Official Charts Pop Gem #58: Jordan Knight – Give It To You

Jordan Knight shows he's no New Kid as he leaves his buddies back on the Block and tastes solo success for the first – and last – time

Every week we ask our Facebook buddies and Twitter pals for their favourite overlooked classics– those Pop Gems that deserve to sparkle for another day.

This week’s theme was GOING SOLO – tracks by band members who deciced they were so over the whole ‘being in a group’ thing and went it alone.

The theme was suggested by OfficialCharts.com follower Adam, who says: "ABBA once sang (beautifully) 'Breaking up is never easy, I know, but I have to go', and for this selection of Pop Gems that's what these popstars have done. Every band has one or two (maybe even five) artists who decide to step out alone and try to create the bands success on their very own. Sometimes it goes very well and sadly, sometimes, it doesn't go well at all.”

How true. And, yes, very sad We eventually got all the suggestions down to FOURTEEN potentials – our longest shortlist ever. We reckoned guest spots on other tracks counted, as did songs by band members who buzzed off to form another band. And that’s our final answer.

The final fourteen were:

After much agonising, we settled on none other than former New Kid Jordan Knight. Watch the video for Give It To You before we explain ourselves.

Why it had to be Jordan

Watching the video for this track, we can’t help but think what could’ve been. Jordan seemed on the cusp of being a huge solo star – he was easy on the eye, had a silky smooth singing voice and, boy, did he have the dance moves. It’s hard to believe, looking at this track from 1999, that we don’t live in a world where Jordan Knight is one of the biggest male artists on the planet.

The song

Co-written by none other than – hey hey hey – million selling Blurred Lines star Robin Thicke, Give It To You is a fairly recognisable tale of a boy detailing how delightful it would be if he could snog the face – and possibly more – off you.

The twist, of course, is that it’s a tombola of tempos – you have no idea where it’s going next. One minute it’s a steamy slow-jam and you're unbuttoning your extremely '90s jacket in anticipation; the next, everybody’s jumping all over the place at breakneck speed and you need to loosen up that delightful polo neck. And… is that an accordion? It’s a bag of Revels in musical form. The track was Jordan’s first and only Top 40 hit in the UK as a solo artist, reaching Number 5 in October 1999.

Jordan’s chart story

When it comes to solo endeavours, Jordan’s chart history is pretty brief, but as part of New Kids On The Block, you certainly need more than the back of a bus ticket to write down all his successes.

The band – made up of our Jord, his brother Jon, and friends Joe, Donnie (brother of movie star Mark Wahlberg) and Danny – scored 13 Top 40 hits kicking off with Number 1 You Got It (The Right Stuff) in 1989, which was the first of eight consecutive Top 10 hits for them.

There was another Number 1, Hangin’ Tough, but within a year, affections for the band cooled. A name change to NKOTB for 1994 single Dirty Dawg didn’t reverse the group’s fortunes, although a 2008 return with Summertime got them back in the Top 40 after 14 years.

Jordan and the guys formed a supergroup with that other big US boyband Backstreet Boys to form NKOTBSB (what a mouthful) for a 2011 tour, and this year Jordan announced he was teaming up with Backstreet Boy Nick Carter to form a new duo Nick & Knight – we are not making this up, this is an actual thing. Here’s a trailer for the tour and album.

Jordan, we wish you all the best. While we await your big comeback, here’s the Pop Gem crown to tide you over. A worthy winner.

Video playlist

Check out all fourteen of our ultimate post-group solo outings. What’s your fave?

Pop Gem Hall Of Fame

Today's Pop Gem is the latest in a long line of amazing pop songs that have been inducted into our Pop Gem Hall Of Fame. Take a look at all the tracks who've received the honour so far

Your Pop Gem needs you

Got a Pop Gem of your own? Want to suggest a theme for another week? Find out how you can get involved in the Pop Gem party.