Music Review: NKOTBSB – NKOTBSB

Last summer while the New Kids on the Block were wrapping up their latest tour at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, they surprised their audience by bringing out the Backstreet Boys. singing “I Want It That Way.” A handful of months later, it was announced that the two boy bands would be joining forces on a full-fledged tour.

Before heading out on their current summer tour, the supergroup came together to release a joint collection of greatest hits as chosen by their fans called NKOTBSB. The album consists of five New Kids on the Block songs, five Backstreet Boys songs, two all-new tracks, “All In My Head” and “Don’t Turn Out the Lights (D.T.O.T.L.),” and a mash-up of both groups’ hits.

Overall, I think this greatest hits album is a fantastic mix of hit songs from both groups. The only change I would make is to swap out Backstreet Boys’ “Larger Than Life” for their lead single off their Black And Blue LP, “The Shape of My Heart.”

As much as I love both of these groups’ greatest hits, the standout track for me on this set is the collective NKOTBSB single, “Don’t Turn Out the Lights (D.T.O.T.L.).” Written by the song’s producer, Emanuel Kiriakou, along with Claude Kelly, and Jess Cates, it’s one of the best-written pop songs that I have heard in awhile. The track earned an A- from Entertainment Weekly’s Sandra Gonzalez, who said NKOTBSB “reclaim their reputation for creating perfect, infectious pop tunes with this danceable debut single.” I couldn’t agree more.

If you’re a fan of both of these groups, the NKOTBSB album is basically a dream come true.

NKOTBSB is available now. For more information and current tour dates for NKOTBSB, check out their official website.

NKOTBSB Track listing

1. Step By Step – New Kids On The Block
2. I Want It That Way – Backstreet Boys
3. You Got It (The Right Stuff) – New Kids On The Block
4. Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys
5. Please Don’t Go Girl – New Kids On The Block
6. As Long As You Love Me – Backstreet Boys
7. Hangin’ Tough – New Kids On The Block
8. Larger Than Life – Backstreet Boys
9. I’ll Be Loving You (Forever) – New Kids On The Block
10. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) – Backstreet Boys
11. All In My Head – NKOTBSB
12. Don’t Turn Out The Lights (D.T.O.T.L.) – NKOTBSB
13. NKOTBSB Mash Up