Boy Bands

Although the term "boy band" was not common currency until the '90s, we thought you'd like us to expand the definition to include those pioneers of pre-fabricated man-cuteness, the Monkees (formed in 1965), alongside a familial product of the flare-wearing '70s, the Osmonds, and the original Brit pretty boys of the '80s, Duran Duran. Kick off, though, with Take That and let those abs ripple on through Next Steps.

The roads to boy-band legend are many and varied, but a background in children's TV drama is always a bonus. Ant & Dec cut their teeth on Byker Grove before releasing tracks like "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble" under their character names, PJ and Duncan. Bust a move with them, and shout: "Watch us wreck the mic, pysche!" Now, dance in perfectly choreographed harmony over to Deep Cuts.

U.S. industry maestro Maurice Starr is generally acknowledged as the father of the boy band, after he put together New Kids on the Block in Boston in 1984. With Donnie Wahlberg and pals, who gave us the classic "Hangin' Tough", the template was set, and successfully adopted by Louis Walsh, founder of Boyzone (est. 1993). For B.B. connoisseurs, we've added the late, lamented Brother Beyond (R.I.P. 1991).

If the 64-gazillion-dollar question is "What makes a great boy band?", then we've got the answer here, in these hot, spunky, hysteria-inducing Essentials drawn from more than 40 years of pop-rockin' boy brilliance. Dimples are evidently a crucial factor (Take That's Robbie Williams, Jimmy Osmond), as are floppy fringes (Exhibit A: Davy Jones from the Monkees) and the occasional well-placed accessory (Bros' bottle tops). But, for us, the most important element of all, aside from the swoonful harmonies, is the fanciable factor. And this lot all have it in spades.