You Couldn't Escape These Guys (And You Didn’t Want To)

There was a time when these singers could barely walk through an airport without being mobbed. Millions of Baby Boomer women knew every lyric they sang and had at least one of their posters on the wall. 

Today, most Millennial women would scroll right past them without realizing they were once among the biggest stars (and heartthrobs) on the planet. How many do you remember?

Columbia Pictures

Bobby Sherman

Long before boy bands became a marketing strategy, Bobby Sherman had already perfected the formula. His shaggy hair, bright smile, and wholesome image made him one of the biggest teen idols of the late 60s and early 70s. Thousands of fans packed concerts just to catch a glimpse of him, while magazines couldn't print enough posters. Today, plenty of younger music fans have never even heard his name.

ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons

David Cassidy

For millions of teenage girls, The Partridge Family wasn't really about the family. It was about David Cassidy. His concerts regularly sparked scenes that looked more like Beatlemania than a television spin-off. Cassidy sold millions of records around the world and became one of the biggest celebrity crushes of the early 70s. Ask many Millennials about him now, though, and you're just as likely to get a blank stare as a look of recognition.

ABC Television Network., Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Rydell

Before the British Invasion changed everything, Bobby Rydell was one of America's biggest teen idols. His clean-cut looks, energetic stage presence, and string of early 60s hits made him a regular fixture on magazine covers and television. While Wild One and Volare remain oldies favorites, many younger listeners have no idea how enormous he once was.

Photographer: James Kriegsmann, New York., Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Goldsboro

Songs like Honey made Bobby Goldsboro one of the biggest pop-country balladeers of the late 60s. His soft voice and clean-cut appearance made him a favorite with Baby Boomer women, even if critics weren't always convinced. While the song remains famous among older generations, Goldsboro himself has largely faded from mainstream conversation.

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

Donny Osmond

Before he became a Las Vegas entertainer and television personality, Donny Osmond was the teenage dream for countless young women. The combination of family-friendly charm, a smooth singing voice, and impossible good looks turned Osmondmania into a genuine phenomenon. Younger generations often know him as a TV host rather than remembering just how enormous a pop star he once was.

Unspecified work-for-hire photographer, Wikimedia Commons

Neil Sedaka

Neil Sedaka had a knack for writing songs that stayed in your head for days. Hits like Calendar Girl and Breaking Up Is Hard to Do made him one of the biggest stars of the early 60s, while his boy-next-door charm won over millions of fans. Today, plenty of Millennials know the songs without realizing who recorded them.

AVRO, Wikimedia Commons

Engelbert Humperdinck

No, not the animated movie character. The real Engelbert Humperdinck reportedly sold more than 140 million records and spent decades making audiences swoon with romantic ballads. His deep voice, sideburns, and polished stage presence made him one of the biggest adult-contemporary stars of his era. Despite an incredible career, many younger listeners have never discovered his music.

ABC Television Network, Wikimedia Commons

Gene Pitney

Gene Pitney had one of the most distinctive voices of the 60s. Hits like Only Love Can Break a Heart helped turn him into both a chart star and a favorite among female fans. While he was never as flashy as some of his contemporaries, his emotional delivery and classic good looks earned him a devoted following that has largely aged with him.

Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons

Tommy Roe

Tommy Roe delivered one catchy pop hit after another throughout the 60s. Songs like Sheila, Sweet Pea, and Dizzy kept him climbing the charts, while his clean-cut style made him a favorite among teenage girls. Today, younger listeners may know Dizzy, but the name Tommy Roe often draws a blank.

ABC / Dunhill Records, Wikimedia Commons

Fabian

Fabian Forte barely needed to sing to become a sensation. His movie-star looks helped launch him as one of the original teen idols during the late 50s and early 60s. Critics often questioned his vocal ability, but fans couldn't have cared less. His posters sold almost as well as his records, making him one of the defining crushes of the rock-and-roll generation.

20th Century Fox, Wikimedia Commons

Bobby Vee

The clean-cut image, friendly smile, and steady stream of catchy pop songs made Bobby Vee one of America's favorite young singers. He stepped into the spotlight during a difficult moment in rock history following Buddy Holly's death and built a hugely successful career of his own. Today, he's remembered far more by Boomers than by younger listeners.

Harry Pot for Anefo ]], Wikimedia Commons

Wayne Newton

Las Vegas eventually became synonymous with Wayne Newton, but before that he was already winning hearts with his youthful looks and smooth voice. Nicknamed 'Mr. Las Vegas,' Newton became one of America's best-known entertainers for decades. Millennials may know the nickname, but many couldn't name one of his songs.

Iowa State University. Library. Curation Services, Wikimedia Commons

Lou Christie

Few singers could match Lou Christie's soaring falsetto. Hits like Lightnin' Strikes made him one of pop music's biggest stars during the mid-60s, while his youthful looks earned him a devoted female following. Even people who recognize the song today often have no idea who sang it.

Evening Standard, Wikimedia Commons

Vic Damone

Vic Damone combined classic good looks with one of the smoothest voices of the postwar era. He enjoyed enormous success through the 50s and early 60s, recording dozens of popular standards while building a devoted female following. Although fellow singers continue to admire his vocal talent, his name rarely comes up outside classic music circles today.

Columbia Records, Wikimedia Commons

Paul Anka

Paul Anka wasn't just writing hits—he was breaking hearts everywhere he went. His youthful charm made songs like Diana instant favorites among teenage girls around the world. Anka went on to become one of pop music's greatest songwriters, but many younger fans know his compositions without realizing he wrote and first recorded some of his biggest early hits himself.

Harry Pot for Anefo, Wikimedia Commons

Johnny Mathis

Johnny Mathis built one of the longest-running careers in popular music thanks to his unmistakable voice and romantic style. Albums like Johnny's Greatest Hits stayed on the Billboard album chart for years, while his concerts attracted devoted fans for decades. His influence remains enormous, even if his name doesn't immediately register with many younger listeners.

MCA-Music Corporation of America (management), Wikimedia Commons

Johnny Tillotson

Johnny Tillotson built his career on heartfelt ballads and an unmistakably wholesome image. Poetry in Motion made him a star, and his easygoing charm made him one of the most popular young singers of the early 60s. His records sold by the millions, but his name has quietly slipped out of the mainstream.

MGM, Wikimedia Commons

Eddie Fisher

Before celebrity gossip became a full-time business, Eddie Fisher was already making headlines. His enormously successful singing career made him one of America's biggest stars during the 50s, while his personal life kept him constantly in the spotlight. Time has remembered the scandals more than the music, leaving newer generations unfamiliar with just how famous he once was.

Archive Photos, Getty Images

Ricky Nelson

As television helped transform American entertainment, Ricky Nelson became one of its first crossover superstars. Viewers watched him grow up on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet before buying millions of his records. His combination of movie-star looks and rock-and-roll success made him one of the biggest crushes of the late 50s and early 60s.

Mary Mead Maddick of Topix [1], Wikimedia Commons

Cliff Richard

While Americans sometimes overlook Cliff Richard today, he became one of Britain's biggest music stars long before The Beatles conquered the world. His good looks, polished style, and decades of chart success made him a heartthrob across much of the English-speaking world. He's still hugely respected in the UK, even if younger North Americans rarely know much about him.

ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons

Tom Jones

Tom Jones didn't just sing songs—he practically turned concerts into sporting events thanks to all the underwear being thrown on stage. His booming voice, confident swagger, and unmistakable charm made him one of the biggest sex symbols of the 60s and 70s. Younger audiences may know the name, but many have no idea just how wildly popular he really was.

ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons

Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell possessed a rare combination of movie-star looks and extraordinary musical talent. Whether he was topping the country charts or hosting The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, audiences couldn't get enough of him. While musicians still celebrate his guitar playing, his status as one of America's biggest heartthrobs has faded with time.

Capitol Records, Wikimedia Commons

Andy Gibb

Andy Gibb benefited from the Bee Gees connection, but he quickly became a superstar in his own right. His smile, feathered hair, and string of late-70s hits made him one of the decade's biggest teen idols. He became the first solo artist whose first three Billboard Hot 100 entries all reached No. 1, leaving many younger listeners unaware of just how famous he once became.

William Morris Agency , Wikimedia Commons

Shaun Cassidy

Before boy bands figured out how to manufacture teen idols, Shaun Cassidy was doing it all by himself. His records sold by the millions, The Hardy Boys Mysteries became appointment television, and screaming fans followed him everywhere. Four decades later, he's become one of those stars Boomers remember instantly while younger generations often draw a complete blank.

Tony Barnard, Los Angeles Times, Wikimedia Commons

John Denver

John Denver's wholesome image and warm smile made him feel like the nicest guy in America. Songs like Take Me Home, Country Roads and Annie's Song made him a superstar, while his gentle personality only added to his appeal. His music still lives on, but younger listeners don't always connect those classics with the man who sang them.

ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons

The Final Encore

For millions of Baby Boomer women, these singers weren't just famous—they were the posters on bedroom walls, the records played until they wore out, and the celebrity crushes nobody ever completely forgot. 

Some stars may disappear from popular culture, but they never really disappear from the people who grew up loving them.

David E. Lucas, Wikimedia Commons

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Sources: 1, 2, 3