Vi3

The Chicago-based male vocal trio Vi3 was among the edgier, more gritty teen pop acts that emerged in the early '00s. While there are parallels between Vi3 and famous teen pop stars like *NSYNC, O-Town, and the Backstreet Boys, Vi3 isn't a clone of any of them. Vi3 tends to have more bite -- and more originality -- than many of its contemporaries. The threesome's blend of dance-pop, hip-hop, and urban contemporary owes something to New Kids on the Block (who influenced many of the teen popsters who came along in the '90s), but they have also been influenced (either directly or...