Boyz II Men, The #74 Artist of the Rock Era

"These guys are legends."

"Amazing vocals.  I love these guys."

"One of the best male groups to ever grace this planet with their talent."

"A once in a generation group."

"Boyz II Men will forever be my idols."

"They did so many timeless songs!"

"Oh, the beautiful harmonies of Boyz II Men..."

"My one and only favorite group to this day."

"It's like I'm listening to angels."

"One of the best R&B groups ever."

This group has done more with a cappella harmonies than just about anyone.

Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris and Michael McCary have wowed the world with their great vocal style and harmonies. The group grew out of Unique Attraction, which was started by Nathan Morris and Marc Nelson while at Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Pennsylvania. Wanya joined the group in 1987, but when several other members left after graduation the following year, the group recruited Stockman. One day, Unique Attraction were practicing harmonies in a school bathroom when McCary walked in and joined them in singing. The group was so impressed that they invited McCary to be a permanent member.

The quintet renamed themselves after a New Edition song called "Boys To Men". Boyz II Men snuck backstage at a New Edition concert and sang for New Edition member Michael Bivens, who had just announced that he was forming the trio Bell Biv DeVoe with Ricky Bell and Ronnie DeVoe. Everyone who heard Boyz II Men were stunned, and Bivens eventually agreed to manage and produce the group.

 

But when conflicts within the group and the delay in recording their first album led Nelson to quit, Boyz II Men became the quartet that the world fell in love with.

The feeling that Bivens and others felt spread quickly with the release of the album Cooleyhighharmony in 1991. What made this group so great is that each member sang lead, often mixing their lead parts in the same song. The debut single, "Motownphilly", features a rap from Bivens that tells the story of how he met the group.  The #3 smash went on to sell over two million copies in the U.S. alone.

Boyz II Men were nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Single at the American Music Awards.  They also scored a World Music Award for Best International Group.

 

The album peaked at #3 in the U.S., #4 in Australia and #7 in the U.K.  "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" was a remake of a song included in the 1975 movie Cooley High and gave the group a #1 R&B hit that also reached #2 in the United States and sold over one million copies.

Boyz II Men achieved a minor hit with "Uhh Ahh", #16 overall and #1 on the R&B chart.

Cooleyhighharmony has sold over nine million copies and gave Boyz II Men their first Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.  They were also nominated for Best New Artist, an award given to Marc Cohn in another classic Grammy mistake, despite the promise shown by Cohn in his initial year.

While opening for MC Hammer on tour in 1992, tour manager Khalil Rountree was murdered in Chicago, Illinois.  Boyz II Men dedicated future performances of "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" to Roundtree.

 

The group found time in between tour dates to record "End Of The Road" for the movie Boomerang.  "End Of The Road" dominated the top spot for 13 weeks in the United States to set a then-Rock Era record and achieved similar success around the world.  It became a Top 10 song in every major country and was #1 everywhere except Canada, where it stalled at #3, and France, where it peaked at #7. 

"End Of The Road" sold over two million copies and helped Boyz II Men won American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Single and Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist.  They were also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Band, Duo or Group.  The Boyz also won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.  They also were nominated for Best R&B Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Amazingly, the Boyz would break their own record twice, once with "I'll Make Love To You" at 14 weeks and again with "One Sweet Day", their duet with Mariah Carey, which spent a still record 16 weeks at the top.

 

The group released their cover of the Five Satins' "In The Still Of The Night (I'll Remember)", another two-million seller and #3 smash.

 

Boyz II Men began working with Babyface and other top-notch producers in the years to come.  Prior to the release of their follow-up album, Boyz II Men released the album Christmas Interpretations, which has now cleared two million in sales. "Silent Night" is one of the best versions of the holiday classic.

"I'll Make Love To You" from their 1994 album II tied the mark set by Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" earlier in the year with 14 weeks at #1 and held on to #1 in Australia for four weeks.  Like "End Of The Road", it was a worldwide Top 10 song and #1 everywhere except France (#2), U.K. (#5) and the Netherlands (#6) and sold over two million singles.

 

When "On Bended Knee" replaced "I'll Make Love To You" at #1, Boyz II Men became the third act in the history of the Rock Era to replace themselves at #1, following Elvis Presley and the Beatles.  The group once again had a lock on the #1 position, holding on to it for six weeks.  Just 3 1/2 years into their career, Boyz II Men had scored a total of 33 weeks at #1.  The song also vaulted to #1 in Canada and reached #7 in Australia.  "On Bended Knee" also sold over two million units, the group's fifth Platinum single.

 

As high a bar as they set with their debut, II exceeded it, selling 12 million albums in the United States alone.  The album soared to #1 in the U.S. and France, #3 in Canada and #4 in Australia.  Boyz II Men were nominated for Best R&B Video for "Water Runs Dry" at the MTV Video Music Awards, with the song hitting #2 in the U.S. and #4 in Canada and selling one million copies.

The group captured Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (for "I'll Make Love To You") and were nominated for Record of the Year.  They were nominated for a total of nine American Music Awards for their amazing work on II.  They won Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Single and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "I'll Make Love To You", Favorite Soul/R&B Band, Duo or Group in both 1995 and 1996 and Favorite Soul/R&B Album and were nominated for Favorite Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group, Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist (for "I'll Make Love To You").  Boyz II Men also won Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite CD and Favorite R&B CD.  II has sold over 12 million copies in the U.S. alone.

 

The Remix Collection in 1995 sold over one million units.  In 1996, the group combined with Mariah Carey for what would become one of the biggest hits of the Rock Era, "One Sweet Day".  It held on to #1 for an incredible 16 weeks in the U.S. and topped charts in Canada and New Zealand, while going Top 10 in every country in the world.

The collaboration earned Platinum status and earned the superstars Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and an MTV Video Music Award nomination for Best R&B Video.

Things were going great, but when Motown Records released The Remix Collection against their wishes, Boyz II Men started their own record company, Stonecreerk Records.

 

In 1997, Boyz II Men released the album Evolution.  With three million in sales, it was a big-seller but did not approach the success of either Cooleyhighharmony or II.  The single "4 (sic) Seasons Of Lonliness", however, gave the group its fourth #1 and its sixth Platinum single. 

 

 

"A Song For Mama" went to #1 R&B and #7 overall and also sold over two million copies.  The group was nominated for Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

 

On the subsequent tour, Wanya developed a polyp on his vocal cords, leading to a postponement of several dates. We also want to feature "Doin' Just Fine" from the album.

Boyz II Men received an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Band and were nominated for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the Grammy Awards for "A Song For Mama".

 

The group scored another Gold single with their contribution to "The Prince Of Eagle" Soundtrack, "I Will Get There".

In 2000, the group released the album Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya, which represented a further decline in sales to one million worldwide.  However, the amazing group continued to be recognized by their peers with Grammy nominations for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group (for "Pass You By").

Boyz II Men released the compilation album Legacy:  The Greatest Hits Collection to conclude their contract, which by this time had been bought by Universal.  The album was certified Gold.

Now signed with Arista, Boyz II Men released the album Full Circle, but it too barely cleared one million units worldwide.

McCary retired from performing early in 2003 due to an ongoing battle with scoliosis, and Arista released the group from contract on April 30.

After a year off, Boyz II Men formed the independent label MSM Music Group and released an album of covers called Throwback, Vol. 1.  In 2006, the group released the album The Remedy exclusively in Japan.

Boyz Ii Men recorded another album of cover songs (Motown:  A Journey Through Hitsville USA) in 2007 after resigning with Universal.

Boyz II Men were nominated for Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (for "Ribbon In The Sky").

The group has released three studio albums since.  In 2012, Boyz II Men received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

All told, the group has landed 17 career hits, with an impressive nine Top 10 songs and four #1's.  They have sold over 60 million records worldwide.

The Boyz have been one of the most decorated groups of all-time, winning nine American Music Awards out of 17 nominations, four Grammy Awards from 15 nominations, a World Music Award, two Blockbuster Entertainment Awards and being nominated for three MTV Video Music Awards.