If you thought that boy bands were just a phase, we’ve got some bad news for you; they aren’t. In fact, one of the original boy bands, New Kids on the Block, are still “Hangin’ Tough.” Despite an extended hiatus when we thought they had disappeared, New Kids on the Block are still making music, touring, and entertaining multiple generations of fans. The same five heartthrobs: Jonathan, Jordan, Joey, Donnie, and Danny, who helped define the music scene of the late 1980s and early 90s, are still together. Every couple of years, New Kids on the Block hit the road for another tour, giving fans the chance to re-live the good old days and form some new memories with one of the greatest boy bands of all time.

Taking the World By Storm

Looking back, it’s almost hard to believe that five kids from the Boston area became such an international sensation. New Kids on the Block was created to follow in the footsteps of fellow Bostonians New Edition. However, they seemed destined for failure after their first album tanked. On the verge of being released from their record deal, out of nowhere their song “Please Don’t Go Girl” became a hit. The rest, as they say, is history, as NKOTB then put together a string of hits and even earned a Grammy nomination. New Kids on the Block became international sensations and inadvertently set the stage for future generations of boy bands to flourish.

The Second Act

The emergence of grunge and rap in the early and mid-90s all but killed New Kids on the Block. But the group wouldn’t go away forever. In 2008, Jonathan, Jordan, Joey, Donnie, and Danny got the band back together, reinventing themselves while also using the same flair that made them successful in the 80s and 90s. While older and more mature, NKOTB proved that they still brought a lot to the table and had a loyal fanbase that hadn’t forgotten about the good old days. In more than a decade since their reunion, New Kids on the Block has released multiple albums and continues to tour, sometimes bringing along the likes of the Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, Nelly. Nowadays, New Kids on the Block shows create just the right amount of nostalgia while also reminding fans that boy bands are here to stay.