Arts·Commotion

Netflix's Dirty Pop bursts the bubble on your favourite '90s boy bands

Music journalist Maura Johnston discusses a new Netflix documentary about Lou Pearlman, the con artist behind boy bands like Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.

The docuseries recounts how con artist Lou Pearlman created — and scammed — acts like NSYNC

Five men stand and smile for cameras.
Pop group 'N Sync arrives for the 1998 Billboard Music Awards party at MGM Grand's Studio 54 in Las Vegas, NV. (Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images)

Worldwide fame, platinum-selling records, number one hits ... and Ponzi schemes?

Today on Commotion, music journalist Maura Johnston joins guest host Rad Simonpillai to dig into Dirty Pop, a three-part Netflix documentary series about infamous music industry con artist Lou Pearlman, and whether or not this doc is the definitive telling of his story.

WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: 

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.


Interview with Maura Johnston produced by Ryan Chung.