1985年，來自波士頓的5個稚氣未脫，清新帥氣的男孩組成了一支叫“New Kids On The Block（新街邊男孩）”的流行樂團，他們活力十足、外貌討喜，樂團當中年紀最小的Joey McIntyre剛剛14歲，而年紀最長的Jonathan Knight也才18歲，他們不象前輩那樣憤世嫉俗，也不追求另類嘻皮，朋克，不以新奇異怪的造型來吸引人的眼球，他們就憑著他們滿身的稚氣，稚氣的形象，稚氣的嗓音來打動人，感染人，僅僅出道一年，他們的音樂就象一陣龍卷風，席卷了全美每一個角落，他們健康純真的形象，甜美無邪的歌聲也走進了每一個10-20歲年輕人的心田，同時也向世界宣布，少男少女們有了只屬于自己的音樂，只屬于自己的流行團體，他們的出現和成功也定義了隨后10多年中歐美層出不窮的男孩組合的模式：5名成員、彼此年齡跨度在5年以內、中性的外形設計、只演唱他人創作的歌曲、擅長舞蹈，也許你沒想到，NKOTB就是當代eenagePop Group的老祖宗，我們心中已成永恒的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.