Released May 10, 1990 Recorded 1990 Length 4:29 | Format CD Genre Pop Label Columbia | |
"Step by Step" is the biggest-selling hit single from New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight. Danny Wood sang "Step 1", Donnie Wahlberg sang "Step 2", Jordan Knight sang "Step 3", Joey McIntyre sang "Step 4", and Jonathan Knight sang "Step 5."
Contents
Written by Maurice Starr, it was a huge worldwide hit, selling over 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the biggest selling singles of 1990. It was the first single from the album of the same name, released on May 10, 1990. The song spent three weeks at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was eventually certified platinum; it also spent two weeks at #1 in the Canadian Singles Chart, in total "Step by Step" spent five weeks at #1 in the North American charts. It also peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart and was also a top 10 hit in the Australian, French, German, Irish and Norwegian charts. "Step by Step" was initially recorded by one of Maurice Starr's other groups, The Superiors and was released as a single in 1987.
Donnie Wahlberg's brother Mark Wahlberg appears in the video for this song.
Track listings
CD single
- "Step by Step" - 4:27
- "Valentine Girl" - 3:57
Maxi-CD
- "Step by Step" (Radio Edit) - 3:59
- "Step by Step" (LP Version) - 4:27
- "Step by Step" (12" Club Remix) - 5:25
Popular success
"Step by Step" was voted #4 in a Smash Hits poll of "Best Boyband songs...Ever" and also made the list of the top 30 Guilty Pleasures on About.com's music site. about.com's
The song was voted #7 in a viewer poll of the greatest Boy band/Girl band songs on New Zealand show UChoose40. It was also voted #1 in a viewer poll of the greatest Guilty Pleasures on the same show UChoose40. It beat such songs as the classic hit from Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" which finished fourth in the poll.
In August 2007, it was confirmed that "Step by Step" would be part of a 30 song track-list in the new edition of the "Singstar" series titled SingStar 90s, a karaoke style game on classic 90s songs.[1]
Furthermore, it was chosen as part of a 32-track dance game in November 2009 for the Wii, called Just Dance.
In January 2015, Heat magazine's TV Channel, placed it at #17 in their "Greatest Boyband Anthems" countdown.
Covers
"Step by Step" was covered by The Lemonheads on their 1991 EP Favourite Spanish Dishes. It has also been covered by boyband 2Be3 and Lyte Funky Ones.