BSB DNA – Your Favorite Backstreet Boy and What That Says About You

 

Fandoms are interesting.

It’s like a giant but very dysfunctional family, especially when it’s over a group rather than just a solo artist or a single actor. You love each other, you support each other, but there’s a huge spread on personality types and a lot of squabbles. Right? Right. I’ve wanted to do this post for a minute but pesky real life held me up a bit, then I knew I needed to do a post to help keep you guys updated on what’s to come. But now that I have some spare time, I immediately came running back to this. Because I was bored one day, playing around on YouTube before work and this came up as a suggested video for obvious reasons. For equally obvious reasons, I watched it again.

 

 

 

My brain, being the scary place that it is got to thinking. It talks about the aspects of BSB DNA and what it brings to the group. But what about what it brings to a fan? I know you know what I’m talking about.  You have your Nick Girls, and then you have your Brian Fans, etc. Most fans have a favorite. I’d say at the very least – about ninety-five percent of the fandom. Then you have that small section that has no favorite and manages to love all five equally and would be incredibly torn up if all five Boys had solo events of some sort all happening at the same time. I even asked who your favorite was, and why.

HOLY HOWIE at the amount of responses we got!

 

One thing I’ve noticed is you tend to see the same traits in fans depending on who their favorite is. The reasons say a lot about who you are, at least I think so! Read along, and let’s see if I’m right…shall we?

(This is just in fun, and generally speaking. I know there’s all types in every group.)

 

 

The Howie Fans

Howie fans are mellow and very low key. Mainly because their favorite is definitely the underappreciated one in the group. These fans know they don’t have to go crazy battling to see him. They don’t have to compete with as many as say a Nick fan or an AJ fan so as a result they end up not as crazed as the other groups. They are most likely the calmest of them all. They’ve learned over the years to be satisfied easier because back in the day he just didn’t get the kind of solos he’s gotten in the last twelve years. Because he does so many after parties they also know they don’t have to scramble to an event because odds are, he’ll be at the next one. There’s less drama generally speaking because their favorite has no drama.

They also happen to love his cheesy jokes and sense of wit. Cause this is How We Do It!

 

 

The Kevin Fans

Kevin fans are probably the most appreciative out of any of them. Mainly because they’ve had to go without their favorite in what many of them will think of as The Dark Years when he took a break from the group. This withdrawal affects their decisions on what events to do because in the years without Kevin, it was even more of a loss than it was for those of us who loved him but didn’t have him as a favorite. Because Kevin will do everything he can to show his love for any fan that supports him, they will wait because they know as long as it’s possible Kevin will give them the time of day. These fans also will support Kevin in whatever endeavor, and have also quietly accepted they will be the group of fans denied their fave’s solo album because Kevin is a complete perfectionist. But that passion is loved by these fans, even if it’s a major reason why Backstreet Time exists. Like Howie fans, they’ll enjoy whatever bits they get because he also doesn’t get to shine as often as they’d like. Yet they enjoy their corner of the fandom, despite it getting more crowded due to fans realizing what their younger selves weren’t able to see back then. (Myself included.)

His fans usually are the most mature – sometimes in age, sometimes in wisdom, depends on the fan.

 

 

The Brian Girls

This section of the fandom is where we start to kick up. Brian fans are loyal. They will stand by their favorite through the ends of the Earth as shown when he came forward with the truth about his vocal condition. They will stand up for him even if people don’t agree with his views as Brian has always been outspoken about his many beliefs. They are as outspoken as he is, typically speaking. They’re also here for what I think of as the family deal. Brian doesn’t do much without his family and it’s a reason why we all love him. His wife and son tend to be a major part of any project he does, and the same goes for him being fully on board and supporting any project they do. Brian fans loved his wife’s line Wylee. Brian fans call the radio stations for his son Baylee’s new single. They were showing up to see Baylee’s broadway run not for Brian, but for Baylee himself! Not because they feel they have to, but because they love the Littrell family as a whole. Brian fans are Littrell fans, and proudly so! They’re also very aware that time with Brian is pure gold. When Brian goes to an after party, it’s something everyone has to talk about.

While very devoted, they still manage to be calmer than AJ or Nick fans.

 

 

The AJ Girls

Ahh, AJ fans. AJ fans are pretty wild. Probably because their favorite is as well. While AJ wasn’t exactly the “bad boy” he was sold to us as back in the 90s, it still attracted those who liked a little bit of danger all the same. AJ fans are possibly the most understanding in the bunch because they’ve been put through the ringer. Their support was tested back in 2001 but never wavered. They admired him for how he’s done his best to live his best life every day despite the struggle.  They’ve been there through the solo album that’s been literally a decade in the making, being sure to back any song he put out into the universe. AJ girls are nothing if not passionate. AJ has always exuded an aura of sexuality ever since his stage humping days during Lay Down Beside Me and it’s only grown since. His fans were the first to throw bras on the stage and they’re pretty hyped a lot of the time. Like AJ however, they have a soft side where they are fonder of his daddy photos with Ava and Lyric than anything else these days. They also seem to appreciate the vocals the most, probably because their favorite has the most unique voice in the group. Now if they could just get another solo album from AJ.

Patience is definitely a virtue they know.

 

 

Nick Girls

I will say this, they are definitely the most passionate of the fandom. And I’m speaking as one myself. Nick girls back in the 90s picked him because he was sold as the Heartthrob of the group. Don’t deny it. Most who said Nick was their fave admitted it started because of how he looked. And that’s absolutely okay. Nick is a charmer and we definitely let ourselves be charmed. Over the years though those who picked him for this reason either swapped favorites or saw other aspects they liked (such as his passion or his nerdiness). Nick girls are competitive because we have the most competition. We know just how many others want that attention. Because of this, things can get a bit crazed in a crowd of Nick fans really fast. We know our favorite isn’t perfect but it’s why we like him, because we’ve seen how much he’s grown from everything. We’re easily the most spoiled in that he’s always got some sort of event or projects in the works. (And also the group that have the emptiest wallets for the same reason!) He never settles down, so neither do we! Nick fandom is an absolute roller coaster.

We fangirl as hard as he fanboys – which is pretty damn hard!

 

 

The No Favorites!

These are the people who simply can’t choose. They are the ones who get put in a rock and a hard place when multiple BSBs have events going on at the same time, because which one do they choose? They support every project, they love every Boy but for different reasons. In a way they encompass the best traits out of each of the group. They’re calm because if they can’t get to one BSB, they can get to another. If one BSB isn’t doing something it’s a sure thing another one is. Typically they’re the ones who loved the voices before the faces, and that’s pretty damn awesome.

Personally – I think most of them have one favorite but don’t want to admit it.

 

It takes all types to make a fandom and it wouldn’t be the same without all of us!

So how’d I do? Was I right? What did I get wrong? Let me know in the comments!
And remember, this was all in fun!