New Kids on the Block is a boy band that rose to fame in the late 80s. Some of their best hits include “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)”, “Hangin’ Tough”, “Step by Step”, “Cover Girl”, and “Tonight.” What happened to them? Where are they now in 2026?
The Band’s Early Days
In the early 1980s, music producer Maurice Starr put together an R&B boy band called New Edition. After severing ties with the group, he and his business partner sought to create a white counterpart; they would later become known as the New Kids on the Block.
Several teens auditioned for the new group but only a few made it into the lineup. One of these aspiring artists was 15-year-old Donnie Wahlberg, who impressed Starr and Alford with his rapping skills; he would become the band’s first member.
Donnie later invited his school friends Jordan Knight, Danny Wood, and Jamie Kelly into the group. His younger brother Mark also joined for a brief period before leaving. Knight also recruited his older brother Jonathan Knight. However, Kelly soon left the band, which prompted them to launch a search for a replacement singer. They eventually decided on 12-year-old Joey McIntyre. While he initially struggled to fit in with the rest of the members, he was able to find his place later on.
With the line-up finalized, they began rehearsing after school and on weekends. With Starr’s connections, they were also able to land a recording deal with Columbia Record’s black music division.
Interestingly enough, the boy band was initially called Nynuk. It wasn’t until Columbia Records demanded that they change their name that they decided on New Kids on the Block, which is a reference to one of Donnie Wahlberg’s rap songs.
Making Their Music Debut
The group released their self-titled debut album New Kids on the Block, which was written and produced exclusively by Maurice Starr, on April 1, 1986. It featured ten songs including “I Wanna BE Loved by You”, “Treat Me Right”, “Stop It Girl”, “Treat Me Right”, and “Are You Down”. It also spawned three singles: “Be My Girl”, “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”, and “Stop It, Girl”.
To promote the album, the boys also toured the New England states, singing in school dances, clubs, and bars.
However, the album (and its subsequent singles) failed to garner any attention and was considered a flop at the time of its release. It wasn’t until 1989 when Columbia Records released the track “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind)” as an international single, that album sales exploded. Not only did the album reach number 25 on the US Billboard 200, but it also charted in Canada, Europe, France, Japan, Finland, and the UK.
And by the end of the year, it had sold more than three million copies in the United States, which earned it 3x platinum certification from the RIAA. It was also certified 3x platinum in Canada and gold in the UK for exceeding 300,000 and 100,000 sales respectively.
The Second Studio Album
Columbia Records had originally planned on dropping the group after their debut album, which was considered a commercial failure, but Maurice Starr convinced them to let the group record a second album.
Titled, Hangin’ Tough, the album, which featured urban contemporary material blended with popular rock, was released two years later on August 12, 1988. Unlike their previous work, it was a huge success and is widely considered their breakthrough album. Produced by Starr, the release consisted of ten new tracks including “My Favorite Girl”, “I Remember When”‘, “Cover Girl”, “Please Don’t Go Girl”, and “You Got It (The Right Stuff).
The album also spawned five singles: “Please Don’t Go Girl”, “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, “Hangin’ Tough”, and “Cover Girl”, all of which charted within the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart (they were the first teen act to accomplish such a feat at a time). They were also accompanied by music videos, which helped boost their already rising popularity.
To promote the album, they also embarked on several promotional tours, which sent them performing in a number of different states. Around the same time, they also released a home-media video titled, New Kids on the Block: Hangin’ Tough, which centered around the group’s early career.
By the end of the year, the album had reached number one on the US Billboard 200 charts, in addition to having charted in over a dozen different countries including Australia, France, Germany, Spain, New Zealand, Iceland, and Norway. Not only that but it also climbed to number two on the Canadian Albums Chart and the UK Albums Chart, and received 8x platinum certification from the RIAA, making it one of the best-selling albums of the year.
That’s not all, the album also received two American Music Awards and one Grammy Award nomination. To date, it remains to be their most successful album, having sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
In September 1989, the group also released a Christmas album titled, Merry, Merry Christmas, which consisted of both cover and original songs. Some of the tracks include “This One’s for the Children”, “White Christmas”, “This One’s for the Children (reprise)”, “Funky, Funky Xmas”, and “I’ll be Missin You Come Christmas (A Letter to Santa)”. It also spawned the top-ten single, “This One’s for the Children”.
Another major hit, the album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and charted in several other countries including the UK, Australia, Europe, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Canada. And by the end of the year, it had surpassed two million certified unit sales in the US, which earned it 2x platinum from the RIAA.
Their Fourth Album and Lip-Syncing Allegations
Their fourth studio album Step by Step was released on June 5, 1990. At the time, the group was at the peak of its popularity; even before the album was released, they had received preorders of over two million copies, which put pressure on Columbia Records’ pressing plants.
Recorded at New York City’s Unique Recording Studios, the album consisted of twelve tracks, all of which were written by Maurice Starr, including “Baby, I Believe in You”, “Games”, “Funny Feeling”, “Never Gonna Fall In Love Again”, “Where Do I Go From Here”, Happy Birthday”, and “Step by Step”. It also spawned four singles, several of which went on to chart within the top ten.
To support the album, the boys not only embarked on an ambitious world tour but also released a third home video titled, Step by Step, which received over 500,000 pre-orders, making it the largest shipment of home videos for the company at the time.
By the end of the year, the album had received 3x platinum status in the United States for having exceeded three million sales. Not only that but it also received 7x platinum certification in Canada and platinum certification in France, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, Austria, and Spain.
While they didn’t release any new music in 1991, they toured Asia and Europe extensively. And in 1992, they released a stand-alone single titled, “If You Go Away”, which reached number 16 on the US music charts.
Just as their popularity was still exploding, however, they were accused of lip-syncing by Gregory McPherson, who worked as a string arranger and associate producer for their fourth album. He also filed a creative infringement and breach of contract lawsuit against Star.
The band immediately responded to the allegations in the middle of their tour, admitting that they did sing with a backing track during their live concerts. This led to a backlash, which subsequently led to a decline in album sales.
Their Fifth Album and Eventual Split-up
The group eventually split from Maurice Starr and shortened the name of the band to NKOTB. Not long afterward, they released their fifth album, Face the Music.
Their first album in nearly four years, it featured fourtten tracks, all of which were co-produced and written by the group. Some of the titles include “Keep on Smilin'”, “Keepin’ My Fingers Crossed”, “Let’s Play House”, “I’ll be Waitin'”, “I Can’t Believe It’s Over”, and “Intro: Face the Music”. It also led to the release of three singles: “If You Go Away”, “Never Let Go”, and “Dirty Dwag.”
While the album received praise from critics, however, it was ultimately a flop, having failed to live up to their previous successes. In the United States, it charted at number 37 on the Billboard 200; it also charted at number 36 on the UK music chart.
To promote the album, NKOTB began performing at smaller venues such as theaters and clubs, as opposed to the stadiums and arenas they used to. This ultimately led to increased anxiety and panic attacks for Jonathan Knight, which later prompted him to leave the group.
Not long afterward, the remaining members decided to disband.
Subsequent Reunions and Albums
In 2008, it was confirmed that the group would be reuniting for a new album. They subsequently released the single “Summertime” on May 13, 2008. Their first new song since 1994. it peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart and was accompanied by a music video that was directed by Donnie Wahlberg and Thomas Kloss.
Not long afterward, they released a second single titled, “Single”, which featured guest vocals by Ne-Yo.
Their sixth studio album, The Block, soon followed. Released on September 2, 2008, it included thirteen tracks including “Dirty Dancing”, “Grown Man”, “2 in the Morning”, “Full Service”, “Stare at You”, and “Sexify my Life.”
To support the album, they also embarked on a reunion tour, which consisted of 48 total shows across North America and Europe.
Since then, they’ve come out with a seventh studio album titled, 10. Released on April 2, 2013, the album was released independently and consisted of 12 tracks including “Back to Life”, “Now or Never”, “Survive You”, “Wasted on You”, “Take My Breath Away”, “The Whisper”, and “We Own Tonight.”It also came with a hidden track titled, “Let’s Go Out with a Bang.”
While the album received mixed reviews, it was a commercial success, having charted at number six on the Billboard 200.
What’s New Kids on the Block Doing Now in 2026 – Recent Updates
The group has gone on a number of tours since then, including The Total Package Tour, which they headlined with Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul.
In December 2017, they also released an extended play titled, Thankful (Unwrapped), which came with five tracks: “Hard (Not Luvin U)”, “Thankful”, “One More Night”, “Heartbeat”, and “Still Sounds Good”.
More recently in 2019, they also hit the road for the Mixtape tour, which kicked off in Cincinnati, Ohio. Aside from NKOTB, it also featured performances from Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Salt-N-Pepa, and Naughty by Nature.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the group also released a new single titled “House Party (ft. Boyz II Men, Jordin Sparks, Big Freedia, Naughty by Nature)”, which climbed to number five on the Digital Songs chart.
In March 2022, they also uploaded a music video for their song “Bring Back in Time”, which features appearances from En Vogue, Rick Astley, and Salt-N-Pepa.
And of course, the members have their own endeavors as well, in addition to their work with the group.
What is Jordan Knight Up to Now?
Jordan Knight has been hosting the HGTV reality show Farmhouse Fixer, where he restores century-old farmhouses, since March 2021.
In August 2022, it was also revealed that he and his partner Harley Rodriguez are married.
What is Joey McIntyre Up to Now?
In 2021, he announced during an Instagram Live that he would be releasing a collaborative single titled “Lost In Your Eyes: The Duet” with Debbie Gibson. He also revealed that he would be doing a mini residence in Las Vegas.
In 2017, he also started a podcast called The Move with Joey McIntyre, where he talks with various guests about their most moving experiences.
What is Donnie Wahlberg Up to Now?
Donnie Wahlberg appeared in the fifth season of The Maked singer as the rooster, which gave the viewers clues about the contestants’ identities.
Since 2019, he has also been hosting the true-crime podcast series Very Scary People.
What is Danny Wood Up to Now?
Danny Wood maintains an active YouTube channel, which he updates once a week on Tuesdays. Not only does he share fitness content but he also uses the site to share food and other fun content with his fans. As of writing this post, he has nearly 27,000 subscribers.
