeks. He was always good, but more solid than outstanding (I can't even hear Sergio on the recorded single--at least it doesn't sound like him when I compare it to the part he sang during the live show). And he didn't seem to have the passionate fangirls that Mikey had. But he did do a big push on social media last week, popping up in many of the other boys' Instagram videos, so maybe that helped put him ahead. And while I think both Jaden and Marcus will still be able to pursue solo careers, I really wish one of them had made the band. I know this topic is way too big for this thread, but I've been wondering how big a role race played in the voting. It's too complicated to get into. (And maybe I'm just sad because, while he got along with everyone, it seemed like Drew was especially close to Jaden and Marcus, so it's bittersweet that he won't have at least one of his buddies along for this ride.) OMG--2gether was so, so hilarious! Thanks for reminding me of them! :)

I'm on the West Coast but had to spoil myself. So happy for Drew, sad for Marcus, and surprised by Sergio (Mikey seemed to have more fans online). But Sergio's a good singer, so that's good for the band, for however long they last. He's back to wearing capris, though, on the single cover. (It's such a funny picture--Chance looks like he's flying.) The song itself is just okay (I've only heard clips of the live performance though)--it's not as catchy as "What Makes You Beautiful," even though the message is similar. Aww, your kid must be so excited. He seems like a nice guy. All of the Top 8 seem pretty grounded and sweet.

Totally--if Nick Carter, Joey McIntyre, and Drew Lachey could do it (and did very well--I watched all of their seasons, that's how big of a boy band fan I am), Chance can, too. (Heck, just let him cycle through all the ABC reality shows.) Or, he could go into politics (watch until the end).

BSB is going to show them how it's done tonight. Go Jaden--he's got the moves down! :)

I'm not the biggest Chance fan but I do think he sounds good when he's harmonizing and doesn't have to belt. It'll be interesting to compare the live version of "Eyes Closed" (which the winning boys are supposed to sing tonight) to the recorded single. (I don't know how the boys will stay composed after finding out the results--everyone will have to be so gracious, which is hard enough as an adult, and these guys are so young.) Heh, if the music thing doesn't work out, I can totally see Chance being The Bachelor one day.

While we wait for the voting results, here's a vid that shows the boys at the beginning of the competition--it's fun to see how certain personalities already stood out back then (though it's hard not to be biased by our knowledge of the Top 8). Strangely, Devin and Miles are missing from the lineup. ETA: Interview vid. LOL, Chance's perfect date answer here is so polished, it's funny. Marcus is (again) the most fun/natural at this press stuff.

I tried to predict the final five in the episode thread, but since the voting ended and I've been seeing people's reactions online, I'm not sure what to think anymore (though I agree that Chance is the only definite). So instead, I'll post a rehearsal vid of the boys practicing for a number they'll do with Emma.

That all makes sense--and in the end, all of the boys have benefited from the experience and exposure they gained from this show. They'll hopefully have more opportunities after this. ETA: A couple more vids of the boys singing a cappella. I wish they had done more of this on the show itself; it might have minimized the sound issues, with the band overpowering some of the boys. They sound so much better this way. (Then again, they still might have been drowned out by the audience's screaming.) Chance/Drew Chance/Jaden/Mikey/Marcus (this one cracks me up, because they're in a bathroom, and there's a guy in the background trying to go about his business)

The chemistry issue is why I wish the most recent episode had used a different format; simply hearing each boy solo doesn't show us who would sound good together and interact comfortably on stage. It would have been nice to have the boys mix up one more time to hear some groupings that have never been put together; examples: Drew and Brady; Sergio and Jaden; Jaden and Marcus--all of these would have probably sounded great together (examples: Drew/Brady, Jaden/Marcus).

LOL, it was definitely funny to see him singing "It's a paradise, it's a war zone" with that big smile, and having his face hovering in that ghostly projection behind him made it all a little eerie. But the lyrics for the song are pretty racy, so I wonder if the producers, who are trying to sell him as a "good boy you can take home to mom and dad," wanted him to smile to make the song less sexual. I think that's what made Sergio's song a little weird for me, too--he sang it really well, but he had to sing lyrics like "Now my bedsheets smell of you," and it's just a little awkward to hear that coming from a 16-year-old! So while he performed it smoothly, like you said, it came off as more cute than passionate. It's a tricky line these boys have to walk: they have to be desirable without being too desirous. Chance is probably the only one in the group who could have pulled off "Shape of You" without it sounding sketchy, but he went for the inspirational song. Right now, the order of the solo videos from most to least views is Chance, Drew, Brady, Mikey, Michael, Sergio, Marcus, and Jaden. I realize that number of views doesn't necessarily correlate with votes, but it makes me sad that Marcus and Jaden aren't as popular, because they're better singers/performers than some of the people ahead of them. I can see Jaden being better off as a solo artist, but Marcus seems like the perfect fit for a boy band to me, so I'm hoping his fans were just too busy voting yesterday to watch the video!

So funny! The styling was really distracting for some of the guys: Jaden, Michael Conor, who had to wear a weird sparkly embellished hoodie/jacket, and Mikey in his bright red shoes (but at least Sergio didn't wear capris!). Yeah, I'm sick of Chance. As soamused pointed out in the spoiler thread, he didn't need the pimp spot at all. I wish he and Marcus had switched spots. I think having to open the show got to Marcus; he seemed less confident and energetic than usual. I really really hope he makes the band, but I'm afraid he didn't do enough tonight to wow people. Hopefully all the architects' praise from the last couple episodes will stick in voters' minds. Full disclosure: I was soooo thrilled when I found out what Drew's song was--my favorite Boy Band guy was doing a song by my favorite 1D guy! I can't be objective about this at all; I thought he did great tonight, and I was so happy for him (though I wish NappyTabs hadn't taught him those cheesy microphone moves). I think that Chance, Michael, Brady, and Drew will make the band, but I'm having the hardest time figuring out who'll get the fifth slot. I would LOVE for it to be Marcus or Jaden....but I'm worried it's going to be Mikey.

An article on how to fix the show. Lots of good points here.

Great point--I wonder who it'll be.... Maybe the music video (hopefully there will be one) will go viral? If they want to cross-market, ABC has Disney to help promote the band and have them perform on certain shows. I wonder, with 1D's members still very much in the news as solo stars, whether it'll just be too hard to "break out" as another boy band until Harry, Zayn, Niall, etc. completely fade.

I'm impressed they got some current songs, too! It's so rare for these shows to get these kind of songs cleared! And even though Chance's selection is older, it's the perfect inspirational song that will move the audience (especially given the upheaval in the country right now, though I doubt Chance will say anything political tonight). It's also a higher-pitched song that will fit his voice and allow him to dance. So unless he really stumbles, I have a feeling this song choice will cement his place in the Final Five (not that there was any doubt about that!). My only worry is that the boys who chose slower songs won't have as much of an impact as the ones who chose uptempo songs that lend themselves to bigger production and more exciting choreography. Hopefully their vocals will shine enough to help them stand out. And I wonder if cute, adorable Brady is just too young to sing "I'm Not the Only One"--does he have the angst to pull off such plaintive lyrics about being cheated on? (Or is that going to pull on everyone's heartstrings and get them to vote for him?) I'm so glad there (hopefully) won't be too much filler. More of the boys' music, less of Rita/the Architects chatting, please! ETA: Another question: who will perform first/early in the show, and who will get the "pimp spot" and be the last one to perform (from American Idol-speak)? That might tell us which singers the producers are really pulling for. I'll be pleasantly surprised if Chance doesn't get the pimp spot....

What has been revealed on Boy Band ABC Instagram Stories so far: Chance: "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson Mikey: "Chains" by Nick Jonas Sergio: "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran Marcus: "Grenade" by Bruno Mars Michael: "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Drew: "Pillowtalk" by Zayn Malik Brady: "I'm Not the Only One" by Sam Smith Jaden: "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato Finally--songs that fit their voices and will allow them to show personality! Yay! Speculate away!

The show released "glamour shots" of all of the Top 8, and I feel like Marcus is the only one who looks natural here (maybe because he's the only one really smiling). I don't like the jacket poor Sergio is wearing. Brady doesn't look like himself--I think it's the straight/slick hair they're trying to foist on him. Mikey looks startled in his pic.

I have to admit that I'm super biased toward Drew, so that might have affected my judgment! I'm dying to know which contestant you know, though I understand that you probably don't want to reveal who it is. Once the finale's over, it'd be great to hear if he made the final five and how the show depicted him vs. how he is at home.

The ratings for the show are pretty dismal....

Thanks--good to know!

An Instagram video showed Jaden rehearsing Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper" with the Boy Band musicians. If that's his solo, it makes me wonder just how much leeway the guys have in choosing their songs. As on shows like American Idol and The Voice, there's probably a pre-approved/pre-cleared list they have to choose from, so they might not be able to pick songs that reflect their own styles/tastes. While I have no doubt Jaden will do well on "Skyscraper," it doesn't really feel "boyband-y" to me (so it's like most of the songs they've had to sing on this show!). I just hope we'll get to see some fun, upbeat numbers in addition to the serious inspirational songs and love songs. (And will anyone dance during their solo? I hope so!)

I was surprised that Sergio survived, too; Devin has a massive following online. I think that's why Nick strode off after the vote--he was so nervous that Devin would stay over Sergio that he was overwhelmed and had to go collect himself/let off steam. As self-important as he can be, I do have a soft spot for Nick--he's been through a lot (his whole family has). I wonder if the producers ultimately want Brady to stay so they can recreate some of the "boy band/girl group archetypes" that make these bands accessible to a wide range of fans (the Baby, the Heartthrob, the Sweetheart, the Older Brother, etc.). Is Chance the Heartthrob (which is what Nick called him when he was teaching them the "boy band poses"), or is he the Older Brother (since he's already a father and has made a big deal out of being responsible and nurturing)? Or is Marcus the Older Brother, since they've shown his younger sibling on the show and had him talk about taking care of his family? I wonder if the most popular boys are also the ones who fit certain roles: Chance, Michael (he's the closest to a "Bad Boy" with his "edgy" rapping, LOL), Brady. If Devin had stayed, he'd be the Joker. Maybe the Architects put Sergio up because they're unsure what "role" he could play?

:) Yes, Drew is the Brian/JC/Dan/Liam who quietly makes the song sound good while Nick/Justin/Ashley/Harry gets all the attention. (Though, I have to say, I do end up loving the "bad boy"/AJ/Zayn most of all. There's really no "bad boy" in the Boy Band cast, though.) And your hate for Sergio's pants will always make me laugh.

Based on vocals, they should have put Chance up against Devin--I still find Chance's voice thin and grating, but he's so clearly the show/fan favorite. To his credit, he does have stage presence and can dance, and he carries himself well in the interviews/pre-performance packages. I think the producers are grooming him to be the "face"/leader of the band. So glad Devin's gone; he was clearly the worst singer left, and he was such a camera-hog at times. It's weird that they put Sergio up, though--I thought he sounded fine and that the problem was really the song arrangement, which took all the drama/bite out of "Edge of Glory." There was no way for Sergio to "break out" with such a limp version of this song. The person I was watching with turned to me during this performance and said, "This sounds like KidzBop"--which made me laugh because it was such a perfect way of putting it. "Titanium" sounded great because Drew and Jaden are so, so strong; while Mikey seemed a little uncertain at first, he did well in his part of the bridge. This was the best vocal performance of the night, but I worry that it was overshadowed by the "cooler" production/choreography/rapping of the "Fighter" number. I totally agree; he comes through every time. I really hope he makes it. Drew's not as flashy as some of the others, but his voice is always clear and sure, and he always serves the song. I wonder how big a factor the judging will be next week--with all eight remaining guys singing solos, will there be enough time for critiques? And even if there is time, will the judges even bother saying anything negative, since that could lead to backlash, with voters trying desperately to "save" a weaker singer? ETA: I don't think the guys in "Third Wheel" know what "Third Wheel" means--it has a negative connotation, doesn't it? How does it work as a boy band name?

Groups for this week (Updated with assigned songs): Brady, Sergio, Devin: "Edge of Glory" Drew, Mikey, Jaden: "Titanium" Chance, Marcus, Michael Conor: "Fighter" Looks like they want to ensure that Devin and Mikey stick out as the weak singers in their groups, while Marcus is "protected" by being grouped with the very popular Chance and Michael Conor. Edited to add: I really wanted to hear Jaden and Drew sing "Fighter," but it makes sense that they'd be given "Titanium," since they both have the range and power for it (Mikey might struggle). I just wish Drew didn't have to sing another David Guetta song--he's mostly sung romantic/yearning songs so far, and I would have liked to have seen how he'd do with a "grittier" number like "Fighter" (though, who knows if "grit" will matter for the songs the eventual band will sing). Chance, Marcus, and Michael should do fine on "Fighter,"--it's not as demanding in terms of range, and they'll get to win more fangirls over by doing "tough" poses (LOL). The group that feels ill-served here is Sergio, Brady, and Devin. Sergio and Brady can definitely sing, but their voices are more smooth/pretty than "belt-y," and with Devin's pitch-trouble, this song could go off the rails fast (I hope I'm wrong, though, for Sergio and Brady's sake). Only one singer will be eliminated this week, and the Top 8 will each sing solo next week for America to vote on the Final Five. It's weird that the final vote is based on solo performances, since we're supposed to figure out which combo would work best as a band, but then, this show has never really made sense.... Any predictions? Edited again on 8/13: AfterBuzz didn't reveal any spoilers this week, so nothing to report yet in terms of solo songs....

LOL, poor Sergio; the capris worked for 1D in their "preppy" phase, but they look really awkward on these guys (Jaden's had to wear them, too). I really haven't liked the clothes on the show except for when the guys were all in suits for "Earned It." Speaking of 1D, now that they've petered out and are all pursuing solo careers, Simon Cowell has a new boy band ramping up, Pretty Much. They can harmonize (and it's interesting that they're singing some of the same covers that the Boy Band guys have done), and they can dance. While they're still wobbly singing live, their choreography is more complicated than what we've seen on Boy Band so far. They won't have the benefit of a TV show for promotion, but I can see them being stiff competition for the eventual Boy Band winners (especially if we end up with a Chance/Devin/Mikey/Michael/OneGoodSinger group).