This R&B group changed the music game, then broke up

In the world of R&B, some groups come, make an undeniable impact, and then vanish. Day26 is one such group that redefined the genre, delivering hits that changed the music game. But just when they were on top, the unexpected happened—they broke up, leaving fans and the music world wondering what went wrong. What happened to this game-changing group? Here's what we know.

Well, let me start off by saying that Day26 is back as a five-member group as of today. However, while in the middle of working on their third album in 2012, they decided to split officially. They disbanded as a group on July 16, 2012, sharing that the reason for their breakup was that they wanted to pursue solo careers. One of the original group members had parted ways with the group early on in December 2009 due to a combination of personal issues and conflicts with group members.

Day26 would later reunite and release more music. Their most recent body of work was released in August 2024. It's titled Day Ones, an independently released project and the group's long-awaited third album. The album consists of 16 tracks, with all five original members helping write the songs.

Who is Day26?

Day26 is an American R&B boy band that was formed in August 2007 on the MTV reality show Making the Band 4, created by Sean "Diddy" Combs. The group consists of Robert Curry, Brian Angel, Willie Taylor, Michael "Big Mike" McCluney, and Qwanell "Que" Mosley. They were named after the day they were formed on the show, marking the beginning of their journey as a group.

On March 25, 2008, their self-titled debut studio album, Day26, was released by Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records. It became a commercial success, debuting at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200. It also sold about 190,000 copies in its first week, which was a strong performance for a new R&B group. The album featured songs like "Got Me Going" and "Since You Been Gone," which contributed to its popularity.

Their second studio album, Forever in a Day, was recorded while the group was filming Making the Band 4 season 3 and was released on April 14, 2009. It went on to debut at No. 2 on the US Billboard  200, selling 113,000 copies in its first week. However, its success was not as significant as the group's debut album. Forever in a Day would be Day26's last album under Bad Boy Records. Que would later split from the group in December of that year.

As mentioned above, Day26 broke up as a group in July 2012. In June 2018, after they reunited and were in the middle of touring, Brian decided to depart the group, claiming that he wanted to pursue solo endeavors. He would later return to Day26 in 2022, around the time of the group's fifteenth anniversary. Also during this time, the group was added to The Millennium Tour: Turned Up! lineup, a concert tour primarily featuring R&B and hip-hop artists from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now, as of 2024, they're continuing to make music for all their new and old fans.

Other than the three albums, Day26 has two EPs: A New Day (2018) and The Return (2023). You can find and listen to all of their albums and EPs on Apple Music.