Big Time Rush (also known as BTR) is an American pop group created by Nickelodeon Viacom Music and TV Productions, that signed a record deal in 2009, and was made known by the American television series, Big Time Rush. The series revolves around four best friends as they record their debut album, as well as chronicles their troubles and fun along the way. They rose to fame with their 2009 debut digital single, Big Time Rush. The song was used as the theme song for the series, also titled Big Time Rush. The show saw the release of several other digital singles, such as Any Kind of Guy, Halfway There, and Famous. In 2010, the boys released a new song titled Til’ I Forget About You, and announced it as a promotional single for their debut album. The album, titled B.T.R. was released on October 11, 2010. Met with generally positive reviews, it debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 album’s chart in the US. The album also topped the Top Soundtracks as well as the Kid Albums chart in the US. it was certified Gold in April 2011 for sales of over 500,000 copies shipped to the U.S. a huge milestone for nickelodeon and the band and was also the first act from nickelodeon to have a certified album. they are also considered nickelodeon’s most successful act of all time. In 2010, The band was nominated for “Favorite International Band” at the Australian Kids Choice Awards and in 2011 Again for “Favorite TV Show”. They were also nominated again for the U.S. Kids Choice Awards for the first Time in the categories for “Favorite TV Show & Favorite Music Group” in 2011. They also performed there with Snoop Dogg.
A nationwide[2] casting effort began in 2007.[3][4][5] More than 1,500 teens and young adults auditioned for the four roles.[6] Kendall Schmidt was the last actor cast, and the most difficult role to cast.[6]Filming of the series began in August 2009.[6] Actor Carlos Pena Jr. previously worked with creator/producer Scott Fellows on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.[4] Although he was reluctant to do so (he had just entered the Boston Conservatory to study music), Pena submitted an audition tape and won the role a month later.[7] Series creator and executive producer, Scott Fellows, was inspired to write each character by the personality of the actor playing him.[8] The group was made famous thanks to the TV series. Nickelodeon partnered with Columbia/Epic Label Group to produce the show,[9] which incorporates original music into the series.[10] Big Time Rush is one of the three Nickelodeon shows (the others are iCarly and Victorious).[2] It was announced shortly after the series was picked up that the four actors would sing in a band named after the show, “Big Time Rush.”[3][11] The first single from the show, “Big Time Rush” (the series theme song), was released in November 2009.[11] Additional songs were released throughout the show’s first season.[11] ”Big Time Rush” were also the star presenters at the 2010 Kids’ Choice Awards, came to the 2010 MTV Movie awards and were recently at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. The Los Angeles Times has been critically postitive of the show’s focus on music, noting:[edit]Group members
[edit]Biography
The name, Big Time Rush, was not formed until August 2009. In an interview, the guys state it was hard to pick the name and that the name, Big Time Rush, is a hockey term they came up with. They were signed to a record deal in 2009, which is also when they signed on for the television series, Big Time Rush. The series was conceived and created by Scott Fellows, formerly the creator, executive producer and showrunner of Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.[12] Fellows says his inspiration for the show was the musical comedy show, The Monkees[13]—a popular and culturally significant American television series about a group of four young male adults who form a rock band, become famous, and sing songs while having comedic adventures.[14] Although the show had a concept as early as 2007, the series had no actual title as late as August 2009.[2] Nickelodeon partnered with Columbia/Epic Label Group to produce the show, which will incorporate original music into the series.[10] Big Time Rush is one of the three Nickelodeon shows (the others are iCarly and Victorious) on which the cable network is partnering with the music group to promote music as well as shows.[2] The four actors will sing in a band whose name will be “Big Time Rush.”[11][3] Their debut single, Big Time Rush, was released on November 29, 2009, and had a strong debut on iTunes.[15] The single was debuted during a one-hour special preview of their series, Big Time Rush, (which serves as the series pilot and first episode) debuted on Nickelodeon on November 28, 2009, drawing an audience of 3.6 million viewers. The show has received mixed reviews from critics.[16] Los Angeles Times television critic Robert Lloyd called the show an “awesomely epic show on Nick,” while also noting that the “music is original”.[12] AP critic Frazier Moore credited the show with “best writing and catchy pacing”. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was less enthusiastic, concluding that the show was “Nick’s attempt at building a Jonas Brothers-style pop band. It’s Nick’s answer to Disney Channel’s ‘JONAS,’ albeit slightly less organic since ‘Rush’ doesn’t feature siblings.”[17] The Hartford Courant was openly critical, calling the series a “not so good” show “with their thin pop and unfunny comedies”.[18] The Boston Globe criticized the show as “one example in a growing list of kid shows selling showbiz fantasies to children. The genre is stronger than ever now and more fixated on the perks of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle … wish fulfillment at a time when tabloid dreams are ubiquitous.”[4] The series’ official premiere on January 18, 2010 (which followed the premiere of the iCarly special “iSaved Your Life”), was watched by a total of 7.1 million total viewers, Nickelodeon’s highest-ratedlive-action series debut. The show has since then gained fairly high audience shares. The series provided great promotion for the bands music. On the fifth episode of the series, the band debuted a new song, titled City Is Ours. Episode six, which saw the boys trying to make a ballad, saw the release of the mid-tempo track, Any Kind of Guy. On episode seven of the show, the boys coved a Playsong, titled Famous. In the tenth episode of the show, the boys debuted a new song, titled Halfway There. The song was released to iTunes on April 27, 2010 after it’s premiere on the series.[19][20] The single has become their first to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting and peaking at number 93 due to strong digital sales.[21] “Famous” was released on iTunes on June 29, 2010, three days after the song was first shown in its full entirety, which was immediately following the episode debut of “Big Time Fever” on June 26, 2010. The song is a remake of the original song by a Swedish band named Play. “City Is Ours” was released on August 3, 2010, and the music video was in the episode “Big Time Video.” In 2010, the band announced plans to release their debut album that year, which would also serve as the soundtrack to the series. The boys stated that the album would feature a few songs from the series, as well as several new songs. On September 21, 2010, the boys released another promotional single, titled Til’ I Forget About You, to promote the release of their debut album.[22] The single, like many of their others, failed to chart on any charts worldwide. On September 25, 2010, the second season of Big Time Rush premiered with a total of 4.0 million viewers.[23] On October 11, 2010, Their debut album, B.T.R., was released. It features the rocking heard songs, like Big Time Rush, “Halfway There”, “City Is Ours”, and “Til’ I Forget About You”. The album also provided new material from the band that was previously unheard. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, selling 67,000 units in its first week of release. The album peaked at #4 on the “Top Internet Albums” and #1 on “Top Soundtracks”. Shortly after the album’s release, the song Big Night debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 79, making it one of their highest peaking singles, and their second at the time to chart on the US singles chart. The album was later certified Gold for shipments/sales of 500,000 copies in the U.S.[24] In November of 2010, it was announced that a Christmas special of Big Time Rush would debut later in the month. It was also announced that a Christmas EP would be released to coincide with the episode. The EP, titled Holiday Bundle was released on November 30, 2010. The episode, which debuted on December 4, and saw the boys trying to quickly record a Christmas EP for their boss so they can go home for the holiday. After recording a song titled “Beautiful Christmas”, the head of their record label states that he wants the next two songs to be celebrity duets. They later record the song All I Want For Christmas Is You, originally performed by Mariah Carey, with fellow Nickelodeon star Miranda Cosgrove, who is playing herself. The third duet is done with rapper Snoop Dogg. In January of 2011, it was announced that Boyfriend would be released as their official debut single. “Boyfriend” was released as their fifth single to US iTunes, but the 1st single to mainstream US radio on February 15, 2011.[25] The version featuring Snoop Dogg was released to mainstream radio on February 15, 2011. “Boyfriend” so far peaked at #72 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their most successful song to date. “Boyfriend” also peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart in March 2011. In 2011, an alternate version (remix) of “Boyfriend” (featuring New Boyz) was leaked onto the internet, and is now available on iTunes.[26] The boys later announced that they would be going on their first headlining tour, after the airing of the second season of Big Time Rush comes to a close. The group was nominated for a 2011 Kids’ Choice Awards for Favorite Music Group and are nominated for a 2011 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Music : Group.[edit]History
[edit]2007-2010: Beginnings & TV Success
[edit]2010-present: Debut Album & Touring
[edit]Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]Extended plays
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