Boy Bands Of The 90s

By Editorial Staff in History On 8th February 2016
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New Edition

Though not technically a 90s boy band their popularity lasted well into the 90s. New Edition is an American R&B boy band formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, The Boys, Boyz II Men, Hi-Five, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. The group recorded mostly as a quintet.

During the group's first bout of fame in 1983, its members were Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant. Early hits included "Candy Girl," "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man".[1] Brown was voted out the group in1985 and embarked on a solo career. The group continued for a time with its remaining four members, but eventually recruited singer Johnny Gill, who would be introduced on their 1988 album Heart Break. The group went on hiatus in 1990, while its various members worked on side projects, such as the group Bell Biv DeVoe. Gill and Tresvant also recorded successful solo albums.

All six members of New Edition reunited in 1996 to record the group's sixth studio album Home Again. During the ill-fated Home Again Tour, both Bobby Brown and Michael Bivins eventually quit the group, forcing the remainder of the tour to be canceled. Various reunions have occurred since, usually with the 1987-1990 lineup, though occasionally also including Brown. Their last studio album was 2004's One Love. As of 2010, two New Edition descendants were recording and touring: Bell Biv DeVoe and Heads of State (which features Brown, Tresvant and Gill.)

98 Degrees

98 Degrees is an American pop and R&B boy band consisting of four vocalists: brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons. The group was formed by Timmons in Los Angeles, California, although all of its members originate from Ohio.

Unlike most boy bands, they formed independently and were later picked up by a record label, rather than being assembled by a label or a producer. They have sold over 10 million records worldwide and achieved eight top 40 singles in the U.S.

The group reunited for a one-time performance at Mixtape Festival in Hershey, PA in August 2012. After the performance, the reunion expanded into a new album and a spot on "The Package" tour in 2013.

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*NSYNC

NSYNC was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. NSYNC consisted of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass. After heavily publicized legal battles with their former manager Lou Pearlman and former record label Bertelsmann Music Group, the group's second album, No Strings Attached, sold over 1 million copies in one day and 2.42 million copies in one week, which was a record for over fifteen years. In addition to a host of Grammy Award nominations, NSYNC has performed at the World Series, the Super Bowl and the Olympic Games, and sang or recorded with Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Celine Dion, Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Nelly, Left Eye, Mary J. Blige, and Gloria Estefan.

Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The group consists of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell.

The group rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys (1996). In the following year they released their second international album Backstreet's Back (1997), and their U.S. debut album which continued the group's success worldwide. They rose to superstardom with their third studio album Millennium (1999) and its follow-up album, Black & Blue (2000).

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Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. Formerly a quartet featuring Michael McCary, they are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan Morris alongside tenors Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman. During the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet. McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues. During the 1990s, Boyz II Men gained international success. This began with the release of the number one single "End of the Road" in 1992, which reached the top of charts worldwide. "End of the Road" would set a new record for longevity, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks, breaking the decades-old record held by Elvis Presley. Boyz II Men proceeded to break this record with the subsequent releases of "I'll Make Love to You" and "One Sweet Day", which, at fourteen and sixteen weeks respectively, each set new records for the total number of weeks at number one. "I'll Make Love to You" also topped the charts in Australia and garnered international success. As of 2014, "One Sweet Day" still holds the all-time record with sixteen weeks at the top of the Hot 100.

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Hanson

Hanson is an American pop/rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma formed by brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac. Supporting members include Dimetres Collins, and Andrew Perusi who have toured and performed live with the band since 2007. They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations. Despite the enormous commercial success of Middle of Nowhere, the band suffered from the merger that eliminated their label, Mercury Records. The group was moved to Island Def Jam Music Group, which they eventually left after a conflict with the label. Hanson has sold over 16 million records worldwide and have had 8 top 40 albums and 6 top 40 singles in the US, as well as 8 top 40 singles in the UK. The band now records under its own label, 3CG Records.

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New Kids on the Block

New Kids on the Block is an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band's original name was 'Nynuk'. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold more than 80 million records worldwide. They won two American Music Awards in 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Album. The group disbanded in 1994, after which several attempts were made to get the group back together, all of them unsuccessful.

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O-Town

O-Town is an American boy band formed from the first season of the MTV-produced reality television series Making The Band in 2000. The group was originally managed by Lou Pearlman during their first season of Making the Band, but later managed by Mike Morin for their debut album and remaining television seasons. The original members of the band were Jacob Underwood, Ashley Parker Angel, Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor Penick, and Ikaika Kahoano. Kahoano left the band several weeks after the band was formed and was replaced by Dan Miller. After releasing two albums near the end of the boy band fad of the late 1990s and early 2000s, the group disbanded in 2003. They began to reform in 2013 as a quartet after Ashley Parker Angel turned down the offer.