New Rock-N-Roll Hall Of Famers and Those Who Are Not In And Belong

These are the artists announced for the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame - Class of 2014:

Nirvana, Kiss, Cat Stevens, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Linda Ronstadt, Peter Gabriel, The E Street Band, Brian Epstein & Andrew Loog Oldham.

The following is a list of artists that I feel are deserving of being at least nominated, if not elected.

Connie Francis, Carole King, Chubby Checker, The Spinners, Moody Blues, Herman's Hermits, The Monkees, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Steppenwolf, Steve Miller Band, Chicago, Grand Funk Railroad, Joe Cocker, Warren Zevon, Yes, Kraftwerk, Supertramp, Carly Simon, Doobie Brothers, Electric Light Orchestra, Meat Loaf, Steve Winwood, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Tina Turner, Bad Company, Jefferson Starship, Judas Priest, Journey, Boston, Cheap Trick, Chic, Devo, Foreigner, The Cars, The Cure, Dire Straits,  Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Pat Benatar, Huey Lewis & The News, INXS, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Motley Crue, New Order, Phil Collins, Stevie Nicks, Tears For Fears, Culture Club, Janet Jackson, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, LL Cool J, Whitney Houston, George Michael, N.W.A., Melissa Etheridge.

How many of them belong??? Let the debate begin!!

Honorary #1 Pop Singles That Didn't Reach #1

"Work It" - Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott - Peak Date: Nov. 16, 2002 - #2 for 10 weeks

Missy's early millennium hip-hop jam, complete with bawdy rhymes, a Run-D.M.C. break, and a hook literally sung backwards, took over airwaves in 2002 and sat in the runner-up spot on the chart for an entire season.

"Waiting For A Girl Like You" - Foreigner - Peak Date: Nov. 28, 1981 - #2 for 10 weeks

With Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" dominating the #1 spot for 10 weeks in late '81-early '82, Foreigner really was waiting for a girl, then Hall & Oates jumped over them and hit #1 with "I Can't Go For That". 

"I Love You Always Forever" - Donna Lewis - Peak Date: Aug. 3, 1996 - #2 for 9 weeks

This pop smash spent 35 weeks in the top 40, but it's one of two long running #2 hits that were stuck behind the "Macarena".

"You're Still The One" - Shania Twain - Peak Date: March 14, 1998 - #2 for 9 weeks

This Country & A.C. #1 smash was held to #2 on the Pop chart by three R&B crossover hits: "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" by Will Smith, "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo, and "Too Close" by Next.

"If I Ever Fall In Love" - Shai - Peak Date: Nov. 28, 1992 - #2 for 8 weeks

This R&B mega-smash sold over 2 million copies, but was runner-up to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" for 8 consecutive weeks.

"Gangnam Style" - PSY - Peak Date: Sept. 27, 2012 - #2 for 7 weeks

It's hard to believe that the most watched video in You Tube history, and probably the biggest dance craze in over a decade, did not reach #1 on the Pop chart, but Maroon 5's "One More Night" held it back.

"Payphone" - Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa - Peak Date: May 26, 2012 - #2 for 6 weeks

Though Maroon 5 has dominated the charts over the last few years, they did have this huge hit fall just short of #1.




"All I Wanna Do" - Sheryl Crow - Peak Date: Oct. 8, 1994 - #2 for 6 weeks

Sheryl Crow's easygoing rocker about partying "until the sun comes up over Santa Monica Blvd" didn't quite hit the chart's jackpot but almost two decades later, the song stands as perhaps her most famous.

"Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" - Patty Smyth With Don Henley - Peak Date: Sept. 26, 1992 - #2 for 6 weeks

This smash ballad dominated the charts in the fall of '92, but could only reach #2 as Boyz II Men's epic smash "End Of The Road" ruled #1 for 13 straight weeks.

"Open Arms" - Journey - Peak Date: Feb. 27, 1982 - #2 for 6 weeks

This all time power ballad was Journey's biggest hit single, but was blocked from reaching #1 by the J.Geils Band's "Centerfold" and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts "I Love Rock N Roll".

"Baker Street" - Gerry Rafferty - Peak Date: June 24, 1978 - #2 for 6 weeks

The former leader of Stealers Wheel had this huge hit in the summer of '78, but Andy Gibb's "Shadow Dancing" was just a little more popular...

"Louie Louie" - Kingsmen - Peak Date: Dec. 14, 1963 - #2 for 6 weeks

This all time rock n roll classic was a #2 hit on the charts, though the group did not receive any royalties from their record company. They had to win a lawsuit in 1998 to receive anything. They were also robbed by Bobby Vinton, who was #1 with "There, I Said It Again".

"Without Me" - Eminem - Peak Date: June 29, 2002 - #2 for 5 weeks

This monster hit for the Detroit rapper was one of the biggest selling singles of 2002, but was kept out of the #1 spot by Nelly's "Hot In Herre"

"Breathe" - Faith Hill - Peak Date: April 22, 2000 - #2 for 5 weeks

This country crossover smash spent 42 weeks in the Top 40, and was ranked by Billboard as the #1 single of 2000, but Santana's "Maria Maria" was #1 at the time.

"It's All Coming Back To Me Now" - Celine Dion - Peak Date: Oct. 26, 1996 - #2 for 5 weeks

This Jim Steinman-penned smash sold over 2 million copies, but Los Del Rio's "Macarena" was the sensation sweeping the nation at the time.

.......and some notable #3 peaks...

"Dawn(Go Away)" - Four Seasons - Peak Date: March 14, 1964 - #3 for 3 weeks

One of the biggest selling hits for Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, but only Beatles hits stood in the way of a 5 week run at #1.

"Please Please Me" - Beatles - Peak Date: Apr. 4, 1964 - #3 for 2 weeks

When the Beatles owned the top 5 of the chart, this song sold over 3 million copies, but was stuck behind "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at #1, and "She Loves You" at #2.

"Lay Down Sally" - Eric Clapton - Peak Date: Apr. 1, 1978 - #3 for 3 weeks

and

"Can't Smile Without You" - Barry Manilow - Peak Date: Apr. 22, 1978 - #3 for 4 weeks

These two songs were victims of bad timing. They both became big hits at the same time as the dominance of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. "Night Fever" and "Stayin Alive" by the Bee Gees were #1 & #2, ahead of "Lay Down Sally" and "Night Fever" and "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman blocked Barry Manilow from his 4th #1 single.

"Let's Groove" - Earth, Wind & Fire - Peak Date: December 5, 1981 - #3 for 5 weeks

A huge record during the holiday season of '81, but Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" and Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" stood in the way of E,W & F reaching #1.

The Top 100 Artists Of The Rock Era (1955-TODAY)

According to a special point system I created, and based on the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, here is the current top 100 list of artists:

1	. ELVIS PRESLEY
2.	BEATLES
3.	MADONNA
4.	ELTON JOHN
5.	MARIAH CAREY
6.	STEVIE WONDER
7.	MICHAEL JACKSON
8.	JANET JACKSON
9.	ROLLING STONES
10.	PAUL MCCARTNEY
11.	WHITNEY HOUSTON
12.	PAT BOONE
13.	ARETHA FRANKLIN
14.	SUPREMES
15.	MARVIN GAYE
16.	RIHANNA
17.	ROD STEWART
18.	CHICAGO
19.	BEE GEES
20.	TEMPTATIONS
21.	PRINCE
22.	RICKY NELSON
23.	BEACH BOYS
24.	NEIL DIAMOND
25.	USHER
26.	FOUR SEASONS
27.	DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
28.	GEORGE MICHAEL
29.	CONNIE FRANCIS
30.	BILLY JOEL
31.	JAMES BROWN
32.	OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
33.	PAUL ANKA
34.	EMINEM
35.	FATS DOMINO
36.	R. KELLY
37.	PERRY COMO
38.	DIANA ROSS
39.	RAY CHARLES
40.	EVERLY BROTHERS
41.	KENNY ROGERS
42.	DIONNE WARWICK
43.	BOBBY VINTON
44.	BRENDA LEE
45.	PHIL COLLINS
46.	BOYZ II MEN
47.	BEYONCE
48.	TAYLOR SWIFT
49.	JACKSON 5
50.	BRYAN ADAMS
51.	BRITNEY SPEARS
52.	FRANK SINATRA
53.	JAY-Z
54.	KATY PERRY
55.	DONNA SUMMER
56.	PUFF DADDY
57.	CARPENTERS
58.	MIRACLES
59.	NAT KING COLE
60.	SAM COOKE
61.	BARBRA STREISAND
62.	GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS
63.	BARRY MANILOW
64.	CHER
65.	NELLY
66.	JOHN COUGAR .MELLENCAMP
67	. PINK
68	. ANDY WILLIAMS
69	. THREE DOG NIGHT
70	. LIONEL RICHIE
71	. LUDACRIS
72	. PLATTERS
73	. CHUBBY CHECKER
74	. 50 CENT
75	. LINDA RONSTADT
76	. BLACK EYED PEAS
77	. BON JOVI
78	. BOBBY DARIN
79	. FOUR TOPS
80	. ROY ORBISON
81	. CELINE DION
82	. KOOL & THE GANG
83	. BROOK BENTON
84	. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
85	. DESTINY'S CHILD
86.	GLORIA ESTEFAN
87.	DION
88.	NEIL SEDAKA
89.	JENNIFER LOPEZ
90.	CHRISTINA AGUILERA
91.	ALICIA KEYS
92.	AEROSMITH
93.	5TH DIMENSION
94.	HEART
95.	EAGLES
96.	HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS
97.	CHRIS BROWN
98.	LADY GAGA
99.	BOB SEGER
100.	HERMAN'S HERMITS

A review of all the Pop Music Hall Of Famers, and a list of the top candidates in the future.

Pop Music Hall Of Famers

The List(134):
Bing Crosby
Frank Sinatra
Dean Martin
Nat King Cole
Elvis Presley
Pat Boone
The Platters
Chuck Berry
Fats Domino
Ricky Nelson
Buddy Holly
James Brown
Sam Cooke
Bobby Darin
Roy Orbison
Everly Brothers
Ray Charles
Connie Francis
Paul Anka
The Drifters
Carole King
Neil Sedaka
Brenda Lee
Chubby Checker
The Shirelles
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Bobby Vinton
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Aretha Franklin
The Beach Boys
The Four Seasons
Stevie Wonder
Dionne Warwick
The Four Tops
The Temptations
Bob Dylan
The Supremes
Marvin Gaye
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
Barbra Streisand
Simon & Garfunkel
Cher
Herman's Hermits
Neil Diamond
The Bee Gee's
The 5th Dimension
Glen Campbell
Kenny Rogers
Jefferson Airplane/Starship
Led Zeppelin
Linda Ronstadt
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Sly & The Family Stone
Chicago
The Jackson 5
Three Dog Night
John Lennon
Bob Seger
Elton John
Diana Ross
The Carpenters
Tony Orlando & Dawn
Eric Clapton
Santana
The Spinners
Michael Jackson
Paul McCartney
Olivia Newton-John
Rod Stewart
John Denver
Helen Reddy
Al Green
The Eagles
Kool & The Gang
David Bowie
Barry White
Billy Joel
Barry Manilow
The Commodores
Electric Light Orchestra
Earth, Wind & Fire
Donna Summer
Aerosmith
Bruce Springsteen
Fleetwood Mac
KC & The Sunshine Band
Queen
Styx
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Heart
Foreigner
Prince
John Mellencamp
Journey
The Police
Air Supply
Phil Collins
Lionel Richie
Steve Winwood
Huey Lewis & The News
Duran Duran
Madonna
Bryan Adams
Bon Jovi
U2
Cyndi Lauper
Whitney Houston
George Michael/Wham!
Gloria Estefan
Janet Jackson
Richard Marx
Michael Bolton
Paula Abdul
New Kids On The Block
Bobby Brown
Garth Brooks
Babyface
Mariah Carey
Boyz II Men
Celine Dion
Nirvana
R. Kelly
TLC
Mary J. Blige
Snoop Dogg
Shania Twain
Diddy(Puff Daddy)
Usher
Jay-Z
Destiny's Child
Backstreet Boys
Britney Spears
N'Sync

My rule is, the artist had to have had their first hit at least 15 years ago, so any artist who debuted in 1998 or earlier, is eligible. Next year, in 2014, artists who debuted in 1999 would be eligible. Among the artists from 1999:

Eminem
Christina Aguilera
Jennifer Lopez

2000 Artists:
3 Doors Down
Nelly
Pink
Kid Rock

2001 Artists:
Alicia Keys
Nelly Furtado
Nickelback
Shakira

2002 Artists:
Avril Lavigne
Justin Timberlake
Rihanna
Sean Paul

2003 Artists:
Beyonce
Black Eyed Peas
Maroon 5
Kanye West
Kelly Clarkson
Coldplay
50 Cent
Jason Mraz

2004 Artists:
Gwen Stefani
Pitbull

2005 Artists:
Carrie Underwood
Chris Brown

2006 Artists:
Fergie
Ne-Yo
Taylor Swift

2007 Artists:
Adele
Katy Perry
Miley Ctrus
Colbie Caillat

2008 Artists:
Lady Gaga

2009 Artists:
Justin Bieber

2010 Artists:
Nicki Minaj

We'll see what the future holds........

1998 Nominees: Britney Spears & N'Sync

Britney Spears

More than any other single artist, Britney Spears was the driving force behind the return of teen pop in the late '90s. The blockbuster success of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys certainly paved the way for her own commercial breakthrough, but Spears didn't just become a star -- she was a bona fide pop phenomenon. Not only did she sell millions of records, she was a media fixture regardless of what she was (or wasn't) doing; among female singers of the era (many of whom followed in her footsteps), her celebrity star power was rivaled only by Jennifer Lopez. From the outset, Spears' sex appeal was an important part of her image. The video for her debut single, "...Baby One More Time," outfitted her in full Catholic-school regalia and sent her well on the way to becoming an international sex symbol. Yet Spears' handlers seemed to be trying to have it both ways -- there was a definite tension between the wholesome innocenceSpears tried to project for her female audience, and the titillating sexuality that enticed so many male fans. Those marketing tactics made Spears a somewhat controversial figure, the subject of endless debates concerning appropriate role models for teenage girls. Early on, Spears tried to defuse the controversy by preaching abstinence until marriage, and even denied that she was consciously cultivating such a sexualized image. Of course, the more provocative and revealing her on-stage wardrobe became, the less plausible that claim seemed. But apart from her ability to tiptoe the line between virginal coquette and brazen tart, Spears had a secret weapon in Swedish pop mastermind Max Martin, who had a hand in the vast majority of her hits as a writer and/or producer. With Martin crafting the sort of contemporary dance-pop and sentimental ballads that made stars of the Backstreet Boys, Spears kept on delivering the goods commercially, as her first three albums all topped the charts.

Britney Jean Spears was born December 2, 1981, in the small town of Kentwood, LA, and began performing as a singer and dancer at a young age. With a nationally televised appearance on Star Search already under her belt, Spearsauditioned for the Disney Channel's The New Mickey Mouse Club at age eight. The producers turned her down as too young, but one of them took an interest and introduced her to an agent in New York. Spears spent the next three years studying at the Professional Performing Arts School, and also appeared in several television commercials and off-Broadway plays. At 11, she returned to The New Mickey Mouse Club for a second audition, and this time made the cut. Although her fellow Mouseketeers included an impressive array of future stars -- *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, Christina Aguilera, and Felicity actress Keri Russell -- the show was canceled after Spears' second season. She returned to New York at age 15 and set about auditioning for pop bands and recording demo tapes, one of which eventually landed her a deal with Jive Records.


Spears entered the studio with top writer/producers like Eric Foster White(Boyzone, Whitney Houston, Backstreet Boys) and Max Martin (Ace of Base,Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC). In late 1998, Jive released her debut single, theMartin-penned "...Baby One More Time." Powered by its video, in whichSpears and a troupe of dancers were dressed as Catholic-school jailbait, the single shot to the top of the Billboard charts. When Spears' debut album of the same title was released in early 1999, it entered the charts at number one and stayed there for six weeks. Once the ubiquitous lead single died down, the album kept spinning off hits: the Top Ten "(You Drive Me) Crazy," the near-Top 20 ballad "Sometimes," and the Top 20 "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart." By the end of 1999, ...Baby One More Time had sold ten million copies, and went on to sell a good three million more on top of that. Its success touched off a wave of young pop divas that included Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Jessica Simpson, and Mandy Moore. Spears was a superstar, drooled over in countless magazines, including a Rolling Stone cover that prompted immediate speculation about the still 17-year-old having received breast implants.




By the time ...Baby One More Time finally started to lose steam on the singles and album charts, Spears was ready to release her follow-up. Oops!...I Did It Again appeared in the spring of 2000, and the title track was an instant smash, racing into the Top Ten. The album itself entered the charts at number one and sold over a million copies in its first week of release, setting a new record for single-week sales by a female artist. Follow-up singles included "Lucky," the gold-selling "Stronger," and "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know," which was co-written by country diva Shania Twain and her producer Mutt Lange. A year after its release, Oops!...I Did It Again had sold over nine million copies. Rumors that Spears was dating *NSYNC heartthrob (and fellow ex-Mouseketeer) Justin Timberlake were eventually confirmed, which only added to the media attention lavished on her.




For her next album, Spears looked ahead to a not-so-distant future when both she and much of her audience would be growing up. Released in late 2001,Britney tried to present the singer as a more mature young woman, and was accompanied by mild hints that her personal life wasn't always completely puritanical. It became her third straight album to debut at number one, although this time around the singles weren't as successful; "I'm a Slave 4 U," "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," and "Overprotected" all missed the Top Ten. In early 2002, Spears' feature-film debut, Crossroads, hit theaters, but its commercial performance was somewhat disappointing; moreover, her romance with Timberlake fizzled not long after. Spears next made a cameo appearance in Mike Myers' Austin Powers: Goldmember, and contributed a remix of "Boys" to the soundtrack. Meanwhile, sales of Britney stalled at four million copies, perhaps in part because a new breed of teenage female singer/songwriters, like Michelle Branch and Avril Lavigne, was emerging as an alternative to the highly packaged teen queens. Spears took a break from recording and performing for several months, and began work on a new album in early 2003. The results, In the Zone, reflected a wish to be taken seriously as a mature (though still highly sexualized) adult. Predictably, it topped the charts and launched several singles into orbit, including the musically adventurous "Toxic," "Everytime," and "Me Against the Music."



In the Zone hit number one on the Billboard 200, and "Toxic" snagged a Grammy for Best Dance Recording. But by 2004, there were no longer any illusions of Britney's personal life being all wholesome candy canes and kisses. First there was the star's bizarre two-day marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander, followed by the controversial, highly sexualized Onyx Hotel tour, which was eventually canceled (allegedly because of a knee injury) despite positive financial numbers. Starbucks and cigarettes were Britney's constant accessories in the endless paparazzi photos, and the revelation of her relationship with former backup dancer Kevin Federline made the tabloids even more ravenous. Spearsand Federline married in September and were tabloid regulars in the months after the ceremony. (A photo of a barefootBritney leaving a dingy gas station bathroom made the Internet rounds.) The couple also starred in Chaotic, a UPN reality show consisting mostly of their own home videos that was met with howls from the critics and blogs.


The year 2005 was no less eventful for Spears. She released Greatest Hits: My Prerogative that January, but it was the announcement of her pregnancy that really garnered the headlines. Sean Preston Federline was born in September, and a bidding war ensued for first rights to the baby photos. As the hubbub surrounding Sean's birth continued, Britney released a remix album just in time for the holiday season. In 2006, Spears discovered she was pregnant again; shortly after the birth of her second son, Jayden James Federline, she divorced Federline, thus sparking a long string of custody battles that were eventually settled in Federline's favor. Following another headline-grabbing incident in early 2007 (in which Spears spontaneously shaved her head at a salon in Tarzana, California, much to the delight of nearby photographers), Spears sought help at Malibu's Promises Treatment Center. After leaving the center, she began working on her comeback album and performed a few small shows at House of Blues locations in Los Angeles, San Diego, Anaheim, and Las Vegas that May. Despite ongoing turmoil in her life that summer and fall -- including a disastrous performance at MTV's Video Music Awards -- Blackout arrived in October 2007. It proved to be her least successful album to date, charting three Top 40 hits but failing to achieve platinum certification within its first year of release.




Spears' public image was dealt more blows in early 2008 when she lost custody of her children, made several court appearances, and was placed on involuntary psychiatric hold two times in one month. Blackout nevertheless won several MTV-sponsored awards, including Album of the Year from the Europe Music Awards in November 2008. That same fall, the lead-off single from Spears' next record, "Womanizer," became her first number one single in nearly a decade. The full-length Circus arrived in December, featuring a mix of syrupy ballads and uptempo dance numbers that were designed to fuelSpears' comeback. In 2009, the single "3" followed "Womanizer" to the top, and appeared on her career-spanning compilation The Singles Collection. In 2011, Spears returned with the studio album Femme Fatale, featuring the single "Hold It Against Me," which became her fourth single to top the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, the Ke$haco-written "Till the World Ends," didn't top the charts but it was a bigger hit, going double platinum in the US.



Britney supported Femme Fatale with an international tour that ran until the end of 2011; at the end of the year, the home video Live: The Femme Fatale Tour was released. Spears made a splashy return to television in 2012 when she signed to be one of the celebrity judges on the second season of the U.S. version of Simon Cowell's The X Factor. The show returned in the fall of 2012.

Decision: With 22 top 40 hits, 13 top 10's and 5 #1's, Britney Spears is a Pop Music Hall Of Famer.

N'Sync

Along with the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, *NSYNC dominated the teen pop explosion of the late '90s with a blend of group harmonies, gauzy ballads, and well-produced dance textures. Although the group emerged in 1996 in Orlando, FL, singers JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake had previously co-starred on The Mickey Mouse Club before relocating to Nashville, where they worked on solo projects with the same vocal coach and songwriters. Timberlake soon returned to Orlando, where he befriended Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone. Along with Chasez, the four agreed to form a boy band, and *NSYNC officially launched after the addition of bass singer Lance Bass.


The group recorded its self-titled debut LP with help from a series of producers, including Denniz Pop (whose protégé, Max Martin would later work with the band after Pop's death in 1998). The album was initially released by BMG Ariola Munich, and *NSYNC soon became an overnight success throughout much of Europe, where the singles "I Want You Back" and "Tearing Up My Heart" became sizable hits. The album was then released in America during the spring of 1998. Accompanied by a tour of the nation's roller rinks, it became immensely popular and eventually sold more than ten million copies, thus establishing the singers as teen pop titans. Home for Christmas followed later that same year and went double-platinum, while a similar version was released in Europe under the title The Winter Album.




Although already celebrated as one of pop music's biggest acts, *NSYNC rose to greater heights with the release of No Strings Attached in 2000. The album was originally slated to appear in 1999, but a series of legal battles with former manager Lou Pearlman delayed its arrival by several months. After successfully escaping from Pearlman's contract and signing with Jive Entertainment, *NSYNC happily watched as sales of No Strings Attachedtopped one million during its first day of release. Nearly two and a half million copies were sold by the end of the week, and three singles soon cracked the Top Five in America: "Bye Bye Bye" (which many viewed as a sendoff to the band's old management), "It's Gonna Be Me," and the ballad "This I Promise You." Supported by a 76-date American tour that grossed over $75 million, No Strings Attached proved to be the most popular album of 2000, selling nearly ten million copies.




*NSYNC returned to the road in early 2001, this time to promote the impending release of Celebrity. The album appeared that summer to continued fanfare, with first-week sales reaching nearly two million -- a feat that made Celebrity the second fastest-selling album of all time, bested only by No Strings Attached. The album featured a stronger debt to hip-hop and included several songs written by Timberlake and Chasez, an opportunity that may have whetted their desire to pursue respective solo careers.




Following an elaborate stadium tour, the group went on hiatus in mid-2002. Timberlake released his solo debut that same year, successfully making the jump from boy band vocalist to critically acclaimed solo artist, while Chasez found less success with his own record, 2004's Schizophrenic. Meanwhile, Joey Fatone launched a movie career and later performed on Broadway, Chris Kirkpatrick starred in the reality TV series Mission: Man Band, and Lance Bass became a certified cosmonaut in the hopes of making it to outer space. The group's website shut down in 2006, however, prompting increased speculation about *NSYNC's future. Responding to such rumors in 2007, Bass informed the Orlando Sentinel that the group had "definitely broken up" in light of Timberlake's desire to continue his solo career.

Decision: With 7 top 10s and 1 #1 hit in just 4 years, N'Sync were a sensation, but they fall just short of the Pop Music HOF.....

Next: A review of all the Pop Music Hall Of Famers, and a list of the top candidates in the future. In 2014, artists who first hit the Top 40 in 1999 will be eligible......

 

1997 Nominees: Usher, Jay-Z, Destiny's Child, Backstreet Boys

Usher
After Usher Raymond was spotted by a LaFace record executive at a talent show in his hometown of Atlanta, it took no time for his career to take off. The 14-year-old auditioned for LaFace co-founder L.A. Reid, who signed the gospel choir boy to a recording contract. Raymond was introduced to the world simply as "Usher," and released his debut album of the same name in 1994, which featured co-executive producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. The first single, "Think of You," gained Usher wide recognition and reached gold status. From that initial exposure, Usher was approached to do other projects. In 1995, he recorded a national holiday jingle for Coca-Cola. He also joined several top male R&B vocalists to form Black Men United for the single "You Will Know," featured on the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. He also teamed with teen singing sensation Monica for a duet remake of Latimore's "Let's Straighten It Out."




After graduating from high school, Usher released his sophomore album, My Way, in 1997. In an attempt to display his maturity and songwriting abilities, he co-wrote six of the nine songs and enlisted the help of producers Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, and, again, Combs. The album's first single, "You Make Me Wanna," reestablished Usher as one of R&B's hottest artists, and also made him a crossover sensation; it topped the R&B charts for 11 weeks, hit number two pop, and eventually went double platinum. Both of the follow-up singles, "Nice & Slow" and "My Way," also went platinum; the former stayed at number one on the R&B charts for eight weeks and became his first number one pop single. In the meantime, Usher launched an acting career, appearing in the 1998 horror spoof The Faculty and the 1999 urban high-school drama Light It Up.




To tide fans over, he issued a concert recording titled simply Live in 1999.Usher returned with his third proper album, All About U, toward the end of 2000. His third album, 8701 (2001), moved him from a teen pop star to a sultry R&B singer. In early 2004, Arista released the single "Yeah!" Produced by Lil Jon and guesting Ludacris, the addictive, lightly crunk cut fast became a club and radio favorite.




By the time the Usher full-length Confessions dropped later that March, "Yeah!" had hit the top of the Billboard charts. The album itself was Usher's most mature work to date and won the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2004, while "Yeah!" took home the best rapped/sung collaboration award. He starred in 2005's In the Mix and went back to music with 2008's Here I Stand, an album that topped the Billboard 200 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.




Raymond V Raymond, inspired in part by the end of his marriage, was released in 2010 as three of its songs were climbing the charts. Its buzz single, "Papers," had already topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. An EP titled Versus followed later in the year. Led by Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart-topper "Climax" (co-produced by Diplo), Looking for Myself was issued in 2012.

Decision: Usher has had an incredible career run on the charts, 30 Top 40 hits, 19 of which reached the top 10 and 10 #1's. Usher is a Pop Music Hall Of Famer..

Jay-Z

Embodying the rags-to-riches rap dream, Jay-Z pulled himself up by his bootstraps as a youth to eventually become the reigning rapper of New York City and, in turn, a major-label executive following his short-lived retirement from music-making. In the wake of his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z's albums sold millions upon millions with each release, and his endless parade of hits made him omnipresent on urban radio and video television. He retained a strongly devoted fan base and challenged whatever rivals attempted to oust him from atop the rap game, sparring most memorably with Nas. Jay-Zand his Roc-a-Fella associates greatly influenced the industry and established many of the trends that pervaded during the late '90s and early 2000s. He consistently worked with the hottest producers of the day (Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, Trackmasters, Erick Sermon, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz), and if they weren't hot at the time, they likely would be afterward (the Neptunes, Kanye West, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder). He similarly collaborated with the hottest rappers in the industry, everyone from East Coast contemporaries like the Notorious B.I.G. ("Brooklyn's Finest") and DMX ("Cash, Money, Hoes"), to the best rappers from the South (Ludacris, Missy Elliott) and the West Coast (Snoop Dogg, Too Short). After his self-declared retirement from rapping in 2003, he assumed the presidency of the seminal rap label Def Jam and, as an industry executive, embarked on another phase in his illustrious career.



Born in 1969 and raised in the rough Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, New York, Jay-Z underwent some tough times after his father left his mother before the young rapper was even a teen. Without a man in the house, he became a self-supportive youth, turning to the streets, where he soon made a name for himself as a fledging rapper. Known as "Jazzy" in his neighborhood, he soon shortened his nickname to Jay-Z and did all he could to break into the rap game. As he vividly discusses in his lyrics, Jay-Z also became a street hustler around this time, doing what needed to be done to make money. For a while, he ran around with Jaz-O, aka Big Jaz, a small-time New York rapper with a record deal but few sales. From Jaz he learned how to navigate through the rap industry and what moves to make. He also participated in the group Original Flavor for a short time. Jay-Z subsequently decided to make an untraditional decision and start his own label rather than sign with an established label as Jaz had done. Together with friends Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, he created Roc-a-Fella Records, a risky strategy for cutting out the middleman and making money for himself. Once he found a reputable distributor, Priority Records (and then later Def Jam), Jay-Z finally had everything in place, including a debut album, Reasonable Doubt (1996).


Though Reasonable Doubt only reached number 23 on Billboard's album chart, Jay-Z's debut eventually became recognized as an undisputed classic among fans, many of whom consider it his crowning achievement. Led by the hit single "Ain't No Nigga," a duet featuring Foxy Brown, Reasonable Doubtslowly spread through New York; some listeners were drawn in because of big names like DJ Premier and the Notorious B.I.G., others by the gangsta motifs very much in style at the time, still others by Jay-Z himself. By the end of its steady run, Reasonable Doubt generated three more charting singles -- "Can't Knock the Hustle," which featured Mary J. Blige on the hook; "Dead Presidents," which featured a prominent sample of "The World Is Yours," a 1994 hit by Nas, and "Feelin' It" -- and set the stage for Jay-Z's follow-up, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997).




Peaking at number three on the Billboard album chart, In My Lifetime sold much more strongly than its predecessor. The album boasted pop-crossover producers such as Puff Daddy and Teddy Riley, and singles such as "Sunshine" and "The City Is Mine" indeed showcased a newfound embrace of pop crossover. Yet there were still plenty of hard-hitting songs, such as "Streets Is Watching" and "Rap Game/Crack Game" to lace In My Lifetime with gangsta rap as well as pop crossover. Jay-Z's next album, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life (1998), released a year after In My Lifetime, was laden with hit singles: "Can I Get A..." and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" broke the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, while "Cash, Money, Hoes" and "Nigga What, Nigga Who" also charted. Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life ended up winning a Grammy for Best Rap Album.




Like clockwork, Jay-Z returned a year later with another album, Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter (1999), which topped the Billboard 200 and spawned two hits: "Big Pimpin'" and "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)." The album was Jay-Z's most collaborative to date, featuring ten guest vocalists and a roll call of in-demand producers such as Dr. Dre and Timbaland. Jay-Z then scaled back a bit for Dynasty Roc la Familia (2000), his fifth album in as many years. The album showcased Roc-a-Fella's in-house rappers: Beanie Sigel guests on seven of the 16 tracks, Memphis Bleek guests on six, and both Amir andFreeway also make guest appearances. On Dynasty Roc la Familia, Jay-Zalso began working with a few new producers: the Neptunes, Kanye West, and Just Blaze. The Neptunes-produced "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" became a particularly huge hit single this go-round.




Jay-Z's next album, The Blueprint (2001), solidified his position atop the New York rap scene upon its release in September. Prior to the album's release, the rapper had caused a stir in New York following his headlining performance at Hot 97's Summer Jam 2001, where he debuted the song "Takeover." The song features a harsh verse ridiculing Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and Jay-Zaccentuated his verbal assault (including the lines "You's a ballerina/I seen ya") by showcasing gigantic photos of an adolescent Prodigy in a dance outfit. The version of "Takeover" that later appeared on The Blueprint includes a third verse, this one dissing Nas, who, in response to the Summer Jam performance, had called out Jay-Z, "the fake king of New York," in a freestyle known as "Stillmatic." As expected, "Takeover" ignited a sparring match with Nas, who responded with "Ether." Jay-Z accordingly returned with a comeback, "Super Ugly," where he rapped over the beats toNas' "Get Ur Self a..." on the first verse and Dr. Dre's "Bad Intentions" on the second. The back-and-forth bout created massive publicity for both Jay-Z and Nas. In addition to "Takeover," The Blueprint also featured "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," one of the year's biggest hit songs, and the album topped many year-end best-of charts.




Jay-Z capitalized on the runaway success of The Blueprint with a number of follow-up projects. He collaborated with the Roots for the Unplugged album (2001) and with R. Kelly for Best of Both Worlds (2002). He then went on to record, over the course of the year, 40 or so new tracks, 25 of which appeared on his next record, the double album The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse(2002). Though billed as a sequel, The Blueprint² was considerably different from its predecessor. Whereas the first volume had been personal, considered, and focused, the second instead offered an unapologetically sprawling double-disc extravaganza showcasing remarkable scope. As usual, it spawned a stream of singles, led by his 2Pac cover "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (featuring his glamorous then-future wife, Beyoncé Knowles from Destiny's Child). Furthermore, Jay-Z guested on a pair of summer 2003 hits: Beyoncé's chart-topping "Crazy in Love" and the Neptunes' Top Five hit "Frontin'."




It was then that Jay-Z announced his imminent retirement after the release of one more album. That LP, The Black Album (2003), was rush-released by Def Jam and soared to the top spot in the album charts at the end of the year. As always, it spawned a couple big hits -- "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" and "99 Problems" -- and inspired a popular mash-up bootleg, The Grey Album, byDanger Mouse. The subsequent year (2004) was a whirlwind for the retiringJay-Z. He embarked on a farewell tour that was topped off by an extravagant Madison Square Garden performance documented on the Fade to Black DVD, and he also embarked on an ill-fated arena tour with the embattled R. Kellythat resulted in an exchange of ugly multi-million-dollar lawsuits.



With his final album behind him and his reputation bigger than ever, Jay-Zaccepted an offer to assume the role of president at Def Jam Records. The seminal rap label was struggling and needed someone to guide it through a rocky transitional phase. Jay-Z accepted the challenge and took over the company begun by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin roughly 20 years earlier. (As part of its deal with Jay-Z, Def Jam's parent company, Universal, bought Roc-a-Fella, which resulted in some bitterness among certain associates upset by the buyout.) Considerable fanfare met the presidential inauguration, as Jay-Z became one of the few African-American major-label executives in the business, and he also became one of the few rappers to transition into that side of the business. Numerous rappers owned or operated their own boutique labels, but none had ever risen to such major-label heights. And the rapper-turned-president didn't take his job lightly, either, at least judging by his initial year at the helm. Within months of assuming his position, he fostered a string of newfound talents -- Young Jeezy, Teairra Marí, Rihanna, andBobby V., all of whom enjoyed considerable commercial success -- and only had a few setbacks (disappointing returns on albums by Memphis Bleek and Young Gunz).


In 2005, Jay-Z came out of retirement for the I Declare War concert in New York City. The ambitious show featured a parade of high-profile guest stars, including Diddy, T.I., Kanye West, and in a peacemaking move, Nas. With this longstanding beef squashed, Jay-Z announced he was coming out of retirement for good. He made it official when Kingdom Come hit the shelves in late 2006. Less than a year later, Jay-Z returned with another post-retirement album, American Gangster (2007), this one inspired by the concurrent film of the same name. Two years later, after he left Def Jam and established Roc Nation -- a label, music publisher, and talent agency through Live Nation -- he released a third installment in the Blueprint series, The Blueprint 3. Announced with the single "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," the album featured productions from Kanye West and Timbaland, plus guest features for West, Rihanna, Young Jeezy, and Alicia Keys. Proof of the MC's enduring relevance, the album topped the Billboard 200. The Hits Collection, Vol. 1 followed in 2010. At various points during 2010 and early 2011, Jay-Z worked on Watch the Throne with partner Kanye West and numerous producers and songwriters. After taking several shapes, the album was released in August 2011 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.




On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to Blue Ivy Carter. Jay-Z quickly released "Glory," featuring his daughter as B.I.C.; she became the youngest person to appear on a Billboard-charting single. High profile television ads in June 2013 announced Jay-Z's 12th solo album, Magna Carta...Holy Grail. That July 4, the album was made available via an app downloadable through certain models of Samsung smartphones. Digital downloads, physical copies, and streams through other outlets followed days later. Most of its tracks featured production from Timbaland and partner Jerome "J. Roc" Harmon, while its lead song involved Justin Timberlake, with whom Jay-Z toured that summer.

Decision: With 44 top 40 hits, 19 top 10's and 5 #1s, Jay-Z is a Pop HOFer...

Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child rose to become one of the most popular female R&B groups of the late '90s, eventually rivaling even TLC in terms of blockbuster commercial success. Their accomplishments came in spite of several abrupt personnel changes, which were accompanied by heated, well-publicized feuds in the media and the courts. In fact, for a time, Destiny's Child were known for that drama just as much as their music. Once the group stabilized again, though, they emerged with even more hitmaking power than ever before.

Destiny's Child were formed in Houston, Texas, in 1990, when original members Beyoncé Knowles and LaTavia Roberson were just nine years old; the two met at an audition and became friends, and Knowles' father Mathew set about developing an act based on their singing and rapping, taking their name from a passage in the Book of Isaiah.Beyoncé's cousin Kelendria "Kelly" Rowland joined the group in 1992, and shortly thereafter they landed an appearance on Star Search, where they performed a rap song. The quartet's lineup was finalized (for the time being) whenLeToya Luckett joined in 1993, and they spent the next few years working their way up from the Houston club scene, eventually opening for artists like SWV, Dru Hill, and Immature. Finally, in 1997, Destiny's Child were offered a recording contract by Columbia.


The group made its recorded debut on 1997's "Killing Time," a song included on the soundtrack of the blockbuster Men in Black. Their self-titled debut album was released in early 1998, featuring production by Wyclef Jean andJermaine Dupri, among others. Its lead single, the Jean-produced "No No No," was a smash hit, selling over a million copies and topping the R&B charts. The follow-up singles -- "With Me" and "Get on the Bus," the latter of which was taken from the soundtrack of Why Do Fools Fall in Love? -- didn't quite duplicate the success of "No No No," although Destiny's Child would eventually go platinum (after the group's later success). Destiny's Childreentered the studio quickly, bringing in producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggsto handle the majority of their next record. Lead single "Bills, Bills, Bills" became the group's first number one pop hit (and second R&B number one) in the summer of 1999 and, paced by its success, the accompanying album, The Writing's on the Wall, entered the charts at number six upon its release.



That was just the beginning of the group's breakout success. The second single, "Bug a Boo," didn't perform as well, but the third single, "Say My Name," was another massive hit, their biggest so far; it hit number one on both the pop and R&B charts for three weeks apiece in early 2000, and made Destiny's Child a pop-cultural phenomenon. However, at the peak of "Say My Name"'s popularity, the group splintered. In December 1999, Roberson and Luckett attempted to split with manager Mathew Knowles, charging that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much control, and unfairly favored his daughter and niece. While they never intended to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for "Say My Name" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mentionRoberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members -- Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin -- joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press; meanwhile, the next Destiny's Child single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'," hit the Top Ten, and The Writing's on the Wall went on to sell a whopping eight million copies.

The personnel-turnover drama still wasn't over; in July 2000, just five months after joining, Farrah Franklin split with the group. The official reason was that Franklin missed several promotional appearances and concert gigs, although in later interviews she spoke of too much negativity and too little control in the group environment. Now reduced to a trio, Destiny's Child was tapped to record the theme song for the film version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October, "Independent Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 weeks at number one. Destiny's Child were now indisputable superstars, the biggest female R&B group on the scene, and they quickly began work on a new album to capitalize. In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement, though they continued to pursue action againstKnowles' father; as part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from ripping each other publicly.

Beyoncé had long since emerged as the group's focal point, and on the third Destiny's Child album, she assumed more control than ever before, taking a greater hand in writing the material and even producing some of the record herself. While recording sessions were going on, Rowland released the first Destiny's Child solo track; "Angel" appeared on the soundtrack of Chris Rock's Down to Earth. Former members Roberson and Luckett also announced the formation of a trio called, coincidentally, Angel, and Farrah Franklin set about starting a solo career.


Survivor -- whose title was reportedly inspired by a DJ's crack about Destiny's Child members voting one another off the island, much like the popular CBS reality series -- hit stores in the spring of 2001, and entered the charts at number one. The first two singles, "Survivor" and "Bootylicious," were predictably huge hits, with the latter becoming the group's fourth number one pop single. A cover of  Samantha Sang's "Emotion" was also successful, albeit less so, and Survivor sold well -- over four million copies -- but not as well as its predecessor. Toward the end of the year, the group released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, and announced plans for a series of side projects, including solo albums from all three members (to be staggered over the next year and a half, so as to avoid competition). In early 2002, shortly after This Is the Remix was released to tide fans over, Roberson and Luckett sued the group again, claiming that some of the lyrics in "Survivor" made reference to them (in violation of the earlier lawsuit settlement).




The first Destiny's Child solo album, Michelle Williams' all-gospel projectHeart to Yours, was released in April and featured a duet with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. Meanwhile, Beyoncé won a leading role opposite Mike Myersin the third Austin Powers film, Goldmember, playing blaxploitation-style heroine Foxy Cleopatra; her first solo single, the Neptunes-produced "Work It Out," appeared on the soundtrack, and her full solo album, Dangerously in Love, became a huge hit upon release in mid-2003. Despite much critical speculation, the trio reunited the following year and released Destiny Fulfilled in November 2004. In October 2005, the #1's compilation was issued, followed by the Live in Atlanta DVD and CD sets in 2006 and 2007. The members continued solo careers. Rowland had considerable success with Ms. Kelly and Here I Am, both of which reached the Top Ten. Meanwhile, Beyoncé, who married Jay-Z in 2008, solidified her status as the planet's biggest pop star with the platinum albums B'day, I Am...Sasha Fierce, and 4. The group reunited in 2012 to record a new song, the Pharrell-produced "Nuclear," for the Love Songs compilation, which was released in January 2013 -- just prior to their halftime performance at Super Bowl XLVII.

Decision: With 9 top 10 hits, and 3 #1's between 1997-2002, Destiny's Child earned a place in the Pop Music Hall Of Fame.

Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys were, in many ways, a contradictory band. Comprised entirely of white middle-class Americans, the group sang a hybrid of new jack balladry, hip-hop, R&B, and dance club pop that originally found its greatest success in Canada and Europe, with their 1996 debut album charting in the Top Ten in nearly every country on the Continent. Ironically, success in their native land did not follow until nearly two years later, when teen pop enjoyed a commercial explosion in America. Along with such artists as *NSYNC and Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys rose to the forefront of popular music during the turn of the 21st century, with albums like Backstreet's Back, Millennium, and Black & Blue enjoying worldwide success.



The core of The Backstreet Boys was comprised of cousins Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell, both of whom hailed from Lexington, Kentucky. The two began singing in local church choirs and festivals while they were children, performing doo wop and R&B songs in the style of Boyz II Men. Two of the group's other members, Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean, were natives of Orlando, Florida, who met each other -- as well as transplanted New Yorker Nick Carter -- through auditions for local commercials, theater, and television. At one audition, the three discovered that they shared an affection for classic soul and could harmonize well together. Inspired, they formed a vocal trio. Shortly thereafter, Richardson moved to Orlando, where he became a tour guide at Disney World and concentrated on music at night. Eventually, he met Dorough, Carter, and McLean through a co-worker, and the four decided to form a group, naming themselves after an Orlando flea market. Littrell was later invited to join, thus turning the group into a quintet.

With the help of Louis J. Pearlman (who would later rise to mogul status on the strength of his teen pop acts), The Backstreet Boys secured management from Donna and Johnny Wright, the latter of whom had managed New Kids on the Block during the 1980s. The Wrights put the group out on the road and enlisted several A&R reps to attend the performances, which eventually resulted in a contract with Jive Records in 1994. Jive set The Backstreet Boys up with producers Veit Renn and Tim Allen, who helped shape the group's eponymous album. Released throughout Europe in late 1995, the record enjoyed considerable success, spending several weeks in the Top Ten in most Continental countries where it charted. In the U.K., The Backstreet Boys were named Best Newcomers of 1995 at the Smash Hits Awards thanks to their international hit single "We've Got It Goin' On." After scoring another European hit with "I'll Never Break Your Heart," the group released its album in Canada. Despite The Backstreet Boys' popularity in Europe and Canada, "We've Got It Goin' On" stalled in the lower reaches of the U.S. charts in 1995.


Combining their international singles with new tracks (which also formed the centerpiece of that year's European-only album Backstreet's Back), the American version of Backstreet Boys finally jump-started the group's success at home. "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" and "As Long as You Love Me" proved to be popular singles, with the former track climbing to platinum status. The album continued to spin off hits well into 1999, with "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," and "All I Have to Give" all landing on the charts. Both the former and the latter were platinum Top Five hits, and the album eventually sold an astounding 14 million copies in America alone.



In the meantime, the group saw its share of turmoil as Littrell underwent surgery in early 1998 to correct a congenital heart defect. Additionally, the Boys became embroiled in lawsuits againstPearlman and the rest of their management over royalties. When the dust settled, Pearlman remained the group's manager -- though the rest of the team was fired -- and the Boys began work on their follow-up album. Millennium was released in the summer of 1999 and debuted at number one, with first-week sales topping one million copies. Buoyed by songs like "I Want It That Way," "Larger Than Life," "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," and "The One," Millenniumshattered a number of records, including the highest amount of shipments in one year and the most copies sold during an album's inaugural week. The group released its Christmas Album before the end of the year, by which timeMillennium was well on its way to sales of 12 million copies in the U.S. On an international level, the album eventually sold more than 40 million units.


Once again, the group struck immediately after its previous album stopped producing hits, issuing Black & Blue in fall 2000. More Top 40 singles followed, including "The Call" and "Shape of My Heart," and Black & Bluefollowed its predecessor by selling over one million copies during its first week. A popular tour supported the album, but after seven years of nonstop touring and recording, the band agreed it was time for a break. Brian Littrell became a father while Kevin Richardson tried his hand at Broadway and took a starring role in the musical Chicago. Nick Carter released his solo album Now or Never in 2002, Howie Dorough did charity work for the Dorough Lupus Foundation in honor of the sister he had lost to the disease, and A.J. McLeanmade headlines with his stint in rehab.




In 2004, The Backstreet Boys re-formed and began work on a new album. The result, Never Gone, was released in June 2005 to platinum sales, followed byUnbreakable in 2007. The latter was the first album not to feature all five original members, as Kevin Richardson had quietly exited the group in 2006. It was also the group's first album not to go platinum, a fact that seemingly cemented the end of The Backstreet Boys' heyday. Accordingly, the singers enlisted some serious star power for their next album, soliciting help from the likes of Ryan Tedder, Max Martin (who had penned "I Want It That Way" ten years prior), Dr. Luke, and T-Pain. When songs from their recording sessions were leaked online, the group took the setback in stride, using their fans' feedback to help steer the remainder of the recording process. This Is Us was ultimately finished in mid-2009 and released in that October. The Boys supported the album with an extensive tour.




The Backstreet Boys split from Jive Records in 2011, then embarked on a co-headlining tour with New Kids on the Block. The tour was dubbed NKOTBSB, as was the joint Backstreet Boys/New Kids greatest-hits collection released that year. In 2012, Richardson rejoined The Backstreet Boys -- he had been performing live gigs with them on occasion -- and as the group worked on a new album, they released a holiday single called "It's Christmas Time Again" that November. The Backstreet Boys intended to celebrate their 20th anniversary in grand fashion in 2013, releasing a new album called In a World Like This -- their first to feature Kevin Richardson since 2005's Never Gone -- which was then supported by an international tour and a documentary scheduled for release in 2014. This wasn't the only silver-screen appearance for the anniversary-minded Backstreet Boys; they also appeared in Seth Rogen's 2013 summer comedy This Is the End.

Decision: The Backstreet Boys had 6 top 10 hits between 1997-2002, and were known as the leaders of the Boy Band Era, along with N'Sync. They are Pop Music HOFers...

Next: 1998 Nominees: Britney Spears & N'Sync