Comeback Wars: The Jonas Brothers vs. Aly & AJ

A nostalgic Disney Channel stan reckons with two comebacks of her favorite middle school supergroups.

Written by Claire Hardwick

Photos courtesy of Peggy Sirota and Stephen Ringer.

Back in 2008, Disney Channel stars were the crux of my personality. Getting home and turning on “Phil of the Future,” “Suite Life of Zach and Cody,” and, yes, “The Jonas Brothers Show” was less entertainment and more so a ritual. Your favorite Jo Bro and what Disney Channel Original Movie was on last night were social currency in the crazy halls of upper elementary school. Now over 10 years later, I, like many other 20-somethings, have a fond nostalgia for Hannah and Miley, the “Year 3000” music video, and even the Disney Channel Games. But my carefully purchased tickets for the final Jonas Brothers’ Tour would never actually be used. The band broke up in 2013 and went to pursue their own musical projects. Disney sister icons Aly & AJ faded out of view when they took a break to focus on acting. It seemed as if the golden age of Disney Channel stars was over. So when these two major Disney groups made a worldwide comeback years after they fell off of stardom, the world was taken off guard. 

In 2017, the famed Disney twins Aly & AJ — yes, that Aly & AJ of “Cowbelles” and “Phil of the Future” fame — released a single called “Take Me.” People were shocked and confused: why were our favorite Disney Channel icons releasing a random single 10 years since their last album release? But on first listen everyone was intrigued. This was not the teeny-bopper sound of “Potential Breakup Song” nor the attempted country revival of “On the Ride.”  The music streaming to our ears was fresh 80s synth pop that stood up to current pop artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and Troye Sivan. After that release, the music kept coming with mysterious singles culminating in an EP titled Ten Years, a nod to their long and unintentional hiatus apart from their brief return to music in 2013 as 78violet. 

Two years later the Jonas Brothers decided that their time isn’t up yet either. The brothers, having split up due to Nick’s desire to break out solo reunited, and the world took a collective gasp as we all wondered if we were stuck in a middle schooler’s time traveling fantasy. But it wasn’t a joke — the Brothers were back and ready to capitalize on the nostalgia and the fame they deserted when they were becoming household names.  

While Joe and Nick still lead the votes for favored brother, Kevin has two kids and we all feel a little bit better about supporting him. Frankie, the fourth and often forgotten Jonas, is all grown up. The brothers reintroduced themselves with the debut of their single “Sucker,” which became an overnight sensation. The accompanying music video was full of poppy fun and reminded everyone how goofy the Brothers used to be, recruiting their respective partners to fawn all over the new and improved Jo Bros so that we see how far they’ve come. 

But their new album, Happiness Begins, and its accompanying Amazon Original documentary
“Chasing Happiness” (which is worth a watch for anyone who thrives while watching other people’s drama unfold) seem like a call for help. While some songs on the album stand out as fresh pop anthems (some favorites being “I Believe” and “Don’t Throw It Away”), the majority of them leave a little to be imagined. Is it worth a play for nostalgia's sake? Of course!

On their new 2019 EP, Sanctuary, the Michalka sisters fully embrace their new synth-pop leanings with songs that simply beg to be danced to. And on Happiness Begins, the long recent release from The Jonas Brothers, Nick and Joe’s vocals are accompanied by lazy beats and production that swing from Latin-inspired to dance-hall EDM. The only message that seems to be clear is that they’re back.

And while Aly & AJ explain that they don’t like to play certain songs on the road due to pure disdain for their younger songwriting selves (they’re looking at you, “Like Woah”), they have become known for putting on a rager of a show - even performing through an incoming rainstorm for their recent comeback in Austin. In comparison to Aly & AJ’s rebranding as up and coming indie pop darlings, the Jonas Brothers started their comeback with a tour lineup full of stadiums. And while they have the clout to sell tickets, and had booked stadiums back in their heyday, a fan almost wonders if a comeback should start small and more intimately.  Aly & AJ’s shows have been heralded as gripping and passionate with a strong mix of both old and new songs while reviews of Jonas Brothers shows have been mixed with a more ambivalent response. One review after one of their first shows this year in Minneapolis explained, “Even though the crowd joyously sang along to everyone of the oldies, the Jonases need to move on for their own sanity,” highlighting the distinct differences between these two artists comebacks.

While Aly & AJ are highlighting their past musical repertoire, it’s all for the cause of pointing old fans in a new direction toward their futuristic synth pop sound — one that is getting great reviews. The Jonas Brothers on the other hand seem to be running out of steam despite their brand new release, seemingly hoping that nostalgic fans will keep tickets sold while they write the next pop anthem — or don’t.

Maybe we’re living in a golden age of Disney comebacks or maybe global warming is really making everyone rethink their life decisions. Either way, I think we all know what would be the best outcome for this new era: a collaboration between the two groups. We’ll be waiting.