Before boy bands were a thing, there was Candy Girl. Released in 1983, this debut single by New Edition was sugary, bubblegum pop with a streetwise Boston twist—and the start of something much bigger. While the song didn’t chart in the US as high as you might expect given its legacy, it was a full-on statement: here’s the next generation of Jackson 5-style teen stars.
Sweet, Young, and Catchy as Hell
Written and produced by Maurice Starr (who clearly had Motown nostalgia running through his veins), Candy Girl was tailor-made to launch a group of talented kids with matching outfits and high-pitched hooks into the pop stratosphere. Ralph Tresvant’s falsetto lead was unmistakably modeled after a young Michael Jackson—and that was the point. It’s all sweet crushes and playground love, wrapped up in one of the catchiest choruses of the early ’80s.
DIY Motown
The charm of Candy Girl lies in its DIY energy. The production isn’t polished or overproduced—it’s lo-fi in a lovable way, with bouncy synths and an almost homemade feel. It didn’t need slickness. It had heart, hooks, and a ridiculous amount of charisma. The boys sounded like they were genuinely having fun—and you could feel it.
A Bigger Hit Than You Think… Just Not Everywhere
Here’s the twist: Candy Girl was a smash in the UK, where it shot straight to #1, beating out Billie Jean in the process (!). But in the US, it didn’t even make the Billboard Hot 100 at first—it charted on the R&B list, hitting #1 there, but pop radio didn’t fully catch on. That didn’t stop New Edition from becoming major stars, though, and Candy Girl kicked off a run that would eventually lead to Bobby Brown solo success, Bell Biv DeVoe, and a whole era of R&B-pop crossovers.
New Edition – Candy Girl – Official Music Video
The song was written by Maurice Starr and Michael Jonzun. “Candy Girl” was released as the first single from New Edition’s debut album of the same name. The single was released in November 1982 with “Candy Girl (Sing-A-Long Version)” on the B-side. The single topped the singles charts in the UK, Ireland and Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart in the United States.