Breaking News: Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block Announce Monumental Joint World Tour — A Global Rock Spectacle Uniting Icons
Los Angeles, CA — October 11, 2025 — In a seismic event that’s sending shockwaves through the music world, pop titans Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block have officially unveiled plans for a blockbuster joint world tour, dubbed “NKOTBSB Forever: Echoes of the ‘90s.” This isn’t just a nostalgic reunion; it’s a full-throttle global extravaganza promising high-octane performances, heart-pounding harmonies, and a celebration of boy band legacy that spans generations. The announcement, dropped via a surprise joint livestream from Madison Square Garden this morning, has already crashed ticketing sites and trended worldwide under #BoyBandApocalypse.
For millennials and Gen Xers who grew up with posters on their walls and mixtapes in their Walkmans, this news feels like a time machine reactivation. The Backstreet Boys — Brian Littrell, AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, and Kevin Richardson — and New Kids on the Block — Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood — first teased fans with their groundbreaking NKOTBSB collaboration back in 2011. That tour, a co-headlining juggernaut, grossed over $10 million in its North American leg alone and expanded to Europe, Australia, and Asia in 2012, according to Pollstar rankings. It featured epic mashups like “Hangin’ Tough” bleeding into “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and guest spots from legends like Boyz II Men. But that was over a decade ago. Why now?
“Life, kids, solo projects — we’ve all been on our own journeys,” said Donnie Wahlberg, NKOTB’s charismatic frontman, during the livestream. Clad in a sleek leather jacket emblazoned with the tour’s neon logo, Wahlberg shared a laugh with AJ McLean, who added, “But the fans? They’ve never stopped screaming our names. This is for them — and for us, to relive the magic one more time.” The groups, both in their mid-50s now, looked remarkably ageless, their voices as crystalline as ever in a teaser performance of their 2011 collaborative single “Don’t Turn Out the Lights.”
The tour kicks off in the spring of 2026, with a 60-city itinerary spanning five continents. North American dates launch May 15 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, hitting staples like Chicago’s United Center, Miami’s Kaseya Center, and a homecoming blowout at Boston’s TD Garden on June 12 — a nod to NKOTB’s Beantown roots. The U.S. leg wraps in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena on July 20, where recent surprise cameos (like McLean and Dorough crashing an NKOTB show at Dolby Live just months ago) have fans buzzing about potential encores. Europe follows in August, with arena-shaking stops in London’s O2, Paris’ Accor Arena, and Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena. Asia and Australia get their slice in October, including Tokyo Dome and Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, before a Latin American detour in November hits Mexico City and São Paulo. The grand finale? A December blowout at New York’s Madison Square Garden, exactly 15 years after their first joint AMA performance in 2010.
Production promises to be a spectacle worthy of the icons. Directed by industry veteran Laurieann Gibson — who choreographed both groups’ heyday tours — the show will blend pyrotechnics, LED walls flashing ‘90s throwbacks, and interactive fan zones. Expect a two-hour setlist weaving hits like NKOTB’s “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” and BSB’s “As Long As You Love Me” into seamless duets, plus acoustic interludes for deeper cuts. Special guests rumored to include TLC’s T-Boz and Chilli (nodding to their shared ‘90s R&B orbit) and Hanson for a “Mmmbop” vs. “Step By Step” showdown. “We’re not just playing the oldies,” teased Jordan Knight, strumming an acoustic guitar on stream. “We’ve got new material brewing — a collaborative EP dropping mid-tour. Think evolution, not revolution.”
This announcement arrives amid a boy band renaissance. *NSYNC’s teased reunion has fans clamoring for crossovers, and solo ventures like McLean’s “Legendary Nights” tour with Wahlberg last year proved the enduring chemistry. But NKOTBSB Forever elevates it to global rock status — yes, rock, with Wahlberg insisting, “We’re cranking the amps this time. No more bubblegum; this is grown-man grooves.” Economically, it’s a boon: the 2011 tour’s success (44th on Pollstar’s mid-year worldwide list) suggests this could rake in $50 million-plus, per industry whispers, boosting arenas from Vegas to Manila.
Fan reactions? Explosive. Social media lit up within minutes: “My 13-year-old self is screaming!” tweeted @Blockhead4Life, while @BSBLover92 posted a teary video: “Took my daughter to BSB last year; now we’re road-tripping Europe together.” Reddit’s r/newkidsontheblock and r/backstreetboys forums are flooded with setlist predictions and outfit debates, echoing the 2011 tour’s “dream come true” vibes. One veteran fan recalled, “Seeing all 10 on stage? Electric. The energy was unmatched — Coldplay opened, and the finale mashup had us in tears.”
Critics, too, are intrigued. While some dismiss it as “nostalgia cash-grab,” others hail it as cultural preservation. “These groups defined an era,” says Rolling Stone contributor Rob Sheffield. “Uniting them again? It’s like the Avengers assembling for pop.” Environmentally conscious tweaks — like carbon-offset travel and reusable merch — address modern scrutiny, with proceeds partly funding music education via the groups’ foundations.
As tickets go on sale October 18 via Ticketmaster (pre-sales for fan clubs start Monday), expect chaos. VIP packages include meet-and-greets, soundcheck access, and custom “Blockhead Backstreeter” jackets. For younger fans discovering the groups via TikTok virals, it’s an entry point to analog-era anthems. For OGs, it’s closure — or ignition.
In an industry chasing algorithms, this tour is a defiant love letter to live, unfiltered joy. Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block aren’t just touring; they’re reclaiming the spotlight, proving icons don’t fade — they evolve. As Littrell signed off the stream: “Tell me how you plan to tell me… this is forever.” The world is listening.
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