Did you know that before Soundcloud rappers stormed the scene, boy bands reigned supreme in the music industry? From the early 1990s to the early 2000s, these vocal groups comprised of young male singers had an insanely huge following that resulted in fanatic obsession seldom seen since the heyday of iconic English rock band The Beatles.
Young girls just couldn’t get enough of being serenaded by The Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and New Kids on the Block, among others. But what was it that gave these lads such a hold on the minds of their fans? If you want to know the secrets to their fame, read on as we take you through the five most successful boy bands of the time.
By far the most popular boy band from the United Kingdom, British pop group Take That was established in Manchester back in 1989, inspired by the already famous New Kids on the Block.
The young teen group, originally called Kick It, consisted of Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen. Their phenomenal hits include “It Only Takes a Minute,” “A Million Love Songs,” and “Could It Be Magic.”
One of the first and most celebrated boy bands of the decade, NKOTB had a series of hit songs thanks to the chemistry of Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, and siblings Jordan and Jonathan Knight.
The group was launched via their self-titled debut album in 1986, but went on a hiatus following their fourth album, Face the Music. They reunited a couple of years ago for a phenomenal '90s boy band tour along with The Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men.
These R&B superstars were introduced to the music industry in 1991 through their debut studio album Cooleyhighharmony and its epic track “End of the Road.”
Then, of course, there was their ultra-famous song, “I'll Make Love to You.”
Although they failed to achieve a chart-topper during the 2000s, the hugely popular boy band continued to launch new studio albums with the most notable being Collide in 2014.
Securing the second spot on our list is the ‘90s phenomenon commonly known as The Backstreet Boys. These American lads earned fame in Europe during the early '90s thanks to their strong fan base in Germany.
Hailed as one of the world’s most famous boy bands, BSB’s charm and talents belong to Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson. The group earned international acclaim with their 1999 album Millennium.
No fancy description needed here. Let’s put it this way, NSYNC is arguably the greatest boy band of the ‘90s. Think of the multiple Grammy nominations and the recording they did with music icons Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.
Formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995, the most popular boy band across the globe boasted the star power of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and Chris Kirkpatrick.
The group’s smash hits include “Bye Bye Bye,” “I Want You Back,” “Tearin' Up My Heart,” and “(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time on You,” the latter of which made every fan cry.
Need we say more?