Look. I don’t use the word “iconic” lightly. But NKOTB were the moment. They invented the boy band blueprint before it was algorithmically manufactured. They walked so NSYNC could run, so One Direction could sprint, so BTS could ascend to another dimension entirely.
And now? The New Kids have become the Never Kids. As in: never aging, never irrelevant, never fully going away, no matter how many times pop culture tried to replace them with newer, shinier models. They’re like the denim jacket of music: maybe not always trendy, but never not cool.
Let’s set the stage: it’s the late ’80s. Your hair is crunchy with mousse. Your TV is showing a Blockbuster rental of Beetlejuice. And your walls? Absolutely plastered in Tiger Beat pull-outs of Joey, Jordan, Jonathan, Donnie, and Danny. Each of us had a favorite. Each of us had opinions. And if someone told you Joey McIntyre wasn’t the cutest, you were legally required to end that friendship. Middle school rules.
And now, in 2025, those same five guys are gearing up to give us another era. A new tour. A documentary. And most likely a new wave of TikTok dance trends involving 40-somethings recreating “Step by Step” in orthopedic sneakers.
And I don’t say this ironically - I say this with tears in my eyes and snacks in my purse: I’m so ready.
Because let’s be honest, they never really left, did they? They’ve been doing shows here and there. Cruise ships. Nostalgia fests. The occasional TV guest spot that makes you shout “IS THAT JORDAN KNIGHT?!” like a deranged game show contestant. But this year feels different. It’s a full-court press. It’s coordinated. It’s celebratory. And it’s incredibly smart.
They know their audience. We’re not 13 anymore. We’re mortgage-holding, multitasking, emotionally frayed adults who need something pure in our lives. And what’s purer than screaming along to “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” while your aging hips try not to salsa themselves into traction?
And listen, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Donnie. Because how can you not? He’s Donnie Wahlberg - the NKOTB member who successfully puffed out of everything from Blue Bloods to that reality show with Jenny McCarthy to literally haunting me in The Sixth Sense. Yes. Haunting. I was fine with him being the “bad boy” in the group. I was not fine with him turning into the guy who shoots Bruce Willis in a horror movie; I was definitely too fragile to watch.
But in true Donnie fashion, he managed to make it work. He turned a cameo into an acting career, a burger franchise, a marriage, and now a triumphant return to the stage. He’s like if Guy Fieri had eyeliner and a backflip.
Back in the day, we chose our New Kid the way people choose Pokémon starters. You didn’t just like Jordan- you were a Jordan girl. It was a lifestyle. You drew hearts around his name. You practiced writing “Mrs. Knight” in your notebook until your math teacher got concerned. Now? We're older. Wiser. We no longer argue about who’s cutest. We argue about who’s most likely to still remember the dance moves without pulling a hamstring.
And if you think this comeback is just for the fans who never stopped loving them, think again. This is a multigenerational event now. You’ve got moms bringing their kids. You’ve got teenagers discovering the band through TikTok edits. You’ve got entire families learning the “Hangin’ Tough” chorus like it’s the modern-day Pledge of Allegiance. It's wholesome. It's chaotic. It's exactly what we need in a timeline this unhinged.
Also, and I say this with scientific certainty, no other band in history has been more committed to coordinated outfits. Nobody. Not even ABBA. These men will show up in five matching jackets like it’s still 1989, and I respect that deeply. You give me matching denim and synchronized finger points? I will give you my entire heart and a standing ovation.
And if you’re reading this thinking, “Wait, am I too old for this?” let me stop you right there. The answer is no. You are not too old to feel joy. You are not too old to scream “Step One: We Can Have Lots of Fun” with your whole chest. You are not too old to relive the moment Jordan hit that high note and you blacked out from swooning.
Pop culture has moved fast. Too fast. We’re all trying to keep up with whatever new trend is yelling at us. But NKOTB? They’re not yelling. They’re just reminding us in perfect harmony that it’s okay to love what you used to love.
So yes, I’ll be at the show. I’ll be emotionally unprepared. I’ll be singing every word.
Because New Kids on the Block are back.
And this time, we’ve got better seats.
And looser pants.
