Selena Fragassi is a longtime music journalist who began her career covering women in music and culture with the beloved Venus Zine before starting her own publication, Boxx Magazine, with a mission to close the gender gap in music editorial coverage. Her very first published piece was on an unknown Adele, and she has continued to break emerging artists with early pieces on Grimes and Lizzo, among others. Selena is currently a featured contributor for the Chicago Sun-Times. Her bylines have also appeared in SPIN, Loudwire, The A.V. Club, Paste, Nylon, Popmatters, Blurt, Under the Radar, and Chicago Magazine, where she was previously on staff as Pop/Rock Critic. Artists she’s interviewed include Rise Against, Gene Simmons, Jennifer Hudson, Andra Day, Chrissie Hynde, Demi Lovato, Debbie Harry, Slash, Deftones, Evanescence, Alice Cooper, Jack White, The Black Keys, Charlie Puth, Bon Jovi, and Bonnie Raitt, among many others. Selena’s work has been anthologized in That Devil Music: Best Music Writing, and she has appeared on televised panels regarding music matters for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight program. She is the author of the books New Kids on the Block 40th Anniversary Celebration; NSYNC 30th Anniversary Celebration; and The Work, Life, and Style of Greta Gerwig, with more to come. Selena is also a member of The Recording Academy.

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• Introduction THE ’80s: STEP BY STEP1 Making the Band 2 Born in Boston 3 Hello My Name Is . . . 4 Teen Sensations 5 A Matter of Black and White 6 Who Are the Real New Kids? 7 The Strength of Hangin’ Tough 8 Hitting the Road 9 Season’s GreetingsTHE ’90s: NO MORE GAMES10 The Awards Start Rolling In 1 1 Mad for Merch 12 Moving Forward with Step By Step 13 The Never-ending Tour 14 Block Nation and the Blockheads 15 Spreading the Good Vibrations16 Hear it From Their Lips 17 New Kids Face The MusicTHE ’00s: HANGIN’ TOUGH18 Going Solo 19 New Kids Become Family Men 20 Broadway Comes Calling 21 Heating Up Hollywood 22 Getting Real on Reality TV 23 Finally . . . the Band is Back Together THE ’10s and ’20s: LET’S TRY IT AGAIN24 Cruising Along 25 Jonathan’s Coming Out 26 Two Boy Bands Team Up 27 The Big 10 and Feeling Thankful 28 An Encore of Solo Works 29 An "Anthem" and a "House Party" 30 Looking to the Future 31 An Ongoing LegacyTHE RIGHT STATSTimeline Discography About the Author Acknowledgments Image Credits Index

Selena Fragassi is a longtime music journalist who began her career covering women in music and culture with the beloved Venus Zine before starting her own publication, Boxx Magazine, with a mission to close the gender gap in music editorial coverage. Her very first published piece was on an unknown Adele, and she has continued to break emerging artists with early pieces on Grimes and Lizzo, among others. Selena is currently a featured contributor for the Chicago Sun-Times. Her bylines have also appeared in SPIN, Loudwire, The A.V. Club, Paste, Nylon, Popmatters, Blurt, Under the Radar, and Chicago Magazine, where she was previously on staff as Pop/Rock Critic. Artists she’s interviewed include Rise Against, Gene Simmons, Jennifer Hudson, Andra Day, Chrissie Hynde, Demi Lovato, Debbie Harry, Slash, Deftones, Evanescence, Alice Cooper, Jack White, The Black Keys, Charlie Puth, Bon Jovi, and Bonnie Raitt, among many others. Selena’s work has been anthologized in That Devil Music: Best Music Writing, and she has appeared on televised panels regarding music matters for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight program. She is the author of the books New Kids on the Block 40th Anniversary Celebration; NSYNC 30th Anniversary Celebration; and The Work, Life, and Style of Greta Gerwig, with more to come. Selena is also a member of The Recording Academy.

Select Guide Rating

• Introduction THE ’80s: STEP BY STEP1 Making the Band 2 Born in Boston 3 Hello My Name Is . . . 4 Teen Sensations 5 A Matter of Black and White 6 Who Are the Real New Kids? 7 The Strength of Hangin’ Tough 8 Hitting the Road 9 Season’s GreetingsTHE ’90s: NO MORE GAMES10 The Awards Start Rolling In 1 1 Mad for Merch 12 Moving Forward with Step By Step 13 The Never-ending Tour 14 Block Nation and the Blockheads 15 Spreading the Good Vibrations16 Hear it From Their Lips 17 New Kids Face The MusicTHE ’00s: HANGIN’ TOUGH18 Going Solo 19 New Kids Become Family Men 20 Broadway Comes Calling 21 Heating Up Hollywood 22 Getting Real on Reality TV 23 Finally . . . the Band is Back Together THE ’10s and ’20s: LET’S TRY IT AGAIN24 Cruising Along 25 Jonathan’s Coming Out 26 Two Boy Bands Team Up 27 The Big 10 and Feeling Thankful 28 An Encore of Solo Works 29 An "Anthem" and a "House Party" 30 Looking to the Future 31 An Ongoing LegacyTHE RIGHT STATSTimeline Discography About the Author Acknowledgments Image Credits Index

Selena Fragassi is a longtime music journalist who began her career covering women in music and culture with the beloved Venus Zine before starting her own publication, Boxx Magazine, with a mission to close the gender gap in music editorial coverage. Her very first published piece was on an unknown Adele, and she has continued to break emerging artists with early pieces on Grimes and Lizzo, among others. Selena is currently a featured contributor for the Chicago Sun-Times. Her bylines have also appeared in SPIN, Loudwire, The A.V. Club, Paste, Nylon, Popmatters, Blurt, Under the Radar, and Chicago Magazine, where she was previously on staff as Pop/Rock Critic. Artists she’s interviewed include Rise Against, Gene Simmons, Jennifer Hudson, Andra Day, Chrissie Hynde, Demi Lovato, Debbie Harry, Slash, Deftones, Evanescence, Alice Cooper, Jack White, The Black Keys, Charlie Puth, Bon Jovi, and Bonnie Raitt, among many others. Selena’s work has been anthologized in That Devil Music: Best Music Writing, and she has appeared on televised panels regarding music matters for WTTW’s Chicago Tonight program. She is the author of the books New Kids on the Block 40th Anniversary Celebration; NSYNC 30th Anniversary Celebration; and The Work, Life, and Style of Greta Gerwig, with more to come. Selena is also a member of The Recording Academy.

Select Guide Rating

• Introduction THE ’80s: STEP BY STEP1 Making the Band 2 Born in Boston 3 Hello My Name Is . . . 4 Teen Sensations 5 A Matter of Black and White 6 Who Are the Real New Kids? 7 The Strength of Hangin’ Tough 8 Hitting the Road 9 Season’s GreetingsTHE ’90s: NO MORE GAMES10 The Awards Start Rolling In 1 1 Mad for Merch 12 Moving Forward with Step By Step 13 The Never-ending Tour 14 Block Nation and the Blockheads 15 Spreading the Good Vibrations16 Hear it From Their Lips 17 New Kids Face The MusicTHE ’00s: HANGIN’ TOUGH18 Going Solo 19 New Kids Become Family Men 20 Broadway Comes Calling 21 Heating Up Hollywood 22 Getting Real on Reality TV 23 Finally . . . the Band is Back Together THE ’10s and ’20s: LET’S TRY IT AGAIN24 Cruising Along 25 Jonathan’s Coming Out 26 Two Boy Bands Team Up 27 The Big 10 and Feeling Thankful 28 An Encore of Solo Works 29 An "Anthem" and a "House Party" 30 Looking to the Future 31 An Ongoing LegacyTHE RIGHT STATSTimeline Discography About the Author Acknowledgments Image Credits Index