Written by Staff Writer
CNN Staff Writer
New Edition and New Kids on the Block continue to perform shows. The group is set to release a sequel album, entitled “Moonshine in the Trunk,” in the U.S. on January 25, while NKOTB’s “Victorious” tour is in the works for summer 2020.
A couple of decades ago, classic boy bands New Edition and New Kids on the Block were the biggest things on the charts. New Edition formed in Boston in 1984, and New Kids arrived on the scene in 1989, with its more introspective sound.
Since their 1991 crossover hit “Bye Bye Bye,” it has not been difficult to pinpoint which boy band was the biggest. It is hard to argue with the decade-long reign of New Kids — Billboard ranks New Kids third in the year 2000 — though there are a few available singles in the mix that seem to top others. The single “Cover Girl” edges New Kids’ “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” and “Hangin’ Tough” by Jimmy Buffet.
Although teen stars, both boy bands enjoyed careers that were indelible, and the backlash from critics in the wake of their rise can be perceived as rash, a crucial passage in music is rare — especially in the case of boy bands.
D’Angelo, a rapper most famous for his song “Untitled,” released his debut in 1991, and named a number of albums in his career after popular beverage — most notably “Brown Sugar,” based on Starburst. “I’m on My Own” falls in between the two, followed by an inevitable slip back to the obscurity that each has explored in other works.