It's tough to win over new fans when you're forever tied to a teen-pop image. This is the case with Hanson, the former child stars known for the 1997 smash hit "MMMBop." The guys have grown up and are making new, mature music. But whatever they do, people still remember them for "MMMBop."

 

To combat this, one Chicago radio programmer tried something drastic. Spike, the director for Chicago alternative station Q101, has been a Hanson fan since the 90s, and wanted to get some airplay for the band's latest single, "The Great Divide." However, he knew that the group wouldn't go over well with listeners. So Spike put "The Great Divide" into Q101's rotation, but told DJ's not to reveal the artist. For weeks, the station played the record, which was introduced as "The Great Divide" by "a mystery artist."

 

As you've probably already guessed, the song became a hit. In fact, it became the most-requested song on the station. By the time the scheme was revealed a couple weeks ago, people were already hooked and the public reaction was positive.

 

"I've always liked Hanson and kept listening to them after 'MMMBop,' and after seeing them a while ago I realized they had become a different band," Spike told Billboard. "It really hit me how good they were. I told all the DJs, 'I want you to hear this song before I tell you who it is,' and when they heard the song, they all dug it. They were initially nervous to play it, but they were blown away by the positive reaction."

 

It just goes to show the effect that image has on music sales. Nearly everyone takes image into account when determining their musical tastes, whether intentionally or unintentionally. How many Q101 listeners would've admitted to liking a song by Hanson before this scheme? Many of them would never have given it a chance.

 

And how many other artists are affected by their image? If Ashlee Simpson put out the greatest album of the decade, would anyone give her credit? Or would they just dismiss it based on her image as the girl who lip-synched on "SNL" and got booed out of the Orange Bowl? What if Skee-Lo made a comeback and put out the most progressive rap album of the year? Would anyone buy it? Or would they complain that it didn't include an "I Wish" remix? One of the prime examples of this idea is My Chemical Romance. Their album, The Black Parade, is as straight-up rock as you'll find these days, yet they get dismissed by many as a lame emo/teeny-bopper band because they dress in black and wear eyeliner. That's just one example; there are plenty of other artists that get screwed over (and many who are helped) by their image. Choosing image over music is something pop fans often get criticized for, but this experiment proves that rock fans can be just as bad.

 

Here is "The Great Divide" by Hanson: