New Kids on the Block
Encyclopedia
New Kids on the Block are an American
boy band
from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr
. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan
and Jonathan Knight
, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg
, and Danny Wood
.
New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold 80 million records worldwide. They won two American Music Awards in 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.
After having disbanded in 1994, several attempts were made to get the group back together, all of them unsuccessful. After secretly reuniting in 2007 and recording a new CD, the group released that new album and embarked on a concert tour in 2008. The album, entitled The Block
was released on September 2, 2008. The group was on tour with the Backstreet Boys
. The North American concert tour was scheduled to kick off in the summer of 2011. "NKOTB/BSB" performed live together on November 21, 2010 at the American Music Awards on ABC and again on 2011 New Year's on ABC's Dick Clark/Ryan Seacrest show.
discovered R&B/Pop
quintet (later sextet) New Edition
and guided their early success. After breaking ties with them, Starr and his business partner, Mary Alford, sought to create a white counterpart act. Auditions were held around Boston, at which some five hundred teenaged boys auditioned. Among them was 15-year-old Donnie Wahlberg, who immediately impressed Starr and Alford with his rapping skills, dancing ability and showmanship, becoming the group's first member. Wahlberg assisted in helping to recruit other members. Among them were his younger brother Mark
and his best friend Danny Wood. He also coaxed one-time schoolmate Jordan Knight, who sang an exceptional falsetto
, into auditioning for Starr as well. Upon Knight's passing the audition, his older brother Jonathan (also possessing a strong singing voice) was accepted into the group as well.
As the group began to take shape, Mark quit. Another one of Donnie's neighborhood friends, Jamie Kelley, took his place. Kelley, though, would eventually be dismissed for lack of concentration and discipline. Seeking a Michael Jackson
-esque singer to sing the high solos, Starr replaced him with 12-year-old Joey McIntyre—whom the other guys initially resented for being the one to replace their friend. With the final line-up in place Starr rehearsed the boys diligently, after school and on weekends, and eventually secured the group (which was being called Nynuk) a recording contract at Columbia Records
. The label, however, demanded Starr change the name of the group. Subsequently they settled on New Kids on the Block, after a rap
song that Donnie had written and arranged for their first album.
released the group's self-titled debut album
. The album, almost exclusively written and produced by Maurice Starr, featured mid 80s bubblegum pop
material. The first single, "Be My Girl
" received minor airplay around the group's native Boston, but failed to capture nationwide attention. The album's second single, "Stop It Girl
", fared even worse. The New Kids went on tour around the New England states, singing wherever Starr could book them: in bars, school dances, and clubs. Nevertheless, Starr remained diligent and persuaded the label to allow the group to record a second album.
", a ballad released in the spring of 1988. Failure seemed destined a second time when the song became another that went unnoticed by the listening public, and Columbia Records made plans to drop the New Kids from the label. At the eleventh hour, however, a radio station in Florida
began playing the song. Scoring listener approval, it soon became the most requested song on their play list. When Columbia caught wind of the positive response, they decided to keep the group on its roster and put more effort into promoting the single. Columbia decided to re-shoot a music video for "Please Don't Go Girl", hiring director Doug Nichol
, and sent the video to thousands of radio stations across the country to show the group's visual appeal. National attention soon followed and "Please Don't Go Girl" eventually climbed to #10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart
—becoming the group's first hit.
New Kids on the Block's second album, Hangin' Tough
, was released to modest fanfare in September. In the meantime, the group began making national televised appearances on such music programs as Showtime at the Apollo
, and Soul Train
. They later landed a spot as an opening act for fellow teen-pop act Tiffany
on the U.S. leg of her concert tour. Sales of Hangin' Tough steadily increased as the group's national attention slowly rose. At year's end, the album's second single "You Got It (The Right Stuff)
" was released. The song was given a huge boost when MTV
took notice of the group and began playing the video in regular rotation, including an appearance on Club MTV
. By early 1989, it cracked the top five. The New Kids hit pay dirt with their next single, "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)
", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in June. The group had been scheduled to open for Tiffany once again on a second tour, but their sudden popularity caused a reversal, and she wound up opening for them (although the two acts were technically billed as "co-headliners").
More top five singles from Hangin' Tough followed into the summer and fall, including the title track
and "Cover Girl". Columbia Records also released the single "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)
" (a cover of The Delfonics
' classic hit), from the group's previously overlooked debut album. The song went #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles on the strength of the group's popularity and effectively jump-started the sales of that album as well. By the end of 1989, Hangin' Tough had climbed to number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and had gone eight-times platinum
. They, subsequently, became the first 'teen' act to garner five top ten hits from a single album.
Meanwhile, a top ten charting holiday album, Merry, Merry Christmas
, was released in the fall—spawning another top 10 hit, "This One's for the Children
" and going double platinum in the U.S. The proceeds were donated to United Cerebral Palsy
, the New Kids' favorite charitable cause. Hangin' Tough would go on to spend 132 weeks on the chart, and in January 1990, the album won two American Music Awards
for "Best Pop/Rock Album", and "Best Pop/Rock Group." With the success of "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)," "Cover Girl," and "This One's For the Children," the group pulled off a rare feat of having three singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, but each from a different album.
Columbia Music Video also released a home video "Hangin' Tough", a documentary on the band directed by Doug Nichol
and produced by Bryan Johnson, that included their four hit music videos and a live concert recorded during their 1989 tour. It achieved massive sales, earning a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
nomination, and was one of the biggest selling music videos of all time.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts declared April 24, 1989, "New Kids on the Block Day."
Their song, Hangin' Tough, appeared as a cameo in the Cartoon Network show, Regular Show
in the episode, High Score.
", which extended the consecutive top ten singles chart run to nine records.
"Let's Try It Again" hit #8 on the UK Singles Chart, whilst "Baby I Believe In You" went #1 on the Japanese Chart, further signifying the international appeal of the group.
The album was eventually certified triple platinum, selling close to twenty million copies worldwide.
The group performed an estimated two hundred concerts a year, with an extravagant worldwide concert tour that summer, called The Magic Summer Tour, sponsored by Coke. Their 1990 pay-per-view special
broke cable-TV history at the time. During this time, the group became heavily merchandised. NKOTB-licensed merchandise included lunch box
es, buttons
, T-shirts, comic books, dolls
, trading cards and even a Saturday morning cartoon
in their likeness, which was developed by the writing and development team from Pangea Corporation
and animated by DIC Entertainment
. In 1991, sales for the group's merchandise were estimated at US$
400 million.
New Kids on the Block's official fan club had a membership of over 200,000 members and was one of the largest fan clubs in America. Approximately one hundred thousand calls per week were dialed to 1-900-909-5KIDs, the Official NKOTB Hotline, as well. In 1991, the group topped Forbes
list of highest paid entertainers, beating out the likes of Michael Jackson
, Madonna
, Prince
and Bill Cosby
. Further capitalizing on the fame, at year's end, Columbia Records released No More Games/The Remix Album
—a compilation of the group's biggest hits remixed, the album also brought along two more released songs in "Call It What You Want
" (UK #12) and "Games
" (UK #14) in which videos were also released.
The group released no new material in 1991, but went overseas and continued to tour throughout Europe
and Asia
. That summer, Wood and Wahlberg co-wrote and produced the debut album from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
—headed by Mark Wahlberg, Donnie's brother and former New Kid. Mark Wahlberg's album scored a number one hit with "Good Vibrations", and a platinum album.
". The song peaked at #16 on the US charts and #9 in the UK charts. Meanwhile, as the music industry was still reeling from the Milli Vanilli
lip-syncing
scandal, the group found themselves accused of lip-syncing by Gregory McPherson, a music teacher who was listed as an associate producer and string arranger on the group's third album, Step by Step. McPherson alleged that Maurice Starr sang the vocals while the group lip-synced to pre-recorded vocals during their live performances. McPherson also filed a breach of contract
and creative infringement lawsuit against Starr.
The group immediately responded to the allegations and interrupted the Australian leg of their tour to fly to Los Angeles to perform live on The Arsenio Hall Show
. After performing a medley of their previous hits and their new single, the group (along with Starr) was interviewed by Hall. The group admitted to singing with a backing track during live performances and also admitted that Starr sang harmony on some background vocals.
On February 10, 1992, the New Kids filed a defamation lawsuit against McPherson regarding his lip-syncing allegations. In April 1992, McPherson dropped his suit against Starr and released a statement recanting his previous allegations stating, "They [The New Kids] did sing lead on their vocals".
By the time the lip-syncing allegations surfaced, the group was starting to experience a backlash. Despite their success, the group was regularly dismissed by critics for their attempts to promote themselves as an urban act and their practice of using backing vocals for live performances. The group's record sales also began to decline due to a shift in musical tastes to gangsta rap
and grunge music
.
, was released. Their first studio album in close to four years, Face the Music, was a musical departure from the group's previous efforts. Nearly all the songs were written and/or co-produced by the group. In spite of some positive critical reception, the album failed to live up to commercial expectation. The album's final single to chart was "Dirty Dawg
" (which featured a rap cameo by Nice & Smooth
& Live Instrumentals & Background Vocals by Larry Thomas
), peaking at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100. The followup single, "Never Let You Go", failed to chart in the U.S., but did reach #42 in the UK Singles Chart
and #18 in the Canadian charts.
NKOTB went on tour to support the album, playing smaller venues such as clubs and theaters, as opposed to the arenas and stadiums they were once accustomed to. After experiencing increased panic attacks and anxiety, Jonathan Knight left the band. Shortly thereafter, the remaining four decided to officially disband the group.
In 1999, MTV attempted to reunite the group and get them to perform on that year's VMAs
. All of the members were on board for the project, except Jonathan. Consequently, the performance didn't happen.
In 2004, Aamer Haleem
, host of VH1's Bands Reunited
, also attempted to convince each of the members of New Kids on the Block to reunite for a one-night performance for the show. This time Jonathan agreed. However, Joey, Donnie, and Danny all declined. While Wood and Wahlberg declined on-camera interviews, McIntyre cited that the only way he would perform with the band was if the group would make the decision to reunite permanently.
that the group had reunited with plans to record new material and to stage a tour. The following month, the group released their first single since reuniting, "Summertime
". The cover of the single featured the name "New Kids on the Block", re-lengthened from the initials NKOTB.
On August 12, 2008, they released their second single, "Single", featuring R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo
, followed by the release of the group's first studio album in fourteen years, The Block
. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums Chart and #2 on the Billboard 200
in September 2008. It was certified Gold in October 2008, in Canada.
The group's reunion tour, New Kids on the Block: Live
, began at Toronto
's Air Canada Centre
on September 18, 2008. They toured the US with Natasha Bedingfield
and Lady Gaga
as supporting acts. There are 48 total concerts scheduled for Canada and the United States, ten in the United Kingdom, one in France, one in Amsterdam
, Netherlands and two in Germany. A NKOTB-sponsored "theme" concert cruise (for their fans) departed from Miami, Florida and traveled to the Bahamas
from May 15–18, 2009. The group also announced the Full Service Tour for 2009, featuring Jesse McCartney
and Jabbawockeez
.
Group member Jordan Knight announced a new concert cruise for 2010. After the tour, each member took a break on doing other endeavors. Joey recorded a few songs written and produced by fellow musicians such as himself, Drew Ryan Scott from boy band Varsity Fanclub
, Brent Paschke, and Gabe Lopez
. Donnie worked on his own music as well, releasing a single called "I Got It" featuring Aubrey O'Day
(formerly from Danity Kane
) and "Rise and Grind" featuring Roscoe Umali.
On Friday, August 13, 2010, tickets went on sale for the third annual NKOTB cruise which will take place aboard the Carnival Destiny, leaving from Miami, FL on Thursday, May 12, 2011 to Nassau and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas and returning to Miami, FL on Monday, May 16, 2011. Once again, the cruise sold out the same day it went on sale, with thousands of fans on a 'waitlist' standing by for any openings on the boat due to cancellations.
On August 18, 2010, an 'unofficial' announcement was made that NKOTB and the Backstreet Boys
will be touring together in 2011. On October 8, 2010, Brian Littrell, a member of the Backstreet Boys, gave the tour a 78% chance of happening. He also stated that he and Donnie had been working on songs together.
On November 3, 2010, an official announcement was made that NKOTB and BSB will be touring together in the summer of 2011 along with Jordin Sparks
and Ashlyne Huff
. In May 2011, Matthew Morrison
confirmed during an interview on talk show Chelsea Lately
that he would also be joining the tour.
: He left the entertainment business and began a new career in real estate. He has publicly announced his sexual orientation on the band's official website, though says he had been living openly gay for twenty years.
Jordan Knight
: In 1999, he released a self-titled solo album, Jordan Knight
on Interscope Records
. It was certified gold
. He also scored a top 10 hit with "Give It to You
", which went platinum
. That summer, he opened up for NSYNC on their concert tour. He appeared on VH1
's The Surreal Life
in 2004 and also in the Five reality show Trust Me - I'm A Holiday Rep
, along with British comedian Syd Little
, Scott Wright (actor) and glamour model Jodie Marsh
. In that same year he released his second solo album entitled "Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album". In 2005 he released his third solo album "The Fix". He released the solo album Love Songs in September 2006. His most recent studio album, "Unfinished," was released on May 31, 2011.
Joey McIntyre : In 1995, he completed filming the role of Matt Hucklebee in The Fantasticks
which was not released until 2000. In 1999, he released a solo album, Stay the Same
, on Columbia Records
, scoring a top 10 hit with the album's title track. He has also released further albums: 2001's Meet Joe Mac
, One Too Many — a live compilation album of his work in 2002, — and a pop album 8:09 in 2004. He later became a regular on the Fox
television show Boston Public
and has performed in Broadway
musicals including Wicked
. In 2005, he was a contender on the reality show Dancing with the Stars and toured with the series in a 2006 live show. In 2007, he starred in an independent film titled On Broadway and released his solo album, Talk to Me
. In November 2009 he released his fifth solo studio album Here We Go Again
featuring the title track as the first single with an accompanying music video.
Danny Wood
: He started a Boston-based record label, and did some producing and performing, but for the most part he remained out of the spotlight. He was featured in MTV
's follow up to Totally Scott-Lee
called Totally Boyband
, as a member of a new group with other former boyband members called Upper Street. With D-Fuse, he released a 1999 album called Room Full of Smoke. In 2003, he released Second Face, followed by the 2007 album Coming Home And also the 2009 album 'Stronger: Remember Betty' which is in memory of his late mother and all proceeds are being donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. He is also a sales executive for a private jet travel company called Halcyon.
Donnie Wahlberg
: Has followed in the footsteps of his brother Mark Wahlberg
, forging a career in acting and appeared in movies such as Ransom (1996), Southie
(1998), The Sixth Sense
(1999), Dreamcatcher
(2003), the Saw film series
, and the critically acclaimed mini-series Band of Brothers. He has starred in two short-lived television series: Boomtown and Runaway. In 2006 he appeared in Annapolis
and in 2007 he starred in Dead Silence
with True Blood
star Ryan Kwanten
also in 2007 starring opposite John Leguizamo
on the TV series The Kill Point
. The pair went on to co-star with Al Pacino
and Robert De Niro
in the 2008 film Righteous Kill
. In 2010 he starred alongside Tom Selleck
in the television series Blue Bloods
.
With Backstreet Boys
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr
Maurice Starr
Maurice Starr is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:Starr, originally from Florida, moved to Boston with his brother Michael in the early 1970s. After moving to Boston he recorded two unsuccessful R&B albums, Flaming Starr and Spacey Lady...
. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan
Jordan Knight
Jordan Nathaniel Marcel Knight is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer in the boy band, New Kids on the Block , and actor, who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s. He is best known for his distinctive falsetto style of singing, influenced by The Stylistics. After New Kids On...
and Jonathan Knight
Jonathan Knight
Jonathan Rashleigh Knight is an American singer. Knight is part of the boyband New Kids on the Block. The band also includes Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood and Jonathan's younger brother Jordan...
, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg
Donnie Wahlberg
Donald Edward "Donnie" Wahlberg, Jr. is an American singer, actor and film producer. He is a member of the popular 1980s and 1990s boy band New Kids on the Block. His work background includes music, feature films, and television...
, and Danny Wood
Danny Wood
Daniel William "Danny" Wood is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. He is also a member of the American boy band New Kids on the Block and also serves as one of the key choreographers.-Life and career:...
.
New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s and have sold 80 million records worldwide. They won two American Music Awards in 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group and Favorite Pop/Rock Album.
After having disbanded in 1994, several attempts were made to get the group back together, all of them unsuccessful. After secretly reuniting in 2007 and recording a new CD, the group released that new album and embarked on a concert tour in 2008. The album, entitled The Block
The Block (album)
The Block is the fifth studio album by New Kids on the Block. The album was released on September 2, 2008, along with a deluxe edition that included four bonus tracks. It sold 100,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number one on the U.S. Top Pop Albums chart and at number two on...
was released on September 2, 2008. The group was on tour with the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
. The North American concert tour was scheduled to kick off in the summer of 2011. "NKOTB/BSB" performed live together on November 21, 2010 at the American Music Awards on ABC and again on 2011 New Year's on ABC's Dick Clark/Ryan Seacrest show.
1984-1985: Early years
In the early 1980s, Maurice StarrMaurice Starr
Maurice Starr is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:Starr, originally from Florida, moved to Boston with his brother Michael in the early 1970s. After moving to Boston he recorded two unsuccessful R&B albums, Flaming Starr and Spacey Lady...
discovered R&B/Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
quintet (later sextet) New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
and guided their early success. After breaking ties with them, Starr and his business partner, Mary Alford, sought to create a white counterpart act. Auditions were held around Boston, at which some five hundred teenaged boys auditioned. Among them was 15-year-old Donnie Wahlberg, who immediately impressed Starr and Alford with his rapping skills, dancing ability and showmanship, becoming the group's first member. Wahlberg assisted in helping to recruit other members. Among them were his younger brother Mark
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
and his best friend Danny Wood. He also coaxed one-time schoolmate Jordan Knight, who sang an exceptional falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
, into auditioning for Starr as well. Upon Knight's passing the audition, his older brother Jonathan (also possessing a strong singing voice) was accepted into the group as well.
As the group began to take shape, Mark quit. Another one of Donnie's neighborhood friends, Jamie Kelley, took his place. Kelley, though, would eventually be dismissed for lack of concentration and discipline. Seeking a Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
-esque singer to sing the high solos, Starr replaced him with 12-year-old Joey McIntyre—whom the other guys initially resented for being the one to replace their friend. With the final line-up in place Starr rehearsed the boys diligently, after school and on weekends, and eventually secured the group (which was being called Nynuk) a recording contract at Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. The label, however, demanded Starr change the name of the group. Subsequently they settled on New Kids on the Block, after a rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
song that Donnie had written and arranged for their first album.
1986: New Kids on the Block (debut album)
In April 1986, Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
released the group's self-titled debut album
New Kids on the Block (album)
New Kids on the Block is the self-titled debut album from American pop boy band New Kids on the Block.Released in the spring of 1986, its very bubble-gum, pseudo early Osmonds/New Edition-esque stylings failed to garner any attention. As a result, the album went commercially unnoticed...
. The album, almost exclusively written and produced by Maurice Starr, featured mid 80s bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
material. The first single, "Be My Girl
Be My Girl
"Be My Girl" is a 1986 ballad single from New Kids on the Block, with lead vocals by Donnie Wahlberg. Written and produced by Maurice Starr, it was the group's first release from their debut album New Kids on the Block...
" received minor airplay around the group's native Boston, but failed to capture nationwide attention. The album's second single, "Stop It Girl
Stop It Girl
"Stop It Girl" is a 1986 single from New Kids on the Block, with lead vocals by Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, and an intro rap by Jordan Knight. Written and produced by Maurice Starr, it was the second release from their debut album New Kids on the Block....
", fared even worse. The New Kids went on tour around the New England states, singing wherever Starr could book them: in bars, school dances, and clubs. Nevertheless, Starr remained diligent and persuaded the label to allow the group to record a second album.
1988-1989: Hangin' Tough
After the failure of the first album, Starr had the group back in the studio for most of 1987 and 1988 recording their second album. Dissatisfied with the excessively bubblegum sound of their first album, the group wanted to have more input on their look, direction and song material. As a result, Donnie, Danny and Jordan received associate producer credit on the final product. The album's first single was "Please Don't Go GirlPlease Don't Go Girl
"Please Don't Go Girl" is a 1988 ballad single from New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Joey McIntyre, Jordan Knight, and spoken by Danny Wood. Written and produced by Maurice Starr, it was the first release from their second album Hangin' Tough, and also became the group's first...
", a ballad released in the spring of 1988. Failure seemed destined a second time when the song became another that went unnoticed by the listening public, and Columbia Records made plans to drop the New Kids from the label. At the eleventh hour, however, a radio station in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
began playing the song. Scoring listener approval, it soon became the most requested song on their play list. When Columbia caught wind of the positive response, they decided to keep the group on its roster and put more effort into promoting the single. Columbia decided to re-shoot a music video for "Please Don't Go Girl", hiring director Doug Nichol
Doug Nichol
Doug Nichol is an American filmmaker and commercials/music video director.He won a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for Sting’s Ten Summoner's Tales and also received two other Grammy nominations for work with Aerosmith and NKOTB. He has won several MTV awards including Best Rock Video...
, and sent the video to thousands of radio stations across the country to show the group's visual appeal. National attention soon followed and "Please Don't Go Girl" eventually climbed to #10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
—becoming the group's first hit.
New Kids on the Block's second album, Hangin' Tough
Hangin' Tough
-Production:*Executive Producer: Cecil Holmes*Arranged & Produced By Maurice Starr*Associate Producers: Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg & Danny Wood*Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Phil Greene, Richard Mendelson, Maurice Starr, Hediki Sunada & Danny Wood...
, was released to modest fanfare in September. In the meantime, the group began making national televised appearances on such music programs as Showtime at the Apollo
Showtime at the Apollo
Showtime at the Apollo is a syndicated music television show, first broadcast on September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008 with 1093 episodes, and is produced by the Apollo Theater...
, and Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
. They later landed a spot as an opening act for fellow teen-pop act Tiffany
Tiffany (singer)
Tiffany Renee Darwish , known popularly as Tiffany, is an American singer and former teen icon. She is most notable for her 1987 cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now", originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Released as the second single from her eponymous album, Tiffany,...
on the U.S. leg of her concert tour. Sales of Hangin' Tough steadily increased as the group's national attention slowly rose. At year's end, the album's second single "You Got It (The Right Stuff)
You Got It (The Right Stuff)
"You Got It " is a 1988 single from New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg. The second single from the group's second album Hangin' Tough, it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart in early 1989, while topping the UK charts in November 1989...
" was released. The song was given a huge boost when MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
took notice of the group and began playing the video in regular rotation, including an appearance on Club MTV
Club MTV
Club MTV was a half hour television show molded after American Bandstand that aired on MTV between the years 1985 and 1992. Club MTV was part of MTV's second generation of programming when they were phasing out the original 5 VJs and introducing new ones.-Background and format:Hosted by Downtown...
. By early 1989, it cracked the top five. The New Kids hit pay dirt with their next single, "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)
I'll Be Loving You (Forever)
"I'll Be Loving You " is a 1989 ballad song from New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight. The third single from the groups second album, Hangin' Tough, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number five in the UK."I'll Be Loving You " rose from...
", which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in June. The group had been scheduled to open for Tiffany once again on a second tour, but their sudden popularity caused a reversal, and she wound up opening for them (although the two acts were technically billed as "co-headliners").
More top five singles from Hangin' Tough followed into the summer and fall, including the title track
Hangin' Tough (song)
"Hangin' Tough" is a 1989 single from New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Donnie Wahlberg. The fourth single from the group's second album of the same name, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart on September 9, 1989...
and "Cover Girl". Columbia Records also released the single "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)
Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)
"Didn't I " is a 1970 single by The Delfonics, produced by Thom Bell and released on the Bell record label. The recording is considered one of the most notable early Philly soul singles to be released and is regarded as a classic, winning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group...
" (a cover of The Delfonics
The Delfonics
The Delfonics are a pioneering Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise," "I'm Sorry," and "Ready or Not Here I Come "...
' classic hit), from the group's previously overlooked debut album. The song went #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles on the strength of the group's popularity and effectively jump-started the sales of that album as well. By the end of 1989, Hangin' Tough had climbed to number one on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and had gone eight-times platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. They, subsequently, became the first 'teen' act to garner five top ten hits from a single album.
Meanwhile, a top ten charting holiday album, Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry, Merry Christmas
- Singles :* "This One's for the Children" – August 12, 1989* "Funky, Funky Xmas" – December 20, 1989- Chart positions :...
, was released in the fall—spawning another top 10 hit, "This One's for the Children
This One's for the Children
"This One's for the Children" is a 1989 single from New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg. Taken from the group's holiday album, Merry, Merry Christmas, the single peaked at #7 on the Hot 100 Singles Chart in December, and #9 on the UK singles...
" and going double platinum in the U.S. The proceeds were donated to United Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy
United Cerebral Palsy is an international nonprofit charitable organization consisting of a network of affiliates. UCP is a leading service provider and advocate for adults and children with disabilities, including cerebral palsy...
, the New Kids' favorite charitable cause. Hangin' Tough would go on to spend 132 weeks on the chart, and in January 1990, the album won two American Music Awards
American Music Awards of 1990
The 17th Annual American Music Awards were held on January 22, 1990.-Pop/Rock Category:-Soul/R&B Category:-Country Category:-Rap/Hip-Hop Category:-Heavy Metal Category:-Dance Category:...
for "Best Pop/Rock Album", and "Best Pop/Rock Group." With the success of "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)," "Cover Girl," and "This One's For the Children," the group pulled off a rare feat of having three singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, but each from a different album.
Columbia Music Video also released a home video "Hangin' Tough", a documentary on the band directed by Doug Nichol
Doug Nichol
Doug Nichol is an American filmmaker and commercials/music video director.He won a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for Sting’s Ten Summoner's Tales and also received two other Grammy nominations for work with Aerosmith and NKOTB. He has won several MTV awards including Best Rock Video...
and produced by Bryan Johnson, that included their four hit music videos and a live concert recorded during their 1989 tour. It achieved massive sales, earning a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video is an accolade presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally named the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality videos or musical programs...
nomination, and was one of the biggest selling music videos of all time.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts declared April 24, 1989, "New Kids on the Block Day."
Their song, Hangin' Tough, appeared as a cameo in the Cartoon Network show, Regular Show
Regular Show
Regular Show is an American animated television series created by J. G. Quintel...
in the episode, High Score.
1990-1991: Step by Step
By early 1990, New Kids on the Block had become one of the most popular acts in America. The following May, they followed up Hangin' Tough with Step by Step, which featured slightly more than half of the songs co-written and produced by the members themselves. The first single, the title track, raced to number one on the Hot 100 Singles Chart and became their biggest selling single. It was followed up with the top ten "TonightTonight (New Kids on the Block song)
"Tonight" is a 1990 song recorded by the American pop band New Kids on the Block. Every member of the band sung lead vocals on this song. It was their second single from their 1990 album Step by Step. It was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It first reached #7 on the U.S...
", which extended the consecutive top ten singles chart run to nine records.
"Let's Try It Again" hit #8 on the UK Singles Chart, whilst "Baby I Believe In You" went #1 on the Japanese Chart, further signifying the international appeal of the group.
The album was eventually certified triple platinum, selling close to twenty million copies worldwide.
The group performed an estimated two hundred concerts a year, with an extravagant worldwide concert tour that summer, called The Magic Summer Tour, sponsored by Coke. Their 1990 pay-per-view special
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
broke cable-TV history at the time. During this time, the group became heavily merchandised. NKOTB-licensed merchandise included lunch box
Lunch box
The lunch box, also referred to as a lunch pail or lunch kit, is used to store food to be taken to work or school. The concept of a food container has existed for a long time, but it wasn't until people began using tobacco tins to haul meals in the early 20th century, followed by the use of...
es, buttons
Badge
A badge is a device or fashion accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath , a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple...
, T-shirts, comic books, dolls
Celebrity doll
A celebrity doll is a doll modelled after a celebrity.Celebrity dolls have been in production for a very long time. In the 1840s, several famous ballerinas were featured as paper dolls. Also in the 19th century, various military heroes were portrayed as dolls/figures. With the advent of silent...
, trading cards and even a Saturday morning cartoon
Saturday morning cartoon
A Saturday morning cartoon is the colloquial term for the animated television programming that has typically been scheduled on Saturday mornings on the major American television networks from the 1960s to the present; the genre's peak in popularity mostly ended in the 1990s while the popularity of...
in their likeness, which was developed by the writing and development team from Pangea Corporation
Pangea Corporation
Pangea Corporation is an entertainment development and creative services company that specializes in the animation and toy industries. The company was part of the original creative team that launched the wildly popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" for Playmates Toys and Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, the...
and animated by DIC Entertainment
DiC Entertainment
DIC Entertainment was an international film and television production company. In addition to animated television shows such as Ulysses 31 , Inspector Gadget , The Littles , The Real Ghostbusters , Captain Planet and the Planeteers , and the first two seasons of the English adaptation of...
. In 1991, sales for the group's merchandise were estimated at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
400 million.
New Kids on the Block's official fan club had a membership of over 200,000 members and was one of the largest fan clubs in America. Approximately one hundred thousand calls per week were dialed to 1-900-909-5KIDs, the Official NKOTB Hotline, as well. In 1991, the group topped Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
list of highest paid entertainers, beating out the likes of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
. Further capitalizing on the fame, at year's end, Columbia Records released No More Games/The Remix Album
No More Games/The Remix Album
No More Games/The Remix Album is a remix album from pop group New Kids on the Block. It peaked at #19 on the U.S. Billboard 200.By early 1991, the ever-shifting status of musical trends had begun to take its toll on the enormous popularity of the New Kids on the Block. Only two years before, the...
—a compilation of the group's biggest hits remixed, the album also brought along two more released songs in "Call It What You Want
Call It What You Want (song)
"Call It What You Want" is a house remix track, produced by C+C Music Factory, featuring an intro rap from Freedom Williams. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, and Donnie Wahlberg...
" (UK #12) and "Games
Games (New Kids on the Block song)
"Games" is a single released by New Kids on the Block as the first single from their remix album No More Games/The Remix Album.Employing hip-hop samples with jazz riffs sung by Jordan Knight, and defensive rhymes by Donnie Wahlberg, "Games" was a dramatic departure from their previously clean cut...
" (UK #14) in which videos were also released.
The group released no new material in 1991, but went overseas and continued to tour throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. That summer, Wood and Wahlberg co-wrote and produced the debut album from Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was a hip-hop group led by Mark Wahlberg. The Funky Bunch consisted of Wahlberg , Scott Ross , Hector Barros , Terry Yancey and Anthony Thomas...
—headed by Mark Wahlberg, Donnie's brother and former New Kid. Mark Wahlberg's album scored a number one hit with "Good Vibrations", and a platinum album.
1992: Allegations of lip syncing and waning popularity
In early 1992, the group released the stand-alone single "If You Go AwayIf You Go Away (New Kids on the Block song)
"If You Go Away" is a song by pop group New Kids on the Block, although the group was listed as NKOTB. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight and Joey McIntyre. It was spoken by Danny Wood...
". The song peaked at #16 on the US charts and #9 in the UK charts. Meanwhile, as the music industry was still reeling from the Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...
lip-syncing
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
scandal, the group found themselves accused of lip-syncing by Gregory McPherson, a music teacher who was listed as an associate producer and string arranger on the group's third album, Step by Step. McPherson alleged that Maurice Starr sang the vocals while the group lip-synced to pre-recorded vocals during their live performances. McPherson also filed a breach of contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
and creative infringement lawsuit against Starr.
The group immediately responded to the allegations and interrupted the Australian leg of their tour to fly to Los Angeles to perform live on The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
. After performing a medley of their previous hits and their new single, the group (along with Starr) was interviewed by Hall. The group admitted to singing with a backing track during live performances and also admitted that Starr sang harmony on some background vocals.
On February 10, 1992, the New Kids filed a defamation lawsuit against McPherson regarding his lip-syncing allegations. In April 1992, McPherson dropped his suit against Starr and released a statement recanting his previous allegations stating, "They [The New Kids] did sing lead on their vocals".
By the time the lip-syncing allegations surfaced, the group was starting to experience a backlash. Despite their success, the group was regularly dismissed by critics for their attempts to promote themselves as an urban act and their practice of using backing vocals for live performances. The group's record sales also began to decline due to a shift in musical tastes to gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
and grunge music
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
.
1993-1994: Face the Music
In 1993, after having split from Maurice Starr, the group shortened their name to the initialism NKOTB. In January 1994, their fourth studio album, Face the MusicFace The Music (New Kids on the Block album)
Face the Music is the fourth studio album by New Kids on the Block, released in January 1994. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold 138,000 copies in the U.S.-Album history:...
, was released. Their first studio album in close to four years, Face the Music, was a musical departure from the group's previous efforts. Nearly all the songs were written and/or co-produced by the group. In spite of some positive critical reception, the album failed to live up to commercial expectation. The album's final single to chart was "Dirty Dawg
Dirty Dawg
"Dirty Dawg" is a song by NKOTB , which became their final single to chart on the Billboard Top 100 until the 2008 single "Summertime". It was featured on their 1994 album Face the Music. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg rapped in the song, but he rapped only small...
" (which featured a rap cameo by Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth was an East Coast hip hop duo from New York that consists of Greg Nice and Smooth B . The duo released four albums from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s...
& Live Instrumentals & Background Vocals by Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas is an American actor, best known for his role as "The Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld. He has appeared in a number of films, TV shows, and commercials, and appears at autograph-signing shows across the country...
), peaking at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100. The followup single, "Never Let You Go", failed to chart in the U.S., but did reach #42 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and #18 in the Canadian charts.
NKOTB went on tour to support the album, playing smaller venues such as clubs and theaters, as opposed to the arenas and stadiums they were once accustomed to. After experiencing increased panic attacks and anxiety, Jonathan Knight left the band. Shortly thereafter, the remaining four decided to officially disband the group.
1995-2007: Break-up
After the group's split, most of the group members started families and began to venture into other avenues. Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood maintained low profiles, while the other three continued their careers individually.In 1999, MTV attempted to reunite the group and get them to perform on that year's VMAs
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
. All of the members were on board for the project, except Jonathan. Consequently, the performance didn't happen.
In 2004, Aamer Haleem
Aamer Haleem
Aamer Haleem is a Canadian radio and television personality, who hosted the weekday afternoon current affairs program The Point on CBC Radio One. until it was canceled on June 26, 2009....
, host of VH1's Bands Reunited
Bands Reunited
Bands Reunited is a television program produced by VH1 in 2004. Hosted by Aamer Haleem, the show documented the attempted reuniting of a formerly popular musical ensemble for a special concert in either London or Los Angeles....
, also attempted to convince each of the members of New Kids on the Block to reunite for a one-night performance for the show. This time Jonathan agreed. However, Joey, Donnie, and Danny all declined. While Wood and Wahlberg declined on-camera interviews, McIntyre cited that the only way he would perform with the band was if the group would make the decision to reunite permanently.
2008-Present - Reunion: The Block, Full Service and NKOTBSB
In April 2008, after months of speculation, Donnie Wahlberg confirmed to CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
that the group had reunited with plans to record new material and to stage a tour. The following month, the group released their first single since reuniting, "Summertime
Summertime (New Kids on the Block song)
"Summertime" is a 2008 single and the first from the New Kids on the Block album titled The Block. The single was released on May 13, 2008 and was the first new single released by the group since 1994....
". The cover of the single featured the name "New Kids on the Block", re-lengthened from the initials NKOTB.
On August 12, 2008, they released their second single, "Single", featuring R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, followed by the release of the group's first studio album in fourteen years, The Block
The Block (album)
The Block is the fifth studio album by New Kids on the Block. The album was released on September 2, 2008, along with a deluxe edition that included four bonus tracks. It sold 100,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number one on the U.S. Top Pop Albums chart and at number two on...
. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums Chart and #2 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in September 2008. It was certified Gold in October 2008, in Canada.
The group's reunion tour, New Kids on the Block: Live
New Kids on the Block: Live
The New Kids on the Block: Live was the fifth concert tour by American band New Kids on the Block and the first in 14 years since the group broke up after their last tour in 1994. In April 2008, the group reunited on the Today Show, announcing a new album and tour. The tour visited North America...
, began at Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
on September 18, 2008. They toured the US with Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Anne Bedingfield is a British pop singer and songwriter. Bedingfield debuted in the 1990s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle...
and Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
as supporting acts. There are 48 total concerts scheduled for Canada and the United States, ten in the United Kingdom, one in France, one in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands and two in Germany. A NKOTB-sponsored "theme" concert cruise (for their fans) departed from Miami, Florida and traveled to the Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
from May 15–18, 2009. The group also announced the Full Service Tour for 2009, featuring Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
and Jabbawockeez
JabbaWockeeZ
Jabbawockeez is a Bay-Area-based Urban dance group formed initially by members Kevin " KB" Brewer, Phil "Swagger Boy" Tayag, & Joe "Punkee" Larot under the name "3 Muskee". They were the winners of season 1 of the show America's Best Dance Crew...
.
Group member Jordan Knight announced a new concert cruise for 2010. After the tour, each member took a break on doing other endeavors. Joey recorded a few songs written and produced by fellow musicians such as himself, Drew Ryan Scott from boy band Varsity Fanclub
Varsity Fanclub
Varsity Fanclub is a boy band from Los Angeles, California. Varsity Fanclub currently consists of David Lei Brandt, Drew Ryan Scott, Jayk Purdy, and T.C. Carter....
, Brent Paschke, and Gabe Lopez
Gabe Lopez
Gabe Lopez is an American pop-rock singer/songwriter and producer. He is of Hispanic and Irish descent.- Artist career :Known in Los Angeles for performing in noted venues such as The Roxy Theatre, The House of Blues, and The Derby and voted one of Music Connection Magazine's Hot 100 Artists,...
. Donnie worked on his own music as well, releasing a single called "I Got It" featuring Aubrey O'Day
Aubrey O'Day
Aubrey Morgan O'Day is an American singer, actress, fashion designer, television personality, and former member of the girl group Danity Kane...
(formerly from Danity Kane
Danity Kane
Danity Kane was an American female music group signed to Bad Boy Records, first established in 2005. Formed on the third installment of MTV's Making the Band reality television series, the quintet comprised members Aubrey O'Day, Wanita "D. Woods" Woodgett, Shannon Bex, Dawn Richard, and Aundrea...
) and "Rise and Grind" featuring Roscoe Umali.
On Friday, August 13, 2010, tickets went on sale for the third annual NKOTB cruise which will take place aboard the Carnival Destiny, leaving from Miami, FL on Thursday, May 12, 2011 to Nassau and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas and returning to Miami, FL on Monday, May 16, 2011. Once again, the cruise sold out the same day it went on sale, with thousands of fans on a 'waitlist' standing by for any openings on the boat due to cancellations.
On August 18, 2010, an 'unofficial' announcement was made that NKOTB and the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
will be touring together in 2011. On October 8, 2010, Brian Littrell, a member of the Backstreet Boys, gave the tour a 78% chance of happening. He also stated that he and Donnie had been working on songs together.
On November 3, 2010, an official announcement was made that NKOTB and BSB will be touring together in the summer of 2011 along with Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
and Ashlyne Huff
Ashlyne Huff
Ashlyne Huff is an American singer-songwriter and dancer. She is the daughter of Nashville producer and session-guitarist Dann Huff.- Early life :...
. In May 2011, Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
confirmed during an interview on talk show Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately
Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...
that he would also be joining the tour.
Group members/Post-Careers
Jonathan KnightJonathan Knight
Jonathan Rashleigh Knight is an American singer. Knight is part of the boyband New Kids on the Block. The band also includes Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood and Jonathan's younger brother Jordan...
: He left the entertainment business and began a new career in real estate. He has publicly announced his sexual orientation on the band's official website, though says he had been living openly gay for twenty years.
Jordan Knight
Jordan Knight
Jordan Nathaniel Marcel Knight is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer in the boy band, New Kids on the Block , and actor, who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s. He is best known for his distinctive falsetto style of singing, influenced by The Stylistics. After New Kids On...
: In 1999, he released a self-titled solo album, Jordan Knight
Jordan Knight (album)
Jordan Knight is the eponymous debut album from former New Kids on the Block member, Jordan Knight. Jordan Knight co-produced 8 of the 11 tracks on the disc with help from Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and a soon-to-be-known artist, Robin Thicke...
on Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. It was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. He also scored a top 10 hit with "Give It to You
Give It to You (Jordan Knight song)
"Give It to You" is Jordan Knight's solo debut single from his self-titled album, Jordan Knight. It is his most well-known single to date as a solo artist and got massive airplay due to the popularity of teen-pop at the time....
", which went platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. That summer, he opened up for NSYNC on their concert tour. He appeared on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
in 2004 and also in the Five reality show Trust Me - I'm A Holiday Rep
Trust Me - I'm A Holiday Rep
Trust Me - I'm A Holiday Rep is a reality television show that was broadcast by Five in the United Kingdom.The first series ran nightly with 10 programmes over 2 weeks. It chronicles attempts by 6 celebrities to work as holiday reps for tour group Olympic Holidays...
, along with British comedian Syd Little
Syd Little
Syd Little is an English comedian and straight man in the double act Little and Large, with Eddie Large....
, Scott Wright (actor) and glamour model Jodie Marsh
Jodie Marsh
Jodie Marsh is an English media personality, former glamour model and bodybuilder. She has appeared topless in many tabloid newspapers and has appeared in her own reality show, Totally Jodie Marsh.-Early life:...
. In that same year he released his second solo album entitled "Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album". In 2005 he released his third solo album "The Fix". He released the solo album Love Songs in September 2006. His most recent studio album, "Unfinished," was released on May 31, 2011.
Joey McIntyre : In 1995, he completed filming the role of Matt Hucklebee in The Fantasticks
The Fantasticks (film)
The Fantasticks is a 1995 musical film directed by Michael Ritchie. The screenplay by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt is based on their record-breaking off-Broadway production of the same name, which ran for 17,162 performances...
which was not released until 2000. In 1999, he released a solo album, Stay the Same
Stay the Same (Joe McIntyre album)
Stay the Same is Joey McIntyre's first solo debut album, released on March 16, 1999 by Work Records and C2 Records with his first lead single with the same title "Stay the Same".-Release and reception:...
, on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, scoring a top 10 hit with the album's title track. He has also released further albums: 2001's Meet Joe Mac
Meet Joe Mac
Meet Joe Mac is Joey McIntyre's second studio album, released on May 15, 2001 on Atlantic Records.- Track listing :#"We Don't Wanna Come Down" - 4:47#"Rain" - 4:58...
, One Too Many — a live compilation album of his work in 2002, — and a pop album 8:09 in 2004. He later became a regular on the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television show Boston Public
Boston Public
Boston Public is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. It centered on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school located in Boston, Massachusetts. The show was named for the real public school district in which it takes place...
and has performed in Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musicals including Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
. In 2005, he was a contender on the reality show Dancing with the Stars and toured with the series in a 2006 live show. In 2007, he starred in an independent film titled On Broadway and released his solo album, Talk to Me
Talk to Me (album)
Talk to Me is the fifth solo effort from Joey McIntyre, member of New Kids on the Block. These are smooth, contemporary renditions of classic songs previously recorded by Frank Sinatra and other great singers...
. In November 2009 he released his fifth solo studio album Here We Go Again
Here We Go Again
-In film and television:* Here We Go Again , a 1970s American sitcom starring Larry Hagman* Here We Go Again , a 1942 film featuring Fibber McGee and Molly, Edgar Bergen and Ginny Simms-Albums:...
featuring the title track as the first single with an accompanying music video.
Danny Wood
Danny Wood
Daniel William "Danny" Wood is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. He is also a member of the American boy band New Kids on the Block and also serves as one of the key choreographers.-Life and career:...
: He started a Boston-based record label, and did some producing and performing, but for the most part he remained out of the spotlight. He was featured in MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's follow up to Totally Scott-Lee
Totally Scott-Lee
Totally Scott-Lee is a reality TV show from MTV Networks Europe featuring the following:* Lisa Scott-Lee * Andy Scott-Lee * Michelle Heaton...
called Totally Boyband
Totally Boyband
Totally Boyband was a television programme that aired in the United Kingdom on MTV. The programme debuted on 18 September 2006 and aired on Sunday nights at 21:30 . The premise centred around the former members of boy bands and pop music bands attempting to regain their former fame by regrouping...
, as a member of a new group with other former boyband members called Upper Street. With D-Fuse, he released a 1999 album called Room Full of Smoke. In 2003, he released Second Face, followed by the 2007 album Coming Home And also the 2009 album 'Stronger: Remember Betty' which is in memory of his late mother and all proceeds are being donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. He is also a sales executive for a private jet travel company called Halcyon.
Donnie Wahlberg
Donnie Wahlberg
Donald Edward "Donnie" Wahlberg, Jr. is an American singer, actor and film producer. He is a member of the popular 1980s and 1990s boy band New Kids on the Block. His work background includes music, feature films, and television...
: Has followed in the footsteps of his brother Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
, forging a career in acting and appeared in movies such as Ransom (1996), Southie
Southie (film)
Southie is a 1999 American film directed by John Shea and starring Donnie Wahlberg. The film centers on Danny Quinn who returns home to South Boston from New York City and gets stuck between his friends, who are supported by one Irish gang, and his family, which are members of another...
(1998), The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film tells the story of Cole Sear , a troubled, isolated boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist who tries to help him...
(1999), Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher (film)
Dreamcatcher is a 2003 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. It was directed by Lawrence Kasdan, and co-written by Kasdan and screenwriter William Goldman...
(2003), the Saw film series
Saw (film series)
Saw is a horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment and produced by Twisted Pictures that consists of seven films and two video games, published by Konami. The franchise began with the 2003 short film which was created by Australian director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell...
, and the critically acclaimed mini-series Band of Brothers. He has starred in two short-lived television series: Boomtown and Runaway. In 2006 he appeared in Annapolis
Annapolis (film)
Annapolis is a 2006 drama film directed by Justin Lin and starring James Franco, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Donnie Wahlberg, Roger Fan, and Chi McBride. The film revolves around Jake Huard, a young man who dreams of one day attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland...
and in 2007 he starred in Dead Silence
Dead Silence
Dead Silence is a 2007 horror film, directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, the creators of Saw...
with True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
star Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Christian Kwanten is an Australian actor. He played Vinnie Patterson from 1997 to 2002 on the Australian soap-opera Home and Away...
also in 2007 starring opposite John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo
Jonathan Alberto "John" Leguizamo is an Colombian-American actor, producer, voice artist, and comedian.-Early life:...
on the TV series The Kill Point
The Kill Point
The Kill Point is a television series that follows a group of U.S. Marines recently returned from serving in Iraq as they come together to pull off a major bank heist of a Three Rivers Bank branch in Pittsburgh. The series, produced by Mandeville Films and Lionsgate Television, is the first drama...
. The pair went on to co-star with Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
and Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
in the 2008 film Righteous Kill
Righteous Kill
Righteous Kill is a 2008 crime thriller film with elements of a buddy cop film directed by Jon Avnet, and starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Righteous Kill also features John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson...
. In 2010 he starred alongside Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
in the television series Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods (TV series)
Blue Bloods is an American police procedural/drama series on CBS, filmed on location in New York City. The show premiered on September 24, 2010, with episodes airing on Fridays at 10:00 pm Eastern and Pacific/9:00 PM Central and Mountain....
.
Discography
- New Kids on the BlockNew Kids on the Block (album)New Kids on the Block is the self-titled debut album from American pop boy band New Kids on the Block.Released in the spring of 1986, its very bubble-gum, pseudo early Osmonds/New Edition-esque stylings failed to garner any attention. As a result, the album went commercially unnoticed...
(1986) - Hangin' ToughHangin' Tough-Production:*Executive Producer: Cecil Holmes*Arranged & Produced By Maurice Starr*Associate Producers: Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg & Danny Wood*Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Phil Greene, Richard Mendelson, Maurice Starr, Hediki Sunada & Danny Wood...
(1988) - Merry, Merry ChristmasMerry, Merry Christmas- Singles :* "This One's for the Children" – August 12, 1989* "Funky, Funky Xmas" – December 20, 1989- Chart positions :...
(1989) - Step by Step (1990)
- No More Games/The Remix AlbumNo More Games/The Remix AlbumNo More Games/The Remix Album is a remix album from pop group New Kids on the Block. It peaked at #19 on the U.S. Billboard 200.By early 1991, the ever-shifting status of musical trends had begun to take its toll on the enormous popularity of the New Kids on the Block. Only two years before, the...
(1991) - Face the MusicFace The Music (New Kids on the Block album)Face the Music is the fourth studio album by New Kids on the Block, released in January 1994. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold 138,000 copies in the U.S.-Album history:...
(1994) - The BlockThe Block (album)The Block is the fifth studio album by New Kids on the Block. The album was released on September 2, 2008, along with a deluxe edition that included four bonus tracks. It sold 100,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number one on the U.S. Top Pop Albums chart and at number two on...
(2008)
With Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
- NKOTBSB (2011)
See also
- New Kids on the BlecchNew Kids on the Blecch"New Kids on the Blecch" is the fourteenth episode from the twelfth season of The Simpsons. In the episode, a music producer selects Bart, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph to be members of the next hit boyband, who record subliminal songs about joining the Navy....
- Boy bandBoy bandA boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart