25 best boy bands ever!

25. The Naked Brothers Band

It's surprising that anything with the Nickelodeon brand would hold such a provocative title. Disney would never allow that! Brothers Nat and Alex Wolff were like little Jonases in training, fronting their own television show and selling albums.

The show went off the air in 2009, but the brothers continue in the acting sphere. Nat has starred in films like The Fault in Our Stars (2014), Paper Towns (2015), Death Note (2017), Stella's Last Weekend (2018) — which costarred Alex and was directed by their mother, Polly Draper — and Murder at Yellowstone City (2022), while Alex landed roles in Hereditary (2018), Pig (2021) and Oppenheimer (2023).

The sibling duo continued to make music together as Nat & Alex Wolff, releasing singles like 2020's "Glue" and 2023's "Head's on Loose."

24. Westlife

Long before American Idol, Simon Cowell signed this Irish pop group. In the decades since, they've sold millions of records and gained considerable international recognition. But, on American soil? Not so much. The closest to star-spangled success that these Irish lads have found is when Idol winner Ruben Studdard covered their hit song "Flying Without Wings." Thanks a lot, Simon.

Years after splitting in 2011, the band announced their reunion in 2018 and went on to tour and release new music, including the albums Spectrum in 2019 and Wild Dreams in 2021. According to Official Charts, Westlife has 14 No. 1 singles in the U.K., which only been achieved by the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Cliff Richard.

23. Day26

Tweaking his reality series Making the Band, Diddy — or maybe he was Puff Daddy at the time — took the show to MTV. After a search for a girl group (a.k.a. Danity Kane), Diddy went back to the boys in 2007, creating Day26, a male group with a more R&B/hip-hop sound.

After splitting in 2012, the men reunited with the 2014 single "Bulls---" ahead of their comeback EP that year, The Return — which hit streaming services for the first time in January 2023 — and have been performing together ever since.

22. Seventeen (세븐틴)

Releasing their debut EP 17 Karat in 2015, Seventeen found immediate success — earning the longest-charting K-Pop album on Billboard that same year. The 13-member South Korean boy band — split by the components of hip-hop, performance, and vocals — has gone on to release several projects, including 2023's FML, with members taking part in songwriting and choreographing dance routines. —James Mercadante

21. LFO

A "Summer Nights" for the new millennium, "Summer Girls" made LFO (Lyte Funky Ones, what else?) worthy of momentary boy-band fame. It also made lead stud Rich Cronin soooo relatable! Chinese food makes me sick, too! I think it's the MSG. I wear Abercrombie & Fitch and love Fun Dip and Cherry Coke! It's like he knows me!

Sadly, Cronin (who had leukemia) died in 2010 after suffering a stroke, and eight years later, group member Devin Lima died at age 41 from stage 4 adrenal cancer. On March 30, 2023, LFO cofounder Brian "Brizz" Gillis died at age 47. The last surviving member, Brad Fischetti, has performed LFO songs in memory of his late bandmates and carries on their legacy.

20. Take That

Just like cats, boy bands are gifted with multiple lives. In their first, Take That sold 30 million records, sold out tours, and built a huge fan base. Then, Robbie Williams left the band in 1995 to wrestle with personal problems and ultimately rebounded into solo fame, leaving the four other guys to forge much less successful careers on their own.

Almost a decade later, the quartet came back for a very popular tour and good reviews. Williams reunited with the group for their Progress album in 2010 (along with a 2011 tour) and for a virtual performance in May 2020. Although Jason Orange left in 2014, the trio of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen have continued together — working on new albums; embarking on tours; and executive producing a film adaptation of Greatest Days, the stage musical loosely based on the band.

19. Big Time Rush

The Nickelodeon-created band with a hit show released their debut album in 2010 and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in its first week out. After several television seasons and years of releasing music and touring, Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson, and Carlos PenaVega put the band on indefinite hiatus in 2014.

However, Big Time Rush reunited through several 2020 virtual performances and went on to launch their 2021 comeback single, "Call It Like I See It." Fulfilling the hearts of their once-tween fans, the group proceeded to tour and release more music, including "Can't Get Enough" from their 2023 album, Another Life.

18. B2K

As the bubblegum-pop fame of the '90s boy bands faded away, B2K (Boys of the New Millennium) rose to popularity with R&B ballads and club-worthy dance tracks. Shortly after they appeared together in the 2004 film You Got Served, though, they announced their breakup.

Following the disbanding, Omarion had a decent solo career (he also competed as the Yeti on The Masked Singer in 2021) and, in 2018, it was announced that he would reunite with Lil Fizz, Raz-B, and J-Boog for the Millennium tour. However, during said tour, Raz-B stormed off the stage and was first arrested for a DUI and then again after he was accused of abuse by his ex-girlfriend. Without his bandmates, Omarion began to co-headline the tour with Bow Wow in 2020, and went on to speak poorly of the band — which eventually lead to bad blood between him and the rest of the group.

17. 2gether

The joke started off on them, with MTV creating a hilarious TV movie spoof on the creation and marketing of boy bands with the network put together a heartthrob, a shy guy, a bad boy, a bright-eyed youngster, and an older brother type. The "gag" produced two albums, a television series, and a gaggle of fans. It looks like the joke ended up on us.

16. Brockhampton

The American hip-hop group Brockhampton was fully determined to redefine the industry conventions of a "typical" boy band. Led by frontman Kevin Abstract, the six-member collective promoted diversity and inclusivity, with several members identifying as queer and others being men of color, which influenced their lyrical content.

The group released five albums before announcing their indefinite hiatus in January 2022. Several months later, they released their seventh studio album, The Family, which was then followed by their eighth, TM, the next day without warning. —J.M.

15. O-Town

It's no lie that a lot of boy bands are randomly assembled in the hopes of fame and seven-figure payoffs, so why not just make a TV show about the process? Making the Band, culminated in moderate success for ABC, a successful (enough) group, O-Town, and a prominent leading man, Ashley Parker Angel, who would later have his own short-lived MTV reality show.

Despite losing Angel after the band's 2003 split, Erik-Michael Estrada, Dan Miller, Jacob Underwood, and Trevor Penick have been performing together and adding to their discography since their reunion in 2013.

14. 98 Degrees

Although they never quite reached the same fame as the fellas of *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, these four guys (Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons, and Justin Jeffre) found each other and then found a record label and manager to package and ship them out to hungry fans — introducing teens to a beefier cut of boy-band meat complete with the cheese that they were already used to.

With the advantage of being friends (and family, in the case of the Lachey brothers), 98 Degrees have been willing to make appearances on the stage together and unveiled new music throughout the years, including their 2024 album, Full Circle.

13. The Monkees

While it was easy to criticize the Monkees for not being as good as the Beatles, it was even easier to sing along to their cheery tunes. And though the band members were picked to create a goofy TV show set to a laugh track, Davy Jones and the boys weren't just monkeying around — they ended up as chart-topping heartthrobs.

12. Boyz II Men

They were one of the first cassette tapes I ever bought — so it's safe to say that Boyz II Men shaped all of my romantic expectations with their smooth voices and sultry harmonies whispering promises and seduction from my Sony Walkman. But, to be fair, they did teach me to never wait 'til the water runs dry. Or I could make the biggest mistake of my life!

11. Jonas Brothers

They seemed so slight when their Disney show began but brothers Kevin, Joe, and Nick would enrapture a new generation of young fans, who helped propel their first four albums to millions in sales and gave them a very successful tour. There would also be two Camp Rock movies before the brothers pursued solo careers.

Several years after Nick earned some solo hits like "Jealous" and "Chains," Joe fronted the dance-rock band DNCE, and Kevin had his own E! reality series Married to Jonas, the brothers got the band back together in 2019 and went on to release two albums — 2019's Happiness Begins and 2023's The Album — and perform around the country.

10. 5 Seconds of Summer

Australian musicians Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, and Calum Hood first assembled their music squad in high school, and once the mates invited Ashton Irwin as their drummer in 2011, 5 Seconds of Summer was born.

After touring as openers for One Direction's Take Me Home tour in 2014, the pop-rock boy band gained momentum and went on to release their self-titled debut album featuring their hit single, "She Looks So Perfect." Inspired by rock bands like Green Day and Third Eye Blind, 5SOS' discography consists of multiple Billboard-charting albums, including 2018's Youngblood and 2022's 5SOS5. —J.M.

9. Menudo

With synchronized footwork, fresh faces, carefully chosen characters, and a willingness to perform at shopping malls, Menudo, the boy band from Puerto Rico, laid the groundwork for later acts. The group has been evolving since 1977, finding replacements each time a member — even Ricky Martin, who was in the group in the '80s — turned 16.

Throughout the years, the group reunited for several performances before former member Anthony Galindo Ibarra died by suicide in 2020 and member Ray Reyes died from a heart attack the following year. In 2022, Mario Lopez hosted auditions for a new generation to carry on the band's legacy and the Gen-Z Menudo performed their first single, "Mi Amore," on Good Morning America in 2023.

8. New Edition

With those high voices and awesome moves, how could we not fall for Boston boys Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant when they crooned "Is This the End?" on their hit debut album Candy Girl? We didn't want it to be the end, even after they booted the trouble-prone Brown in 1986 and replaced him with Johnny Gill.

Over the years, New Edition has released multiple studio albums; sold millions of records worldwide; and gone on several national tours, including the Legacy tour in 2023 and a Vegas residency in 2024.

7. Backstreet Boys

My junior high school health teacher used Backstreet Boys lyrics "I don't care who you are/Where you're from/What you did/As long as you love me" to push abstinence on us, but Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, A.J. McLean, and Howie Dorough were just trying to outline puppy love for the PG crowd. And give their groupies a real VIP pass...to their hearts, of course.

Those same fans have seen the Boys go on to make more records, release a 2015 documentary, play a Las Vegas residency, put out a 2022 holiday album, and more.

6. Hanson

They may have MMMbopped their way into our consciousness, but the talented and wholesome brothers Isaac, Taylor, and Zac would hold on to their fan base by capitalizing on their music and writing skills. Now, well past puberty, the trio cut their hair, got hitched, had babies, started their own independent label, and continue to play to their all-grown-up "Fansons" on tour. They also competed together as the Russian Dolls on season 5 of The Masked Singer. Shout it out!

5. New Kids on the Block

They had the "Right Stuff" for millions of fans and, "Step by Step," they took over the charts — not to mention the hearts of diehard Blockheads. After disbanding in 1994, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, Joey McIntyre, Jordan Knight, and Jonathan Knight finally reunited for a 2011 tour with their boy-band brothers, the Backstreet Boys.

Years later, they headlined more tours and added new music to their discography, including 2020's "House Party" (featuring Boyz II Men, Jordin Sparks, Big Freedia, and Naughty by Nature) and 2022's "Bring Back Time" (collaborating with '80s musicians like Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley, and En Vogue). Still Kids, their first album in 11 years, will be released in 2024, featuring their single “Kids.”

4. BTS (방탄소년단)

With voices smooth like "Butter" and dance moves that light up every stage like "Dynamite," BTS is undeniably one of the most influential K-pop groups in the world, as well as one of the most successful boy bands ever.

Formed in 2010, the band consisting of members Jin, Jungkook, RM, Suga, V, J-Hope, and Jimin has reached a massive global audience with lyrics in Korean and Japanese (with a few English phrases scattered throughout) that touch on subjects like mental health, social politics, and more — forming a powerhouse stan community referred to as ARMY (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth).

The group has gone on to create several albums; go on world tours; release multiple documentaries; be named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of the Year in 2019; received the James A. Van Fleet Award in 2020; and nominated for several Grammys.

In June 2022, BTS had to pause their busy schedule, as they were required to enlist in South Korea's military service and had to make plans to reconvene in 2025. We miss them deeply, but hey, "Life Goes On." —J.M.

3. One Direction

Bringing us timeless, catchy hits like "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Story of My Life", we would be remiss if we didn't include the iconic One Direction.

Shepherded by Simon Cowell's guidance — although, it's argued that Nicole Scherzinger was the mind behind the group's formation, due to a viral behind-the-scenes video — singers Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne were put together on The X-Factor UK in 2010, placing third in the competition yet winning the hearts of millions. The group released three studio albums before Malik's departure in 2015, which was followed by two more projects and an announcement of their indefinite hiatus.

Since their split, the former 1D members have all pursued solo careers, with Malik creating chart-topping songs like "Pillowtalk"; Horan releasing hits like "Slow Hands" and being a judge on The Voice; Tomlinson making albums and a 2023 documentary, All the Voices; and Payne collaborating with other artists, including J Balvin, Rita Ora, and Alesso. However, Styles has earned the most commercial success out of the five, breaking touring records and earning several Grammys, including Album of the Year for his third studio album, Harry's House. —J.M.

2. *NSYNC

It ain't no lie that these "Bye Bye Bye"-ers taught the Y2K generation how to scream, faint — and buy cheap stuff with their faces plastered over it — all over again. Despite all the other reunions going on, there's been no serious talk of getting back together since their hiatus in 2002.

Lead hunk Justin Timberlake has had a triumphant solo career and JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass, and Joey Fatone have had other pursuits. In 2019, the group sans Timberlake performed with Ariana Grande for her headlining Coachella concert. In 2023, *NSYNC reunited to record "Better Place" for the Trolls Band Together soundtrack, their first single in 21 years. Timberlake's groupmates also joined him with a feature on the song "Paradise" off his 2024 album, Everything I Thought It Was.

1. The Jackson 5

They're the only family band on this list with more Behind the Music fodder than, well, Michael Jackson on his own. Born, bred, and carefully molded for the stage by their father/manager, Joe, brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael made Motown magic and a million fans swoon with their bell-bottoms and smooth vocals.