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◆Band of brothers 'Burnin' Up' the Billboard Charts

資料來源：〔Retrieverweekly.com〕
http://www.retrieverweekly.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=3655&format=html
Monday September 15, 2008
By Erica Balanc


原文：
They're everywhere. From the cover of Rolling Stone (and the cover of every other magazine on the rack), Target commercials, an appearance on Oprah, their own "short-series" reality-show on the Disney channel, the top of the billboard chart, and MTV. They starred in the made-for-TV movie, Camp Rock, which has led to their faces on school supplies, clothing, and bedding. Nick (16), Joe (19), and Kevin (20) Jonas create the phenomenon that have tons of girls shrieking and others confused. Either way, there is no denying that they have certainly have made a mark in the history of pop culture.

Despite how huge they are, there are still people today who ask "Who exactly are they?" From New Jersey, the Jonas Brothers (and yes, they are really brothers) are three young boys that got their start when the youngest brother, Nick, was picked up by Columbia Records. They made it a family affair, and Nick, Joe, and Kevin put out their first album, It's About Time in 2006. But it wasn't until their second album and being picked up by Hollywood Records (owned by, of course, Disney) that the Jonas Brothers started to make it big. Even more specifically, their claim to fame could be considered when they were paired with Disney star Miley Cyrus, as guests on Hannah Montana, and on her tour.

It has been suggested that the Jonas Brothers fall into the category of the "Disney-made star," endlessly promoted to preteens and preserving a clean-cut image. Their wholesome image is made apparent with the ring each brother wears on his ring-finger—purity rings that represent their pledge to God to remain wholesome until marriage. Their father is a former pastor and currently their co-manager. Both of their parents and their youngest brother, Frankie, join the boys on their tour bus.

This image is certainly part of the appeal that parents love and give their stamp of approval to. Their fan base of primarily preteen girls that flock to their concerts screaming at the top of their lungs, and help their album top the Billboard 200, can, of course, thank their parents for supplying the money to buy the tickets and the albums. Some may say that there is no secret to their success. "They are popular because they are attractive teenage boys and their target audience is preteen and teenage girls," says junior Virginia Bach. "Once the Disney Channel got ahold of them, their fame pretty much took off." Is this formula really what has made them big? If so, isn't there something missing from the formula? What about their actual music?

Their new album, A Little Bit Longer, was released this August with the first single "Burnin' Up." The song offers a funkier side of the band with a rap verse (trying to appeal to an even broader crowd?), and almost sounds like it could be on a Maroon 5 album. It can definitely be said that their songs are catchy. The opening track on the album, "BB Good," is extremely cheesy, but at the same time extremely catchy. Their second single, "Lovebug," is a great little number, with a relaxed, minimalist sound that has a Jack Johnson feel to it (the Jonas Brothers have pointed out that it is a different sound for them). The last track on the album, "A Little Bit Longer," is a touching number that was written by Nick about his struggle with diabetes. There is little doubt that the brothers take their music seriously (they co-write all of their songs), but what of the public? Would it make a difference to these girls what the boys sang? Or are they actually quality pop songs and one of the main reasons for their success? Senior Jake Alvarado feels that their fan base reveals the quality of their music: "...if they had a lot of fans that were 18 and older it would mean something, because that would mean that their music is actually decent." The diversity of their fan base definitely makes one wonder. Why is it that another American band of brothers (plus a cousin), equally as attractive, Kings of Leon, have the respect of females and males and plenty of people over the age of 18? Yet they are lesser known by the general American public (they are huge in Europe). Is it because of the quality of their music? 

The Jonas Brothers are certainly enjoying their success, no matter what the reasons behind it are. They have future plans for a television show titled J.O.N.A.S. which will air on, of course, the Disney Channel. These attractive, well-dressed boys are on top and they won't be coming down anytime soon. They are a non that has epitomized the appeal of good, clean fun to the American public.

翻譯：top_jonas2008

◆Burnin' Up火燒蔓延告示牌冠軍

　　現在各個地方，幾乎都能看到當今最紅的青少年團體Jonas Brothers，像是滾石雜誌的封面（或是其他在架上的雜誌），Target的廣告看版，歐普拉秀的來賓，他們的個人迪士尼影集，告示牌及MTV冠軍都能看到他們的的蹤跡。而他們所拍攝的電影「Camp Rock˙搖滾夏令營」自撥出後，所帶來的影響力甚大，可以發現在學業用品、衣飾和寢具等等方面都出現了Camp Rock等周邊商品。Nick (16)、Joe (19)以及Kevin (20)創造了他們獨特的「強」式魅力，讓許多女孩們因為他們的風格而尖叫，也讓許多人不解究竟他們的影響力怎會大到這種程度。無法否認的是，他們的確會在當今流行潮流的歷史上，佔有一份特別的地位。 

　　儘管他們現在是如此的成功，不免還是有人問「他們究竟是誰？」來自紐澤西所組成的強納斯兄弟（他們真的是親兄弟），是由弟弟Nick被Columbia Records看中他具有潛力的聲音而簽約，之後又加他的兩位哥哥Kevin和Joe，使他們以Jonas Brothers這團體名在2006年發行的《It's About Time》進入唱片市場。在第二張專輯發行前，他們轉換了合作公司，轉與Hollywood Records（就是大家所知的迪士尼）簽了合約，而這也使他們的事業開始展翅高飛。值得一提的是，他們在迪士尼小天后Miley Cyrus的演唱會中擔任特別來賓或是與他一起巡迴演唱，這也的確讓他們的知名度大大提升。

　　顯然的，Jonas Brothers被歸類在由迪士尼所打造的「青少年明星」中的一個閃耀團體，而這些少年明星們都維持著一個良好的形象。值得一提的是像他們三人手上帶著的「守貞戒」，代表著向上帝宣示，會一直守身，直至結婚後，這些是因為他們有個過去曾為牧師的的父親，而現在，則為自己的兒子們擔任指示及監督的職務；理所當然的，他們的雙親，以及最小的弟弟Frankie也都一直隨著他們的巡迴演唱奔波。

　　而這種表示父母親關心的的形象的確讓人值得敬佩。另外，他們的女孩fans們總是擠滿他們的演唱會且以熱烈的尖叫聲來歡迎他們，這種熱烈的支持使得他們的專輯成績佔據告示牌的最高銷售量，當然，這真的要感謝這些少女的雙親們，因為他們給予兒女的錢，都跑去買Jonas Brothers的演唱會門票以及專輯。 Virginia Bach則說：「他們成功的理由很簡單，就是他們的獨特魅力吸引了許多的青少年以及八到十幾歲的青少女，當他們被迪士尼簽入旗下的那一刻，就代表他們的成功，已經開始了。」而這個理論是否真的正確呢？如果是，那是不是少了什麼吸引人去注意的特色呢？像是他們的音樂？

　　他們在八月發行的這張新專輯《A Little Bit Longer˙堅持到底》，首支主打Burnin' Up除了有著讓人快活的funk曲調，為了吸引更多的聽眾群，後面還搭配了些rap風格，起初聽，還會以為是魔力紅的專輯呢！可以說他們的創作歌曲都趨於成熟且更容易吸引人，新專輯的開場第一曲「BB Good」縱使讓人覺得平凡，但卻擁有讓大眾著迷的簡單魅力；第二支單曲「Lovebug」，可以說是更精湛了，以輕鬆卻又多重的談話聲，一開始還不自覺的讓人以為是Jack Johnson的作品（而JB也指出他們與他的創作是不同的）；專輯的最後一首曲目：「A Little Bit Longer」則是由Nick因為自身與糖尿病奮鬥的感觸，毫無疑問的，他們真誠的創作自己的音樂。

　　但是，大眾的感覺呢？當女孩們聽著JB的歌曲時，可否讓這些女孩們動容或是啟發他們一些感覺？或是唯一使他們成功的原因就是因為他們唱的是流行音樂？Jake Alvarado認為：「若是他們的fans群有許多18歲或以上的聽眾，那就表示他們的音樂是全方面的讓大家接受，不只是某些特定的年齡層。」Fans們的年齡層的確讓人有更進一步的思考空間。為何美國的青少年兄弟團體如此的有吸引力，甚至和與擁有許多超過18歲的男士和女性支持的King of Leon不相上下？然而對於美國超過十八歲以上的民眾們，他們卻不是那們出色（在歐洲他們可是家喻戶曉），那麼可以說這是因為他們的音樂特質所導致的成果嗎？

　　不論是什麼樣的原因，讓Jonas Brothers現在可以說是在他們事業上的頂端，現在他們也開始拍攝他們即將在迪士尼頻道撥出的電視劇「J.O.N.A.S.」；可見這三位有魅力的男孩們，人氣還不會如此快的下滑，他們除了是大家的明星，也是良好公民的典範。