‘N Sync

Our Way Back Wednesday series once highlighted the era of the top girl groups and today it’s the boys turn! Traveling through time for another fun musical journey, this week’s installment focuses on some of the best boy bands of all time and their stark decline in popularity.

There was one a time when boy bands, such as ‘N Sync, the Backstreet Boys and Boys II Men, were inescapable. Now, groups continuously fall apart and rarely stay together longer than five years. Before you address this troubling issue, watch some of the best boy bands of all time in action below:

98 Degrees

Backstreet Boys – ‘I Want It That Way’

Boyz II Men – ‘End of the Road’

Jodeci – ‘Forever My Lady’

‘N Sync ‘ Medley

New Edition – ‘Cool it Now’

The Jackson 5 – ‘I Want You Back’

The Temptations – ‘My Girl’

The problems facing boy bands are very similar to those that girl groups encounter (read my Boiling Point about that topic by clicking here). However, the chronic problem caused by the egos of individual members has also been a major factor in the downfall of the boy bands.

Think about it: Day26, ‘N Sync – Justin Timberlake reportedly refused to rejoin the band after going solo – and New Edition all crumbled under the weight of the egotistical motives of certain members who merely sought to use their groups as launching pads for their solo careers. It’s such a shame, though, because similar to female counterparts, boy bands provide a special element of excitement to the music scene.

Notably, the boy band movement is far from dead. One Direction currently have the second larget-selling album of 2012 in the US and The Wanted have generated multiple monster hits. Additionally, JLS have thus far enjoyed incredible success ont eh UK charts. So, although their careers may be short lived, the boy bands are still making waves.

Which group is the best boy band of all time? Who was missing from this shortlist? Share your views in the comment section below!

Thoughts?