BANDS, BRANDS AND BILLIONS: My Top Ten Rules for Making Any Business Go Platinum

Pearlman, the marketer behind successful boy bands *NSync, the Backstreet Boys and O-Town, chronicles his career from Queens newspaper delivery boy to billionaire in this solid—though not essential—entrepreneur's handbook. The 48-year-old businessman discusses his ventures, which include blimps, helicopters and recording studios, along with his marketing and promotional strategies. In describing his businesses, the aggressive and persistent Pearlman keeps his ego in check, describing entrepreneurs simply as " 'can do' people who see solutions and opportunities where others see problems and impossibilities." The book is most interesting when Pearlman discusses his musical ventures, e.g., the Backstreet Boys' early struggles to get a record deal. Realizing that grassroots marketing would help the band gain momentum, Pearlman sent them to perform at schools and malls nationwide. "I identified the popular music market and, more specifically, the teenage girl audience as the primary target for the music and merchandise of the Backstreet Boys. My challenge was to convince the millions and millions of teen pop music buyers that the Backstreet Boys were the brand-name band they should buy into." In addition to his anecdotes about the music world, Pearlman offers practical, if unoriginal, advice for fledgling entrepreneurs, including the importance of good accounting, financing techniques and intelligent handling of legal issues. (Oct.)