The 20 Best Boy Bands And Girl Groups Of All Time

From the 80's to today, got me feeling like a radio DJ.

Kylin

• Published in Film & TV
• April 10, 2022

There’s something about music that speaks to every person. Even those who have a hearing impairment can, and do, enjoy music.

And there’s music for literally everyone, genres range across all spectrums for all types of people and cultures. Life itself can be arguably considered musical, the jingle of keys, the drum of footsteps.

One of the most popular genres of music, originating in the 1950s, is pop music. Catchy rhythms, lyrics full of love, lust, and beautiful voices, what's not to love? 

While the pop genre has greatly evolved since the 1950s, it still tops the music charts to this day. Whether it be a solo musician or a whole group, pop music is on top. 

While pop music had an incredible resurgence in the ’90s with groups like ‘NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, TLC, and The Spice Girls, pop groups today are still hitting number one. So, we’ve gathered a list of the top 20 pop groups, boy bands, and girl groups alike.

So, turn your volume up, or grab some headphones and keep scrolling to see and listen to some of the top 20 pop groups we gathered for your entertainment. You may even come across a new favorite.

1. BTS

Debuted in 2013, the Korean boy band BTS has tapped into the hearts and minds of fans internationally. These artists have a heavy hand in writing, producing, and performing the majority of their songs, and a massively passionate and loyal fanbase dubbed ARMY.

BTS hit America's Billboard Music charts in 2015, and appeared at Billboard Music Awards in 2017 where they won the "top social artist award." They REALLY blew up in 2020, after releasing a few songs in English and opening Americans' ears and tastes to K-Pop.

You can listen below to "Dynamite", the song that broke the record for the most weeks spent (18!) at No. 1 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart

This was also the first Korean song to get #1 on the Hot 100!

2. Boyz II Men

Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris make up the vocal harmony group Boyz II Men. The trio has been topping charts and breaking hearts with hits like "I'll Make Love to You" and "One Sweet Day" for over 30 years.

3. Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child is the phenomenal group that gave us not only Queen Bey, but also the icons Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.

4. Big Time Rush

Starting as a Nickelodeon show and blossoming into national tours, Big Time Rush debuted their first album in 2010 and rocked hard before parting ways in 2014. The members reunited in December 2021 for two shows.

5. Little Mix

This fierce foursome rose to popularity as the first group to win the British version of The X Factor in 2011. Little Mix is a group of pop divas who perform songs largely focused on female empowerment, gender equality, body positivity, LGBTQ+ rights, and sexism.

6. Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys released their first album in 1996, and are still going strong, currently touring their new album DNA.

7. Hanson

Jumping on the 90's boy band bandwagon, Hanson hit the radios with their popular song, "MMMBop." While they eventually disbanded after releasing an album in 2013, the trio reunited in 2018 for their album String Theory and are back on tour through 2022. 

8. Spice Girls

The Spice Girls rocked the World with their '90s fashion and catchy songs, and even their own movie! Mel C, Victoria Beckham, Mel B, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton are what British girl group dreams are made of

Listen to their iconic hit, "Wannabe"

9. 98 Degrees

98 Degrees was founded in 1996 by Jeff Timmons, brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, and Justin Jeffre. While they broke up in 2002, they joined the boy band revival in 2012 and have been active ever since.

10. Jonas Brothers

The Jonas Brothers are back and touring! By no means are they the first trio of brothers to make music together, still the Jonas Brothers have only had success since their debut in 2006.

11. CNCO

The Latin American boy band, CNCO, was formed in 2016 and was made up of 5 members: Joel Pimentel, Richard Camacho, Erick Brian Colón, Christopher Vélez and Zabdiel De Jesús. However, Pimentel departed the group in May 2021.

12. TLC

TLC is the iconic 90's rap group, made up of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas. Although Lopes tragically died in 2002, Watkins and Thomas are still performing together as TLC.

13. BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK is an all-female K-pop group who released their first album, "The Album" in October 2020.

"BLACKPINK is—we kind of felt like there's two colors that represented us the most ‘cause we're very girly but at the same time we're very savage too," Rosé shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. "We have a song called ‘Pretty Savage' and it kind of goes with ‘black pink' and so we thought it described us the best." 

Yo can listen to "Pretty Savage" below

14. Fifth Harmony

The American girl group, Fifth Harmony debuted in 2012. Eventually, the group went on hiatus in 2018, as all the members have pursued their own solo projects, with singer Camila Cabello nabbing the starring role of Amazon Prime Video's Cinderella.

15. The Wanted

This British-Irish boy band was the bad boy counterpart to One Direction. The Wanted got popular stateside with the 2012 banger "Glad You Came," and starred in their own E! reality series, The Wanted Life.

The group went on hiatus in 2014, and got together in 2021 to record a Greatest Hits, before the untimely death of Tom Parker.

16. Five Seconds of Summer

Australian rockers 5 Seconds of Summer had an unconventional rise to fame, starting out on Youtube before their singles "She Looks So Perfect" and "Girls Talk Boys" were picked up for radio play. This led to the group opening on tour for One Direction, and the rest is history.

17. One Direction

One Direction took over the planet in the 2010s after coming in third on the British version of X-Factor. Not only was the group successful as a whole, but the members all managed to have successful solo careers.

18. New Kids On the Block

The OG boyband New Kids On the Block shot to fame after their debut in 1984. The group disbanded in 1994, but reunited in 2011 and toured with the Backstreet Boys 2011, which the news of essentially broke the internet.

The group is still performing today!

20. Girls Aloud

Girls Aloud were an English-Irish pop girl group that was created through the reality show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Made up of powerhouse vocalists Sarah Harding, Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts , and Kimberley Walsh, they recorded 20 consecutive top 10 singles and four number ones, including "Sound of the Underground," during their 8-year career. 

19. 'NSYNC

Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick made up the iconic boy band group, 'NSYNC. While Timberlake was the only one to gain major success as a solo artist, we're still hoping for a reunion tour.

Not to be overly cheesy, but definitely sending off with a little "Bye Bye Bye!"

Who was your favorite boy band or girl group? Did we get to them in this list, or did we miss out?

Were you team 'NSYNC or Backstreet Boys, or if girl groups were your thing, team Destiny's Child or Spice Girls? Or are you part of the vast ARMY?

Let us know in the comments section, and be sure to share with your fellow pop-music fans!

Kylin