What can I say, I love pop music! It has more often than not soundtracked my life and been there for so many of my favorite moments. Like so many of you all, I can hear a song and instantly be reminded of a person, place, or thing from the past that that song now pertains to. It’s a beautiful thing that brings me so much joy.
Now in the world of pop music we see many archetypes of artists, but it’s safe to say that the two reigning ones would be: pop princesses and boy bands. This post is all about the latter.
I LOVE a good boy band and thankfully, 2026 is seeing a solid resurgence of them! So while the music coming from these new ones may sound fresh and fitted to a new generation, many of the parameters they’ll operate within will remain the same. From perfectly coifed hair and flawless skin, to synchronized dance moves done in coordinating outfits, to the pop hooks that stay stuck in your head for decades after their debut, there’s nothing to not love about these fixtures in pop music. Anyone with any taste has a favorite boyband, or at the very least a favorite boyband song. That’s what we’re going to explore here: my (top ten) favorite boy band songs!
Backstreet Boys, “Drowning” – it’s honestly impossible to imagine talking about boy bands and someone NOT mentioning the Backstreet Boys. They’ve delivered some of the most iconic mainstream images of the turn of the millennium and many of their hits from that time have proven to be just as iconic. This lone single off their first greatest hits album would be my definite favorite in their discography. Although the opening chords sound identical to O-Town’s (who we’ll see on this list later) “All Or Nothing,” “Drowning” triumphs over that jam for me. This list is full of ballads and this one is the perfect way to kick it off. It has sugary sweet lyrics about drowning in one’s love, a last chorus/post bridge key change, and harmonies that soar, all the makings of a great boy band ballad.
98ยบ, “Christmas Wish” – anyone who knows me knows my true favorite song by 98ยบ is “Thank God I Found You” of which they’re featured on, BUT that is a Mariah Carey FEATURING Joe and 98ยบ song. I didn’t think it was right to include it in this list since the boy band is NOT the lead artist. HOWEVER, that song IS my jam of jams and you should definitely give it a listen! “Christmas Wish” though is a Christmas song so good that it can be listened to in June without being annoying. It’s a pop song that takes place at Christmas, so naturally some sleigh bells are incorporated into the beat to ensure it fitted nicely on their Christmas album. This jam is seriously packed with everything that you’d want from a boy band ballad. Thankfully, it’s remained a retail fixture during the holiday season and I’ve been blessed to hear it regularly anywhere I go the month of December.
New Kids on the Block, “Step By Step” – although some may argue New Kids on the Block are the prototype boy band, I’d have to say another group on this list is, BUT NKOTB definitely perfected the image and vibe that every single other group after them has duplicated. This smash hit came late into their imperial phase and is an absolutely infectious jam. The song’s bridge is easily one of my favorite bridges in music history. I’ve seen this group perform live at least a half dozen times and each time this song is performed the crowd loses its mind, as they should. This is a jam for the ages!
*NSYNC, “This I Promise You” – written by my man, Richard Marx, this tender ballad allows better-than-Timberlake-member JC Chasez’s vocals to glide over the beautiful balladry beats. I can literally close my eyes and picture the music video of the five of them singing in the forest in turtlenecks and shit. I don’t even know that I’ve seen this video that many times, it’s just that iconic. The way the verses are lower in register and then give way to the powerful choruses is just masterful. This song will forever be top notch and definitely my favorite *NSYNC number. Thankfully, Richard Marx performs it each time he tours, so I’ll definitely be looking forward to hearing it again next month!
BBMak, “Out Of My Heart” – BBMak had a short series of hits with this one being their last, but also best in my opinion. The guitar-laced beats really allow this mid tempo track to soar. All three members are talented vocalists and deliver some absolutely perfect harmonies here. Also, it features a jammin’ key change where the ending of the song picks up a bit from the beginning and that’s another feature I just love. I’m really hoping they perform this one when I see them later this summer!
Jackson 5, “I’ll Be There” – I believe Jackson 5 to be the original boy band. Five tweens and teens (who happened to be brothers) all of whom could harmonize and dance, they were truly the first of their kind. Plus, Michael Jackson basically became the prototype for the pop star. Under the right circumstances, like when we saw the Broadway musical, MJ, this song can make me cry. The “la-la-la’s” in the outro really do it for me. THESE are boy band lyrics! Plus, I just love a good throwback ballad. This song is summertime coded for me. I feel like it should be playing while I’m lounging about at the pool. Just love the good vibes it brings.
O-Town, “Liquid Dreams” – told you you’d be seeing these guys a little later! This song is such a jam! The lyrics are clearly about masturbation, but that didn’t stop this song from reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100! Should’ve gone #1 honestly, but hey, what can you do? They name drop so many people I love from Jennifer (presumably Lopez, but maybe Aniston or Love Hewitt), Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson, Madonna, and many others. Last summer I fell in love with this song all over again and would walk the park while it regularly played in my ears. It’s such an ear worm and an absolute boy band staple.
One Direction, “One Thing” – plenty of people would probably choose “What Makes You Beautiful,” which is a phenomenal song and I wouldn’t even blame them, BUT “One Thing” is MY JAM! The rip-roaring chorus and the soft verses (a combo I mentioned I love above) is something that I just resonates so deeply with me! Plus, One Direction did the coordinating outfits better than any boy band in the history of boy bands for proof please watch this music video. I love the “oh-oh-oh’s” in the bridge so, so much that lead to that absolute blastoff of a final chorus. This is an inescapable pop hit that isn’t just a defining One Direction song, it’s a defining boy band song that’s beloved by billions.
Boyz II Men & Mariah Carey, “One Sweet Day” – Because Mariah and Boyz II Men are co-billed, I felt it acceptable to include this and include it as my second favorite boy band song ever. When I tell you this song can make me cry, I need you to know that this song can MAKE ME CRY! I love it so, so much that I can barely put into words just how much I obsess over it. It NEVER FAILS to make my annual Apple Replay 100. Literally every single year you will find this hymn on that list. I will belt this song out at least once a week and for good reason, it’s perfect. I will also sing both Mariah’s parts and Boyz II Men’s. You’ll be hard pressed to ever find a better blending of harmonies and meaningful lyrics than this song about loved ones we’ve lost. It best be played at my funeral or I’m haunting everyone in attendance who didn’t ensure it’s playing.
JLS, “Love You More” – I just mentioned how every year ever you will find “One Sweet Day” on my Apple Replay 100, but you will also find this anthem a few rungs higher, which is why I ranked it as my favorite boy band song ever. I think this is the perfect love song. The lyrics build from a cute meeting to a full-fledge love and I just love that so much. Honestly, it can even make me cry under the right circumstances, not quite like “One Sweet Day,” but in a cute kind of crying way. This British boyband that was HUGE across the United Kingdom and Europe failed to break the US market, which is a tragedy really, but that’s okay, they have plenty of #1’s in my house. The entire song is perfect, but like so many of the others on this list, that last chorus just really brings it home for me. After about fifty repeat listens, my voice can get pretty hoarse from shouting “I LOVE YOU MORE!” over and over again. Honestly, I can’t even handle how perfect this song is. I’m sure you don’t know it, but you best be looking it up (and all these others) because there is not a dud on this list! ESPECIALLY NOT THIS ONE!
Well, there you have it! My top ten favorite boy band songs that don’t repeat the band. I’ve even made a playlist on Apple Music featuring all these songs and MANY more! So go ahead and give it a listen! I promise it’ll liven up your day as it has mine!
As always, THANK YOU for viewing! Feel free to leave a comment below as I LOVE reading and responding to them! Would LOVE to know what your favorite boy band songs are! I’ll return soon with another all new post, so until then, I wish you all, all the best!
