50 Fun Facts About New Kids on the Block

New Kids on the Block hail from which Boston neighborhood?

Donnie Wahlberg was 15 when the producer picked him for his rapping, and he recruited school friends to fill out the group.

Which producer, who had earlier guided New Edition, put New Kids on the Block together in 1984?

Born Larry Johnson in DeLand, Florida, he had been fired by New Edition for embezzling funds.

Which two members of New Kids on the Block are brothers?

Jonathan followed his younger brother Jordan into the group.

What was the group originally called before settling on New Kids on the Block?

The band's official biographer called the name "meaningless"; Rolling Stone guessed it referenced Nanook of the North.

The name New Kids on the Block came from what?

The group was signed to Columbia's black music division and first marketed to black audiences.

Which future movie star was briefly a New Kid before leaving?

Wahlberg and Danny Wood later co-produced Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch's debut album, Music for the People.

How old was Joey McIntyre when he joined the group as its youngest member?

Starr had been searching for a Michael Jackson-style singer to replace early member Jamie Kelly.

What was the group's first hit, a 1988 ballad that reached No. 10 on the Hot 100?

Columbia reshot its video and mailed copies to thousands of radio stations to show off the group's looks.

Which 1988 album made New Kids on the Block superstars, spending 132 weeks on the Billboard chart?

It went eight-times platinum and won two American Music Awards in January 1990.

Which single gave New Kids on the Block their first Billboard Hot 100 number one, in June 1989?

More top-five hits from the same album followed, including the title track and "Cover Girl".

Which of the group's singles became its biggest seller, hitting number one in 1990?

Just over half of the songs on the album of the same name were co-written and produced by the members themselves.

What was the name of the group's top-ten 1989 holiday album?

It went double platinum and produced the top-ten hit "This One's for the Children".

Which Massachusetts governor declared April 24, 1989 "New Kids on the Block Day"?

He had just lost the 1988 presidential election to George H. W. Bush.

Roughly how many calls a week did the group's 1-900 hotline receive at its peak?

Their official fan club had more than 200,000 members, one of the largest in the country.

Why did TV viewers miss New Kids on the Block's Super Bowl XXV halftime show in 1991?

ABC aired George H. W. Bush addressing the nation on the Gulf War instead.

Which network aired the New Kids on the Block Saturday-morning cartoon in 1990?

DIC animated it; the managers in the show were based on the group's real-life producer.

Which soft-drink company sponsored the group's 1990 Magic Summer Tour?

They were playing an estimated 200 concerts a year at the time.

In 1992 the group sued a former associate producer for defamation over what allegation?

Greg McPherson, a Berklee teacher, made the claim; sales were already sliding as grunge and gangsta rap took over.

What did the group shorten its name to in 1993 after splitting from its producer?

Their 1994 album was a musical departure; the group disbanded later that year.

What was the title of the group's fourth studio album, released in January 1994?

It was their first studio album in almost four years and their last before the split.

Which member left the band in 1994 after suffering panic attacks and anxiety?

He also stayed away from the first reunion attempts before agreeing to VH1's Bands Reunited approach in 2004.

In which year did New Kids on the Block officially reunite and confirm a new album and tour?

Donnie Wahlberg broke the news to CNN in April; the album The Block reached No. 2 that September.

Which R&B singer featured on the 2008 comeback single "Single"?

The Block was the group's first studio album in 14 years.

Where did the 2008 reunion tour open on September 18?

The Air Canada Centre hosted the first night of New Kids on the Block: Live.

Since 2009 the group has hosted an annual fan event of what kind?

The first sailed from Miami to the Bahamas; later ones sold out the day tickets went on sale.

With which boy band did New Kids on the Block form a supergroup in 2011, merging initials?

Howie Dorough coined the name by combining the two groups' initials.

What was the title of the group's 2013 studio album, which debuted at No. 6?

It was their fifth top-ten studio album in the US; the single was "Remix (I Like The)".

Which two acts opened for the group on 2013's The Package Tour?

The Total Package Tour with Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul followed in 2017.

The group's 2019 Mixtape Tour featured 1980s stars including Debbie Gibson and which of these?

Salt-N-Pepa and Naughty by Nature were also on the bill; a 2022 edition added Rick Astley and En Vogue.

The group's 2022 single "Bring Back the Time" featured which three acts?

Its video parodies 1980s classics from "Whip It" to "Beat It".

What is the title of the group's eighth album, released in May 2024?

They then embarked on a second Magic Summer Tour with Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

What is the name of the group's Las Vegas residency that opened in June 2025?

It runs at Dolby Live at Park MGM.

Which Boston ballpark did the group play in August 2021 with Bell Biv DeVoe?

Joey McIntyre's son Griffin was a surprise guest.

What are New Kids on the Block fans known as?

The group has sold more than 80 million records worldwide.

In which year did New Kids on the Block receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

They were selected in June 2012 among 24 celebrities for the 2013 class.

Donnie Wahlberg has played Detective Danny Reagan on which long-running CBS drama?

He also appeared in The Sixth Sense, the Saw films and Band of Brothers, and starred in the reality show Wahlburgers.

Donnie Wahlberg is one of how many children in the Wahlberg family?

He is the eighth, with Mark the youngest.

What was Jordan Knight's best-known solo hit, released in 1999?

His falsetto style was influenced by the Stylistics.

Joey McIntyre paid for and sold his first solo album himself. What was it called?

Unable to land a record deal, he sold it from his own website.

The group's 1989 concert film for home release earned a nomination in which Grammy category?

It was one of the biggest-selling music videos of all time.

What rare chart feat did NKOTB achieve with 'Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)', 'Cover Girl' and 'This One's for the Children'?

The three songs came from three separate albums released within about a year.

Roughly how many records have New Kids on the Block sold worldwide?

They are often credited with paving the way for Take That, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.

Which early member, a school friend of Donnie Wahlberg, left the group before it found fame?

His departure prompted the search for a Michael Jackson-style singer that brought in 12-year-old Joey McIntyre.

What was the first single from the group's 1986 self-titled debut album?

It got minor airplay around Boston but failed nationally; the follow-up 'Stop It Girl' did even worse.

Which teen-pop star did the New Kids open for on tour before their fame forced a role reversal?

Scheduled to open for her again on a second tour, their sudden popularity meant she ended up opening for them.

Which Delfonics classic did the group cover for a No. 8 hit in 1989?

It was lifted from their overlooked debut album, and its success jump-started sales of that record too.

Proceeds from the group's 1989 Christmas album went to which charity?

Merry, Merry Christmas went double platinum and spawned the top-ten hit 'This One's for the Children'.

How much did the 1990 Magic Summer Tour gross?

With 3.2 million attendees, it made them the top-grossing touring act in the country at the time.

Which 'Step by Step' track went to number one in Japan?

'Let's Try It Again' hit No. 8 in the UK, and the album sold close to 20 million copies worldwide.

Which two acts supported New Kids on the Block on the US leg of their 2008 reunion tour?

The tour opened at Toronto's Air Canada Centre on September 18, 2008; McCartney and Jabbawockeez joined the 2009 Full Service Tour instead.