#495: II (Boyz II Men, 1994)

In a time when grunge and gangster rap were dominant, the most popular group in pop music was looking back to the past, to ‘60s Motown and ‘70s Philly Soul. As a result, you can be guaranteed to hear soulful voices singing beautifully in harmony, with the occasional spoken-word segment to activate nostalgia. The bass singer, Mike Bass, deserves particular attention for his warm, rich bass lines. Their penchant for the past means that they can prefer slow ballads, particularly the big hits towards the end of the album (I'll Make Love to You, On Bended Knee, 50 Candles). but this doesn't mean that Boyz II Men is simply a retro throwback. In fact, they are highly influential. They inspired all of the boybands of the turn of the millennium, from NSYNC to the Backstreet Boys, but you won't find any of their albums on this list. In short, this album is an enigma: an album from a retro-facing boyband which was nevertheless deeply influential and acclaimed enough to make it onto this list. 2.9/5.