Paul Vercammen: Bye, bye 'boy bands'?

CNN contributing reporter Paul Vercammen

(CNN) -- *NSYNC is releasing its latest album, but how will it do? Will it beat the group's record sales from last year or will it not even come close?

Boy bands seem to be on the decline while younger rock bands are on the rise. CNN's Paul Vercammen, a Los Angeles-based contributing reporter for "Showbiz Reports Today," takes a look and see if "boy bands" are making like the *NSYNC hit and going "Bye, Bye, Bye."

Q. It seems these "boy bands" are more popular than ever, with reality TV shows creating bands as O-Town from on-air contests. Why are you reporting that boy bands seem on the decline?

A. Music industry insiders -- from the people who work in record stores to concert promoters and especially the people who compile the sales charts at Billboard Magazine -- are all saying that hard-edged rock 'n' roll acts are starting to chip away at the boy bands' recent dominance in sales.

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Blink 182, Tool and Staind have all hit No. 1 in recent weeks and they fall somewhere into the rock genre. Linkin Park and Weezer, with brisk sales, are also striking a chord for rock bands. Some experts say this is exactly what happened 10 years ago when listeners got fed up with New Kids on the Block and turned toward grunge.

Q. Do you think they are over-marketed?

A. Absolutely. Some bands that seem to be horribly pre-packaged and are too glitzy for their own good are vulnerable to losing fans once they discover there is no substance to their music. I'm not singling them out, but certainly 98 Degrees, LFO and The Backstreet Boys have all seen some drop in their sales. The boy bands that survive will do so on the basis of talent, not hype.

Q. What types of groups are on the rise?

A. Certainly, the mischievous rockers such as Blink 182 and Weezer are stirring up fans who enjoy a catchy tunes and clever lyrics. Fans who prefer their rock a little darker and harder are turning to Tool, Staind and Linkin Park, as well as some others on the rise.