The ‘80s are back with the re-emergence of The New Kids on the Block, only this time the boys are all grown up. Fans in San Diego blasted back to the era of tight spandex, neon headbands and cheesy workout videos when the popular group performed at Cox Arena recently. There was the same energy and hyper dance moves first introduced years past, and there were the familiar admiring screams from the ladies as soon as N.K.O.T.B. took the stage. Their hiatus may have seemed like ages, but the New Kids' comeback has been one of the most anticipated in the music industry. For more information on their upcoming performance schedule, check out http://www.stubhub.com/new-kids-on-the-block-tickets.

Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood are back. Certainly no longer the “new kids,” they have matured and have a much more polished and sophisticated style. They are no longer the poster-boys for adolescent teenage girls, but have also become the new hot crushes for 30 year olds, who initially grew up cutting out magazine photographs of the boys and pinning them to their bedroom walls.

The New Kids on the Block were revolutionary in that they pioneered the way for follow-up boy bands like the Backstreet Boys, Take That and *NSYNC. The phenomenon lasted through the late 1990s, although it started tapering off as most band members wanted to pursue solo careers. N.K.O.T.B., however, might be starting a new trend again: reunion tours of prominent boy bands, perhaps? Check out the not-so-new kids by obtaining a pair of New Kids on the Block tickets. Don't forget to invite all of your girlfriends along to see this magnetic pop group and sing along to their greatest hits.

The New Kids released their self-titled debut album in April 1986. What emerged from the record was a surge of bubble-gum pop music that would come to define the decade. Initially the album was a flop, but nothing seemed to discourage the determined boys, who believed they were well on their way to becoming famous musicians. They were right. Their second album, Hangin' Tough, although it got off to a slow start, eventually produced some singles that listeners took note of. Their second single, in particular, “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” took off and became a favorite on the radio and on MTV. Their next single, “I'll Be Loving You (Forever),” reached the coveted number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in June 1989, forecasting future successes for the emerging boy band.

They continued to dazzle their devoted fans with the album Step by Step and remained on the tour circuit, launching an extravagant concert tour in 1990 called The Magic Summer Tour. In what seemed like no time at all, they went from being virtually unheard of to some of the highest paid musicians “on the block.”

Their popularity waned in the mid-1990s, and they stopped producing records for more than a decade…until now. September 2008 saw the release of The Block, signaling N.K.O.T.B's return to the neighborhood.