Jonas Brothers

Jonas Brothers are boys in a band, but don't call them a boy band.

A cuter, happier and poppier My Chemical Romance for the Disney crowd, the three real-life brothers from New Jersey – 15-year-old Nick, 18-year-old Joseph and 20-year-old Kevin – write most of their songs and play their own instruments. Deeply religious siblings with Italian roots, the Jonas Brothers began as a solo project, when Nick Jonas, the youngest of the three, began performing on Broadway, appearing in plays like "Les Miserables," "A Christmas Carol" and "Beauty and the Beast."

In 2004, an 11 year-old Nick released two singles, "Dear God" and "Joy To the World," but his solo debut was shelved after Columbia Records execs listened to Please Be Mine, a catchy pop tune written by the three brothers on acoustic guitars. Nick's solo album finally saw the light of day in 2006, when it was retooled and released as the Jonas Brothers' debut, It's About Time. Album sales were less than stellar and the brothers were dropped from Columbia a year later. It may have been a blessing in disguise.

Disney's Hollywood Records, home of Miley Cyrus, Cheetah Girls and High School Musical, signed the trio in early 2007. Months later, the Jonas Brothers released their eponymous second album, featuring songs that are alternately bubblegum punk (Year 3000 and Hold On), power pop Kids of the Future, and country When You Look Me in the Eyes. After the trio teamed up with Miley Cyrus, aka "Hannah Montana," appearing on her wildly popular TV show and opening her concert tour, Jonas Brothers went platinum.

This year the Jonas Brothers are everywhere: they're starring in a reality series called "Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream," a movie titled Camp Rock and another film, J.O.N.A.S.!, that begins production in the fall. A Little Bit Longer, the brothers' third album, is scheduled for release in August. Nick says fans – and there's quite a few of them – can expect more of the same: "I think we've gotten a little better as musicians, so maybe the chords of the songs are a little different, more mature. But it's still fun, pop-rock music and lyrics."