Donnie Wahlberg: We Deserved Criticism

Hailed by some as the original boy band, the New Kids on the Block were often criticized for their songs and performances, seen by some as light and fluffy fare.

But in an exclusive interview with AOL Music Sessions, Donnie Wahlberg says that although the band often worked harder and performed better than they were given credit for, some of the negative reviews of their music was warranted.

"There were times that some of our songs were crap, and deservedly so they were criticized," he says.

As for being the boy band that blazed the trail for groups like Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, Donnie thinks that the criticism directed against NKOTB actually made breaking through on the music scene more difficult for those who followed them.

"One of the things I did notice about Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync is that it was probably hard for them,"  he says. "There was a backlash at radio and MTV and different places towards us, so for them to break through, they had to really work hard and be committed."

Joey McIntyre also weighed in on who he thought the real original boybanders were.

"People say boy bands, we were the first boy band, but we always immediately point back to New Edition," he says. "They came from our hometown and were our idols and that connection is very special for us."