Donnie, Danny, Jonathan, Jordan, and Joey: they are Boston's own New Kids on the Block, an iconic boy band that sprang to the top of the charts (and into the hearts of millions of global fans) in the 1980s. Though each of the "kids" and the band itself has faced their ups and downs in the four decades since they came together, they continue to release new music and maintain a loyal fanbase lovingly known as "Blockheads."

In New Kids on the Block 40th Anniversary Celebration, music journalist and proud Blockhead Selena Fragassi delves into the band's origins--from their manager Maurice Starr bringing them together and their earliest influences--to their biggest successes in the 1980s and '90s, to their continued achievements today and the lasting legacy they've left in the boy-band canon. Along the way, readers will also explore:

• The creation of NKOTB's biggest hits, such as "Please Don't Go Girl" and "You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
• The fan culture that built up around the band, from the small gigs and mall tours of their earliest years to their inaugural fan convention in 2023
• NKOTB's influences, from R&B to pop, and their place in a boy-band history that begins with the Jackson 5 and continues in the modern day with bands like One Direction and BTS
• The lasting legacy of a band proudly celebrating their fortieth anniversary