1. MOST SUCCESSFUL BLACK BOY BANDS: (NEW EDITION)

Formed in Boston (c. 1978–1981) by Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell; later joined by Ralph Tresvant and Ronnie DeVoe—managed and choreographed by Brooke Payne. They took their name from being the “new edition” of The Jackson 5.

Discovered by Maurice Starr after a talent show win, their début single “Candy Girl” (1983) topped teen and R&B charts and launched their career.

Their debut album Candy Girl surpassed 1 M sales: followed by New Edition (1984).

with hits like “Cool It Now” and “Mr. Telephone Man”, earning double‑platinum success with MCA Records.

All for Love (1985) went platinum but soon after, Bobby Brown was voted out amid growing tensions and behaviours.

The group released Under the Blue Moon (1986), a doo‑wop covers album, and brought in Johnny Gill in 1987 to fill the void.

Their fifth studio album, Heart Break (June 1988), featured polished, mature production by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and introduced New Jack Swing to their sound.

Hit singles: “If It Isn’t Love”, “Can You Stand the Rain”, and more; the album went double‑platinum. They embarked on the Heart Break tour (1988–1989), with Bobby Brown opening as a solo act.

Bell, Bivins & DeVoe formed Bell Biv DeVoe—1990’s Poison went quadruple‑platinum and pioneered hip‑hop and R&B fusion.

Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill released successful solo records; Bobby Brown also soared solo.

The group reunited briefly in 1990 for an MTV VMA performance.

In 1996, all six members reunited for Home Again, which debuted at No. 1 and featured the hit “Hit Me Off”, followed by a major tour.

However, personality clashes—especially between Bobby Brown and Mike Bivins—led to onstage fights and the eventual breakup post-tour. They returned in 2002, signed by Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records, and released One Love in 2004, peaking at No. 12 on Billboard.

Continued touring followed, but creative and financial disagreements saw them part ways with Bad Boy. In 2017, BET aired the acclaimed three-part miniseries The New Edition Story co‑produced by the members themselves, reaching 28.4 million viewers.

Honored with their Hollywood Walk of Fame star on January 23, 2017, and inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame (2022) and the National R&B Hall of Fame (2023).

Major tours: 30th Anniversary (2011–12), All Six (2014), Greatest Hits (2016), Culture (2022), Legacy touring with Guy, Keith Sweat, and Tank (2023).

Las Vegas residency began Feb 28, 2024, at Wynn Encore Theatre.

Across all members, they’re the only vocal group where every member has scored a platinum or multi‑platinum album.

American Music Awards: Favourite Soul/R&B Group (1987, 1997) Soul Train Awards

The group remains influential: they still tour, record new music, and consistently engage fans across generations.

New Edition’s story is a roller-coaster of musical innovation, internal drama, solo success, and triumphant reunions. From teenage idols to R&B pioneers, their influence echoes in pop culture and music history. All Support information from Googles.