WASHINGTON, D.C. — There haven’t been squeals like this in our nation’s capital since the passage of House Resolution 6354, which recognized One Direction as the hottest boy band in the whole entire world. On Saturday night (January 19), the tweens and teens of America showed up in full force (and full throat) at the Kids’ Inaugural Concert, a super-charged pop extravaganza packed with big-name stars.
Headlined by Katy Perry and featuring sets from Usher, Mindless Behavior and stars from “Glee” — not to mention dancers, T-shirt tossers and racing mascots — the Kids’ Inaugural was definitely a spectacle. But it also served a higher purpose: to show military families a good time.
Which is why, though both Michelle Obama and Jill Biden (and, of course, first daughters Sasha and Malia) were seated front-row, the focus was definitely on the men and women of our Armed Forces and their children. Each act took time out of their set to salute their sacrifice and service, though each also focused on their main objective: to entertain.
Usher found himself in the unusual position of opening act for the night, but that didn’t stop him from pulling out all the stops. He powered through hits like “Yeah!” “Without You” and “O.M.G.,” packing the stage with acrobatic dancers and displaying the kind of smooth moves that have become his calling card (said moves were replicated by several young attendees in the aisles, to adorable effect).
Far East Movement and Mindless Behavior both shook and slid through sets of electro-tinged pop and RB — Mindless were ridiculously sharp with their matching suits and synchronized steps — and the action never let up for an instant, thanks to host Nick Cannon‘s effervescent energy and a pair of stages, which insured there was always something to watch. And in the rare instance when there wasn’t, the in-house DJ kept things moving by blasting hits from Beyoncé, The Wanted, Justin Bieber and Pitbull.
Eva Longoria and Chelsea Clinton kick off Inauguration Weekend in support of the National Day of Service.
And while everyone who took the stage received their fair share of squeals (the kids love Michelle Obama, BTW, and let her know when she delivered a speech that paid tribute to military families), they saved their biggest screams for Katy Perry, who took the stage in a red-white-and-blue romper (with matching jacket, which she’d eventually peel off) and strutted through a series of her smashes — “Teenage Dream,” “Part of Me,” “Wide Awake”. — each of which had the crowd singing along with aplomb.
Perry sprinted across both stages, shouted out four more years of the Obama administration and even managed a quick wardrobe change before closing the night with a rousing version of “Firework,” which nearly lifted the roof off the Washington Convention Center.
And then, the show was over, and though some of the younger attendees had to be carried out on their parents’ shoulders, there were still plenty who bounded out into the night with energy to spare. And why wouldn’t they? This was a party in their honor, and it was a pretty excellent one at that.
Stick with MTV News for Inauguration Weekend as we bring you all the latest from the D.C. presidential events, performances and parties right through the official swearing-in on Monday, January 21. And although the election’s over, you can still get involved and be heard by heading over to serve.mtv.com.
It doesn’t take a formal list to know that Justin Bieber and the guys of One Direction are biggest stars under 21 right now. So, it’s not really surprising they top Billboard ‘s 21 Under 21: Music’s Hottest Minors 2012.
Justin Bieber is the hottest youngster on the scene. He’s currently prepping a world tour, and just wrapped up a music video for his latest single, the Nicki Minaj-assisted “Beauty and a Beat,” off his #1 Believealbum.
“I was very involved in the process [of making this album] — I played instruments, produced, wrote — so I want people to know it’s not all hype,” he told MTV News about prepping his highly anticipated album. “I want people to know I’ve been working hard on my music. Focus on the music. Don’t think I’m just this product pushed out there. I work hard, and music is really important to me.”
Runners up One Direction took their fandom international when they dropped their debut album, and they haven’t looked back. The British boy band is prepping the release of their sophomore album release, Take Me Home, and have fans buzzing with excitement for the release of its lead single, “Live While We’re Young.”
Demi Lovato is the only lady in the top three. Sitting at #3, the “X Factor” judge has reinvented her career and launched herself as a pop star (her song “Give Your Heart A Break” recently went to #1 on the charts).
“The reception for my single is so amazing,” she told MTV News. “It’s been going up the charts for a while now and right now I actually have my first #1 single, so that’s really exciting for me. It means so much to me. I never thought I’d be blessed enough to have this opportunity and here I am.”
The remainder of the top 10 is incredibly diverse. “American Idol” singer Scotty McCreery narrowly missed the top spots at #4, with rap sensation Mac Miller right behind at #5. Bieber’s best girl, Selena Gomez, fell to #6 this year after a top-three appearance on the 2011 list. EDM star Porter Robinson leaped to #7 after appearing on the list last year at #18.
One-time “X Factor” contestant Cher Lloyd is #8, followed by Odd Future’s Earl Sweatshirt, who beat out Nick Jonas. Nick made the top 10 thanks to the recent reunion of the Jonas Brothers and his presence on Broadway.
The rest of the list is filled out with a mixed bag of viral sensations, international stars and small-screen talent including, diva-in-training Jackie Evancho (#11), Cody Simpson (#12), boy banders Mindless Behavior (#13), YouTube sensations Megan and Liz (#14), Korean pop singer IU (#15), Disney princess Bridgit Mendler (#16), Mexican pop band 3Ball MTY (#17), Miley Cyrus (#18), up-and-coming dance producer Madeon (#19), Disney star Ross Lynch (#20) and Victoria Justice (#21).
Was one of your favorite minors left off the list? Let us know in the comments!
The fans have spoken. After two weeks of intense matchups and more than 12 million votes, Westlife have come out on top in MTV’s Battle of the Boy Bands. The Irish boy band easily defeated the Jonas
Brothers in the final round, with more than 70 percent of the final vote. It was a hard-fought finale with both bands’ fanbases tirelessly voting in the hopes of giving their band the championship, but in the end, the international firepower of Westlife was too much for JoBros fans to handle.
Westlife may not have been favored to win this competition, but from day one they proved they were fighters and were out to make a statement. They got everyone’s attention early on when, amidst accusations of cheating, they fairly beat out fan favorites the Backstreet Boys in the first round. They had no trouble at all beating out their next two opponents, O-Town and the Beatles, and managed to get past newcomers the Wanted in the Final Four to ultimately take on the Jonas Brothers in the championship.
This win in the Battle of the Boy Bands seems to come at a perfect time for the group because their 14-year career is about to come to an end. Westlife have decided to go their separate ways after the conclusion of their Greatest Hits Tour, which kicks off later this week and wraps up at the end of June in front of a hometown crowd in Dublin, Ireland.
Congratulations to Westlife and to all their extremely loyal fans: You have certainly proved your devotion and didn’t let up no matter how tough the competition was. Thanks to all the bands that participated.
From newcomers One Direction, Mindless Behavior and Big Time Rush to veteran groups Boyz II Men and the Backstreet Boys, it was truly an epic tournament.
But it wouldn’t have been possible without all of you, the fans. All of your vigorous voting resulted in some shocking upsets, some heated matchups and some rally-from-behind wins, making this a true battle of the boy bands.
Are you happy with Westlife winning the Battle of the Boy Bands? Let us know in the comments.
After nearly two weeks, some shocking eliminations and more than 10 million votes, MTV’s Battle of the Boy Bands has gone from a field of 32 down to the final two. And the matchup will be a face-off between old and new. Irish boy band and international favorites Westlife will square off against the Jonas Brothers in the championship.
Voting in the final round begins now and will continue until Monday, May 7, at noon ET, and the winner will be announced shortly after.
Keep in mind that during the championship match-up, the results will be kept secret until we crown a winner.
It’s been a long, hard-fought battle for both of these bands to make it to the championship. Westlife came into this competition as a true underdog. The guys, who had minor success in the United States with their 1999 single “Swear It Again,” are calling it quits after 14 years once they complete their upcoming farewell tour.
Early in this battle, Westlife stunned voters when they took down fan favorites the
Backstreet Boys in the first round. Their fans didn’t let up after that, easily making it past MTV‘s own O-Town, garnering 85 percent of the votes. In what we thought would be a tough match-up for Westlife in the Elite Eight, the group eliminated their own ultimate boy band, the Beatles, whom they marched past to get to the Final Four, where they beat out the
Wanted.
So after 14 years, will Westlife finally get the success that they have wanted in the U.S. with a Battle of the Boy Bands win?
Well, they still have one more opponent to take down, the Jonas Brothers. The JoBros, who haven’t made an album together since 2009, have certainly made their presence known in this competition. They easily made it past Menudo in the first round, but barely got by the other brother band, Hanson, in round two. In the Elite Eight, the Jonas Brothers coasted by British boy band 5ive, but in the Final Four they barely edged out Mindless Behavior, who made a late comeback.
Clearly, both fanbases have proven that they are determined to get their favorite bands crowned victor, so don’t stop voting now!
Voting in the Championship Round of MTV’s Battle of the Boy Bands runs until noon ET on Monday, May 7. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Tune in to AMTV and MTV Hits for their boy-band video takeovers each day and make sure to spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #BBB and like us on Facebook for updates! We will reveal our winner on Monday, May 7.
The British boy bands are in it to win it!
MTV’s Battle of the Boy Bands advanced into the third round on Monday (April 30), with U.K. group Westlife continuing their impressive run by beating out O-Town in the Sweet 16, and England‘s 5ive overtaking LFO. The two groups join English newcomers One Direction and the Wanted, as well as Big Time Rush and Mindless Behavior in the Elite Eight.
New Kids on the Block had a tough matchup against the Beatles. In the end, the Boston band just couldn’t gain enough votes to get them through. But the closest match was a fight to the finish between the Jonas Brothers and Hanson. The JoBros ultimately overtook the trio in a last-minute surge of voting to continue on in the competition.
So what do the Elite Eight matchups look like now? Read on for a breakdown and remember polls close at noon ET on Wednesday!
Midwest
Westlife vs. the Beatles: Westlife’s fanbase is no joke. Fans from around the world have been voting for these guys around the clock to ensure they make it to the finals. But the group, who are currently in rehearsals for their farewell tour, will have a tough Elite Eight matchup in the Beatles. The Fab Four barely made it by New Kids on the Block in the Sweet 16, so expect another close matchup in this round. Fun fact about these two groups: Westlife’s first seven singles debuted at the top of the U.K. charts, tying with the Beatles’ record.
East
5ive vs. Jonas Brothers: 5ive have surprised many of the fans watching this competition. They took out two of the biggest boy bands of the late ’90s in the early stages of competition, ‘NSYNC and LFO, and will now face off against the Jonas Brothers. While 5ive haven’t been an active group since 2001, they fanbase is still very loyal. It might be tough, however, to get past the Jonases. The JoBros are still very much a group and are reportedly working on their next album, which may motivate fans to keep voting. This matchup will most likely be another nail-biter.
West
The Wanted vs. Big Time Rush: Rushers are making their presence known in this competition as they helped their group, Big Time Rush, overpower RB chart-toppers Boyz II Men. Things should get very interesting now as BTR take on the Wanted: The Brit newcomers fought to the death in the last round, barely making it by the Monkees, so be ready for another down-to-the-wire clash for this pair of relatively new boy bands.
South
One Direction vs. Mindless Behavior: This should be a fight to the finish with fans of both groups casting votes like crazy. Mindless had a big win over NKOTBSB and they hope to carry that momentum into the Elite Eight. But 1D fans have also been voting furiously, giving One Direction relatively easy wins over their competition thus far.
Voting for the Elite Eight in MTV’s Battle of the Boy Bands runs until noon ET on Wednesday, May 2. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Tune in to AMTV and MTV Hits for their boy-band video takeovers each day and make sure to spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #BBB and like us on Facebook for updates!
The first round of MTV News’ Battle of the Boy Bands has officially ended, but there is still time for fans to cast their votes for their favorite heartthrob group in hopes to title them the ultimate boy band of all time.
Another group urging their biggest followers to vote for them are the guys from Mindless Behavior. But before you get mindless with your votes, here are some facts about the foursome that might help steer your mind in the right direction:
Highest Chart Achievement
Their single “Mrs. Right” featuring rapper Diggy Simmons reached #8 on the U.S. Billboard RB/Hip-Hop charts after its 2011 release.
Defining Tune
The guys confess they would travel the world just to find the right kind of girl in the beat-popping hit “Mrs. Right,” causing female hearts in every country to flutter.
Standout Video
During their pledge to search high and low for “Mrs. Right,” the boys get a lesson or two in geography from their teacher, Professor LL Cool J. Directed by Brett Ratner, the video also features Mike Epps as the school janitor, who joins in on the fun during a pep rally to cheer on Diggy Simmons and the group’s signature dance moves.
Debut Album
Their debut album, #1 Girl, hit the U.S. in September 2011, debuting at #7 on the Billboard 200 with 36,000 copies sold in its first week.
Biggest Competition
Despite all of their success, the boys weren’t afraid to admit who they thought might be their biggest competition amid the new wave of boy bands that has exploded on the scene. “As far as other boy bands who I feel [are] our biggest competition is One Direction and the Wanted,” Roc Royal told us. “That’s a huge competition for us, because we all have different movements, and they come from the U.K., and they also have fans out here, which, they have a lot of fans out here, so it’s crazy.”
So why do the guys think they should win our Battle of the Boys Band? Well, it’s simple, really: “There’s a lot of boy bands in the poll, but we’re definitely unique,” Princeton stated. “So please vote for us.”
Ray Ray chimed in: “I think we should win the title for Best Boy Band of All Time because we have a great movement. Our Mindless movement is all about being confident, just being yourself, not caring what other people think, stopping all the bullying and, one, we’re really great artists. We have songs that anyone can listen to. That’s why I think we should win.”
“And we love all of the fans,” Princeton added.
When it comes to learning the key to becoming a great boy band, the group even filled us in on a little secret the Backstreet Boys once told them while on tour together: “When we were on tour with the Backstreet Boys, the advice that they gave us was ‘Stick together no matter what,’ ” Ray Ray shared. “They said: You might have arguments here and there, but just stick together. You have to become family although you’re in a group. You have to literally become family, and you got to stick together.”
Voting in round two of MTV’s Battle of the Boy Bands runs until noon ET on Monday, April 30. Winners are determined by fan votes, so if your favorite band made the cut, make sure you keep voting. Tune in to AMTV and MTV Hits for their boy-band video takeovers each day and make sure to spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag #BBB and like us on Facebook for updates!
