Boy bands. It is difficult to believe the meaning of that word wasn’t made clear until New Kids on the Block in the late 1980’s. Since New Kids on the Block was the reason the word was coined, I want to discuss them first. Please see the end of the article for the interesting news articles on the bands that I linked to this one.
In 1984, the band New Kids on the Block was formed in Boston, MA. New Kids on the Block, or NKOTB, consists of five members: Jonathon Knight, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, and Donnie Wahlberg. NKOTB won two American Music Awards as early as 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Album. In 1994, NKOTB broke up but reunited in 2007. The members were busy in their break from the group. Jonathon Knight entered real estate. His brother Jordan continued in music and was also on VH1’s Surreal Life in 2004. Joey McIntyre continued in music and was on Boston Public as well as Dancing with the Stars. Danny Wood began his own recording label and was a salesman for a private jet travel company named Halycon. Donnie Wahlberg went into acting and was in several films from Ransom to the Saw film series. Donnie was also in a couple of short lived television series. The band is still together since they reunited three years ago.
Boyz II Men
Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boyz II Men began in 1988. Boyz II Men consisted of four members: Nathan Morris, Michael McCray, Shawn Stockman, and Wayna Morris. The band had five number one hits between 1992 and 1997 selling more than 60 million albums. Boyz II Men won four Grammys in 1995. Two of the Grammys were for II-their 1994 second album. Boyz II Men was Billboard’s most successful group of the 1990’s. The band is still together but Michael McCary left due to scoliosis and back problems. They now perform as a three member group.
Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys has acquired multi-Grammy nominations in the 17 years they have been together. Backstreet Boys has literally been together from boyhood-manhood. The band has had fourteen Top 40 hits on Billboard Hot 100 selling more than 130 million albums. Backstreet Boys was formed in Orlando Florida in 1993 so they are the newest of the boy bands those from my generation is likely to remember. They are also the best selling boy band group of all time. Backstreet Boys began with five members but Kevin Richardson left in 2006 to begin a family. The four members who remain are Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Brian Litrell, and Howie Donough.
Sources: Wikpedia for NKOTB, Boyz II Men, and Backstreet Boys at www.wikpedia.org
NKOTB
http://search.tmz.com/search/index.php?search=all&q;=NKOTB
http://perezhilton.com/category/new-kids-on-the-block/ (scroll further down in the article and you’ll see several articles on NKOTB and the members.
http://www.nkotb.com/
Boyz II Men
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100107/guardian/1071029&tc;=yahoo
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20100103/ten-boyz-ii-men-plan-20th-anniversary-pa-ea4616c.html
Backstreet Boys
http://www.backstreetboys.com/
http://perezhilton.com/?s=Backstreet+Boys
