On paper, much of what these Motown groups did screamed “boy band” and, had the term existed at the time, they probably would’ve been branded that way by the press. Motown not only proved that white audiences would listen to, love, and collaborate with black artists, the label also brought forth black vocal groups like the Jackson 5, the Four Tops, and the Temptations, whose infusion of R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, rock and roll, and pop delighted audiences nationwide beyond groups of young women. And contrary to the contemporary image of these harmonizing hunks, they were people of color. In the midst of the ’60s and ’70s, the Beatles’ desire to hold some hands, the Bay City Rollers’ jeers for S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night, and a celebration of African American music like R&B and soul in the mainstream by a white teenage generation more tolerant than their parents, a new era of boy bands was being built. View source version on businesswire.From Motown to Menudo: Black and Brown People Invented the Modern Boy BandĪs previously alluded, the modern boy band - defined as a group of young men singing melodiously and dancing together - did not begin in the ’80s when Boston brats New Kids on the Block stormed onto boomboxes and Walkmen everywhere, hangin’ tough. As a 100% Black -owned business, their mission is to be the world’s leading producer and provider of culturally relevant live entertainment experiences. The Black Promoters Collective (BPC) is a coalition of six of the nation’s top independent concert promotion and event production companies. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets in select markets before the general public beginning Tuesday, December 14 at 10am local time through Thursday, December 16 at 10pm local time. In partnership with The Black Promoters Collective, a 100 percent Black-owned promotions company composed of veteran live entertainment promoters, The Culture Tour tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, Dec. He was honored by BET with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 with an all-star tribute by Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Snoop Dogg. 1 Adult R&B Male Artist and remains the Top Adult Male Artist with the most #1s in three decades. In 20, he was named Billboard magazine's No. His #1 solo hits include "Charlie, Last Name Wilson," "There Goes My Baby," and "You Are" to name a few.
Beginning as the co-founder/lead singer for The Gap Band ("Outstanding, "Burn Rubber On Me," "Yearning For Your Love,") Wilson later embarked on a successful solo career garnering himself thirteen Grammy awards nominations, eleven NAACP Image Awards (including two wins), the BMI Icon Award in 2005, and the 2009 Soul Train Icon Award.
With a career spanning over four decades, Charlie Wilson also known as "Uncle Charlie," is one of the few names in music that resonate with multiple generations of music lovers. Starring all six members, Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill, this is the group’s first tour since 2014. Often credited as the creators of the modern-day boy bands, New Edition will attract fans old and new. Viewers experienced a sense of nostalgia during the American Music Awards in November 2021, when New Edition performed alongside 80’s boy band, New Kids on the Block. They have remained one of the most influential R&B groups of the last 30 years and counting, catapulting the solo careers of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant, and Bell Biv DeVoe. That same year, the network honored them with the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing the group as one of the innovators of R&B. The mini-series attracted 29 million total viewers. In 2017, BET Network released their three-part Biopic: The New Edition Story, airing over three consecutive nights. Since then, New Edition has released more than six studio albums, received multiple Soul Train and American Music Awards, and a Grammy Award nomination. In 1983, New Edition released their debut single Candy Girl off their self-titled album, hitting No.1 on the Billboard Hot Black Single Charts, jumping ahead of Michael Jackson’s Beat It. The Culture Tour, featuring New Edition as the headliner, with Charlie Wilson and special guests Jodeci, kicks off February 2022.