To date, the Backstreet Boys remain the most popular boy band of all time in terms of sales. One Direction also broke numerous records during their six-year run, which ended in 2016 as Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne went solo (Zayn Malik had already left the group a year prior).
BTS is currently the most successful boyband in the world. The Seoul-based pop sensation last year became the first Korean artist to take the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, a feat it repeated this year with “Butter” in May and three-peated with “Permission to Dance” in July.
With signature choreography, perfected vocal harmonies, a curated image and dedicated fans, these groups have managed to stand the test of time and remain relevant to pop culture no matter the decade. Watch the latest episode of Billboard Explains above to learn more about the magic of boy bands.
(Data on each group's biggest song comes from Billboard.) The top three places on our list, not surprisingly, are held by what are probably the three most famous boy bands – Backstreet Boys (at No. 1), 'N Sync (No. 2), and New Kids on the Block (No.
Their contribution to music has given both bands and individual members places in the Guinness book of records, with The Beatles having a total of 25 Guinness World Records and BTS 23.
The Beatles
The most influential band of all time, The Beatles are creative and innovative, and a deserving band at the top of this list.
The Boys Are Perfect Role Models
For instance, their songs don't simply tell you to love yourself and face your fears but that it's also important to acknowledge negative feelings. Apart from their music, the group has also been active in raising social awareness as in the Love Myself campaign with UNICEF.
Bts became globally famous in 2020. There is no competition to one direction. They are undoubtedly the best boy band of the decade.
The Spice Girls, a group of British women formed in 1994, have sold over 100 million records, making them the world's best-selling girl group.
BTS—or Bangtan Sonyeondan, as O.G fans might recall is their official band name—is inarguably the most successful boy band to emerge from South Korea.
Big Bang. K-pop icons Big Bang consist of four members, G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, and Daesung, and have been around since their debut album in 2006.
If we talk about numbers, BTS fans are currently the largest fandom in the world.
According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits of all time: 20.
BTS members were first discovered in 2010 by their current management company Big Hit Entertainment, a South Korean entertainment company.
BTS is arguably the most popular band ever, with the most dedicated following.
Blackpink has 30.4 million Instagram followers, compared to BTS's 31.6 million. IU is one of the most popular singers and songwriters in South Korea. Jungkook is the band's main singer, but he is also a well-known member of the group.
Based on Google searches between April 2019 and March 2023, one boy band claims first place as the most-searched group in both US and global queries. The pop culture superstars topping these charts? BTS, of course.
Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known as The Weeknd, is statistically the most popular musician on the planet, and no one else even comes close. The 33-year-old Canadian singer's success has seen him set two new Guinness World Records titles: Most monthly listeners on Spotify – 111.4 million (as of 20 March 2023)
From the current active groups, some of the most famous K-Pop boy groups that have 7 members are BTS and Enhypen. Block B and Got7 also have 7 members, but they are currently in hiatus. BtoB had 7 members for most of their career, until Ilhoon retired from the entertainment industry.