B4-4
| Company type | Boy band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Founder | Ryan Kowarsky, Dan Kowarsky, Ohad Einbinder |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
Area served | Canada, Germany |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Parent | Sony Records (as B4-4), Universal Music / Polydor (as Before Four) |
B4-4, which later adopted the name Before Four (both presented in lowercase), was a Canadian boy band originating from Toronto, Ontario. The group consisted of twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky alongside Ohad Einbinder. They were signed to Sony Records and found commercial success within Canada, additionally touring in Germany under the Before Four moniker.
As B4-4
Friends since childhood, the Kowarsky twins and Einbinder established the band in 1998. Following an audition with Mike Roth, they secured contracts with Sony Records and Sony/ATV publishing.
Their debut album, released in 2000 and self-titled, included the popular single "Get Down" as well as follow-up tracks "Go Go," "Everyday," and "Ball and Chain." This album achieved Platinum certification in Canada.
In 2001, B4-4 participated in the YTV PsykoBlast Tour alongside artists such as Snow, Wave, and soulDecision, and served as opening act for Destiny's Child on MTV's Total Request Live Tour. That same year, they earned a nomination for Best New Group at the Juno Awards. Additionally, they were featured in the television episode Howlin' with B4-4 from the series Eddy the Eco-Dog Unleashed and promoted "Get Down" on Nickelodeon.
As Before Four
Following their Canadian achievements, B4-4 rebranded to Before Four for their activities in Germany, signing with Universal Music / Polydor. In 2003, they released their sophomore album, In Your Face, which spawned three singles: "Player (You're My Ecstasy)", "I'll Be There", and "Feel Free (To Say No)".
The group disbanded in 2004. Subsequently, Ryan and Dan Kowarsky formed the vocal duo RyanDan, focusing on songwriting and production.
In 2021, their track "Get Down" was featured on episode 7 of Canada's Drag Race (season 2), renewing attention to the song.
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | GER | |||
| 2000 | B4-4
|
Certified Platinum in Canada | ||
| 2003 | In Your Face
|
Limited Edition exclusively available in Germany | ||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | GER | AUT | SUI | |||
| 2000 | "Get Down" | 4 | — | — | — | b4-4 |
| "Go Go" | 21[lower-alpha 1] | — | — | — | ||
| "Everyday" | 42 | — | — | — | ||
| 2001 | "Ball and Chain" | 47 | — | — | — | |
| "Endlessly" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003 | "Player" | — | 29 | — | — | In Your Face |
| "I'll Be There" | — | 11 | — | 57 | ||
| "Feel Free (To Say No)" | — | 8 | 50 | — | ||
Music videos
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Get Down | b4-4 |
| Go Go | ||
| Everyday | ||
| 2003 | Player | In Your Face |
| Feel Free (To Say No) |
See also
External links
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