Incredible 90s boy bands you totally forgot about

There was a time in the ’90s were it seemed a brand new boy band was born every week. It was a wonderful time, a time when romantic ear-worms were released by your celeb crushes on the regular, and you could pop in that cassette tape or CD single and listen to your favorite heart-bursting jam over and over again.

Of course there was the pantheon of greats: The Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, 98 Degrees. But there were also a whooooooole crop of other bleach-tipped, choker wearing, crooners who stole our adolescent hearts. Don’t tell us you forgot about Youth Asylum. Oh, you did? Well there are probably a few other bands, that had the prime spot on your middle school mix tapes, that you haven’t thought about in far too long. Let’s rediscover our musical youth.

BBMak

Just go ahead and try to tell me that “Back Here” wasn’t on repeat at either a school dance or a slumber party. BBMak were in constant rotation on MTV’s TRL back in the day, and even guest starred on Disney Channel’s Even Stevens (Oh, sweet young Shia.) Sadly they broke up in 2003, but there is still probably a BBMak CD somewhere in your childhood bedroom.

Boyzone

Fun fact: Boyzone is still touring. What the what. They’ve been together since 1993, but are now called BZ20, strong move considering they now they appear to be grown men. Their latest album, From Dublin to Detroit, is all covers of motown songs. Did I forget to mention that they originally hail from Ireland?

O-Town

Can you name any of the members of O-Town aside from Ashley Parker Angel? O-Town was born out of ABC and MTV’s Making The Band, and it will probably always be remembered as the best boy band reality TV program ever to grace the small screen. They were pretty popular for a while, and Ashley Parker Angel was on many a backpack . . . I wish I still had mine. Technically they were formed in 2000 but their vibe is pure ’90s.

Westlife

Another Irish boy band, these guys got their first big break when they opened for the Backstreet Boys in Dublin. Their original manager was Simon Cowell, and their popularity grew so quickly, they were included on Pokémon: The Movie 2000’s soundtrack. Ah, simpler times

Youngstown

Oh gosh, remember back in the day when bands used to do direct tie-in music videos for songs off of movie soundtracks? No, I’m not talking like Lorde’s “Yellow Flicker Beat” style, I’m talking Youngstown hardcore saying the words “go, go, Gadget” in their single released for Inspector Gadget. They even got their own concert special on the Disney Channel to coincide with their song on the Princess Diaries soundtrack! That’s some artistry right there.