Boy bands have been a big part of the Pop culture scene ever since The Beatles debuted more than fifty years ago. Besides selling their music, these boy bands are commercially bankable because of their looks and image (just look up Beatlemania if you need proof).
We thought we’ve seen the last of the boy bands during the late 90s to early 2000s wherein pop oriented groups like 98 Degrees, N’SYNC (led of course by Justin Timberlake) and Backstreet Boys dominated the scene. But in recent years chart toppers and record breaking UK group One Direction dominated the boy band game and was the reason for the resurgence of such groups. With big names such as BSB and One Direction commanding the boy band game, other groups were easily forgotten. Here we list down those boy bands that deserve a spot in your playlist.
Having sold 15 million records worldwide and collaborated with legends Stevie Wonder and Elton John, UK boy band Blue are one of the more successful groups during the early 2000s. After a four-year hiatus, the band returned in 2011 as the representative for UK during that year’s Eurovison Song contest. They released their latest album Colours back in 2015.
Hanson
Before the Jonas Brothers happened, Hanson was the popular boy band consisting of brothers in the 90s. The long haired trio made girls all over the world swoon with their infectious hit “MMMBop”. After the success of their debut album, the band is still releasing music today… sans their trademark long luscious blonde locks (sad).
The Wanted
The Wanted is that other boy band hailing from the UK who rose to fame during the height of One Direction’s success. Their single “Glad You Came” (which is a pretty decent club banger) became their most successful single to date, charting worldwide. The band’s currently on hiatus, with some of the members pursuing solo careers.
Big Time Rush
A band with their own show and is actually funny; that band was Big Time Rush. The band got their big break when they played a fictionalized version of themselves on the hit Nickelodeon series of the same name. The band stopped performing when their TV show got cancelled and honestly we still miss them every damn day.
O-Town
“All or Nothing” is that one song that you shamelessly kept repeating growing up (up until now honestly). The band behind the song is O-Town, another product of a reality show. The group was managed by Lou Pearlman, you know, the manager of Backstreet Boys and N’SYNC. After a ten year break, the band is back with a new single “Empty Space”, with a new EP currently in the works.
All-4-One
Just like O-Town, All-4-One sung the hit “I Swear” which was actually a cover of a song of a country music artist. The song was so successful that it won a Grammy Award. Not bad for a cover version! The band behind the song you still sing at karaoke is still together as of today, with their latest album released 2 years ago.
Westlife
Another group that was assembled by mega producer Simon Cowell was Westlife. The Irish boy band was Europe’s answer to Backstreet Boys and N’SYNC. The band were able to sell over 50 million records worldwide but didn’t able to break into the US market up until their breakup in 2012.
JLS
A product of The X Factor, JLS found fame after they participated in the reality show, having released 5 studio albums. Being one of the notable contestants of the show, the band continued to release banger tunes and perform to sold out shows. JLS split up in 2013 and we’re still hoping for a reunion to happen ASAP.
What other boy bands do you know? Share it with us in the comments below!
