New Kids on the Block Talk Their First Album in 11 Years and the Secret to Staying Together (Exclusive)

Nearly 40 years later, they're Still Kids. 

As the title of their eighth studio album reaffirms, the New Kids on the Block are still together making music for their devoted fans. On Friday, their first album in 11 years dropped shortly after celebrating the 35th anniversary of New Kids on the Block Day on April 24. 

While it's been a long road from childhood friends to famous teen heartthrobs to reuniting as adults, they credit their longevity to the root of their group: friendship. 

"I think our secret is we're friends first and then business partners second," Jonathan Knight told ET at the group's rehearsal for their upcoming tour, the Magic Summer 2024 Tour. "I think we go into everything we do as friends and respect each other. And, you know, we've known each other since we were little kids on the playground."

Added Jonathan, "It's pretty amazing that, you know, we're like biological brothers even though we are not."

Quipped his younger brother, Jordan Knight, "Well, you and I are unless you know something."

Now, the guys are gearing up to go back on tour. As Donnie Wahlberg put it, "We're dusting off the cobwebs and stretching out the bones."

"Every tour for 20 years, 30 years, I've always felt like at the beginning of the tour, I'm like, 'I'm too old for this.' This hurts too much," Jordan said. "And then two weeks into the tour, even one week into the tour, I feel amazing, so I'm counting on that this time as well."

And if there's one thing fans can count on from the tour, it's hearing all their new music. "We're definitely excited. It's been, like you said, 11 years since we last recorded a whole album. We've done a couple of songs in between, but just not a whole album," Jordan said. "I think for us it's more exciting that our fans are excited, like, we kind of imagine them being able to listen to the whole album and go, 'Man, I can't wait to hear them sing this live or singing live'... It's exciting for us because we get something new to do on stage."

What can Blockheads expect from the new tracks? "The album is a look back through our careers," Donnie said. "It's a look at life for some of us as we experience it now and I think when fans listen to it, they will reminisce, but they'll also be like, you know, feel things that are going on in their life right now... Some of the songs I think they tap into a life that's been lived to this point for us and our fans, so that comes with a lot of happy memories, a lot of great times we shared, but also a lot of, you know, struggles."

As he explained, "I say it's mature, not that it sounds older and mature, it's just that we've matured enough to be in a place to make such an album, we're able to look back, we're able to look at now, we're able to take all these cumulative experiences and turn them into something special for us and our fans to share."

The Magic Summer 2024 Tour starts June 14. 

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