LONDON, UK. (Top40 Charts/ Universal Music) -
Boyz II Men are about to launch their first major album in five years and will be appearing on this week's X Factor in the UK and next week's
Star Academy in France.
The new Boyz II Men CD, Motown: Hitsville USA, is due to launch on 13 November through Universal Music. It features classic Motown songs that sparkle with their signature sound of soulful R&B harmonies.
A new website at www.boyziimenhitsville.com features samples of album songs, photos and bios of the threesome - Shawn Stockman, Wanya Morris and Nathan Morris. Motown: Hitsville USA can also be purchased from the site.
This Saturday (3 November) Boyz II Men will join Simon Cowell, Danii Minogue, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh on the X Factor. The show airs on ITV1 from 1845 to 2045 (www.xfactor.tv).
The following week Boyz II Men will join 'les pros' on Star Academy 7 on TF1 (www.staracademy.tf1.fr).
The success of Boyz II Men has been helmed by mega-producer/music veteran Randy Jackson, also a judge on the American Idol TV series. Commenting on Motown: Hitsville USA, Jackson said: "The mixture of the classic Motown sound and today's R&B soul is what makes this album truly unique."
Motown: Hitsville USA includes favorites such as, Just My Imagination (The Temptations), Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing and Mercy Mercy Me (Marvin Gaye), Tracks Of My Tears (Smokey Robinson) and Got To Be There (Michael Jackson) plus an a cappella version of Stevie Wonder's Ribbon In The Sky and Boyz II Men's own End Of The Road.
Natives of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boyz II Men have been cited as "the most commercially successful R&B group of all time." Between 1992 and 1997, they recorded five No1 hits, sold over 60 million records worldwide and earned a host of major awards.
Boyz II Men member Shawn Stockman commented: "We wanted to pay tribute to an era that had a major influence on our sound." Morris said: "Everything was recorded with live instruments, and working with Randy we were able to capture the feel, vibe and energy of these classic songs."
Award winning digital agency Strange www.strangecorp.com developed the www.boyziimenhitsville.com website.
