Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” & New Edition’s “Heart Break” 25 Years Later

Yet another oft overlooked aspect of New Edition’s influence is the run of success Boston’s New Kids On The Block had in the music industry.

They looked up to New Edition and regarded them as the benchmark to aspire to in regards to their musical output and live performance. Back in Spring 1988, their New Edition soundalike ballad “Please Don’t Go Girl” is said to have inspired New Edition to make the song “Where It All Started From” to address all the soundalikes, clones and knockoffs. Once they met them and realized they were fans they no longer felt that way.

New Kids On The Block began their run of hits right at the same time New Edition began their Heartbreak Tour and by the close of 1989 they boasted 5 straight Top 10 Billboard Pop hits. In addition, they had multiplatinum sales surpassing Bobby Brown’s (8x Platinum) and tour receipts that were only matched by fellow Bostonian acts New Edition (1988-89 Heartbreak Tour) and Bobby Brown (1989-90 Bobby Brown World Tour). It can be argued that no stretch of albums from acts from the same city (1988’s “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Heart Break,” “Hangin’ Tough” & 1990’s “Poison”) did more to change the overall landscape of the present day music industry since the Detroit groups from Motown back in the 60’s.

In conclusion, on this day 25 years ago not one but two albums were released that forever changed the music industry through sound, aesthetic, performance, style and overall influence. Without New Edition, there is no Boyz II Men. Without New Edition, there is no New Kids On The Block (thus no boy band formula and no boy bands). Without Bobby Brown, there is no Usher. Without Bell Biv Devoe what would have Jodeci been like? Without Mike Bivins and his pioneering success with Biv 10 does Puffy Combs still find the inspiration to launch Bad Boy? The individual Platinum sales of Bobby Brown, Bell Biv Devoe, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant following “Heart Break” are a lasting testament to the greatness of the feats they accomplished. Five Boston kids from Roxbury ultimately changed the music industry forever. Let us never forget that.

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