Media Man

Teen Idols

A teen idol is a famous person who generates adulation from large numbers of teenagers.

Teen idols are usually actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have had an appeal to teenagers. The term encapsulates both some of the greatest performers of all time and some of the most inconsequential. The term refers to someone idolised by teens; a teen idol is often young, but in many cases no longer teenaged. Some teen idols are child actors. The idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or extend to all age groups.

The teen idol is primarily a phenomenon of 20th century mass communication. Its earliest manifestation (often referred to as matinee idol) may have been Rudolph Valentino whose good looks and winning way with women featured heavily in such silent movies as The Sheik. But it was probably Frank Sinatra, whose early career is often linked to his appeal to bobby soxers, who is generally regarded as being the first true 'teen idol'.

Eddie Fisher also had a huge following of screaming and swooning teen-aged fans, but many of them turned against him when he divorced Debbie Reynolds in 1959 to marry Elizabeth Taylor. Brenda Lee and Mousketeer Annette Funicello were amongst the first female teen idols to achieve widespread popularity.

The great success of Elvis Presley in the 1950s led clever promoters to the deliberate creation of teen idols such as Frankie Avalon and Fabian. His debut in a television movie about the phenomenon, The Idol, made a teen idol out of Tommy Sands. Ricky Nelson, a performer of rockabilly music also became a teen idol via television.

Teen idols are also usually commonly read about in tabloid publications as 16 magazine, Tiger Beat, Right On! and other teen magazines in the United States, and similar magazines elsewhere. With the advent of television, teen idols were also promoted through speciality programs such as American Bandstand, the Ed Sullivan Show, and Soul Train.

It is the essence of the teen idol to appeal to the burgeoning sexuality of the young without in any way threatening it. As recently as the 1970s, some stars were asked to shave their chests because it was perceived that chest hair was threatening to young girls. In previous times, teen idols were supposed to have an aura of approachability, so often they had to keep romantic relationships and marriages a secret because it was feared it could decrease the popularity of the celebrity.

The difference is graphically illustrated by the early career of Presley, who started out playing hard rhythm and blues and jazzed-up country music until he was retrofitted as a teen idol by his management. The lyrics of his "Teddy Bear" explicitly document the change:

Don't wanna be your tiger, 'cause tigers play too rough,
Don't wanna be your lion, 'cause lions aren't the kind you love enough;
I just wanna be your teddy bear.
Likewise, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were teen idols, especially during the earlier part of their careers. Yet The Rolling Stones were more rebellious than The Beatles, who maintained their pop look until 1967 with the release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The manufacturing of teen idols has been marketed more aggressively, and with greater sophistication since the 1980s. The rise of MTV in the 1980s and the success of the boy bands of the 1990s and 2000s has continued to fuel the phenomenon. Besides the obvious combination of what are perceived to be good, clean-cut looks and a ubiquitous, almost invasive marketing campaign, one of the key selling points of the manufactured band is the "something for everyone" approach, although this strategy has been critised for being more along the lines of "something for everyone who hasn't had much exposure to music." Each band member can be promoted separately for a unique look and one-note personality: the "shy one," the "intelligent one," "the rebel," and so on. (Credit: Wikipedia)

1910s
Theda Bara
Charlie Chaplin
Mary Pickford
Alice Roosevelt

1920s
Clara Bow
Rudolph Valentino
Edna St. Vincent Millay

1930s
Bing Crosby
Russ Columbo
Judy Garland
Benny Goodman
Mickey Rooney
Artie Shaw

1940s
June Allyson
Perry Como
Betty Grable
Frank Sinatra
Veronica Lake
Peter Lawford
Jane Powell
Tyrone Power
Elizabeth Taylor
Montgomery Clift
Susanna Foster

1950s
Paul Anka
Frankie Avalon
Big Bopper
Marlon Brando
Tony Curtis
James Dean
Dean Martin
Buddy Holly
Jerry Lee Lewis
Brenda Lee
Frankie Lymon
Sal Mineo
Marilyn Monroe
Ricky Nelson
Tommy Steele
Roy Orbison
Elvis Presley
Tommy Sands
Ritchie Valens
Natalie Wood
Eddie Fisher
Robert Wagner

1960s
Ann-Margret
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
The Bee Gees
Bobby Curtola
Fabian
Herman's Hermits
Lesley Gore
Keith Green
Luke Halpin
George Hamilton
Tab Hunter
Michael Landon
The Monkees
Rita Pavone
Paul Petersen
Dean Reed
Smokey Robinson
The Rolling Stones
Tommy Roe
Bobby Rydell
The Supremes
The Temptations
Frankie Valli
Bobby Vee
Bobby Vinton
Stevie Wonder
Lana Wood
The Cowsills
Shelley Fabares
Patty Duke
Annette Funicello
Jim Morrison

1970s
Jackson 5
Karen Carpenter
David Cassidy
Brandon Cruz
Erin Murphy
The Osmonds
Barry Williams
Maureen McCormick
Christopher Knight
Eve Plumb
Mike Lookinland
Susan Olsen
Danny Bonaduce
Susan Dey
Tatum O'Neal
Little Jimmy Osmond
Tanya Tucker
Tony DeFranco
Melissa Gilbert
Donny & Marie Osmond
Melissa Sue Anderson
Jodie Foster
Ralph Carter
Alison Arngrim
Robby Benson
Andy Gibb
Erin Moran
Haywood Nelson
Valerie Bertinelli
Shaun Cassidy
Jackie Earle Haley
Leif Garrett
Kristy McNichol
Mackenzie Phillips
Kim Richards
Danielle Spencer
Willie Aames
Scott Baio
Gary Coleman
Philip McKeon
Adam Rich
Michael Jackson

1980s
Khaled Bernard Jouby
Michael Jackson
Michael J. Fox
Hulk Hogan
Todd Bridges
Matthew Laborteaux
Dana Plato
John Schneider
Brooke Shields
Christopher Atkins
Charlene Tilton
Danielle Brisebois
Mindy Cohn
Sharon Cuneta
Kim Fields
Genie Francis
Lisa Whelchel
Madonna
Michael Damian
Matt Dillon
Missy Gold
John Stamos
Henry Thomas
Jill Whelan
Whitney Houston
Tom Cruise
Diane Lane
Drew Barrymore
C. Thomas Howell
Emmanuel Lewis
Ricky Schroder
Justine Bateman
Anthony Michael Hall
Rob Lowe
Molly Ringwald
Wynonna Judd
Brian Bloom
Soleil Moon Frye
Menudo
Janet Jackson
Keshia Knight Pulliam
Jason Bateman
Brice Beckham
Lisa Bonet
Kirk Cameron
Shalane McCall
Alyssa Milano
Alfonso Ribeiro
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Chad Allen
Brian Bonsall
Tiffany Brissette
Debbie Gibson
Axl Rose
Tracey Gold
Heather O'Rourke
River Phoenix
LL Cool J
Tiffany
Corey Haim
Nicole Eggert
Corey Feldman
Rick Springfield
Staci Keanan
Fred Savage
Paula Abdul
New Kids on the Block
Wil Wheaton
Ralph Macchio
Elisabeth Shue
Ally Sheedy
Johnny Depp
Adrian Zmed
Larry Wilcox
Bruce Penhall
Brodie Greer
Amanda Peterson
Patrick Dempsey

1990s
Aaliyah
Alicia Silverstone
All-4-One
Backstreet Boys
Ben Savage
Billie Joe Armstrong
Boyz II Men
Brandy Norwood
Brett Anderson
Brian Austin Green
Britney Spears
Christian Slater
Christina Aguilera
Christina Applegate
Christina Ricci
Claire Danes
Danica McKellar
Danielle Fishel
David Faustino
Drew Barrymore
Dustin Diamond
Edward Furlong
Elizabeth Berkley
Hanson
Immature
Jaleel White
James Van Der Beek
Jason Hervey
Jason Priestley
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jenna von Oÿ
Jennie Garth
Jeremy Jackson
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joey Lawrence
Jonathan Brandis
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Joshua Jackson
Juliette Lewis
Katie Holmes
Kel Mitchell
Kellie Martin
Kenan Thompson
Kimberly McCullough
Kirsten Dunst
Kris Kross
Kurt Cobain
LeAnn Rimes
Lacey Chabert
Lark Voorhies
Lea Salonga
Leonardo DiCaprio
Liv Tyler
Lukas Haas
Macaulay Culkin
Mara Wilson
Mariah Carey
Mario Lopez
Marky Mark
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Matthew Lawrence
Mayim Bialik
Melissa Joan Hart
Michelle Williams
Monica
'N Sync
Natalie Portman
Neil Patrick Harris
The Notorious B.I.G.
Regine Velasquez
Rachael Hannah
Rider Strong
Sara Gilbert
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Shannen Doherty
Stone Cold Steve Austin
TLC
Tahj Mowry
Tara Lipinski
Tatyana Ali
Tevin Campbell
Tupac Shakur
The Rock
Tia and Tamera Mowry
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen
Tina Majorino
Tori Spelling
Will Smith
Winona Ryder
Usher Raymond
Zachery Ty Bryan

List of teen idols of the 2000s

50 Cent -rapper from Queens, New York

A
Ayumi Hamasaki - Japanese singer [1]
Clay Aiken - American pop singer (American Idol)[2]
Christina Aguilera - American pop singer[3]
Jessica Alba - American actress[4]
Aly & AJ - American pop duo[5]
Ashley Parker Angel - American singer[6]
Billie Joe Armstrong - American singer and guitarist[7]

B
B2K — American boy band
B5 — American boy band
Mario Barrett — American R&B singer
Mischa Barton— American actress[8]
Mark Bautista — Filipino actor
Drake Bell — American actor and rock muscian[9]
Bo Bice — American singer (American Idol)
Jessica Biel — American actress
Rachel Bilson — American actress
Thora Birch — American actress
Orlando Bloom — English actor[10]
BoA — Korean pop singer
Bow Wow (1987 - ) American rapper & film actor[11]
Michelle Branch — American pop singer-songwriter[12]
Adam Brody — American actor
Isaac Brock (musician) — American musician
Chris Brown — American hip-hop/pop singer[13]
Sophia Bush — American actor
Amanda Bynes — American actress[14]

C
Ryan Cabrera - American pop singer and television presenter[15]
Nick Cannon - American rapper and actor[16]
Aaron Carter (1987 - ) American pop-rap singer, brother of singer Nick Carter[17]
Ciara - American hip-hop/pop singer[18]
Kelly Clarkson - American pop singer (American Idol)[19]
Sasha Cohen (1984 - ) figure skater, the reigning U.S. National Champion and silver medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy[20]
Miley Cyrus - American actress/pop singer[21]

D
Craig David — British R&B singer
Chris Daughtry — American singer (American Idol)
Destiny's Child — American R&B girl group
Mike Dirnt — American bass guitarist
Pete Doherty — British pop singer
Dream — American girl group
Hilary Duff (1987 - ) American pop singer and actress[22]
Kirsten Dunst — American actress

E
Zac Efron — American actor[23]
Eminem rapper

F
Fall Out Boy — American pop-punk group
Kevin Federline — American dancer and rapper
Anthony Fedorov — American singer (American Idol)
F4 — Taiwanese boy band

G
David Gallagher — American child actor[24]
Sarah Geronimo — Filipino actress and singer
Delta Goodrem — Australian singer/songwriter/actress/ambassador
Good Charlotte — American pop-punk group
Rupert Grint — English actor[25]
Richard Gutiérrez — Filipino actor and model
Jake Gyllenhaal — Academy Award-nominated American actor

H
Ha-Ash — Mexican-American pop group
Cosma Shiva Hagen — German actress
Utada Hikaru — Japanese pop star
Paris Hilton — American celebrity
H.O.T. — Korean boy band
Vanessa Anne Hudgens — American actress and singer

J
Scarlett Johansson (1984 - ) American actress[26]
JoJo - American pop singer[27]

K
Alicia Keys — American R&B/soul singer
Kristin Kreuk — Canadian actress

L
Shia LaBeouf — American actor
Natalia Lafourcade — Mexican pop singer
Brie Larson — American actress and singer[28]
Avril Lavigne — Canadian singer
Heath Ledger — Australian Academy Award-nominated actor
Lil' Romeo — American rapper and actor[29]
Angel Locsin — Filipino actress and model
Lindsay Lohan — American actress and pop singer[30]

M
Tobey Maguire — American actor[31]
Marilyn Manson — American shock rocker[32]
Jesse McCartney — American actor and singer[33]
Jennylyn Mercado — Filipino actress
Mandy Moore — American pop singer and actress[34]
Sonny Moore — American singer & From First to Last frontman
Frankie Muniz — American teen actor[35]
Chad Michael Murray — American actor and model[36]

O
O-Town — American boy band
Apolo Anton Ohno — American speed skater
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen — American child actresses, twins

P
Anna Paquin — Canadian actress
Carly Patterson — American gymnast and singer
Josh Peck — American actor
Belinda Peregrin — Mexican pop singer
Alex Pettyfer — English actor[37]
Michael Phelps — American swimmer
Kellie Pickler — American singer (American Idol)
P!nk — American pop/rock singer
Pop Idol — A British television show which manufactures teen idols for public consumption
Daniel Powter Candian Vocalist. Mostly known for his piano song "Bad Day" which is played on American Idol.
Kirsten Prout — Canadian actress

R
Daniel Radcliffe — English actor[25]
Raven-Symoné — American actress and R&B/pop singer[38]
RBD — Mexican pop group
Emma Roberts - American actress[39]
Ryan Ross — American guitarist

S
Jordan Segundo — Hawaiian pop singer
Maria Sharapova — Russian tennis player
Ashlee Simpson — American singer
Jessica Simpson — American pop singer
Brittany Snow — American actress
Leelee Sobieski — American actress
Brenda Song — American actress[40]
Britney Spears — American pop singer and gossip magnet
Jamie Lynn Spears - American actress[41]
Dylan and Cole Sprouse - American child actors, identical twins[42]
Slipknot — American nu-metal band
Julia Stiles — American actress
Joss Stone — British R&B/soul singer[43]
Jeremy Sumpter — American actor[44]

T
Justin Timberlake — American pop singer[45]
Ashley Tisdale — American actress and singer[46]
Ian Thorpe — Australian swimmer
Trish Thuy Trang — Vietnamese pop singer
Jasmine Trias — Filipino-American pop singer (American Idol)

U
Carrie Underwood — American country singer (American Idol)
Usher — American R&B/pop singer

V
Wilmer Valderrama — American actor
Alexa Vega — American actress[47]

W
Emma Watson - English actress[25]
Pete Wentz — American bass guitarist
Shaun White — American snowboarder
Vanness Wu — Taiwanese (Chinese-American) actor

X

Y
Elliott Yamin — American singer (American Idol)
Jerry Yan — Taiwanese pop singer and actor
Ace Young — American pop singer (American Idol)

Z