The 30 Best Boy Band Songs

With Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience Pt. 2" dropping today, we look back at some of the biggest boy band hits since the '80s.

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Complex Original

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There should be a chapter on boy bands in every Sex Ed textbook. For many pre-teen girls (and boys), the boy band provided an important first foray into the wild world of hormones. Some boy band members are teenagers, others could be teenagers' fathers. Yet individual members of their underage fan bases can each find something "sexy" in each individual boy band member: the rebel, the teen dream boat, the emo one, the ugly one.

But there is much more than fantasy to the prescribed functionality of the boy band. As the personalities take their shape, leaders emerge, and sometimes, these teeny-bopper bait-traps end up yielding a solo star who wins a more mature audience—the "Beyoncé" of the group, someone who's able to shed the skin of their choreographed-dance-sequence past and go onto greater things. Ricky Martin, Bobby Brown, Justin Timberlake attest.

The former NSync'er Timberlake is about to deliver the sequel to this year's colossal The 20/20 Experience album with The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2. In honor of JT's glorious history, Complex revisits some of the biggest hits from boy bands dating back to the '80s up until now. So grab your neon shoelaces and puff paint t-shirts and revisit some modern classics. The 30 Best Boy Band Songs. No I.D. required.

Listen to Complex's Best Boy Band Songs playlists here: YouTube/Spotify/Rdio

RELATED: Album Stream: Justin Timberlake "The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2" 

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RELATED: Green Label - 10 Band Member We'd Like to Hear a Solo Album From

30. Du Jour "Backdoor Lover" (2001)

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Album: Various Artists Music From the Motion Picture Josie And The Pussycats 2001
Label: Play-ToneOkay, so we have Special K from "Can't Hardly Wait," Murray and Travis from "Clueless," and some other guy. Is that not the most perfect boy band in the history of boy bands? Du Jour made The Beatles look like the Haylie Duff of boy bands. Okay that's not true (and highly unfair to Haylie), but this really was a hilariously brilliant cast of characters. The band was formed for the film "Josie and the Pussycats" (also known as Rosario Dawson's dark ages) and we almost wish the joke spread to future albums. It didn't though, so we're left enjoying this perverted single.

29. New Edition "Mr. Telephone Man" (1984)

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Album: New Edition New Edition (1984)
Label: MCANew Edition's "Mr. Telephone Man" is kind of sad if you think about it. The song is basically about the boy band innocently asking the man at the telephone company why the girl that they love isn't answering the phone or keeps "clicking" on them. They clearly don't realize the girl doesn't want to talk to them, so they're blaming it on technology. In 2013, the song would be about New Edition calling Apple because their iPhone keeps resetting since they downloaded iOS 7 and now they can't call their girlfriends.

28. Boyz II Men "On Bended Knee" (1994)

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Album: Boyz II Men II (1994)
Label: MotownIf any woman anywhere had the nerve to deny Boyz II Men's pleas while they were down on bended knee, then their souls were as cold as the ice on Michael Bivens' watch that he bought himself upon discovering this Philly quartet. "On Bended Knee" came in the middle of B2M's career after we knew them for their "Motownphilly" harmonizing ways. Let's not forget the video either which starred Lisa Turtle AND Tootie. That's teen sitcom gold right there.

27. N Sync "I Want You Back" (1998)

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Album: N Sync N Sync (1998)
Label: RCAIt all started with this song. The funny thing about N Sync was that they were already superstars in Germany, because of this single, back in 1996, before ever reaching American soil. So basically they had to travel around the world to come home. By the time 1998 rolled around, this debut single changed the game for the budding boy band. They were all cute enough to make you wonder why the hell they were dumped in the first place, and they could dance. Perfect combination no matter if you're in Germany or Germantown, Philadelphia.

26. BBMak "Back Here" (1999)

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Album: BBMak Sooner or Later (2000)
Label: Telstar

BBMak didn't have a whole string of hits, but the two that they had really meant something. "Back Here" was the Brit pop group's debut single, and it was everything it needed to be. The song was intense. The guys were literally pleading to be set free from the misery they were feeling. Talk about a cathartic therapy session. Oh and by the way, they weren't miserable because their girl was around, they were upset because they were not around. See that? If they just had a phone call then this song might've sounded completely different.

25. Backstreet Boys "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)" (1996)

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Album: Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (1997)
Label: JiveIt's hard not to feel like a horrible person after hearing this song by the Backstreet Boys. Whether you're a man or a woman, you've played games with somebody in your life. It's not the proudest moment in your life, but there's always that person who loves you unconditionally and you only see them as a friend, yet you love that they're always available to be your date at a wedding. These guys were here to make you feel guilty and to tell you to stop doing that. The day this song released, the gates of the friend zone opened up and millions of people came flooding in.

24. Another Bad Creation "Playground" (1991)

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Album: Another Bad Creation Coolin At the Playground Ya Know (1991)
Label: MotownNew Edition (specifically members Bel, Biv and Devoe) helped Dallas Austin mold Another Bad Creation into the pre-teen phenomena of the early '90s—and that's one hell of a compliment. "Playground" was the location of where they fell in love with the girl of their dreams (Iesha, ya know?). If you listen carefully, the harmony is the same as BBD's "Poison," so the influence is totally felt. Of course, who can forget the takeaway line, "It's the Mizzark/Chillin in the pizzark/I gotta break because my mama says be home by dizzark." Poetry.

23. Hi-Five "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" (1991)

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Album: Hi-Five Hi-Five (1990)
Label: JiveWhen Hi-Five arrived, they came through in a similar vein as New Edition. Only their music was more flirty than it was overt. Their other song "She's Playing Hard To Get" was proof of that, as they were more like "I know you like me, girl" as opposed to "Like me, damn you!" We as a society have completely devolved. Listening to Hi-Five's "I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)," you can recall the (totally fictional) days when the farthest a mid-teen got on a date was kissing. (And during a prudish little game no less). Kids today are having babies at their prom. Way to go, world. Way. To. Go.

22. B2K f/ P Diddy "Bump, Bump, Bump" (2002)

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Album: B2K Pandemonium (2002)
Label: EpicB2K was so wrong. Why you ask? Because they took their big brothers in Immature's formula, added some fly dancing (and catchier tunes) and totally ran with it. What "Bump Bump Bump" really means, we don't know. It could be a woman's backside, a beat dropping, bassline, whatever. Does it really matter though? The song knocks, the group can dance and everyone's happy. Maybe Omarion might be embarassed by his "past life" in a boy band now that he hangs out with Rick Ross. But we still remember those days. In fact, we pine for them.

21. O-Town "All or Nothing" (2001)

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Album: O-Town O-Town (2001)
Label: J Records
Perhaps O-Town's delicate ballad "All Or Nothing" hits on so many levels because it begins almost the exact same way as Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)." The song is sentimental in that way that belongs on a movie soundtrack or somewhere in a meadow or a rainstorm in a scene with Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum (not his Magic Mike role though). Whatever the case may be, most women wait their entire lives for an ultimatum like the one presented in this song. Most don't get it though. Whoops.

20. 5ive "When The Lights Go Out" (1998)

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Album: 5ive 5ive (1998)
Label: RCA/AristaAt first listen, "When the Lights Go Out" sounds like a horror-movie song. One where 5ive is about to murder you in the goriest way you can think of because Jennifer Love Hewitt wasn't available. But then when you listen to the lyrics it's like, "Oh nevermind, they're turning off the lights because they want to have sex. Got it!" Still, at face value it does sound kind of like a spooky love song—if that even exists. If anything, play it on Halloween for your significant other and be like, "Boo! I love you!" If they don't laugh in your face and walk out the door, you know it's true love.

19. 112 "Peaches 'n' Cream" (2001)

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Album: 112 Part III (2001)
Label: Bad BoyWhen Puffy was building his Bad Boy empire, he knew he had to have all of his bases covered. He found 112 and they were the perfect addition to the roster. When "Peaches 'n' Cream" arrived, it was a fresh new approach to R&B. The typical introduction for an R&B act was the woe-is-me-no-time-to-party vibe, but with "Peaches 'n' Cream," 112 added an upbeat dimension to the game. Having Puffy behind them didn't hurt either, as he helped them usher in a new era of R&B with hip-hop mixed in. So basically you can thank 112 for creating Drake. Actually, thank them later.

18. New Edition "Cool It Now" (1984)

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Album: New Edition New Edition (1984)
Label: MCAThere's one phrase that you're never supposed to say to a woman: "Calm down." In the middle of an argument, those two words have been known to cause nuclear war. But when New Edition suggested it, it was too cute. "Cool It Now" is an innocent take-a-chill-pill anthem—which isn't meant to infer that the object of their affection is an insane person one step away from a nervous breakdown. Rather, New Edition asks that you stop and smell the roses. No harm in that right?

17. 2ge+her "U + Me = Us (Calculus)" (2000)

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Album: 2ge+her 2Ge+her (2000)
Label: TVT Soundtrax2ge+her was the greatest accidental success to happen through MTV outside of Backdoor Teen Mom. What was supposed to be a spoof on a boy band became a real life hit with the mathematical masterpiece "U + Me = Us (Calculus)." The song was pretty basic (like most boy band love songs are), explaining by way of math how two people actually belong together. It didn't even require a calculator. Sure, that wasn't really "Calculus" that they were discussing on the track. But does anyone actually know what calculus is? I don't!

16. Backstreet Boys "As Long As You Love Me" (1997)

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Album: Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (1997)
Label: JiveBackstreet Boys lowered standards everywhere with this song, and that was quite all right. While girls spent most of their high school lives trying to find the guy with the perfect SAT score and the coolest position on the debate team (a nerd is writing this article, sorry), the Backstreet Boys said "Chill out, girl. It ain't about all that." You could be poor and they'd still love you. If only this song were around when Molly Ringwald was losing her shit in Pretty In Pink because her prom dress was homemade.

15. Menudo "Hold Me" (1985)

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Album: Menudo Menudo (1985)
Label: RCAIt's weird remembering that Ricky Martin was a part of Menudo. It's also weird to hear him asking a girl to hold him. Regardless, this chirpy little hit was a bag of sunshine and Menudo was the perfect boy band to make the delivery. The song encapsulates the feeling when you're admiring someone from afar. Yes, that sounds stalkerish, but who doesn't like being admired? Of course the video was creepy because the girl they were trying to woo was like 20 years older than they were. That doesn't matter. The song is still good.

14. All-4-One "I Swear" (1994)

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Album: All-4-One All-4-One (1994)
Label: AtlanticTalk about setting the bar high. All-4-One made it impossible for any guy to ever seem dependable ever again. After a song like "I Swear," a girl could ask her boyfriend if he'd be home after work, and if he didn't swear by the moon and the stars and the sky that he'd be there, it would all be a farse. You had to name check constellations to really mean it.! That's what All-4-One said at least. Also the group had the unusual challenge of releasing this song within the same year as the Country version. Everyone knows that Country usually wins, but All-4-One surprisingly did their thing. We swear.

13. Jonas Brothers "Burnin' Up" (2008)

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Album: Jonas Brothers A Little Bit Longer (2008)
Label: HollywoodSomehow the Jonas Brothers managed to create a hit single that sounded like a cross-section between the synthy era of the '80s and something Maroon 5 would concoct after Adam Levine underwent a particularly intense bikram yoga session. "Burnin Up" was a testament to melding eras of pop music and ultimately creating a retro-modern hit. With the Brothers Jonas rocking the guitars and the drums, they made the song a total hit. That little rap from their bodyguard in the middle was so '80s too. It's like you were waiting for Daniel-San to come hobbling out trying to break wood for Elizabeth Shue.

12. N Sync "Girlfriend" (2002)

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Album: N Sync Celebrity (2001)
Label: Jive Here's another example of how a boy band can ruin things for every man in the world. "Girlfriend" was much more than a song: it was a call to action. While Usher had "You Make Me Wanna," N Sync had "Girlfriend"—acknowledging that someone is in a shifty situation and persuading her to pursue greater opportunities. (Though, in hindsight, Chris Kirkpatrick might not be the best look to dump someone over.) Some guys ask girls to be their girlfriends over Facebook. N Sync wrote a whole song to ask a girl out. How does that make your little FB relationship status change request feel? Pretty crappy right? Sorry, blame Timberlake.

11. 98 Degrees "Because Of You" (1998)

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Album: 98 Degrees 98 Degrees And Rising (1998)
Label: MotownWho wouldn't want to be the sunshine after the rain? Or the cure against the fear and the pain? 98 Degrees had you feeling like you had the power to change the world with this single. The group was known for crafting these songs that could make even the most downtrodden broken-spirited girl feel like a princess riding a pagasus over a rainbow. That was kind of their thing. If it wasn't about breaking hearts, it was definitely about mending them. Here though, it was totally all about the girl. Anything that could ever go wrong in the world had the power to be fixed. And it was all because of you.

10. The Wanted "Glad You Came" (2011)

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Album: The Wanted Battleground (2011)
Label: MercuryIt's not everyday that a group of guys thank you for being born. (Unless it's your birthday, I guess.) "Glad You Came" is a celebration of entering someone's life and making an impact. Pre-teens with innocent minds might hear this song as a declaration that The Wanted is thrilled you're in their lives, and they're glad you came there. However, old perverted cougary MILF-y fans might think "I'm glad you came" is what any one of the members might tell you during pillow talk after re-enacting any scene in Sex & the City involving Samantha Jones.

9. LFO "Summer Girls" (1999)

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Album: LFO LFO (1999)
Label: AristaA few things: One, Chinese food is delicious and doesn't make anyone sick. (Unless they order Shrimp with Lobster sauce. Because one shellfish should never be bathed in another shellfish's "sauce.") Two, any girl who didn't rush to Abercrombie & Fitch after this song had no soul. Three, rest in peace to Rich Cronin, who passed away three years ago from cancer. LFO stood for Lyte Funkie Ones and that's exactly who they were. They seemed slightly edgier than a typical boy band—ya know, hanging out at Abercrombie & Fitch and all.

8. Boyz II Men "End of the Road" (1992)

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Album: Boyz II Men Cooleyhighharmony '93 (1993)
Label: MotownEveryone claims to enjoy "closure" until they actually get it, because closure basically means something is over. Boyz II Men reached the closing point and then fought back like "I don't want to break up! I changed my mind" on this single. The song "End of the Road" summed up that exact feeling when you know a relationship is over, but you just can't seem to part with the person. By caputuring those emotions on this song, Boyz II Men found their most successful single. An emo job well done.

7. Hanson "MMMBop" (1997)

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Album: Hanson Middle Of Nowhere (1997)
Label: MercuryThe fact that this lady-haired brotherly trio made an entire song out of gibberish is proof that when something is a hit it's a hit. Hanson entered the scene in 1997 and their success was a total whirlwind. Considering they were so young, yet they'd all mastered several music instruments, they looked more like a trio of prodigies than a "boy band." Doesn't matter though. They're boys and in a band and the result was "MMMBop." Are there any lyrics to this song at all? No, right? Just random sounds? Hanson really cornered the market on redneck soul, just scatting and cooing and then making noises. Doug E. Fresh could have been on the remix. He wasn't though.

6. One Direction "Live While We're Young" (2012)

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Album: One Direction Take Me Home (2012)
Label: Syco If Drake hadn't jacked the acronym, this song could have easily been titled "YOLO." 1D make it very clear that they're not about to get old too soon. They're going to sneak you out of your parents' house, party, and date Taylor Swift. You know, all of the things you're not supposed to do in life. It was a combination of rebellion and romance, as the UK supergroup sang in unision about luring a girl outside and showing her a good time in the name of living life to the fullest. The "tonight let's get some" line lets you know, though, what they really want out of their youth.

5. Take That "Back For Good" (1995)

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Album: Take That Nobody Else (1995)
Label: RCA/Arista We all know "Back For Good" was a beautiful sort-of acoustic song that made us realize the wonder that is Robbie Williams. The song was a delightful harmonizing and shift in melodies from each member of Take That. It totally didn't sound like the product of a boy band, but it was. But there's also nothing quite like the video for Take That's hit single, because nothing says true romance like watching a bunch of Brits getting caught in the rain in a black and white video. It was like an old-timey love story.

4. New Edition "Candy Girl" (1983)

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Album: New Edition Candy Girl (1983)
Label: Streetwise/WarlockBefore Bell Biv DeVoe didn't trust a big butt and smile and before Bobby Brown was scaring everybody, we had "Candy Girl" from all of them plus Ralph Tresvant—this was New Edition. The song was beyond adorable as their high-pitched little voices sang innocently about how sweet the object of their affection was. Awwww. Let's completely forget what any member of the group looked like or sounded like as an adult and focus in on exactly how they looked/sounded here: the quintessential "boy" band.

3. New Kids On The Block "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" (1988)

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Album: New Kids On The Block Hangin' Tough (1988)
Label: ColumbiaNew Kids On The Block seemed to pop up out of nowhere with their matching ripped denim and Boston attitude. Their entry into pop music was potent, with "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" leading the charge for their big takeover. While NKOTB never fully articulated what the "right stuff" entailed, it didn't really matter because you felt like you had it. With Jordan's unbreakable falsetto and Donnie Wahlberg's sort-of-strainey sort-of-awesome voice, these heart throbs could've convinced anyone they came equipped with the right stuff. Once again, whatever that means.

2. Backstreet Boys "I Want It That Way" (1998)

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Album: Backstreet Boys Millenium (1999)
Label: Jive

Here's a song by the Backstreet Boys where Brian Littrell and Nick Carter weren't the only voices heard. The group had many hits, maost of them carried by just a few members of the band. On "I Want It That Way," each member got a chance to strut their stuff. While the quintet traded verses about heartache and mistakes, they were really just telling you that you were never allowed to break up with any of them. Ever. Shout out to the tax-writeoff of a verse from Kevin Richardson and the video that took place in the middle of an airport. However did they make it through security?

1. N Sync "Bye Bye Bye" (2000)

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Album: N Sync No Strings Attached (2000)
Label: Jive
By the time N Sync released this track, it was well established that the group was boy band royalty. They could've been lazy with their next release. But nope, they brought the noise as well as they ever had. What makes "Bye Bye Bye" so awesome though? Well it's simple, really. All this time we thought JC Chasez was the unofficial leader of N Sync. But when the second album come around and leads-off with this single, we realize it's actually Justin Timberlake's turn now. Maybe this was JT's song bidding the group farewell? Like, "Sorry, I gotta go take over the world." Bye Bye Bye.

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