Step by Step (album)

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Step By Step
Studio album by New Kids On The Block
Released	June 5, 1990
Recorded	1990
Genre	Pop
Length	47:44
Label	Columbia
Producer(s)	Maurice Starr
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
New Kids On The Block chronology
Merry, Merry Christmas (1989)	Step By Step (1990)	No More Games: The Remix Album (1991)

Step By Step is the third studio album from pop act New Kids On The Block. Released in June 1990, the group at this time was the biggest in the world and was being maximally merchandised…with everything from pillowcases, to marbles, to dolls, to a Saturday morning cartoon with their name and/or likeness. Because of the over exposure, a backlash was beginning to brew — the naysayers though were being outscreamed by the fans, as Step By Step was released to a frantic commercial response. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, with the leadoff title track single also topping the charts simultaneously. Another top ten single ("Tonight") followed as the group embarked on an ambitious world tour.

After having earned success with Hangin' Tough, the group took a slightly more active role creatively on this album and attempted to usher in a slightly more edgy image to avoid the pigeonhole. In retrospect, however, Step By Step ultimately seemed like another supplement from the New Kids marketing assembly — not unlike the marbles and keychains. By the end of 1990, in spite of the album having gone multi-platinum, the group backlash that had been simmering at the time of its release was now in full swing…as evident with Step By Step's third and last release, "Let's Try It Again," which failed to crack the top 50.

[edit] Track listing

1. Step By Step
2. Tonight
3. Baby, I Believe In You
4. Call It What You Want
5. Let's Try It Again
6. Happy Birthday
7. Games
8. Time Is On Our Side
9. Where Do I Go from Here?
10. Stay With Me Baby
11. Funny Feeling
12. Never Gonna Fall In Love Again