The boy band truly came of age in 1984 with the formation of the New Kids On The Block. Mega-producer Maurice Starr, attempting to replicate the success of his previous group New Edition, recruited five Beantown white boys to form a teenage R&B group. Recording their first album while they were all under 16 years old, NKOTB became a breakout hit with preteen girls the world over, and truly created the genre of the boy band. Finally, all of the elements were in place: Choreographed dancing, clear skin, and one doofy member with a funny hat. They ruled the charts until 1990, and finally disbanded in 1994, with many members moving on to solo careers. Every boy band burning up the charts today owes a tremendous debt to the New Kids; they created the mold for nearly every band to follow.

The Backstreet Boys, the most popular and well-known boy band as of this writing, first broke out in Europe. The five Boys have since re-ignited the popularity of the boy band in the classic New Kids mode and opened the door for hordes of similar groups, including 98 Degrees, LFO (Lyte Funkie Ones), Boyzone, and many more. It certainly looks like boy bands are here to stay, as, for every member that grows his first facial hair and embarks upon a "serious career," there are a dozen new, fresh-faced preteens with angelic voices springing up to take his place. You can thank Maurice Starr for that!

Boy Bands Inc. has pics of the HOTTEST boy bands!