Hangin' Tough
Studio album by
New Kids on the Block
ReleasedAugust 12, 1988 (1988-08-12)
Recorded1987–1988
Studio
Genre
Length42:02
LabelColumbia
ProducerMaurice Starr
New Kids on the Block chronology
New Kids on the Block
(1986)		 Hangin' Tough
(1988)		 Merry, Merry Christmas
(1989)
Singles from Hangin' Tough
  1. "Please Don't Go Girl"
    Released: April 16, 1988
  2. "You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
    Released: November 7, 1988
  3. "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)"
    Released: April 10, 1989
  4. "Hangin' Tough"
    Released: July 3, 1989
  5. "Cover Girl"
    Released: August 22, 1989

Hangin' Tough is the second studio album by American boy band New Kids on the Block, released on August 12, 1988, by Columbia Records. It is widely regarded as the group's breakthrough album, gaining positive reviews for their musical transition from bubblegum pop to urban contemporary, blended with popular rock music. The group's label had planned to end their contract when their 1986 debut garnered little commercial and critical attention, which nearly led to their breakup. However, Maurice Starr, the group's producer, diligently persuaded the label to let them record a second album.

Hangin' Tough led the group to success due to the emergence of their music to radio airplay and creation of music videos for each released single, showcasing the group's visual appeal. Their popularity was eventually built as they made TV appearances and embarked on promotional tours. By the end of 1989, the album topped the US Billboard 200 charts, while it peaked at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart that year and the UK Albums Chart the following year. The record has a home-media video release entitled New Kids on the Block: Hangin' Tough, which is a documentary musical film about the group's biographical career, released in 1989.[2] It also contains a series of music videos, live performances, and exclusive interviews from the group and their fans. The album and film received accolades: two American Music Awards and at least one Grammy Award nomination.

With sales of more than fifteen million copies worldwide, Hangin' Tough became the group's best-selling album and was certified Diamond in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), with sales of more than one million units, and 8× Platinum in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making it the country's second-best-selling album of 1989, behind Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel.[3] The record spawned five commercial singles: "Please Don't Go Girl", "You Got It (The Right Stuff)", "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)", "Hangin' Tough", and "Cover Girl". All were top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making NKOTB the first teen act to gain such chart success. An album titled More Hangin' Tough,, which included remixed and instrumental versions of the original songs, was issued in Japan. Following the 2019 release of the 30th Anniversary Edition of the album, which contains remixes of previous singles plus three newly recorded songs, the record re-entered the US Billboard 200 chart at number 18.[4]

Singles

Five singles were released from Hangin' Tough, starting with "Please Don't Go Girl", which came out in April 1988. The song was a major hit on radio stations nationwide and became the group's first top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number ten. The second single was "You Got It (The Right Stuff)", a worldwide hit that peaked at number three on the Billboard charts. "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)", a ballad, was the third single and became NKOTB's first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. The title track was released next and also reached number one. "Cover Girl" was the fifth released; it peaked at number two.

"My Favorite Girl" was issued in January 1990 as a promotional single sent to radio but was not made commercially available at retail.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Robert ChristgauC+[6]

The album received positive reviews from music critics. Dan Heilman and Bil Carpenter of AllMusic wrote, "Good songs collected by New Kids mastermind Maurice Starr highlight this smash, including 'I'll Be Loving You (Forever)', 'You Got It (The Right Stuff)', 'Please Don't Go Girl', and the title track. Tight, warm, even soulful harmony on the ballads."

Robert Christgau gave the album a C+ grade. He stated that:

At five million and counting, this isn't the rank offense its demographic tilt would lead you to expect—auteur Maurice Starr has positioned two exceedingly cute up-tempo hits atop two overly balladic sides. Really, why shouldn't a black svengali mastermind the safe white R&B ripoff for once? Funkier than the Osmonds or Milli Vanilli. As hip as New Edition.

Accolades

Hangin' Tough won two American Music Awards in January 1990 for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group, beating Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl and Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel in the Favorite Pop/Rock Album category, and Bon Jovi and Milli Vanilli in the Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group category. The Hangin' Tough music film was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Long Form (now called Best Music Film) at the 1990 Grammy Awards but lost to Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson, beating Eurythmics's Savage, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, and Pink Floyd's Delicate Sound of Thunder.

Track listing

All songs were produced by Maurice Starr.

Hangin' Touch track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."You Got It (The Right Stuff)"Maurice Starr
4:13
2."Please Don't Go Girl"Starr
4:31
3."I'll Be Loving You (Forever)"StarrJordan Knight4:28
4."Cover Girl"StarrDonnie Wahlberg4:08
5."I Need You"StarrDonnie Wahlberg3:38
6."Hangin' Tough"StarrDonnie Walhberg4:18
7."I Remember When"
  • Starr
  • Eban Kelly
  • Jimmy Randolph
Joey McIntyre4:13
8."What'cha Gonna Do (About It)"Starr
  • Jordan Knight
  • Donnie Wahlberg
  • Danny Wood
  • Joey McIntyre
3:59
9."My Favorite Girl"
  • Starr
  • Jordan Knight
  • Donnie Wahlberg
  • Danny Wood
  • Jordan Knight
  • Danny Wood
5:33
10."Hold On"StarrDanny Wood3:39
More Hangin' Tough
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Please Don't Go Girl" (remix)Maurice Starr4:43
2."You Got It (The Right Stuff)" (12-inch version)Starr5:16
3."You Got It (The Right Stuff)" (7-inch remix version)Starr3:36
4."You Got It (The Right Stuff)" (instrumental)Starr5:17
5."I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" (12-inch version)Starr5:24
6."I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" (More 7-inch remix version)Starr3:41
7."I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" (instrumental)Starr4:12
8."Hangin' Tough" (7-inch remix)Starr3:51
9."Hangin' Tough" (Tougher Mix)Starr4:40
10."Cover Girl" (7-inch version)Starr4:07
11."Whatcha Gonna Do About It" (dub mix)Starr5:28
30th anniversary version (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
11."Please Don't Go Girl" (extended version)StarrStar4:44
12."You Got It (The Right Stuff)" (7" version)StarrStar3:34
13."I'll Be Loving You" (More 7" remix version)StarrStar3:43
14."Hangin' Tough" (Tougher Mix)StarrStar4:37
15."Cover Girl" (7" remix)StarrStar4:06
16."80s Baby" (featuring Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson)
  • Keir Gist
  • Lars Halvor Jensen
  • Terence Abney
  • Marcella Brailsford
  • Michael Jones
  • Donnie Wahlberg
  • Cito Crandle
  • KayGee
  • Trampbaby
3:37
17."Boys in the Band (Boy Band Anthem)"
  • Gist
  • Jensen
  • Abney
  • Brailsford
  • D. Wahlberg
  • Addaryll Wilson
  • Trampbaby
  • Illtown Sluggaz
3:10
18."The Way"
  • Gist
  • Jensen
  • Abney
  • Stevie Wonder
  • D. Wahlberg
  • Hagen Dierks
  • Eric Andrew Hall
  • Patrick Francois Arondel
  • Trampbaby
  • Illtown Sluggaz
  • Hall
3:22

Personnel

New Kids on the Block

Additional personnel

  • Cecil Holmes – executive producer
  • Maurice Starr – arranger, producer, recording, mixing, engineer, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, electric bass, drum programming
  • Phil Greene – recording, mixing, engineer
  • Richard Mendelson – recording, mixing, engineer
  • Hediki Sunada – recording, mixing, engineer

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Hangin' Tough
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[34] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[35] Gold 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[36] Diamond 1,000,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[37] Gold 37,386[37]
Germany (BVMI)[38] Gold 250,000^
Malaysia — 40,000[39]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] 2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[42] 8× Platinum 10,000,000[43]
United States (RIAA)[44]
Music videocassette 		11× Platinum 1,100,000^
United States (RIAA)[44]
VHS Hangin' Tough Live 		12× Platinum 1,200,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 15,000,000[43]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Freedom du Lac, Josh (1998). "New Kids on the Block". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 808.
  2. ↑ "New Kids on the Block: Hangin' Tough (1989) – Synopsis – MSN Movies". Movies.msn.com. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Which albums had the highest number of worldwide sales?". Tsort.info. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Billboard 200". Billboard.
  5. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r13961
  6. ↑ "CG: new kids on the block". Robert Christgau. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ "New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". australian-charts.com. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  8. ↑ "New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". austriancharts.at. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  11. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=bCgEAAAAMBAJ&lr=&rview=1%7Ctitle=Hits of the World – Eurochart|work=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|date=January 27, 1990
  12. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  13. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  14. ↑ "charts.de". charts.de. March 21, 1988. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Tonlist Top 40". DV. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  16. ↑ "「ＮＥＷ ＫＩＤＳ、ストリート・タフ宣言」 ニュー・キッズ・オン・ザ・ブロック│オリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  17. ↑ "New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". charts.nz. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  18. ↑ "New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  19. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". Hung Medien.
  21. ↑ "New Kids On The Block | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Billboard 200 : Sep 09, 1989 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard.com. September 9, 1989. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  23. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/artist/new-kids-on-the-block/chart-history/
  24. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1989". Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  25. ↑ Top Albums/CDs – Volume 51, No. 8, December 23 1989 Archived December 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine RPM. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Gallup Year End Charts 1989: Albums". Record Mirror. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 37. January 23, 2000.
  27. ↑ "Billboard Charts – End of Year Charts – Albums 1989". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  28. ↑ Top Albums/CDs – Volume 53, No. 6, December 22 1990 Archived October 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine RPM Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Les Albums (CD) de 1990 par InfoDisc". Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Infodisc.fr.
  30. ↑ "New Zealand – End of Year Charts 1990". Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  31. ↑ "The Top 20 Albums of Skoleslutt 1990". Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Gallup Year End Charts 1990: Albums". Record Mirror. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 37. January 23, 2000.
  33. ↑ "Billboard Charts – End Of Year Charts – Albums 1990". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  34. ↑ "INew Kids on the Block ARIA Albums chart history 1988 to 2022, received from ARIA in 2022". ARIA. Retrieved December 3, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  35. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  36. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". Music Canada. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  37. 1 2 "New Kids on the Block" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (New Kids on the Block; 'Hangin' Tough')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  39. ↑ Leo, Christie (September 8, 1990). "Malaysian Teens Catch New Kids Fever" (PDF). Billboard. p. 66. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  40. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  41. ↑ "British album certifications – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  42. ↑ "American album certifications – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  43. 1 2 Niester, Alan (March 17, 1990). "THE FAB FIVE the new kids on the block are the latest pretenders to the beatles throne". The Globe and Mail (in Spanish). ProQuest 377380438. Retrieved December 29, 2021 – via ProQuest. Hangin' Tough sold 10 million copies in the United States, 15 million worldwide.
  44. 1 2 "American video certifications – New Kids on the Block – Hangin' Tough". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
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