New Kids On The Block

1985年，来自波士顿的5个稚气未脱，清新帅气的男孩组成了一支叫“New Kids On The Block（新街边男孩）”的流行乐团，他们活力十足、外貌讨喜，乐团当中年纪最小的Joey McIntyre刚刚14岁，而年纪最长的Jonathan Knight也才18岁，他们不象前辈那样愤世嫉俗，也不追求另类嘻皮，朋克，不以新奇异怪的造型来吸引人的眼球，他们就凭着他们满身的稚气，稚气的形象，稚气的嗓音来打动人，感染人，仅仅出道一年，他们的音乐就象一阵龙卷风，席卷了全美每一个角落，他们健康纯真的形象，甜美无邪的歌声也走进了每一个10-20岁年轻人的心田，同时也向世界宣布，少男少女们有了只属于自己的音乐，只属于自己的流行团体，他们的出现和成功也定义了随后10多年中欧美层出不穷的男孩组合的模式：5名成员、彼此年龄跨度在5年以内、中性的外形设计、只演唱他人创作的歌曲、擅长舞蹈，也许你没想到，NKOTB就是当代eenagePop Group的老祖宗，我们心中已成永恒的NKOTB。
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
After his success with New Edition, producer Maurice Starr decided to replicate the group, substituting suburban white kids for the young black teenagers. The result was New Kids on the Block, which quickly eclipsed the popularity of Starrs previous group. Comprising Boston-area singers Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jon Knight, Danny Wood, and Joe McIntyre, the New Kids were awkward and enthusiastic on their 1986 debut, which wasnt surprising considering that the oldest members were barely 16 years old. With their next album, 1988s Hangin Tough, the groups image had toughened up and they had the material to support it. From the saccharine ballad Ill Be Loving You Forever to the title tracks stab at funk, the band had a seemingly endless streak of hits in 1988 and 1989; their Christmas album even went double platinum. New Kid mania continued with 1990s Step by Step; even if it sold five million copies less than Hangin Tough, it still sold three million copies. But that was the end of the road for their short time in the sun — they were the subject of an endless amount of jokes and were getting no respect. Besides, their audience was growing up. In 1994, they returned with the Starr-less Face the Music, which actually showed a remarkable musical maturity — they were a credible urban R&B outfit — but hardly sold anything, even if they were packing theaters on tour. In June of 1994, the band announced that it had acrimoniously parted ways and all of the members were now pursuing solo careers.