New Kids on the Block Weren't Always Called That
American boy band New Kids on the Block (NKOTB)—the boys behind popular hits such as Step by Step, You Got It (The Right Stuff), and I'll Be Loving You (Forever)—recently appeared on Kelly Clarkson's show to promote their upcoming album Still Kids, set to release on May 17. Their new single from the said album, titled Kids, is currently available for streaming on various platforms, and its music video can also be found on YouTube.Â
Formed in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr, the teenage pop musical act achieved worldwide fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s with a mix of pop and R&B tunes, choreographed dance moves, and a clean-cut image aimed at a teenage audience. They embodied the quintessential boy band phenomenon of that era.
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Their name sticks like the catchiest chorus—you can't imagine them being called anything else. They've even got a rap track shouting out their own name. Yet, the boys' die-hard fans showed up at Clarkson's show wearing shirts with a different set of letters instead of NKOTB.
"NYNUK?" the American Idol winner-turned-talk show host squints, puzzling over the letters on the fans' shirts.
"That's why we changed it," says Dohnnie Wahlberg, the band's charismatic frontman. Everyone bursts into laughter.
NKOTB during their guesting on Kelly Clarkson's show
"No one can say it," adds Jordan Knight. It turns out it was supposed to sound like "na-nook," not "nai-nook."
"So, NYNUK could have been plastered over my bedroom walls?" Clarkson, a self-proclaimed superfan, says amusedly.
The guys then reveal it was Starr's brainchild, aiming for a vibe similar to Menudo—they were the talk of the town then, after all. Starr wanted something that echoed Menudo's catchy ring.
Wahlberg says they couldn't stand the name NYNUK, and no one could even say it right. "We kept saying, 'Why not call ourselves New Kids on the Block?' We kept tossing the idea around. Eventually, we called up our producer. We told him, 'You've got to change the name.' He was like, 'Okay, okay, fine.' And that's how they agreed to change it."
The conversation took a nostalgic turn when Clarkson asked about the memorabilia they've held dear. Wahlberg still has his iconic ripped jeans, a revelation he made in a previous episode of Clarkson's show.
"I had this hat with a cut-out at the top for my hair to stick out. Believe it or not, I've still got that," McIntyre shares.
Jordan says he's kept his rat tails tucked away somewhere. His brother Jonathan, on the other hand, parted with most of their NKOTB memorabilia but held onto a few cherished gold record awards.
The conversation then shifted to their new album, which the group is very excited about. "The cool thing about being together for so long is that we've really established our identity. We kind of have a stamp, which is cool," says McIntyre.
"It's a great album. I don't want to oversell it, but Blockheads, you're going to love it. It's just that it really has all the feels of all the decades of New Kids. It talks about our journey together and with them, yeah, 14 songs. You'll be happy," says Wahlberg.Â
The group is also busy preparing for their Still Kids tour, which starts in June.How different is it from their Magic Summer Tour in 1990?
"I think the magic now lies in the bond that we share among ourselves and with our fans. That energy is just so special," says Wahlberg. "This whole journey is set to be an incredibly special experience. Every chance we get to perform together and for our fans feels like a gift. And to think, back when we were NYNUK, who could have imagined any of this would happen?"
