New Kids Back On The Block With New Music

New Kids On The Block are back on the block with a block of new music.

Yes, what's retro is new, again, literally. But why? Why are we longing for our childhood?

The digital world of data is streaming billions of megabits into our brains. We now need note books to help us keep track of our countless passwords. Add to that, we have a member of the house named Alexa who doesn't pay rent. Our lives have become so overwhelmingly busy, we can program a robot voice to remind us what our brain used to do.

It's no secret that the people who run Netflix have figured out what American TV viewers want. They want to go back. They want "Suits." Who would have thought that a thirteen year old legal drama would take the world by storm. It's an easy-to-watch simple plot: a brilliant young man with a photographic memory is hired by a hot shot New York lawyer to help him win every case with the kids almost super-hero brain. All he needs is a cape. It's super-hero TV with out the over done green-screen graphics and violence.

It doesn't hurt that the high-heeled women are beautiful, and the men in $10,000 suits, are handsome. Unlike Mad Men, the women in Suits have equal power, positions and win just as often as the men, sometimes more.  There was a funny moment while watching, my wife asked, "why are they using cabs in New York? Why don't they use Uber?" I had to remind her that it was 2010, no Uber.

It only took A WEEK after Netflix picked up Suits in 2023, that the viewership skyrocketed to number 1. Suits was watched for a a whopping 57.7 billion minutes in 2023, making it the most streamed show of the year. Not bad for a rerun. Because of the unprecedented popularity, a spin-off is in development. Add to that Suit's stars, Gabriel Macht, and Patrick Adams have recreating their famous characters in commercials for T-Mobile.  So what's my point?

With our lives not so simple these days, we are craving for simpler, feel good times, with content that make us feel good.

Hey, I'm ok with just content that makes me feel. Insert NKOTB.

According to Billboard.com, our pals from Dorchester are back with a new album in eleven years, featuring some friends from the block. It's called Still Kids, and will be released May 17.

Project creative director Donnie Wahlberg says:

This album, more than any other, is bringing the New Kids and the fans full circle. It’s about hope and possibilities and being ourselves.” The collection has features from DJ Jazzy Jeff on “Get Down” and Taylor Dayne on “Old School Love.”

The 14-track album's first single is called “Kids.” I'll meet you in line at Lechmere to be the first to buy it.

The big day is here and we are about to find Massachusetts most loved Rom-Com.

With Valentines Day, comes everything chocolate, jewelry, flowers and of course romance. Is there such thing as love at first site, true love, soul mates and kindred spirits? Only Russell Stover knows for sure. But with all that just said, what came first, the feeling love beat of our heart, or the Rom-Coms that ruined our, I mean taught us our expectations. (By the way, I thought Love Actually was a Christmas movie.)  Before we dig in, let's look at the metrics of love.

If you do a Google search you will find that some people actually break up on Valentine's Day:

Some research has shown that around one in 14 US adults had broken up with somebody on Valentine's Day. That's 7% of people, with 6% saying that they had broken up just before and another 6% breaking up just afterwards.

According to Forbes:

U.S. consumers alone are expected to spend $25.8 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, according to a survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. 

Forbes says, flowers and chocolates remain popular, but people are expanding their gift choices: Indeed, new spending records are expected for jewelry ($6.4 billion), clothing ($3 billion) and an evening out ($4.9 billion).

Even grocery chains are jumping in to get a market share, buy selling not just flowers, but actual romantic, prepared meals.

What is the most loved Rom-com? According to a new study from Looper, New England states share the love using science and search engines:

The study looked into IMBb’s list of the 100 best rom-com movies of all time and analyzed the global Google search volume for each movie. It then cross-referenced the findings with IMDb votes and scores and box office lifetime gross to identify the top 15 best rom-coms out there. We then analyzed Google search trends data for each of the top 15 movies to find the most popular rom-com movie in every state. 

So get out your tissues, your pint of ice cream, put on your rom-com robe, and let's go find New England's most loved!

Connecticut LOVES: (drum roll) 'The Holiday!"

This one of my wife's favorites. Although to me, in real life could Jack Black really get Kate Winslet? In real life do short funny guys get the hot girl? This movie does add a nice element by adding human kindness to someone in need. Won't spoil it for ya!

Rhode Island LOVES "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days!"

Matthew McConaughey's character bets his friends that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in 10 days. Kate Hudson's character bets her friends she can drive away a man with in 10 days by being overly needy. Your Honor, I will exercise my 5th Amendment rights.

"When Harry Met Sally!" It is heartwarming to see Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal together in the press photo. The famous line "I'll have what she's having scene" was portrayed brilliantly by director Rob Reiner's mother.

Actually, Vermont loves "Love Actually!"

A fun fact: Hugh Grant HATED being asked to do the funny dance scene to the Pointer Sisters "Jump." I fact he refused, but was ordered to do it by the director. It became one of the most memorable moments of the film.

"Notting Hill" is Massachusetts favorite Rom-Com!

Julia Roberts plays a famous American movie star who connects with an unlikely love interest, an alone, divorced and clunky British book seller, played by Hugh Grant. 

If you haven't seen it, no worries. It's probably good, seeing it became Britain's highest grossing movie of all time, for 1999.