Bubblegum: The History Of Plastic Pop

by Nick Brownlee

From Fabian to Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Monkees to Milli Vanilli, manufactured bands have dominated the pop charts for 50 years. Bubblegum: The History Of Plactic Pop is the story of the hapless artists and all-powerful Svengalis who created them, how they hit the top and then plunged to obscurity almost overnight. It lifts the lid on the real story behind pop's biggest names - the stars who couldn't sing, the no-hopers who became million-sellers, the wannabes who shouldntabeen. And it reveals the tricks of the trade, direct from the mouths of men responsible for half a century of hype and hysteria.

Has the global phenomenon that is Pop Idol ruined pop music, or is it just the natural evolution of a genre of music that has always been manufactured? From Tin Pan Alley to The Monkees, Bay City Rollers, Spice Girls, and boy bands, Bubblegum showcases the rise of Pop Idol and its many predecessors, in the process creating a witty, thorough history of what is arguably the most popular musical genre ever. This colorfully illustrated look at pop's manufactured mega-brands includes original interviews with the movers and shakers of the pop world.