Top 10 Biggest Boy Band Scandals
#10: Purity Rings The Jonas Brothers
Although the Jo Bros may have been burnin’ up the late 2000s, they made it clear that they wouldn’t turn the heat up too much. “Camp Rock” fans all remember when the trio’s purity rings became a nationwide obsession. The jewelry symbolized their promise to remain abstinent until marriage. Additionally, it opened the Jonas Brothers up to endless questioning and scrutiny over their decision. This trend was even parodied in an episode of “South Park” that saw Mickey Mouse beating the brothers up for daring to take the rings off. Thankfully, no such thing happened in real life when the brothers decided to ditch them. In the end, it was clear that people were way too invested in the Jonas Brothers’ private lives and choices.
#9: Robbie Williams’ Substance Use Disorder Take That
Robbie Williams left Take That at the peak of their success in 1995 for many reasons. The performer had become frustrated with the lack of creative control he had within the band. He also struggled with depression and a substance use disorder. While Williams managed to pull it together onstage, he almost overdosed the night before the group’s performance at the 1994 EMAs. After years of ups and downs, Elton John helped get the singer to a place where he could get the help he needed. Williams’ mental and physical health greatly improved over the years. He even reunited with Take That in 2010.
#8: Nick Carter’s Behind the Scenes Struggles Backstreet Boys
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Unfortunately, substance use disorder has affected boy bands on both sides of the pond. Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys has been open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol. According to him, the wild musician lifestyle and his relationships with social celebrities like Paris Hilton only made his issues worse. Carter majorly changed his ways after he discovered he had a heart condition. While he was trying to work through his own issues, the Backstreet Boys also had to deal with a serious financial problem behind the scenes. Their producer Lou Pearlman took a large portion of the band’s profits for himself.
#7: Zayn Malik’s Exit One Direction
Does it ever drive you crazy just how fast the night changes? One minute Zayn Malik seemed happy and fulfilled as part of One Direction. The next, he gutted millions of fans by announcing his departure from the group. Despite Malik’s initial statement, he later criticized the, pun intended, direction the band was going in. He also got into tense arguments with a few of his bandmates over Twitter. Tensions between Malik and 1D have calmed down considerably since, but amped right back up in 2022 after Liam Payne dissed him on Logan Paul’s podcast. Will this fanbase ever know peace?
#6: Kwon Kwang-jin’s Exit N.Flying
In 2018, N.Flying bassist Kwon Kwang-jin was accused of inappropriate behavior with fans of the K-pop group. While he denied the allegation and threatened legal action, the scandal snowballed and he had no choice but to announce his departure from the band. Kwang-jin continued to insist that any interactions he had with fans outside of structured activities were platonic. After taking legal action against those that spread the negative stories about them, he announced in 2021 that he had proof the accusers had lied about what happened. Despite being somewhat vindicated, Kwang-jin has yet to return to N.Flying.
#5: Abuse Allegations Menudo
While this Puerto Rican boy band is arguably best known today for kicking off Ricky Martin’s career, they’re also infamous for their revolving door membership. There are nearly 40 past members. The reasons why each person left range from the absurd to seriously problematic. As just one example, Ray Reyes was allegedly let go because he got taller and his father had issues with management. But the biggest problem the band faced seemed to come from Menudo manager Edgardo Díaz. Over the years, he’s faced allegations of assault and abuse from several former members. In the documentary, “Menudo: Forever Young,” members shared some of their horrifying experiences with the music mogul.
#4: Joe Jackson’s Parenting Jackson 5
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While Joe Jackson was recognized for getting his children into music at an early age, stories about his parenting style weren’t nearly as celebrated. Michael Jackson himself alleged that he was on the receiving end of physical, verbal, and emotional torment from his father. Joe Jackson later defended himself when these claims resurfaced after his son’s death. Additionally, he claimed that his parenting methods were normal for the time period. A few of Jackson’s children have also defended their dad against these reports. Although Michael Jackson buried the hatchet with his dad before his passing, it’s clear that they had a rocky relationship for a while.
#3: Seungri’s Burning Sun Scandal Big Bang
When Lee Seung-hyun AKA Seungri was arrested for his role in the Burning Sun scandal, it nearly blew the lid off the entire Korean music industry. The popstar had helped open the titular nightclub in 2018. But in 2019, shocking reports started to emerge about the establishment. People alleged that the Burning Sun was a place where people were harassed, assaulted, secretly filmed, could gamble and so much more. It wasn’t long before Seungri himself started to be tied to some of the crimes that had occurred there. He eventually went on to receive an 18 month prison sentence in 2022. A few years before Senungri was sentenced, he announced that he would be leaving the world of music and his band Big Bang behind.
#2: Financial Issues *NSYNC
Although the bubblegum boy band may have been singing about payday, but the real thing was surprisingly scant. When *NSYNC received their first paycheck after their big break, they discovered that the vast majority of their earnings was going to their manager, Lou Pearlman. While we already mentioned how he ripped off the Backstreet boys, the manager clearly didn’t stop there. As Pearlman was buying a mansion and kicking off his blimp business, his groups were saying bye-bye-bye to the money they rightfully earned. He was eventually accused of running a massive Ponzi scheme. Pearlman was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison in 2008 and died there in 2016.
#1: Lou Pearlman Grooming Allegations Various Bands
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Outside of being shady with finances, the 90s boy band creator has also been accused of predatory behavior towards his group members. Although NSYNC member Lance Bass previously denied the allegations, he publicly called Lou Pearlman “creepy” in 2019. Ashley Parker Angel of O-Town backed up the claim, saying he received a suspicious massage from Pearlman during his boy band days. But they weren’t the first to speak up. In 2009, LFO singer Rich Cronin said on “The Howard Stern Show” that Pearlman offered to make his group more successful in exchange for certain favors. While Pearlman was never charged with assault or harassment, the growing allegations continue to cast a dark cloud over the acts he worked with.
