Disney Channel in Concert
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| camera = Videotape; multi-camera
| runtime = 60 minutes (approx.)
| country = United States
| language = English
| network = Disney Channel
| first_aired = {{Start date|1997|06|22}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2001|01}}
}}
Disney Channel in Concert is a reality series that combined footage of live concerts with a behind-the-scenes look at the artists' personal lives. The artists came from all genres of music, including hip-hop, country and pop to classical and blues. Episodes often promoted the artist's sales and popularity to a teen and pre-teen audience.{{Cite magazine |last=Hay |first=Carla |date=15 August 1998 |title=Disney Touts Its Ears |volume=110 |pages=6, 85 |magazine=Billboard |issue=33 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-08-15.pdf |access-date=2021-07-29}}{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Caitlin |date=4 May 2016 |title=These Disney Channel Original Concert Throwbacks Will Fill You With Way Too Much Joy |url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/41025651 |access-date=2021-07-11 |website=PopSugar |language=en-US}} The series ran from early 1997 to late 2001.
Background
Each show featured a specially taped live concert, with documentary footage playing between songs showing the artist pursuing personal and professional passions, and interviews with mentors, friends and family. Though specials were usually taped at Disney parks or properties like Disney's Hollywood Studios or aboard the Disney cruise ship Disney Magic,{{Cite web |title=InBaseline: Cleopatra in Concert |url=http://www.inbaseline.com/project.aspx?project_id=43935 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070815081735/http://www.inbaseline.com/project.aspx?project_id=43935 |archive-date=2007-08-15 |access-date=2021-08-03 |website=InBaseline}} the Backstreet Boys concert was filmed at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City and the 98 Degrees and Hoku episode was filmed in the artists' respective hometowns of Cincinnati and Honolulu. The concert specials typically lasted an hour and aired on Fridays, with reruns being shown after it aired on the network frequently. The promotional content for these concerts were hosted in a program called "Behind the Ears" hosted by RuDee Sade Lipscomb.{{Cite web |date= |title=Disney Behind The Ears {{!}} Disney Channel {{!}} 1999 {{!}} B*Witched & Five |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_-TKhFL-gc |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803083901/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_-TKhFL-gc |archive-date=2021-08-03 |access-date=2021-08-03 |website=YouTube }} YouTube.{{cbignore}}
The episode with NSYNC notably launched the group's career in the U.S.; they were mostly known by European audiences before the concert special.{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=24 March 2018 |title=*NSYNC Reflects on Making U.S. Debut & Competing With Backstreet Boys as Self-Titled Album Turns 20: 'It Was Us Against the World' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8258181/nsync-debut-album-us-20th-anniversary-oral-history |magazine=Billboard |language=en |access-date=2021-07-11}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=19 March 1999 |title=SCORE ONE FOR THE BOYS: 'N Sync's Fab Five Make Music to Soothe The Tweenage Soul |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1999/03/19/score-one-for-the-boys-n-syncs-fab-five-make-music-to-soothe-the-tweenage-soul/2a579e34-48a4-414f-9dc7-748c734f25f2/ |access-date=2021-07-11 |issn=0190-8286}} A month prior to the airing of the concert, the group's debut album sat at number 82 on the Billboard 200 chart.{{Cite magazine |date=June 13, 1998 |title=Billboard 200 Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1998-06-13 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=2021-08-03}} The concert was replayed on the Disney Channel multiple times, leading album sales to skyrocket. Three weeks after the concert first aired, the album reached the number 9 spot.{{Cite magazine |date=August 15, 1998 |title=Billboard 200 Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1998-08-15 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=2021-07-11}}
Cancellation
Disney Channel took In Concert off the air in late 2001, as well as with music videos, citing the inability to receive a stake in revenue from the artists' CD sales and lack of exclusivity for the videos{{Cite magazine |last=Hay |first=Carla |date=26 May 2001 |title=Disney Channel Scales Back Videos, Concert Programming |volume=113 |page=67 |magazine=Billboard |issue=21 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jhMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA67%23V |access-date=2021-11-12}}{{Cite web |last=Umstead |first=R. Thomas |date=25 June 2001 |title=Disney Bounces Videos! Concerts from Schedule. |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-76296823.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624034038/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-76296823.html |archive-date=2011-06-24 |access-date=2021-08-03 |website=Multichannel News}} However, they still aired music videos from songs featured in Disney's feature films and from artists played on Radio Disney{{Cite magazine |last=Applefeld Olson |first=Catherine |date=11 November 2006 |title=Disney at 50: Walt Disney Builds on a 50-Year Legacy to Target New Audiences |volume=118 |pages=39, 40 |magazine=Billboard |issue=45 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UA8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39 |access-date=2021-11-12}} and signed to Disney's in-house record companies Hollywood Records and Walt Disney Records.{{Cite book|last=Bickford|first=Tyler|title=Tween Pop: Children's Music and Public Culture|publisher=Duke University Press|year=2020|isbn=978-1-4780-0819-4}} "The two Disney record labels...would release records by Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, and Selena Gomez, among others"
List of concert specials
- LeAnn Rimes in Concert (1997)
- Disney's Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra in Concert (1992-1997) (Mickey Mouse){{Cite web |date=2 August 1997 |title=An Appealing Concert From 'Musicians' |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-02-ca-18575-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729143442/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-02-ca-18575-story.html |archive-date=2021-07-29 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
- Ray J in Concert with Brandy (1997)
- Jonny Lang in Concert (1997)
- NSYNC in Concert (1998)
- Cleopatra in Concert (1998){{Cite web |date=7 July 1998 |title=Cleopatra On Madonna's Many Faces |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1427158/cleopatra-on-madonnas-many-faces/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729141240/http://www.mtv.com/news/1427158/cleopatra-on-madonnas-many-faces/ |archive-date=2021-07-29 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=MTV News |language=en}}
- Holidays in Concert (1998) (NSYNC, Shawn Colvin, and Tatyana Ali){{Cite magazine |last=Mayfield |first=Geoff |date=19 December 1998 |title=Where the boys are |volume=110 |page=84 |magazine=Billboard |issue=51 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-12-19.pdf |access-date=2021-07-29}}
- B*Witched and Five in concert (1998){{Cite web |date=28 December 1998 |title=B*witched Kicks-Off Tour With 'N Sync, Teams Up With 5ive For TV |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1425694/bwitched-kicks-off-tour-with-n-sync-teams-up-with-5ive-for-tv/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805160726/http://www.mtv.com:80/news/1425694/bwitched-kicks-off-tour-with-n-sync-teams-up-with-5ive-for-tv/ |archive-date=2016-08-05 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=MTV News |language=en}}
- Backstreet Boys in Concert (1999){{Cite web |date=5 April 1999 |title=Backstreet Boys Get It "That Way" For New Single And Video, Plan Disney Concert Special |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1425227/backstreet-boys-get-it-that-way-for-new-single-and-video-plan-disney-concert-special/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729141238/http://www.mtv.com/news/1425227/backstreet-boys-get-it-that-way-for-new-single-and-video-plan-disney-concert-special/ |archive-date=2021-07-29 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=MTV News |language=en}}
- Britney Spears and Joey McIntyre in Concert (1999){{Cite web |date=16 July 1999 |title=Britney Spears, Joey McIntyre Headed To Disney |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1431484/britney-spears-joey-mcintyre-headed-to-disney/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530112811/http://www.mtv.com/news/1431484/britney-spears-joey-mcintyre-headed-to-disney/ |archive-date=2016-05-30 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=MTV News |language=en}}
- Youngstown and Steps in Concert (2000){{Cite web |last=Ives |first=Brian |date=19 October 1999 |title=Youngstown And Steps To Play Disney Special |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1434622/youngstown-and-steps-to-play-disney-special/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029084854/http://www.mtv.com/news/1434622/youngstown-and-steps-to-play-disney-special/ |archive-date=2020-10-29 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=MTV News |language=en}}
- BBMak & M2M in Concert (2000){{Cite news|date=2000-02-13|title=Will BBMak, M2M B Kids' 2 New Fave?|work=Orlando Sentinel}}
- Jessica Simpson & Jason Raize in Concert (2000){{Cite web |last=Sherrow |first=Rita |date=16 June 2000 |title=On TV: And an AMC annual |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/on-tv-and-an-amc-annual/article_29b3a039-3245-55f5-93ec-d3418b4ba06d.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729141239/https://tulsaworld.com/archive/on-tv-and-an-amc-annual/article_29b3a039-3245-55f5-93ec-d3418b4ba06d.html |archive-date=2021-07-29 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}
- 98 Degrees & Hoku in Concert (2000){{Cite web |last=Basham |first=David |date=11 August 2000 |title=98 Degrees Pays Visit To Hometown School |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1432677/98-degrees-pays-visit-to-hometown-school/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729141239/http://www.mtv.com/news/1432677/98-degrees-pays-visit-to-hometown-school/ |archive-date=2021-07-29 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=MTV News |language=en}}
- Aaron Carter & Samantha Mumba in Concert (2001){{Cite web |date=2 July 2001 |title=Aaron Carter's Oh Aaron In Stores August 7 |url=https://idobi.com/news/aaron-carters-oh-aaron-in-stores-august-7/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515020200/https://idobi.com/news/aaron-carters-oh-aaron-in-stores-august-7/ |archive-date=2021-05-15 |access-date=2021-07-29 |website=idobi |language=en-US}}