Overall, the dynamics of celebrity culture and the power of the teenage girl demographic in today’s society have elevated boy bands such as One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer to a level of cultural superstardom; it is as if they are no longer human but rather divine beings.
I mean think about it, in the true era of 21st century consumerism, where not even religion escapes commodification, you can now purchase One Direction/ 5 Seconds of Summer candles for at home worship sessions!
Moreover, we are living in the era of superficiality where looks are all that matters; chances are if you’re hot and beautiful, people are bound to worship you for it. Or better yet, people will compare you to the godly appearance of Jesus Christ if you looked anything close to Zayn Malik.
In addition, the secularization of society has resulted in the notion of implicit religions. Traditional religion may arguably be deemed as too much of a commitment nowadays. In contrast, secular religion is perhaps better to many individuals for various reasons; one is not subjected or bounded to follow specific religious rules and one has the freedom to express oneself more freely.
For most fans, music is a way to escape reality. Helen Kommers (2011) states that One Direction/ 5 Seconds of Summer concerts are venues for these fans to express praise and worship (p. 26). This allows for the community of fans to substantially relate and identify with each other on a whole new level. All in all, the existence of boy bands has played an important role in popular culture, due to their function as an implicit religion. From here I find myself wondering, who will be the Harry Styles for my child in the future?
p.s. CLICK ME to vote for which One Direction member that you think is actually God! All the best!
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