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New Edition is an American R&B/
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
group from the Roxbury neighborhood of
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper
Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...
. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the
Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...
. The group reached its height of popularity in the 1980s and is considered the blueprint for what would become the modern
boy band A boy band is a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their Teenage, teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many boy bands ...
. The lineup originally consisted of Ricky Bell,
Michael Bivins Michael Lamont Bivins (born August 10, 1968) is an American singer, rapper, manager, and producer, and a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. Biography Bivins was born and still lives in Boston. He and his wife, Teasha, have four ...
,
Ronnie DeVoe Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer and rapper known as one of the members of the R&B/ pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Career DeVoe wa ...
,
Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...
, and
Ralph Tresvant Ralph Edward Tresvant (born May 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the lead singer of R&B group New Edition. As a solo artist, Tresvant released his double platinum-selling debut album '' Ralph Tres ...
. Brown was fired from the group in late 1985 to begin a successful solo career, and they continued as a quartet for one album, before adding
Johnny Gill Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has rel ...
to the lineup in 1987. Early hits included " Candy Girl", "
Cool It Now "Cool It Now" is a 1984 hit single by American group New Edition, is the first single from their eponymous second album, ''New Edition''. In the US, the song entered the Hot Black Singles chart on September 1, 1984 and reached number 1. In January ...
", and " Mr. Telephone Man". Tresvant was the lead singer on most of the songs. In 1990, both Gill and Tresvant released their own solo albums, while the remaining three members formed the trio
Bell Biv DeVoe Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell (singer), Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. The band is best known for their debut ...
; the group ceased to work together for the first half of the 1990s. All six members of New Edition reunited in 1996 to record the group's sixth studio album '' Home Again''. During the ill-fated ''Home Again Tour'', both Brown and Bivins quit the group, forcing the remainder of the tour to be canceled. Various reunions have occurred since, usually with the 1987–1990 lineup, though occasionally also including Brown. Their last studio album was 2004's '' One Love''. On May 3, 2011, New Edition issued a press release on their official website announcing that all six members were reuniting as New Edition to kick off the 30th anniversary celebration of '' Candy Girl'' with their fans. They received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 23, 2017. On January 24, 2017, a three-part docuseries, ''
The New Edition Story ''The New Edition Story'' is an American biographical three-part miniseries about the R&B group New Edition, from their rise to fame as a boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to becoming a successful adult act. It ...
'', premiered on
BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
about the group's career and personal life. It was later announced that all six members will reunite to record another album and go on tour. On February 17, 2022, the group was inducted into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was inaugurated in January 2021. The goal of the monument is to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, for their achievements in entertainment. Th ...
. On December 31, 2022, New Edition performed on ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve'' with
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American television presenter and producer. Seacrest is the host of '' Wheel of Fortune'', having hosted since replacing long-time host Pat Sajak in September 2024. Seacrest co-hosted and ser ...
. All six members were in attendance and performed various songs from both their group and solo careers. On September 24, 2023, in Farmington Hills, Michigan, New Edition was inducted into the
National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally. History The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founde ...
.


Career


19781985: Rise to stardom

The group was formed by Bobby Brown and his childhood friends in the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Boston. The group then scored its big break in 1982, performing at the local Hollywood Talent Night held at Boston's Strand Theatre by singer/producer
Maurice Starr Larry Curtis Johnson (born November 19, 1953), better known by his stage name Maurice Starr, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his production work for boy bands New Edition and New Kids on the Block. H ...
. The first prize was $500 and a recording contract. Although the group came in second place, an impressed Starr decided to bring the group to his studio the following day to record what would become their debut album, '' Candy Girl''. Released on July 19, 1983 on New York producer Arthur Baker's Levi Belt Streetwise Records, the album featured the hits: " Is This the End", " Popcorn Love", and the title track "Candy Girl," which went to number one on both the American R&B singles chart and the UK singles chart. Returning from their first major concert tour, the boys were dropped off back at their homes in the projects and were given a check in the amount of $1.87 apiece for their efforts. Tour budget and expenses were given as the explanation as to why they were not paid more. Due to these financial reasons, New Edition parted with Starr in 1984. Starr responded by promptly creating the group
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
, essentially formatted after New Edition, but with white teenagers. Meanwhile, the group employed the law firm of Steven and Martin Machat and sued Streetwise for release from a contract that was unenforceable as well as materially breached by Streetwise. The Machats won the legal game and then secured the group a bigger recording deal with major label
MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...
, which won the bidding war among various other major labels. In need of management, the group signed with
Steven Machat Steven Machat (born October 18, 1952) is an American entertainment mogul, lawyer, and the producer of ''Bird on a Wire'', the documentary film of the Leonard Cohen 1972 European tour. In addition, he is the co-founder of SSK Records. Biograph ...
and his two management partners Rick Smith and Bill Dern. The management company, AMI, proceeded to escalate the group's profile in both the urban and pop music worlds. Through the production affiliate of AMI, Jump and Shoot, MCA released the group's self-titled second album the same year. Eclipsing their debut album, ''New Edition'' spun off the top five hit "
Cool It Now "Cool It Now" is a 1984 hit single by American group New Edition, is the first single from their eponymous second album, ''New Edition''. In the US, the song entered the Hot Black Singles chart on September 1, 1984 and reached number 1. In January ...
" and the top twenty " Mr. Telephone Man", and went on to be certified double platinum in the United States. While promoting their second album, the group was dismayed to realize that they were not actually signed to MCA Records, but instead with the production company Jump and Shoot, which had its own deal with MCA; subsequently, all business matters pertaining to the group were controlled by the former. To buy themselves out of the stifling production deal, each of the five members borrowed $100,000 from MCA. Though it effectively separated the group from Jump and Shoot and allowed them to sign a new long-term contract to record for MCA directly, they were now in mortgage to the label. As a result, the group would be forced to continually record and tour during this period in order to pay off its debt. New Edition's third album, '' All for Love'', was released in the latter half of 1985. While not duplicating the success of its predecessor, the album was certified platinum, and spawned the hits " Count Me Out", "A Little Bit Of Love (Is All It Takes)", and "With You All the Way". The growing popularity of the group led to a guest appearance (as themselves) in the 1985 film '' Krush Groove'', performing "My Secret". Toward the year's end, '' Christmas All Over the World'', a holiday EP, was released as well as an oldies album of tunes from the '50s sung by the group with an '80s production style.


19851989: Bobby Brown's departure, Johnny Gill's introduction and ''Heart Break''

Bobby Brown embarked on a solo career in 1986, while New Edition continued to promote ''All for Love'' as a quartet. In spite of their financial and internal conflicts, New Edition continued to peak. During this era of the group's evolution, the group appeared in the episode of ''
Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American media franchise, entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three-television series: the original ''Knight Rider (1982 TV series), Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequ ...
'' titled "Knight Song", performing "Count Me Out". As 1986 wound to a close, they recorded a cover of
The Penguins The Penguins were an American doo-wop group from Los Angeles, California, that were active during the 1950s and early 1960s. They are known for their 1954 hit song, " Earth Angel", which was one of the first rhythm and blues songs to cross ov ...
' 1954 hit " Earth Angel" for the soundtrack to '' The Karate Kid, Part II''. The song peaked at number twenty-one and inspired the group to record '' Under the Blue Moon'', an album of
doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, ...
covers. After having already lost a member when Brown was terminated from the group, New Edition's future became uncertain when murmurings began to surface that Tresvant was eyeing a solo career as well. To pad his potential departure, singer
Johnny Gill Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has rel ...
was voted into the group by Ricky Bell,
Michael Bivins Michael Lamont Bivins (born August 10, 1968) is an American singer, rapper, manager, and producer, and a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. Biography Bivins was born and still lives in Boston. He and his wife, Teasha, have four ...
and
Ronnie DeVoe Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer and rapper known as one of the members of the R&B/ pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Career DeVoe wa ...
in 1987, despite Tresvant ultimately deciding to remain in place. A native of
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, Gill is the only non-Boston native among the group's six members. New Edition's fifth studio release, ''
Heart Break ''Heart Break'' is the fifth studio album by American contemporary R&B, R&B quintet New Edition, released June 20, 1988, by MCA Records. It is the first album to return the Boston-reared band as a quintet after the public exit of original member ...
'', was released in the summer of 1988. Primarily produced by the production team of
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. Their productions have received commercial success since the 1980s with vari ...
, the album was a departure from the group's previous
bubblegum Bubble gum (or bubblegum) is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble. Composition In modern chewing gum, if natural rubber such as chicle is used, it must pass several purity and cleanliness tests. However, ...
sound, and instead took on a smoother, stronger, and more adult resonance. Spinning off five hit singles: "
If It Isn't Love "If It Isn't Love" is a song by American contemporary R&B, R&B quintet New Edition, and the first single from their fifth studio album, ''Heart Break'' (1988). The song was released on June 9, 1988 by MCA Records. It became the biggest hit from the ...
", " You're Not My Kind of Girl", " Can You Stand the Rain", " Crucial" and " N.E. Heartbreak"; ''Heart Break'' became New Edition's most commercially successful album up to that point, certified double platinum in the United States. The success of ''Heart Break'' would launch the group on a successful concert tour as well in the closing months of 1988, with N.E. serving as the headliners while Al B. Sure and former member Bobby Brown served as the opening acts.


19901995: Solo projects

Inspired by the substantial success Brown was having with his multi-platinum 1988 breakthrough album ''
Don't Be Cruel "Don't Be Cruel" is a song that was recorded by Elvis Presley and written by Otis Blackwell in 1956.Victor (2008), ''The Elvis Encyclopedia'', p.115-116 It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was ranked No. 197 in ' ...
'', after the run of ''Heart Break'', New Edition went on hiatus to pursue side projects away from the group. At the suggestion of producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Bell, Bivins and DeVoe formed a trio,
Bell Biv DeVoe Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell (singer), Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. The band is best known for their debut ...
. Their 1990 debut album, ''
Poison A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
'', went quadruple platinum. The same year, Tresvant and Gill (who had already recorded as a solo act prior to joining New Edition) released self-titled solo albums, which also achieved multi-platinum success. Later that year, the group, including Brown, had a semi-reunion of sorts when they performed at the 1990
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
. In 1991, all six members again reunited to record a remix of the Bell Biv DeVoe track " Word to the Mutha!"; Brown, Gill and Tresvant also appeared in the music video. Prior to this, Brown also appeared in the music videos for Bell Biv DeVoe's "BBD (I Thought It Was Me)" video, as well as Tresvant's " Stone Cold Gentleman" and "Sensitivity" remix videos.


19961997: ''Home Again'' reunion and hiatus

By 1996, the members of New Edition had arguably achieved greater commercial success with their own side projects than the group had during its run. However, after having promised fans that there would be a reunion — and still contractually owing MCA Records another New Edition album — the group, with Brown, reunited to record '' Home Again'', their first new album in eight years. The album debuted at number one on both the ''Billboard'' 200 and R&B Albums chart, and became the most commercially successful album of the group's career; reaching double platinum status in the United States. It also produced several hits, including the top ten pop hits: " Hit Me Off" and " I'm Still in Love with You." However, the ensuing 1997 Home Again Tour would prove disastrous for the group. Despite not having toured together in close to a decade (and over ten years for Brown), old rivalries and struggles for on stage dominance resurfaced as if no time had passed. By the middle leg of the tour, one evening at a concert in
Las Cruces, New Mexico Las Cruces (; ; lit. 'the crosses') is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico and the county seat, seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, Doña Ana County. As of the 2020 United States ce ...
as Brown was extending his solo set, DeVoe attempted to pull Brown off the stage. Brown responded by dropping his microphone and a fist fight between the two ensued. This led to both members' security guards confronting each other, gun play was brought in, and the concert was halted. Bivins and Brown left the tour early, while DeVoe, Bell, Gill, and Tresvant finished out the rest of the tour as a quartet. Brown later admitted during an interview that he was intoxicated during the tour. Each of the group members again went their separate ways, this time on more hostile terms than ever; resulting in an indefinite hiatus that appeared to be the swan song for New Edition. Also in 1996, the three solo members of New Edition (Brown, Gill and Tresvant) joined Monica and
Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 in pursuit of a recording career. Evans initially performed as ...
to collaborate with Brown's then-wife
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
on a recording of the gospel standard " Somebody Bigger Than You and I" that appeared on the soundtrack to Houston's movie ''
The Preacher's Wife ''The Preacher's Wife'' is a 1996 American Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston (in her last film released during her lifetime), and Courtney B. Vance. It is a remake of ...
''. They had also made an appearance on ''
Family Matters ''Family Matters'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC for eight seasons from September 22, 1989, to May 9, 1997, then moved to CBS for its ninth and final season from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-of ...
'' season 8 episode 9 titled "Home Again." The following year, Gill formed the R&B supergroup LSG, along with
Gerald Levert Gerald Edward Levert (July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006) was an Americans, American singer-songwriter and Music Producer, producer. Levert performed with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon with the R&B vocal group, LeVert. Le ...
and
Keith Sweat Keith Sweat (born July 22, 1961) is an American singer, producer and songwriter. An early figure in the new jack swing musical movement, he is known for his collection of hits including "I Want Her," "Make It Last Forever (song), Make It Last For ...
, to release the album '' Levert.Sweat.Gill'', which had the hit single " My Body".


20022004: Return to the spotlight and New Edition under Bad Boy

After their second wave of solo pursuits proved less than successful, New Edition reunited once more as a five-piece without Brown and began touring clubs, casinos, and small arenas in 2002; including appearing on ''The Tom Joyner Sky Show''. After having caught the attention of rapper/producer
Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
, who was present at one of their shows, he signed the group to his
Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Entertainment, doing business as Bad Boy Records, is an American independent record label. The label was founded in 1993 by rapper and record producer Sean Combs. During the mid-1990s, the label signed hip-hop and contemporary R&B, R&B a ...
label, after their long-term contract with MCA Records finally ended. In the fall of 2004, New Edition's seventh studio album and Bad Boy debut, '' One Love'', was released. Though the album debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200, it had a steady descent from the chart. The lead-off single, "Hot 2Nite", underperformed; peaking at number thirty-five and number eighty-seven on the R&B and Pop singles charts, respectively. During production of the album, the group disagreed with Combs on its creative direction. In an interview, Bell revealed that Combs' had refused to pay New Edition's long time producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for a track that the group wanted on the album. Reportedly, Combs told the group they were over budget, despite their having used many of Bad Boy's in-house team of writers and producers on the album. Ultimately, the group asked to be released from their Bad Boy contract. Despite the messy divorce with Bad Boy, New Edition soldiered on and continued to tour.


2005present

In 2005, New Edition appeared on an episode of the
UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that operated from 1995 to 2006. It was originally a joint venture between Chris-Craft Industries (later sold to News Corporation)'s subsidiary, United Television, ...
reality competition Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
series '' R U the Girl'' as part of an elimination challenge, assisting the remaining
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
members Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas in judging the show's remaining finalists as they put together group performances opening up for a New Edition live concert. During the making of the episode, Thomas and Watkins discussed with New Edition how Bivins had inspired late member
Lisa Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), also known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American singer and rapper. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Beside ...
' nickname "Left Eye" in TLC's early beginnings. In the fall of 2005, New Edition performed a medley of hits at BET's 25th Anniversary Special. During their set, they brought Brown out onstage for an impromptu rendition of their 1985 hit "Mr. Telephone Man". Brown also performed a rendition of "My Prerogative" with DeVoe and Tresvant as dancers. It was later announced on BET and ''
Access Hollywood ''Access Hollywood'', briefly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was create ...
'' that Brown had reconciled with New Edition'' and planned to rejoin the group for its future concert dates and studio albums. On August 26, 2006, New Edition filmed a concert at the
University of South Carolina The University of South Carolina (USC, SC, or Carolina) is a Public university, public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, It is the flagship of the University of South Car ...
's Koger Center in Columbia set for a future DVD release, the concert was billed as "Spend the Night with New Edition", a
BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
special presented by Lincoln with whom the group has advertised. Brown also made an appearance at the show. In 2008, the group, minus Brown, recorded a new song with
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
called "Full Service" for their latest album, '' The Block''. Meanwhile, Brown, Tresvant and Gill formed a new side group called Heads of State, which performed at their 2 year 2 month tour called the Summit Tour which was held from November 2008 to January 2011. According to Gill, their group name was inspired by the original name for The Rat Pack, called "The Summit" or "The Heads of State". On June 28, 2009, the group performed a medley of
Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...
hits in tribute to
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
on the BET Awards. Led by Tresvant, Brown and Bell, New Edition sang and danced through classics such as "I Want You Back", "ABC" and "The Love You Save". Later that year, Bell and Gill joined
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
onstage at a
House of Blues House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers (film), The Blues Brothers''. The ...
benefit show for
Toys for Tots Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. It was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks. The Marine T ...
in Boston, performing "Full Service" and " This One's for the Children". Gill later confirmed that New Edition had signed with manager
Irving Azoff Irving Azoff (; born December 12, 1947) is an American businessman, who is chairman of Full Stop Management, a company that represents recording artists. During the course of his career, he has worked as an agent, personal manager, concert pr ...
, that they are currently signed with
Geffen Records Geffen Records (formerly The David Geffen Company from 1980 to 1992 and Geffen Records Inc. from 1993 to 2004) is an American record label, founded in late 1980 by David Geffen. Originally a music subsidiary of the company known as Geffen Pi ...
(which absorbed the group's old label, MCA, and controls the group's back catalog) and was slating to release a comeback album. On July 3, 2011, in
New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, all six members of New Edition reunited at the
Essence Music Festival The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is the largest African-American culture and music event in the US. The annual music festival started in 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence (magazine), Essence'' magazine. ...
to kick off and celebrate their 30th anniversary tour. "This is just the beginning. We're preparing for a world tour and many other exciting things that we'll be announcing soon. The next chapter of New Edition is going to be an incredible celebration to thank our fans for all of their support over the last 30 years," said Bell speaking on behalf of the group. In February 2012, Brown missed a handful of dates due to the death of ex-wife
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
. On March 9 and 11, 2012, Brown and Bell Biv DeVoe made their African debut by performing in Nigeria. From late 2011 to early 2012, New Edition went on a tour called #AllSix across the United States. In late 2012, New Edition received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the
Soul Train ''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. After airing locally on WCIU-TV in Chicago, Illinois, for a year, it aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featu ...
Awards ceremony. All six members appeared together onstage that evening. In August 2015,
BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
announced a three-episode miniseries about the group would be made for release in January 2017. All six members were co-producers of ''
The New Edition Story ''The New Edition Story'' is an American biographical three-part miniseries about the R&B group New Edition, from their rise to fame as a boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to becoming a successful adult act. It ...
''. Jesse Collins Entertainment was the executive producer of the original miniseries, which was BET's first scripted music-focused miniseries. The group's original choreographer and longtime manager Brooke Payne also served as a co-producer. On January 24–26, 2017,
BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
aired the biopic miniseries ''
The New Edition Story ''The New Edition Story'' is an American biographical three-part miniseries about the R&B group New Edition, from their rise to fame as a boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to becoming a successful adult act. It ...
'' which chronicles the band members life from their childhood in Boston into Hollywood fame as adults. It was directed by Chris Robinson and executive produced by Jessie Collins. The group served as co-producers. The miniseries brought in 28.4 million viewers to BET, through the initial run and subsequent encores over the week of the premiere. In July 2021, New Edition signed with
Creative Artists Agency Creative Artists Agency, LLC (CAA) is an American talent and sports agency based in Los Angeles, California. With 1,800 employees in March 2016, it is regarded as an influential company in the talent agency business and manages numerous client ...
and announced a Las Vegas Residency and an upcoming arena tour. New Edition performed a medley of their hits alongside
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
at the 2021 American Music Awards, marking their first performance at the award show since
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
. In December 2021, New Edition announced The Culture Tour, presented by the Black Promoters Collective. The 30-city tour began in Columbus, Georgia on Feb. 16, 2022, and ended in Miami, Florida, on April 10, 2022. In December 2022, New Edition announced that they would keep doing tours for the year of 2023. It was named The Legacy Tour and New Edition will be touring 31 cities across the United States. The tour will also have opening acts such as Keith Sweat, Tank, and the R&B/Hip-Hop group, Guy. New Edition's first concert will begin in Columbia, South Carolina, on March 9, 2023. On November 6, 2023, New Edition announced a Vegas residency at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas in early 2024, which will start on February 28 through March 9


Awards

New Edition received two
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group (1987 and 1997). They also received the Soul Train Award in 1989 for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Group, Band, or Duo (''Heart Break''), and again in 1997 for the Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band, or Duo (''Home Again''). In 2012, New Edition received the Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award. On June 28, 2016, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Walk of Famer Vin Di Bona announced New Edition's induction into the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
in the category of Recording. On January 23, 2017, New Edition received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their contributions to the music industry, located at 7080
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...
. In 2017, New Edition received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
. In 2022, the group was inducted into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was inaugurated in January 2021. The goal of the monument is to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, for their achievements in entertainment. Th ...
. In 2023, New Edition was inducted into the 12th Class of the
National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally. History The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founde ...


Discography

;Studio albums *'' Candy Girl'' (1983) *''
New Edition New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...
'' (1984) *'' All for Love'' (1985) *'' Under the Blue Moon'' (1986) *''
Heart Break ''Heart Break'' is the fifth studio album by American contemporary R&B, R&B quintet New Edition, released June 20, 1988, by MCA Records. It is the first album to return the Boston-reared band as a quintet after the public exit of original member ...
'' (1988) *'' Home Again'' (1996) *'' One Love'' (2004)


Tours

* Candy Girl Tour (1983-1984) * Fantasy Tour (1984-1985) * All 4 Love Tour (1986) * Heartbreak Tour (1988-1989) *Home Again Tour (1996-1997) *One Love Tour (2004-2005) *30th Anniversary Tour (2011-2012) *All Six Tour (2014) *Greatest Hits Tour (2016) *Culture Tour (2022) *Legacy Tour (2023)


Band members

* Ricky Bell *
Michael Bivins Michael Lamont Bivins (born August 10, 1968) is an American singer, rapper, manager, and producer, and a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. Biography Bivins was born and still lives in Boston. He and his wife, Teasha, have four ...
*
Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...
*
Ronnie DeVoe Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer and rapper known as one of the members of the R&B/ pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Career DeVoe wa ...
*
Ralph Tresvant Ralph Edward Tresvant (born May 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the lead singer of R&B group New Edition. As a solo artist, Tresvant released his double platinum-selling debut album '' Ralph Tres ...
*
Johnny Gill Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has rel ...


Spinoffs

New Edition went through three separate spinoff groups created throughout their careers with
Bell Biv DeVoe Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell (singer), Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. The band is best known for their debut ...
being the most notable, popular and successful act. While the other two acts were more formed and promoted as concert collaborations and touring performances respectively.


References


External links

* * * {{Authority control 1978 establishments in Massachusetts African-American musical groups American boy bands American contemporary R&B musical groups New jack swing music groups Musical groups established in 1978 Musical groups from Boston Teen pop groups Vocal quintets Geffen Records artists Interscope Records artists Bad Boy Records artists MCA Records artists