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New Edition is an American R&B group formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1980, that was most popular during the 1980s. Guided by producer Maurice Starr, New Edition was originally a Jackson 5-esque collection of five young African American teenage singers, including lead singers Ralph Tresvant and Bobby Brown, and vocalists Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. The group was notable for #1 singles such as "Cool It Now," "Candy Girl," and "Mr. Telephone Man" and their success led to the creation of late-1980s and 1990s boy bands like New Kids on the Block, The Backstreet Boys, and 'N Sync.
History
Original run
Like the Jackson 5 before them, New Edition became a pop phenomenon, and were big enough to have Madonna as an opening act during their early days.The group parted company with Starr in 1984; Starr responded by promptly creating the group New Kids on the Block, essentially New Edition with Caucasian teenagers. After the suit the boys would still recieved success from singles such as "Cool It Now, Mr. Telephone Man", and "Count Me Out". Around 1986, Bobby Brown was voted out of the group, due to behavioral problems during concerts, and therefore went on to pursue a solo career in 1987; he did not find success in his solo ventures though, until 1988. Brown was replaced by former solo child star Johnny Gill who would become an official member that same year. The group's sound also evolved at this time from bubblegum pop-styled R&B to smoother, more adult music. The new material, primarily produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, had a strong new jack swing feel. The first album recorded with Gill, Heart Break, had numerous R&B hits, including "If It Isn't Love", "Can You Stand The Rain", "N.E. Heart Break", and "Boys To Men" (which later lent its name to the Philadelphia-based group Boyz II Men).
New Edition in the 1990s
New Edition essentially broke up in 1989, with Bell, Bivins, and DeVoe forming the popular hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant beginning his solo career and Gill restarting his solo career, with more success this time. In 1991, the group had a semi-reunion of sorts when they recorded a remix of the Bell Biv DeVoe track "Word To The Mutha!" in which all six members performed and appeared in the music video.In 1996, the reunion became complete, as all six former members reunited for the Home Again album. Although the album featured the hit singles "Hit Me Off" and "I'm Still In Love With You", the ensuing tour would prove disastrous for the group. By the middle leg of the tour, Bobby Brown and Mike Bivins left, due to egos clashing and a less-than-harmonious time with the other members.
Later years
After another long hiatus, New Edition, minus Bobby Brown, started touring clubs and casinos in 2003. It was then that they caught the attention of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, who was present at one of their shows. Soon afterwards, Diddy signed the group to Bad Boy Records. The group's return single, "Hot 2Nite", failed to make a dent on the charts, likely due to the fact that the track did not fit their grown-up image. In the fall of 2004, New Edition released their seventh studio album, One Love. The album was not a commercial success.The group soon had a falling out with Diddy. In an interview, Ricky Bell said that Diddy refused to pay Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for a track that the group wanted on the album. Reportedly, Diddy told the group they were over budget despite using Bad Boy's in-house team of producers. Ultimately, the group asked to be released from their Bad Boy contract. Despite the messy divorce with Diddy and Bad Boy, New Edition soldiered on, touring with other recently reunited groups like Guy, BLACKstreet and SWV throughout 2005.
In the fall of 2005, New Edition performed at BET's 25th Anniversary Special. The group performed a medley of their greatest hits, and even brought Bobby Brown out onstage for a rendition of "Mr. Telephone Man". It was later announced on BET and Access Hollywood that Brown has rejoined the group and will be on the next New Edition album. By January 2006, New Edition announced that the group would launch a new album and tour in 2008.
Trivia
- In the 1980s, New Edition sold more units in the United States than any other teen singing group.
- A native of Washington, DC, Johnny Gill is the only non-Boston native among the group's six members.
Personnel
- Ralph Tresvant (1980-)
- Michael Bivins (1978-)
- Ricky Bell (1978- )
- Bobby Brown (1978–1986, 1996-1997, 2005- )
- Ronnie DeVoe (1982- )
- Johnny Gill (1987- )
Albums
| Year | Album | U.S. Billboard 200 | U.S. R&B/Hip Hop | RIAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Candy Girl | #111 | #22 | Platinum |
| 1984 | New Edition | #6 | #1 | 2x Platinum |
| 1985 | Christmas All Over The World | - | #45 | - |
| 1985 | All For Love | #32 | #3 | Platinum |
| 1987 | Under The Blue Moon | #43 | #11 | Gold |
| 1988 | Heart Break | #12 | #3 | 2x Platinum |
| 1991 | Greatest Hits Vol. 1 | #99 | #78 | - |
| 1996 | Home Again | #1 | #1 | 2x Platinum |
| 2004 | One Love | #12 | #4 | Gold |
| 2004 | Hits | - | #58 | - |
| 2005 | 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best Of New Edition | - | #91 | - |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | UK Singles | |||
| 1983 | "Candy Girl" | - | - | #1 | Candy Girl |
| 1983 | "Is This The End" | - | - | - | Candy Girl |
| 1984 | "Popcorn Love" | - | #25 | #43 | Candy Girl |
| 1985 | "Cool it Now" | #4 | #1 | #19 | New Edition |
| 1985 | "My Secret (Didja Git It Yet?)" | - | #27 | - | New Edition |
| 1985 | "Mr Telephone Man" | #12 | #1 | #19 | New Edition |
| 1985 | "Lost in Love" | #35 | #6 | - | New Edition |
| 1985 | "Kind Of Girls We Like" | - | #87 | - | New Edition |
| 1985 | "Count Me Out" | #51 | #2 | - | New Edition |
| 1986 | "A Little Bit of Love" | #38 | #3 | - | All for Love |
| 1986 | "With You all the Way" | #51 | #7 | - | All for Love |
| 1986 | "Earth Angel" | - | #3 | - | Under the Blue Moon |
| 1986 | "Once in a Lifetime Groove" | - | #10 | - | Running Scared soundtrack |
| 1986 | "Tears On My Pillow" | - | #41 | - | "N.E. Heartbreak" |
| 1987 | "Helplessly in love" | - | #20 | - | Dragnet |
| 1988 | "If It Isn't Love" | #7 | #2 | - | N.E. Heartbreak |
| 1988 | "You’re Not My Kinda Girl" | #95 | #3 | - | N.E. Heartbreak |
| 1989 | "Can You Stand the Rain" | #44 | #1 | - | N.E. Heartbreak |
| 1989 | "Crucial" | - | #4 | #70 | N.E. Heartbreak |
| 1989 | "N.E. Heartbreak" | - | #13 | - | N.E. Heartbreak |
| 1996 | "Hit Me Off" | #3 | #1 | #20 | Home Again |
| 1996 | "You Don’t Have to Worry"/"Still in Love with You" | #7 | #7 | Home Again | |
| 1997 | "One More Day" | #61 | #22 | - | Home Again |
| 1997 | "Something About You" | - | - | 16 | Home Again |
| 2004 | "Hot 2nite" | #87 | #35 | - | One Love |
External links
Rhythm and blues musical groups | 1980s music groups | Soul musical groups | Dancers | American musical groups | Boy bands | Rhythmic Top 40 acts | Knight Rider actors | Massachusetts musical groups
"New Edition"