It's never a bad time to celebrate boy bands -- as pure a pop fixture as exists, with classic songs and timeless tropes that have resonated for well over half a century, with no sign of slowing down soon. But with one of the best all-male pop groups of the 21st century about to celebrate their 10th anniversary , and perhaps the first official boy band literary history due in stores around the same time, it felt like a particularly good time to rejoice in the legacy of big choruses, screaming fans, matching wardrobes, dreamy eyes and dreamier harmonies. To that end, we're ranking our 30 favorite boy band albums of the last 30 years. Why 30 years? Well, it helps to have a period manageable enough to not have to compare The Wanted with The Beatles -- but also lets us encompass essentially the entirety of the modern boy band canon, after New Edition reinvented the form in the '80s. Spanning from to takes us from peak NKOTB to for now peak BTS, and covers all the decades of sonic, visual, cultural and geographical evolution that happened in between. But of course, the usual caveats apply about having to draw the distinction of who does and doesn't count as a boy band -- an unenviable task, even for the professionals. We basically stuck with our staff rulings from a few years ago about some of the most borderline cases: and 5SOS in, Brockhampton and Boyz II Men out.


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In the late '90s and early '00s, boy bands ruled all. Though these pop stars were preceded by the likes of the Beatles and followed by the mania that is One Direction, the trios, quartets, and quintets of the millennium have a special place in pop history. Check out EW's ranking of the best of the heyday boy bands, ahead. Porter about the gig in , "It's one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made in my life Singing and dancing to stupid, ridiculous songs didn't feed my soul. While they topped charts in the U. Led by singer Trevor Guthrie, soulDecision rose to fame with the single "Faded. The group saw its highs with a appearance on Even Stevens and a No. Originally formed in the '70s, New Edition saw a resurgence with the album Home Again. With the exception of sporadic reunions and performances, 's One Love was the last major project of New Edition.
12. Westlife
By Chuck Arnold. Not simply just a dude domain, boy bands are born out of a youthful sound and spirit — plus a certain heartthrob appeal to keep the girls screaming for more. The family group that established the ABCs of the boy-band playbook are still — and forever will be — the big men on this canvas. Even after they had to change their name to the Jacksons when they left Motown in , they still had the magic of Michael. Their vocal abilities and harmonies set the standard among boy bands. If all they did was give us Justin Timberlake, that would have been enough. Blige and Nelly. Like a new edition of the Jackson 5, this Boston quintet not only spawned a solo star in Bobby Brown but also another hitmaking group with Bell Biv DeVoe.
We're taking a look back on their biggest moments good and bad , reflecting on their accomplishments and in some cases seeing what they're up to today. Hint: Those '80s and '90s boy band members don't exactly look like the posters you had on your wall anymore. Kevin permanently rejoined in , and the band released the album In a World Like This.