Big Time Rush w/ Greyson Chance

The popularity of boy bands seems to run cyclically in the United States. Big Time Rush, with a show on the kid-friendly cable outlet Nickelodeon, appears to be at the fore of a new movement after the 'N Sync/Backstreet Boys boom more than a decade back. Apart from Auto-Tune and the occasional guest rapper, the formula for creating teen idol heartthrobs hasn't changed: Take some photogenic guys, slap down some mild R&B/rock/disco fusion, emphasize the visuals—music videos only bolster their TV show—and turn 'em loose on a crush-prone tween public. Big Time Rush's results have worked well enough, save for total pop-chart dominance. Opener Greyson Chance benefits from a more organic back story. The young piano prodigy with a Lady Gaga cover on YouTube was discovered by Ellen DeGeneres and became an alternative option to Justin Bieber for Radio Disney listeners. (Jamie Lee Rake)