by Alisha Jackson
By 1990, the New Kids on the Block had been stepping their way up the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 3 years. Then, in 1989, they finally hit #1 with “I’ll Be Loving You Forever”.
That same year, they enjoyed more number one success with their hit “Hangin’ Tough’, and during this week in 1990, “Step by Step”, the group’s biggest-selling single to date, hit number one.
Sadly, “Step by Step” was also NKOTB’s last #1 Hot 100 single in the U.S., but as any die-hard fan, or person living in the general vicinity of Boston knows, Donnie, Jordan, Jonathan, Danny and Joey continue to succeed as a boy band well into their forties.
And, they currently look like this:
(Photo by Grant Lamos IV/Getty Images)
Amen boys, amen.
Here are some fun throwback tidbits you may not have known about “Step By Step” and NKOTB!
1. Each new kid sings his own “step”.
Step 1: Danny Wood
Step 2: Donnie Wahlberg
Step 3: Jordan Knight
Step 4: Joey McIntyre
Step 5: Jonathan Knight
2. The song was originally recorded by another group.
“Step by Step” wasn’t written for NKOTB. Writer Maurice Starr originally gave the song to his group The Superiors, and they released it as a single in 1987.
It’s crazy how similar the two groups sound, and yet how The Superiors didn’t enjoy any success from their version.
3. Mark Wahlberg makes an appearance in the video.
There he is!!!
4. New Kids on the Block wasn’t the boy band’s original name.
Before Joey McIntyre came in and replaced Mark Wahlberg, who left on his own accord, the group was called “Nynuk”. Okay, how do you pronounce that? And what does it mean?
No, we’re really asking you. Do you know?
Fortunately, Columbia Records made the group change their name. The boy band chose “New Kids On the Block” after a rap song Donnie had written for the band.
5. The band replaced Tiffany on her own tour.
After opening for Tiffany on their first tour in 1989, the New Kids signed on to be her opener again. Between booking their second tour and kicking it off, the New Kids had released “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, and the rest was history.
Poor Tiffany was bumped from headliner to the opener of her own tour!
Those are your Throwback Tidbits for the 1990 hit, “Step by Step”! Check back next Thursday for a brand new #TBT!
