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American adult contemporary boy band 98 Degrees was formed in Los Angeles, California by four former Ohio residents: brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre. The group's 1997 debut album went gold in the US and spawned their first hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Invisible Man” (#12). After establishing popularity with their appearance on the Disney “Mulan” soundtrack, and singing “True to Your Heart” (a duet with labelmate Stevie Wonder), the group garnered massive victory with the sophomore effort “98 Degrees and Rising” (1998), which received 4x platinum certification from the RIAA. The album generated two top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Because of You” (#3) and “The Hardest Thing” (#5). The third and final studio album “Revelation” (2000) debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and scored their highest charting US single to date, “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” (#2).
Just Us
Childhood and Family:
The story of 98 Degrees began in 1995 when Canton, Ohio native Jeff Timmons (born April 30, 1973) performed at a college party with three friends and garnered a good response from female audience for his voice. The following day, he decided to leave Kent State University, where he was a psychology major, and headed to Los Angeles, California to pursue a singing career. In L.A., Timmons called former classmates at the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Artists Justin Jeffre and Nick Lachey (born November 9, 1973) and formed 98 Degrees. Lachey's younger brother, Drew (born August 8, 1976), became the final member to join the group. Originally named themselves Just Us, the group changed their name to 98 Degrees after the suggestion of their manager Paris Djon.
True to Your Heart
Career:
Members of 98 Degrees took various odd jobs like landscaping, becoming club security officers, and delivering take-out food to finance their their talent show appearances, while continuing to improve their harmonies and presentation. The boys' luck started to change when they were asked to sing during a radio broadcast of a Boys II Men. After the appearance, they met Paris D'Jon, the co-manager of hip hop singer Montell Jordan, and helped the group score an opening gig for Jordan in his national tour. D'Jon also became the group's manager, along with Johnny Camisa. By the time the group finished the tour, they were signed to Motown Records.
98 Degrees launched a debut single called “Invisible Man” on June 24, 1997. The song peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received gold status on October 22, 1997. Their eponymous debut album followed on July 29 of that year. It peaked at No. 145 in the the Billboard 200 and No. 88 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The second single “Was It Something I Didn't Say” did not enjoy the success of the former single, but it did help the album reach gold certification. The group supported the album by touring extensively, including concert dates in Asia. The group left Motown for its parent company, Universal Records, after the first album.
The quartet's career started to take off after they performed “True to Your Heart,” a duet sung with labelmate Stevie Wonder, for the soundtrack of the Disney animated film “Mulan” (1998). They gained popularity through the song, and released the second studio album “98° and Rising” in late 1998. The album went on to become the group's breakthrough hit and was certified 4x platinum by the RIAA . It reached No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and No. 28 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Released on September 22, 1998, the single “Because of You” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 15 on the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream, and also charted at No. 36 on the UK Singles Chart. The sing was certified platinum by the RIAA. The next single “The Hardest Thing” (released on June 8, 1999) peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. The song also enjoyed average success in Oceania, peaking at No. 24 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and No. 5 on the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart.
On October 19, 1999, 98 Degrees released their Christmas album, “This Christmas.” The album produced the top 40 single “This Gift.” Within a month after its release the album went platinum. The group appeared as featured guests on Amy Grant's 1999 CBS Christmas special, “A Christmas to Remember.”
98 Degrees returned with a new studio album in September 2000 called “Revelation.” The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, making it their highest debut on the chart. The first single “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” (released: July 24, 2000) was a huge success for the group, having reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remains their highest charting US single to date. The song also charted in other countries like the Netherlands (#40), Sweden (#33), Swiss (#58) and the Uk (#61). The follow up single “My Everything” (released: 6 November 2000) peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On May 7, 2002, 98 Degrees released a greatest hist album, “The Collection.” It contains some songs from their old albums, and the smash Mariah Carey hit “Thank God I Found You,” on which the group collaborated with Joe alongside Carey. The song “Why (Are We Still Friends)” was released as the single from the album.
98 Degrees has since been on hiatus. Rumors of a reunion show for the second half of 2012 were denied by frontman Nick Lachey.
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