Hangin' Tough

Hangin' Tough is the second album by American teen pop boy band New Kids on the Block released on September 6, 1988 by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It is widely regarded as the breakthrough album of the group's career and it has been praised by critics, gaining positive reviews for their transition from teeny-over-clean music to urban contemporary-influenced, blended with rock music—tunes with a "teen pop twist".

The group's first album in 1986 garnered little commercial or critical attention and their label, Columbia Records considered ending their contract. However, Maurice Starr, the group's producer and songwriter diligently persuaded the label to let them record a sophomore album.

The release of Hangin' Tough was picked up steam in the closing months of the year and it was eventually skyrocketed the group to fame due to the creation of music videos in each of the singles of the album to showcase the group's visual appeal and making TV appearances plus promotional tours. By the end of 1989, the album topped US Billboard 200 charts, while peaked at number two in both two different charts: on Canadian Albums Chart on the same year and in the UK Albums Chart on the following year. Additionally, the album won two American Music Awards in January 1990—the "Favorite Pop/Rock Album" and "Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group."

With sales of more than seventeen million copies worldwide to date, Hangin' Tough became the New Kids on the Block's best-selling album so far and it was certified Diamond in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) with sales of more than one million units, while eight times Platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned five commercial singles—"Please Don't Go Girl", "You Got It (The Right Stuff)", "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)", "Hangin' Tough", and "Cover Girl"—all were peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, the first teen act to do so.