New Edition is a multi-platinum R&B group that was seen as the prototype of the modern boy bands that followed them during the 1980s, ‘90s and 2000s, building off the blueprint of The Temptations and The Jackson 5 in mixing vocal harmonies with choreography. N.E.’s style influenced groups such as New Kids On the Block, Boyz II Men, Jodeci, 112, Jagged Edge, B2K, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC to name a few.

Growing up in the Roxbury section of Boston, Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe formed New Edition in 1978. N.E. released their debut album Candy Girl in 1983 after being discovered by producer Maurice Starr. This album yielded the hits “Candy Girl,” “Popcorn Love,” and “Is This the End.” After a financial dispute, New Edition cut ties with Starr and released their multi-platinum sophomore album, New Edition, in 1984, which features two of their biggest hits: “Cool It Now” and “Mr. Telephone Man.” In November 1985, they released All for Love, another platinum album featuring the hits “Count Me Out” and “A Little Bit of Love (Is All It Takes).” One month later, they released Christmas All Over the World.

Before the end of 1985, the group decided to vote Bobby Brown out of the group for his disruptive behavior. After their 1986 doo-wop cover album Under the Blue Moon, lead singer Ralph Tresvant was considering a solo career as the group’s direction was in question. In 1987, Johnny Gill was added to the group and the quintet went on to create their most popular album, Heart Break, with superproducers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Heart Break was released on June 20, 1988—the same day as Bobby Brown’s successful sophomore album Don’t Be Cruel—and was another multi-platinum hit with the album featuring two more of the group’s biggest songs: “If It Isn’t Love” and “Can You Stand the Rain.”

In 1990, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and Bell Biv Devoe all went on to have successful hits such as Ralph’s “Sensitivity,” Johnny’s multi-platinum self-titled album, and BBD’s smash hit “Poison.” Among these hits was the remix to BBD’s “Word to the Mutha,” which was the first song to feature all six members. After a hiatus, all six members came together to create their 1996 album Home Again, which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and was a multi-platinum success. After some friction on the Home Again tour, Bobby Brown decided to depart the group again.

In 2004, after leaving their longtime label MCA Records, New Edition signed with Bad Boy Records and released the album One Love but they left Bad Boy a year later due to a lack of promotion. The group continues to tour together and sell out shows after several decades in the music business. The group was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 23, 2017—one day ahead of the BET premiere of their 3-night mini-series The New Edition Story. On August 30, 2025, New Edition was honored in Roxbury with the corner of Ambrose and Albany Streets being renamed “New Edition Way”, while the day was also declared as “New Edition Day” in Boston. In 2026, N.E. headlined The New Edition Way Tour as they joined forces with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton.