THEY term themselves ‘boys’ but is the collective noun as in ‘or we’ll get the boys round’ or ‘boys, are you playing nicely’? We sort the boys from the men using it ironically:

The Beach Boys, 1961-ongoing

The suntanned shininess of these surf-loving Californian crooners is a front: they’re a family unit of three brothers, a cousin and bloke from round the corner with a van. They hung around with Charles Manson, and their songs make it clear that when the surf is no longer up you’ll get your arse harmonised. Leave well alone.

Rank: hard as nails

Vengaboys, 1997-2004

Despite only fifty percent of the band being boys, these hardcore Dutch party animals stormed the charts and our hearts in the 1990s, stomping all before them with their mix of inane lyrics and children’s-rhyme-with-a-pump

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