Review Summary: An iconic album that defined what "boy-band" was meant to sound like.
"Classic" is clearly a subjective term. I believe that Metallica's Master of Puppets is a classic heavy metal album, because it is purely metal...screeching guitars, power chords, dark lyrics, screaming vocals....just an amazing representation of that kind of music. Similarly, Hangin' Tough is a classic and iconic boy-band album, because it is purely bubblegum pop, boy-band music. The songs are catchy and fun, and perfectly written for its audience...adolescent females. The background music is basic pop, simple musical interludes, and the lyrics and vocals are sweet. "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" is a great, poppy, upbeat opening song and ballads such as "Please Don't Go Girl" and "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" melt the hearts of many girls worldwide. "Hangin' Tough" is a wonderful anthem of positive action for young people.
Hangin' Touch is an amazing representation of what "boy-band" music should sound like, and defined that music for acts like 'NSync, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Take That, etc. for years to come. Whether you like it or not, this album touched the hearts of many people, sold lots of copies, and set the stage for a whole genre of music, and thus, simply a classic.
