Rolling Stone UK

Busted and Ed Sheeran perform live (Picture: YouTube)

Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance at London’s O2 to join Busted for a performance of their 2004 hit “Who’s David.” The English pop-punk group, who is currently on their 20th anniversary tour with Hanson as support, invited Sheeran onstage midway through their set, where he joined in on vocals and guitar.

Busted also joined forces with Hanson for ‘MMMBop’ and ‘Sleeping With The Light On’ during the show. Earlier this year the two bands released a new version of ‘MMMBop,’ Hanson’s ’90s single, titled ‘MMMBop 2.0.’

Sheeran has been making the round as he supports his new LP, Autumn Variations, which was released last month. Along with the LP, the singer dropped a live bonus album, Autumn Variations (Fan Living Room Sessions), which features recordings of him doing surprise performances of his newest songs in his fans’ homes.

The album marked his second offering of the year, following – (a.k.a. ‘Subtract’), which was released back in May. Autumn Variations sees Sheeran and producer Aaron Dessner expanding on their collaborative power together, as the two worked solely together on Sheeran’s latest, save for one track they made with Dessner’s brother Bryce. This album is Sheeran’s first to be released on his own imprint, Gingerbread Man Records.

A portion of the proceeds from both Variations and the Fan Living Room Sessions version will go to Save the Music. The live living room videos will be the only ones offered for this album cycle, as Sheeran has said he wanted to forego the usual big rollouts he’s used to.

Busted, who are better known in the U.K. than in the U.S., recently kicked off an arena tour to celebrate their 20th anniversary as group.

“We may not have been together for a lot of the last 20 years, but when we do come back together, the thing that has really been a factor in allowing us to return is that our songs have been there and held their place, even when we haven’t been performing,” band member Matt Willis told Rolling Stone UK in March. “That’s the thing, our songs can do their thing when we’re not a band. The plane flies when we’re not flying. But now, we’re back and we can’t wait.”

Rolling Stone

The boy band golden era and its biggest stars — ‘NSync, the Backstreet Boys, and New Kids on the Block — will be the subject of a new documentary on Paramount+.
As The Wrap notes, the yet-untitled documentary, which just got the green light, will purportedly examine the highs and lows of boy band superstardom, as well as the era these groups helped define. There will be interviews with key figures, including band members, and access to music and archival footage.
The movie will be directed by Tamra Davis, whose credits include comedies like Billy Madison and Half Baked and a slew of music videos. (Most were for Nineties alt-rockers, but she did direct the visual for one boy band classic: Hanson’s “MMMBop.”) Davis also directed the 2010 documentary Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child and served as a producer on the Kathleen Hanna doc The Punk Singer.
One boy band insider involved in the new project as a producer will be Johnny Wright, a manager for ‘NSync, Backstreet Boys, and many others.
In a statement, Wright said: “The Nineties boy band era was an extraordinary chapter in music where harmonies and beats came together, along with talented vocal artists who captivated the hearts of millions worldwide. Their music spoke to the dreams, aspirations and emotions of the fans, creating a bond that transcended borders and language. To this day, the boy bands continue to inspire, uplift and unite — reminding us of a great time that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”
Another producer on the film is Van Toffler, CEO of Gunpowder and Sky, who also saw the boy band craze up close when he worked on MTV’s music video countdown show TRL. “If you think back to groups like the Jackson 5, who paved the way for boy bands, this music has dominated the charts for decades, but there’s always been a stigma attached,” he said. “The reality is, these are insanely talented guys who led the requests each week when I was running TRL in the Nineties and early 2000s. And, just when we all think the fervor for boy bands has dissipated, One Direction or BTS emerge, and their disciples like Harry Styles and Justin Timberlake overtake pop culture.”
News of the boy band doc comes amidst some renewed interest thanks to the recent reunion of ‘NSync. After weeks of not-so-subtle teasing and an on-stage appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards, the pop outfit dropped their first new song in over two decades, “Better Place,” for the upcoming movie Trolls Band Together.