Freshly reunited boyband New Kids on The Block are planning a Sept. 8 release date for a new album, the group's manager, Jared Paul, says.
The band -- who broke up in 1994; and reunited in April this year -- performed their first single "Summertime" during a May 16 appearance on NBC's Today show.
Paul tells Billboard magazine, "I discussed a lot of options with them, but in the end, it made sense to create a partnership with a label.
"It makes sense for us to have someone to underwrite six weeks of rehearsal and loss-leader shows like the 'Today' show; it makes sense to work with people who have good deals with great songwriters and a strong online and radio department."
Both the band and the record label, Interscope, describe the deal as a "partnership," with sources close to the deal saying the label will partake in merchandise and touring revenue.
"We were driven by the music," group member Joey McIntyre says of the decision to reunite. "Donnie [Wahlberg] and I both live in L.A., and we have had conversations about the offers we've gotten in the past. This time around, Donnie was the loudest and pushed the hardest in terms of getting going on the music. His excitement was really infectious."
"Our first goal was always just to make a great album," says Wahlberg. "We wanted to work with the best, and have a great team in place so we could make an album that counted."
"Our friends' kids are listening to the tracks, and they are excited," says group member Jordan Knight. "We don't come across as old guys on the record, and songs like "Summertime" have a great, '80s vibe that can be enjoyed by everyone."
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