Boy bands ruled the music industry from the late ’80s all the way to the early ’00s, selling millions of records and touring stadiums across the globe. Then pop-punk took over, soon bowing to hip-hop and the ladies of pop who rule today. As the boy band era ended, Nick Lachey inked a reality TV deal, Justin Timberlake moved into acting, and most band members waited in the wings, ready to jump on a comeback whenever opportunity knocked.
But in the last few years, with bands like the Jonas Brothers and One Direction taking center stage, we’ve seen a resurgence of boy band love. In honor of our latest Billboard magazine covers, featuring The Wanted and One Direction, we bring you the best the teen phenomenon has to offer: the top 10 boy bands of the last 25 years, according to our charts*
9. Hanson
Key Hot 100 Hit: “Mmmbop” (No. 1 for three weeks)
Key Billboard 200 Album: “Middle of Nowhere” (No. 2)
Best known for their 1997 hit “MMMBop,” brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson earned three Grammy nominations and 22 weeks on the Hot 100 chart for the famed single from their major label debut “Middle of Nowhere.” The band left Island Def Jam Records and formed their own label in the early ’00s, winning over fans again with 2010’s “Shout It Out,” which rose to No. 2 on the Independent Albums chart. Later this year Hanson is set to tour Canada with “Call Me Maybe” singer Carly Rae Jepsen.