We Ranked All the Boy Band Boys After the ABC Premiere

ABC's newest reality series is here, and we're ranking all the boys based on their auditions in the June 22 premiere

By Lauren Piester Jun 23, 2017 3:18 AMTags
Boy Band contestantsABC

America, your newest boy band is on its way. 

ABC's new reality competition series premiered tonight, meaning the hunt for the next big boy band is officially on. Thirty boys sang their hearts out in front of band architects Nick Carter, Emma Bunton, and Timbaland in the hopes of making it to round two.

Under the watchful eye and stern direction of host and apparent time keeper Rita Ora, 12 of those boys were quickly discarded for 18 better boys, and then those boys were divided into groups of six. Each group of boys then had to perform a choreographed number in front of the architects and a live audience before one of them was eliminated. 

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We only got to see one of those group performances tonight, but it was enough to convince us we're all in on this boy band. We even felt hints of sadness when the boys were sent home after we had only known them for thirty seconds, so clearly there's something here. 

Anyway, we ranked the boys. Scroll down to find our impressions before we saw them perform, along with how we felt after! 

1. Jaden Gray

Before: "Jaden Gray" is 100% the name of a fictional pop star in a Disney Channel movie, so this 16 year-old from California already has a leg up.

After: And now Jaden Gray is 100% the name of a boy in America's newest boy band, because wow

2. Sergio Calderon

Before: This 16 year-old from California has a cool name, a sharp suit jacket, a nice smile, and some sweet hair, so if he can sing, he might be unstoppable. 

After: He can sing in multiple languages. He's officially unstoppable. 

3. Miles Wesley

Before: Sorry Boy Band, there's no way this 19 year-old Texan isn't already in a boy band, even if they're only famous on YouTube. 

After: This boy has no money for furniture but plenty for tattoos, which is to say he's exactly what we expected him to be and he's perfect for the band. 

4. Marcus Pendleton

Before: This Nashville 16 year-old is going to need to tell us where he got that sweatshirt, because it's cool AF. 

After: "My Girl" is a surefire way to our hearts. 

5. Chance Perez

Before: This 19 year-old from Seal Beach, CA looks like he gives really good hugs. We're not basing that on anything but a gut feeling and maybe the fact that his shirt looks really cozy.

After: Not the strongest singer of the bunch, but Emma Bunton's really into him, he's got an adorable toddler, and he still looks very huggable. 

6. Michael Conor

Before: We're guessing this 17 year-old from Cleveland, OH rode to this photoshoot in a convertible to achieve that magnificent wind-blown 'do. 

After: He's a rapping violinist! We are always down for classical instruments in pop music so yes please. 

7. Andrew Bloom

Before: This 19 year-old is from Yorba Linda, CA and his name is also Andrew! This boy band could be 3/5 Andrews. How fun would that be?! 

After: This Andrew has one hell of a voice, and while he doesn't yet seem like a dancer, he could get there. 

8. Jay "J Hype" Gilbert

Before: A regular 14 year-old from Las Vegas, or a young time traveling Leonardo DiCaprio trying his hand at the music business? You decide!

After: Young Leo can beat box, ya'll. We need to hear him sing something other than Kanye, but any band can always use a good beat boxer probably. 

9. Brady Tutton

Before: When this 15 year-old from Shorewood, WI isn't competing to join the next great boy band, he's starring as someone's brother on a Freeform show, probably. 

After: He's actually an opera singer! We've never before contemplated opera in our pop music, but now we want it. 

10. Andrew "Drew" Ramos

Before: This 19 year-old from Bronx, NY has a very cool sweater. 

After: Drew's a mama's boy with a lovely voice and excellent boy band potential. 

11. Jon Klaasen

Before: That's a bold jacket choice for this 19 year-old from Greenwood, IN, and it is working. 

After: OF COURSE HE SANG WONDERWALL. 

12. Camry "Cam" Jackson

Before: Cam is 19, comes from Willingboro, NJ, and if we were to cast him on a Disney Channel show, he'd be the rule-following best friend of someone kind of wacky.

After: He's got a really beautiful low tone but we also only saw him for about two seconds!

13. Dorian Tyler

Before: This 15 year-old from Memphis, TN has both a tooth gap AND hair that matches his pants, so he's already cooler than we'll ever be.

After: Dorian didn't get a ton of screen time, but he made Emma cry so he must have been good. 

14. Devin Hayes

Before: Nick Carter and Justin Timberlake's love child is 17 and from Springfield, IL.

After: Devin looks and acts the part 100%, but it kind of feels like he's this season's underdog story since he doesn't quite have the voice or the confidence. 

15. Michael "Mikey" Jiminez

Before: This 17 year-old from East Los Angeles has the eyebrows of a true star. 

After: Not sure about him yet, but they didn't show him enough!

16. Andrew Butcher

Before: And this 17 year-old from Greenwood, IN most likely moonlights as the misunderstood older brother on an ABC comedy. 

After: Nick said he thought Andrew belonged at a country show and we kinda agree, but not in a bad way! 

17. Gavin Becker

Before: We've got a lot of respect for a boy in a bold print, and the print on this 18 year-old from Philadelphia is seriously bold. 

After: We haven't seen much of Gavin yet, but Emma said she wanted to see more performance from him. 

Cameron Armstrong

Before: Cameron is 22 and from Columbia, SC, and it was really nice of him to cut the sleeves off of his shirt for us.

Eliminated because Timbaland wanted to see him go solo. 

Paul Toweh

This 21 year-old from Liberia has a smile that could definitely melt a few hearts. 

Eliminated

Matthew Dean

This 19 year-old from Thousand Oaks, CA already has the convertible hair and the fashionably roughed-up jean jacket of a true rock star. 

Eliminated

Lukas James

He may only be 15, but this Floridian is definitely the coolest kid in an '80s teen movie. 

Eliminated

Stone Martin

We're not saying this 18 year-old from Hartsville, SC has the absolute coolest name in the competition, but it's pretty hard to beat a first name like Stone. 

Eliminated

Santino Cardinale

Hey girl, are you cold? 'Cuz this 18 year-old from Las Vegas has probably got enough room in his coat for two. 

Eliminated

Gianni Cardinale

Seriously jealous of the hair and the eyebrows on this 16 year-old from Las Vegas. 

Eliminated

Nate Wyatt

Something tells us this 20 year old Ohioan's moves are as cool as his jeans. 

Eliminated

Zack Taylor

This 24 year-old from Kansas City, MO may not have gotten the role of Jason Blossom on Riverdale, but he does have a good shot at making the band if you ask us.

Eliminated

Jordan Grizzle

Jordan Grizzle is 22, he's from Fort Lauderdale, FL, and he just seems really damn happy to be here. 

Eliminated

Timmy Thames

This 17 year-old from Malibu, CA needs to give us some hair care tips immediately because those are some seriously luscious locks. 

Eliminated

Dylan Rey

This 17 year-old Texan will either be the bad boy or the quiet one in the band, but we can't decide which. 

Eliminated

Alan Ayala

Before: This 18 year-old from Monterey, Mexico is perfectly dressed for running his start-up just in case this boy band thing doesn't work out. 

Eliminated

Boy Band airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.