Paper Magazine published an article by Cassidy Sollazzo on May 28, 2026, tracing a 'pop music family tree' of male pop stars, arguing that influence flows from Little Richard through generations to current artists like Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, and Benson Boone. The piece pairs 11 'fathers' with their 'sons,' such as Paul McCartney to Harry Styles, Michael Jackson to The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars to Benson Boone. Sollazzo notes that the list is not definitive and acknowledges the gendered framing, but aims to spark conversation about pop lineage.
paper mag dropped a thinkpiece mapping male pop stars as fathers and sons, from little richard to benson boone. it pairs paul mccartney with harry styles, michael jackson with the weeknd, and bruno mars with benson boone. the author says it's not definitive but wants discourse.
The article taps into ongoing internet debates about the perceived lack of male pop stars in the 2020s, offering a framework for understanding influence and lineage. By explicitly inviting discourse and referencing platforms like Pop Base and Pop Crave, it positions itself as a conversation starter within pop music fandom. The piece also highlights how pop has decentralized into microgenres, making 'main pop boy' status harder to define.
this is the kind of list that gets ratioed on pop base and pop crave. it's a fun way to think about who's copying who and why we're obsessed with lineage. also confirms that pop discourse is alive and well even if the 'main pop boy' is dead.
Public story text does not change until an admin approves it.
Looped stories are not disposable posts: receipts, claims, reader checks, and moderator decisions can change the approved version over time.