Face the Music (New Kids on the Block album)

Face the Music
Studio album by New Kids on the Block
Released January 25, 1994
Recorded 1992-1993
1991 ("If You Go Away")
Genre Pop, R&B, new jack swing
Length 64:59
Label Columbia
Producer Donnie Wahlberg (exec.), Jordan Knight (exec.), Diane Richards (associate)
New Kids on the Block chronology
Step by Step
(1990)		 Face the Music
(1994)		 The Block
(2008)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Face the Music is the fourth studio album by New Kids on the Block, released on January 25, 1994. The album debuted at number 37 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, with first-week sales of 27,000 copies.[2] According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album had sold 138,000 copies in the U.S. as of 2008.[3]

Background

In 1993, after about two years out of the limelight, the New Kids went back into the studio and began recording their fourth studio album (sixth overall), before splitting up a year later. By this point, due to a strong backlash and allegations of lip-synching, the group pushed for a more mature image and song selection that would appeal to fans. In addition, they had outgrown the "New Kids" name: Joey McIntyre was 21, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood were 24, Jordan Knight was 23, and Jonathan Knight was 25 years old.

Jordan Knight, Wahlberg, and Wood fought for creative input and control, as most of their material was previously rejected by producer Maurice Starr in favor of his own compositions. Having been dogged with an "uncool" stigma that they faced previously, the boys decided to sever their ties with Starr who had been instrumental in their early success. At the request of Columbia Records, they shortened their name to the more mature-sounding NKOTB and developed a harder sound with which they hoped to reconnect with members of their fanbase, and appeal to a wider audience. "Dirty Dawg" did fairly well on the charts, but a Canadian station (MuchMusic) banned the music video due to its suggested violence and misogynistic themes. Although not a major commercial success, the critical reception was positive, and a cross-country tour was in the works. However, NKOTB only could find bookings at nightclubs and theatres, a far cry from the arenas and stadiums they had been accustomed to playing in while in their peak years. During the tour, Jonathan Knight dropped out of the band due to increased panic attacks and anxiety, and the rest of the group decided to cancel the rest of the tour.

Singles

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Intro: Face the Music"  Donnie WahlbergWahlberg 2:14
2. "You Got the Flavor"  Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal, Antwone Dickey, Markell RileyT. Riley 4:50
3. "Dirty Dawg"  Wahlberg, Larry Thomas, J.R. Jackson, Jordan Knight, John Johnson, Nice & SmoothWahlberg 4:15
4. "Girls"  Riley, Leon Sylvers III, Dickey, M. Riley, Harry Ray, Albert Goodman, Virginia Dodson, Walter MorrisT. Riley, Sylvers 4:28
5. "If You Go Away"  Walter Afanasieff, John Bettis, Trey LorenzAfanasieff 5:30
6. "Keep on Smilin'"  Narada Michael Walden, Sylvester Jackson, Sally Jo DakotaWalden 4:35
7. "Never Let You Go"  T. Riley, Sylvers, Dickey, M. RileyT. Riley, Sylvers 5:34
8. "Keepin' My Fingers Crossed"  Richard Wolf, Knight, Wahlberg, James WirrickWolf 4:18
9. "Mrs. Right"  Wahlberg, Larry Thomas, R. Jackson, Joe McIntyre, J. JohnsonWahlberg 5:03
10. "Since You Walked into My Life"  Afanasieff, Knight, BettisAfanasieff 6:24
11. "Let's Play House"  Jason Hess, Melissa Ritter, WahlbergWahlberg, Knight, Jason Hess, Tom Soars[a] 4:58
12. "I Can't Believe It's Over"  Walden, Knight, DakotaWalden 5:08
13. "I'll Still Be Loving You"  Walden, Dakota, Mike Mani, Monty SewardWalden, Mani[b], Seward[b] 5:09
14. "I'll Be Waitin'"  Danny Wood, B. McClain, Brian Young, Dow Brain, Eric Barrier, William GriffinWood, Brad Young[c], Dow Brain[c] 4:34
Sample credits
Notes

Personnel

"Intro: Face the Music"

Lead vocals by Donnie Wahlberg

"You Got the Flavor"
"Dirty Dawg"
"Girls"
"If You Go Away"
"Keep on Smilin'"
"Never Let You Go"
"Keepin' My Fingers Crossed"
"Mrs. Right"
"Since You Walked into My Life"
"Let's Play House"
"I Can't Believe It's Over"
"I'll Still Be Loving You"
"I'll Be Waitin'"

Charts

Year Chart Position
1994 Australian ARIA Albums Chart[4] 18
1994 Canadian Albums Chart[5] 34
1994 Dutch Albums Chart[4] 72
1994 European Albums Chart[6] 54
1994 Finnish Albums Chart[7] 10
1994 French Albums Chart[8] 21
1994 German Albums Chart[4] 44
1994 Japanese Albums Chart[9] 11
1994 Spanish Albums Chart[10] 11
1994 Swedish Albums Chart[4] 46
1994 Swiss Albums Chart[4] 38
1994 UK Albums Chart[11] 36
1994 U.S. Billboard 200 37

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Hasty, Katie (10 September 2008). "Young Jeezy Nets Second Album Chart-Topper". Billboard. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Harding, Cortney (8 June 2008). "Reunited New Kids On The Block ignite passions". Reuters. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Face the Music on Swedish charts
  5. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.2400&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=89muc3jjikjojqso4ihp6dsi00
  6. ↑ http://books.google.ca/books?id=LQgEAAAAMBAJ&lr=&rview=1
  7. ↑ source: Pennanen, Timo: Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, 2006. ISBN 9789511210535. page: 280
  8. ↑ http://www.infodisc.fr/Albums_Detail.php
  9. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/120104/ranking/cd_album/
  10. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  11. ↑ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/new%20kids%20on%20the%20block
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