New Kids On The Block

After achieving success with New Edition, producer Maurice Starr returned to the well (in this case the rougher streets of Boston) in 1984 to uncover five more photogenic teens. With Joey, Jon, Jordan, Donnie, and Danny, quite possibly the ultimate boy band was born. A mixture of non-threateningly edgy veneer and bubblegum pop hooks, the New Kids on the Block ruled MTV and the pop charts from 1988 to 1991 with hits like "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" and "Hangin' Tough." The light initially dimmed following a failed reunion attempt as NKOTB, but the group's legacy endured, with imitators sprouting up for decades and a heavily anticipated reunion tour in 2008. Donnie (Wahlberg) would go on to have a fairly successful acting career.

• pop
• 1990s
• 1980s