New Kids on the Block MP3

From LoveToKnow Music

New Kids On The Block MP3 downloads have soared in popularity in recent years, thanks to the reunion of the incredibly popular boy band. Whether you are an old school New Kids On The Block fan who had all of the fan gear the first time around or you have just discovered the boys for the first time, there are tons of sources online for all of your New Kids On The Block downloading needs.

About New Kids On The Block

Picture it – the late 80s. Hip hop is starting to gain mainstream acceptance, hair bands are ruling the airwaves, and grunge is just around the corner. Then, five kids from Boston hit the scene with a little sugary pop number called Please Don’t Go Girl, and preteen girls across the world swoon. A phenomenon was born, and a music merchandise marketing campaign the likes of which the world had never seen before was launched.

But wait – the story of the New Kids actually pre-dates this breakthrough success with Please Don’t Go Girl and the album Hangin’ Tough. In fact, the boy band came very close to being dropped by their record label right before they took off.

New Kids On The Block was formed in 1984 by Maurice Starr, who was the brains behind early/mid 80s R&B boy band success story New Edition. When New Edition dumped Starr, he decided to try and repeat the pattern, this time with a white group. Like most boy/girl pop groups, New Kids On The Block was assembled through a series of auditions, although it turned out some of the boys did know each other before the group was finalized (including, of course, brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight). Starr called the group Nynuk.

One interesting point to note about the New Kids at this stage is that ladies' favorite Joey McIntryre almost didn’t make it into the group. The first person to hold the “Joey” role was Mark Wahlberg – yes, that Mark Wahlberg. Mark decided that the group was too pop for him, and of course, eventually moved on to an acting career (though not before dropping Good Vibrations on us with Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch – something he refuses to talk about these days).

After Mark Wahlberg quit, Jaimie Kelly joined the group. Starr felt Kelley was not dedicated enough and fired him. Only then did Joey McIntrye get his shot, and the rest is pre-teen pin up history.

Columbia Records signed the group, with one caveat – they change their name. They settled on New Kids On The Block and released a self titled album in 1986. This release was a flop at the time, though in subsequent years it would go on to achieve triple platinum status.

The second album – Hangin’ Tough – was released in 1988. It failed to make an impact, and the group was just about to get dropped by their label when a Florida radio station started playing Please Don’t Go Girl. Listeners responded in a big way, and soon every radio station in the country was all over the album.

TV appearances, music awards and sell out concert tours followed. The next release, Step by Step was a success, but tastes changed in the early 90s and the group fell out of favor (though not before selling over 70 million albums). A last ditch attempt in the mid-90s with the album Face the Music was met with a lukewarm reception, and once Jonathan Knight began experiencing panic attacks before performing, the group officially called it a day.

Until 2008, that is. That year, the band decided to reform for a series of concerts and to release a new album, The Block. As of writing, The Block has gone gold and there are more tour plans in the works.