Boyz II Men II hit #1

II Boyz II Men

Released: August 30, 1994 Peak: 15 US, 12 RB, 17 UK, 3 CN, 4 AU Sales (in millions): 12.0 US, 0.1 UK, 21.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Thank You (2/7/95, 21 BB, 11 CB, 16 GR, 17 RR, 26 UK, 32 CN, 33 AU) All Around the World U Know Vibin’ (with Method Man) (9/2/95, 56 BB, 55 CB, 27 RB, 27 CN) I Sit Away Jezebel Khalil (Interlude) Trying Times I'll Make Love to You (7/26/94, 114 BB, 112 BA, 113 CB, 19 GR, 14 RR, 13 AC, 19 RB, 5 UK, 13 CN, 12 AU, 9 DF) On Bended Knee (11/1/94, 16 BB, 111 BA, 111 CB, 18 GR, 16 RR, 8 AC, 2 RB, 20 UK, 13 CN, 7 AU, 14 DF) 50 Candles Water Runs Dry (4/11/95, 2 BB, 11 BB, 15 CB, 11 GR, 2 RR, 3 AC, 4 RB, 24 UK, 4 CN, 36 AU, 18 DF) Yesterday (11 DF) Total Running Time: 57:38 The Players: Michael McCary (bass) Nathan Morris (baritone) Wanyá Morris (tenor) Shawn Stockman (tenor)

Rating: 4.324 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Boyz II Men’s Early Years The R&B vocal harmony group Boyz II Men formed in 1985 in Philadelphia. They were signed to Motown and released their first album, Cooleyhighharmony, in 1991. It featured two top-five hits (“Motownphilly” and “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye”) that propelled the album to nine time platinum. In 1992 they landed atop the pop charts for a whopping 13 weeks with “End of the Road” from the Boomerang soundtrack. It was the biggest pop hit in 45 years. At that point, only the Francis Craig Orchestra had topped the charts longer – 17 weeks with the 1947 hit “Near You.” It wasn’t a record that would stand long. Just a week after “End of the Road” was dethroned, Whitney Houston began a 14-week run at #1 with “I Will Always Love You.” The next year they covered “In the Still of the Nite (I’ll Remember)” for the TV miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream and took the song to #3. That same year they released a Christmas album. The Next Album The anticipation for Boyz II Men’s second non-seasonal studio album was through the roof. I mean, they couldn’t possibly match the 13-week reign of “End of the Road,” could they? The group launched their new album with the single I’ll Make Love to You. It wasn’t that surprising that the song ascended to #1. What was astonishing, however, is that it outdid “End of the Road” and matched “I Will Always Love You” by spending 14 weeks atop the chart. Interestingly, Boyz II Men stopped their own run when the album’s second single, On Bended Knee, knocked “I’ll Make Love to You” from #1. The song wasn’t quite as big, spending a mere six weeks at the pinnacle. However, Boyz II Men would top themselves yet again – the very next year their duet with Mariah Carey, “One Sweet Day,” would land atop the charts for an astonishing 16 weeks. With three monster smashes in just a few years’ time, Boyz II Men assured themselves of a place in pop music history. “If ever a second album consolidated a band’s reputation, this was it.” AB “Working with some of the hottest talent around, including Babyface, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the band turned out” AB “a carefully constructed crowd pleaser, accentuating all of the finest moments from their hit debut. While there are some high-energy dance tracks, the album’s main strength is its slower numbers, where the group's vocals soar.” AM The group’s “vocal prowess is displayed to most stunning effect on the closing track – an audacious ‘ a cappella’ rendition of Paul McCartney’s Yesterday.” AB

Resources: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine AB Michael Spilling (editor) (2015). Best-Selling Albums: From Vinyl Records to Digital Downloads. Amber Books Ltd.: London, United Kingdom. Page 158. Related DMDB Links: First posted 3/26/2008; last updated 12/7/2024.