BBMak

Although often perceived as England's answer to the Backstreet Boys, O-Town, and other American pop groups, BBMak differentiated themselves by playing their own instruments and writing the bulk of their music. The trio was formed in 1996 by Mark Barry, Christian Burns, and Stephen McNally, all of whom initially met while playing with other bands in North West England. The musicians eventually decided to leave their bands and form BBMak, and the group recorded a demo before traveling to London to secure a record deal. Although they returned to Liverpool empty-handed, a successful performance at an industry showcase soon made them the subject of a bidding war, with the independent label Telstar winning the band's approval. BBMak's first single, "Back Here," became a chart-topping hit in the U.K. and Japan in 1999. The debut album Sooner or Later also enjoyed a fair degree of success, climbing to gold status in America after its stateside release by Hollywood Records in 2000. Two years later, the trio returned with the glossy pop sounds of Into Your Head, which failed to sell well and contributed to the group's split in 2003.