Backstreet Boys
Encyclopedia
The Backstreet Boys are an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 vocal group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...

, formed in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

 in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough
Howie Dorough
Howard Dwaine "Howie D." Dorough is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer, actor and member of American music group Backstreet Boys-Biography:...

, Brian Littrell
Brian Littrell
Brian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. He is also a contemporary Christian recording artist and released a solo album, Welcome Home, in 2006...

, Nick Carter
Nick Carter (musician)
Nickolas Gene "Nick" Carter is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer and actor. He is best known as a member of the pop group, Backstreet Boys. He went on to release a solo album called Now Or Never during their hiatus. He has made occasional television appearances and...

 and Kevin Richardson
Kevin Richardson (musician)
Kevin Scott Richardson is an American singer and a former member of the Backstreet Boys, model, actor, and composer. He was the oldest member of the band during his tenure.- Early years :...

. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys (1996). In the following year, they released their second international album, Backstreet's Back
Backstreet's Back
Backstreet's Back is an album by the Backstreet Boys released internationally in 1997, but not in the United States. It was a follow-up to their successful self-titled international debut. Some songs from this album, and the prior release were compiled into a second self-titled album whose release...

 (1997) and their debut album in the United States which continued the group's success worldwide. They rose to superstardom with their album Millennium
Millennium (Backstreet Boys album)
Millennium is the third album by American boyband Backstreet Boys. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to both their United States debut album, and their second internationally released album. It was their first album to be released in both the U.S...

 (1999) and its follow-up album, Black & Blue
Black & Blue
Black & Blue is the follow-up album to the Backstreet Boys' 1999 studio release Millennium. It is their fourth album and their third American release. In the United States, Black & Blue sold 1.6 million discs in its first week of release, making them the first group in Soundscan history to have...

 (2000). After a three-year hiatus, the band regrouped and have released their comeback album: Never Gone
Never Gone
Never Gone was the eagerly awaited comeback album by US vocal group Backstreet Boys. Originally to be released in 2004, the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2005 for unknown reasons. The album varies musically from their previous albums, with a rock sound to the album...

 (2005), as well as two further albums Unbreakable
Unbreakable (Backstreet Boys album)
Unbreakable is the Backstreet Boys' sixth studio album, fifth in the United States. It was released on October 24, 2007 in Japan and October 30 in the United States by Jive Records...

 (2007) and This Is Us
This Is Us (Backstreet Boys album)
This Is Us is the seventh studio album from American pop group Backstreet Boys. It is their second album since becoming a four-piece band and was released on September 30, 2009 in Japan through Sony Music Japan, October 5, 2009 in the UK through RCA, and October 6 in the U.S...

 (2009).

Kevin Richardson left the group in 2006 to pursue other interests.

The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling boy band of all time. According to Billboard
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, they are the first group since Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....

 to have their first seven albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

.

Formation and early years: 1992–1995

Cousins Kevin Richardson
Kevin Richardson (musician)
Kevin Scott Richardson is an American singer and a former member of the Backstreet Boys, model, actor, and composer. He was the oldest member of the band during his tenure.- Early years :...

 and Brian Littrell
Brian Littrell
Brian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. He is also a contemporary Christian recording artist and released a solo album, Welcome Home, in 2006...

, both of whom came from Lexington, Kentucky, initially began singing in local church choirs and festivals while they were children. Howie Dorough
Howie Dorough
Howard Dwaine "Howie D." Dorough is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer, actor and member of American music group Backstreet Boys-Biography:...

 and A.J. McLean were natives of Orlando, Florida, who met each other and later discovered Nick Carter
Nick Carter (musician)
Nickolas Gene "Nick" Carter is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer and actor. He is best known as a member of the pop group, Backstreet Boys. He went on to release a solo album called Now Or Never during their hiatus. He has made occasional television appearances and...

 through auditions who joined the two for local commercials, theater, and television. The three, realizing at one audition, that they all shared a great affection for classical soul which they were able to harmonize together, decided to form a trio. Meanwhile, Richardson moved to Orlando, where he took several jobs at Disney, including a tour guide, and the roles of Aladdin and a Ninja Turtle and concentrated on music at nights. Eventually, he met Dorough, Carter, and McLean through a co-worker, and the four decided to form a group. Brian Littrell was later invited to join, turning the group into a quintet. In the course of all this, Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman
Louis Jay "Lou" Pearlman is a former impresario of the successful 1990s boy bands such as The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Take 5, O-Town and US5. In 2006, it was discovered that Pearlman had perpetrated one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in American history, leaving more than $300...

, in early 1992 had placed an ad in Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...

 announcing auditions to compose a boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...

. A.J., who was the first to audition for Pearlman in his living room, became the group's first member. In January 1993, Pearlman held an open casting call during which hundreds of young performers danced and sang at his blimp hangar in Kissimmee, south of Orlando. Eventually, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, and Howie Dorough were selected after meeting Pearlman's expectations. Brian Littrell was added to the group after Richardson had him audition for the group over the telephone. Pearlman decided to call the group Backstreet Boys, naming it after Orlando's Backstreet flea market. The group had its very first performance at SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group...

 in May 1993.

Debut Album's and American success: 1996–1997

The first single that was chosen to be released was "We've Got It Goin' On
We've Got It Goin' On
"We've Got It Goin' On" was the first single released by the Backstreet Boys from their self titled debut album in September 1995; it was also their first single ever released. It was later included in the U.S. album and achieved success worldwide.-Recording:...

" which was sent to radio in August and released as a physical single on September 5, 1995. (In North America, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

 radio broke the group after local programmers heard it on European radio.http://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/10-questions/archive/4552-10-questions-with-mark-bergman) The song was a minor success in the States peaking at only No. 69 by December, the single; however, enjoyed quite a success in Europe entering the top-5 in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France and the Netherlands. European success sent them on a summer tour there and shifted the Backstreet Boys' promotion being mostly done in Europe. In November 1995 they filmed their second video music for their second international single, "I'll Never Break Your Heart
I'll Never Break Your Heart
"I'll Never Break Your Heart" is a song written by singer-songwriters Eugene Wilde & Albert Manno and was the second single by the Backstreet Boys from their self-titled debut album...

", which was only issued in Europe on February 12, 1996. They finished recording their first album Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys (International)
Backstreet Boys is the self-titled international debut album from the pop group Backstreet Boys. The album was released around Europe, Asia, Canada and in a few other markets. It was a success, becoming one of the biggest debut albums ever and contains a number of the band's most memorable singles...

 in April 1996 and filmed their fourth music video, "Get Down (You're the One for Me)
Get Down (You're the One for Me)
"Get Down " is the third single released by the Backstreet Boys from their international self-titled debut album. It was later included on their US debut album as well. In some countries "Get Down" was released as their debut single. The song features a rap with the first verse by Smooth T. of the...

" in Germany. On May 6, 1996, their debut album was released internationally, with an exception of the US and the Canadian markets; however, it was later released in Canada in October 1996.

European popularity grew and the Backstreet Boys kicked off 1996 being voted the No. 1 international group by TV viewers in Germany, in the meantime, "I'll Never Break Your Heart" reached a Gold status there for selling 250,000 units. The group earned their first platinum record in Germany in 1996 for selling 500,000 units of their debut album Backstreet Boys during which time they began touring Asia and Canada. The Backstreet Boys quickly became one of the most successful debut artists in the world collecting awards such as Germany's Viva Comet Awards in 1996 for the category of Durchstarter (Best Newcomers).

The Backstreet Boys began recording their second album Backstreet's Back
Backstreet's Back
Backstreet's Back is an album by the Backstreet Boys released internationally in 1997, but not in the United States. It was a follow-up to their successful self-titled international debut. Some songs from this album, and the prior release were compiled into a second self-titled album whose release...

 and also recorded the song, "If You Stay
If You Stay
If You Stay is a song recorded by the American vocal group, the Backstreet Boys for the Booty Call soundtrack. It was never commercially released as a single. They first publicly performed this song on their 2001 The Black & Blue Tour....

", for the Booty Call soundtrack
Booty Call (soundtrack)
Booty Call is the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Booty Call. It was released on February 25, 1997 through Jive Records and consisted of a blend of contemporary R&B and hip hop. The soundtrack was a success, peaking at 24 on the Billboard 200 and 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums...

 later released in February 1997. They released "Anywhere For You
Anywhere for You
"Anywhere for You" is the fifth single released by vocal group Backstreet Boys in 1997 from their international self-titled debut album. It was later included on their debut US album as well. This is one of the earlier recordings on their 1996 debut album. The song was written by Wayne Perry and...

" as the last single off their international album on February 17, 1997. The single "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
"Quit Playing Games " is the fourth single from the Backstreet Boys' international album. It was recorded in June 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden and released in 1996. It reached #1 in Switzerland and Austria, #2 in the United Kingdom, and #7 in the Netherlands. It was subsequently included on the band's...

" released in May 1997 for their upcoming U.S. debut album managed to climb as high as No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 eventually earning them a platinum-award for selling over one million units. While the album Backstreet's Back was released internationally (with an exception of the US market) in August 1997, their self-titled U.S. debut, which consisted of songs from Backstreet's Back and the previous self-titled international version of Backstreet Boys, was released in U.S. on August 12, 1997.

The U.S. self-titled debut peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. album chart, which eventually sold 14 million copies back home. Meanwhile, the second international release Backstreet's Back peaked at No. 1 in Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria, selling well over five million units in Europe alone. The two self-titled albums, the international version and the U.S. version of Backstreet Boys sold more than 28 million copies worldwide, 14 million of which were sold in the U.S.

In 1997, Brian Littrell
Brian Littrell
Brian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. He is also a contemporary Christian recording artist and released a solo album, Welcome Home, in 2006...

 brought a lawsuit against Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman
Louis Jay "Lou" Pearlman is a former impresario of the successful 1990s boy bands such as The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Take 5, O-Town and US5. In 2006, it was discovered that Pearlman had perpetrated one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in American history, leaving more than $300...

 and Trans Continental claiming that Pearlman had not been truthful about the earnings made by the group. In the following year, McLean, Richardson, and Dorough joined the lawsuit which eventually resulted in a number of settlements.

Millenium, Black and Blue, and World stardom: 1998–2000

While in the middle of a lawsuit, they began recording the follow-up to their 1997 releases at the beginning of October 1998. All versions of Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time
...Baby One More Time
...Baby One More Time is the debut studio album of American recording artist Britney Spears, released on January 12, 1999, by Jive Records. In June 1997, while Spears was in a negotiation with manager Lou Pearlman to join female pop group Innosense, her mother asked family friend and entertainment...

 album released prior to May 18, 1999 featured previews of tracks from their upcoming album Millennium
Millennium (Backstreet Boys album)
Millennium is the third album by American boyband Backstreet Boys. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to both their United States debut album, and their second internationally released album. It was their first album to be released in both the U.S...

. The worldwide hit single "I Want It That Way
I Want It That Way
"I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television...

" which topped the single-charts in many countries including the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, New Zealand, made anticipation for Millennium high. Millennium was released on May 18, 1999, on which day the Backstreet Boys made a heavily publicized appearance on MTV's Total Request Live Millennium . The album entered the Billboard 200 at No.1, and managed to sell 1,134,000 copies in its first week of release. Four singles were released from Millennium: "I Want It That Way", "Larger than Life", "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely
Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely
"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is the third single off Backstreet Boys' 1999 album, Millennium. It is a significant hit, second only to the first single I Want It That Way from the same album, becoming one of the most successful singles of the boy band...

", and "The One
The One (Backstreet Boys song)
"The One" was the fourth single from the Backstreet Boys' hit album Millennium. This song was also used as the opening song in the shōnen anime Hanada Shōnen-shi....

".

Millennium became the best-selling album of 1999 in the U.S., selling 9,445,732 albums. It also holds the record for most shipments in one year, with 11 million shipment. Millennium remained on the Billboard chart for 93 weeks, eventually selling over 12 million copies in the United States and being certified 13 times platinum. As of the end of December 2008, the album stands as the fourth best selling album in the US of the SoundScan era.

By October 1999, the Backstreet Boys faced new problems declaring their current Jive contract null and void, soon striking one of the largest record deals ever valued at $60 million with Jive.

A trip to the Bahamas was made by the group members in May 2000 to write songs for their album.
They began recording their next album on July 1, 2000 in Stockholm Sweden, which wrapped up its recording sessions in September. A song completed during the July recording sessions, "It's True", was released on August 28, 2000 to a compilation sold by Burger King. They released the album's first single, "Shape of My Heart", to radio on October 3, 2000. The Backstreet Boys released their next studio album Black & Blue
Black & Blue
Black & Blue is the follow-up album to the Backstreet Boys' 1999 studio release Millennium. It is their fourth album and their third American release. In the United States, Black & Blue sold 1.6 million discs in its first week of release, making them the first group in Soundscan history to have...

 on November 21, 2000, and to promote the release of the album, the boys traveled around the world in 100 hours to Sweden, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, and the US; 55 of the hours were spent traveling and 45 were spent making public appearances. It recorded the best international sales in a week for an album in history by selling over 5 million copies in its first week of sales. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, it sold 1.6 million discs in the first week making them the first artist since The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 to achieve back-to-back million plus first week sales. Despite the initial excellent sales, Black and Blue never matched up to the hype that their first two albums made. The first single off the album was "Shape of My Heart," followed by "The Call
The Call (song)
"The Call" is a song by the Backstreet Boys. It was released in February 2001 as the second single from their album Black & Blue.-Track listing:* UKCD1# "The Call" # "Shape Of My Heart"...

" and "More Than That
More Than That
"More than That" is the third single by the Backstreet Boys from their album Black & Blue, released on November 21, 2000. It reached #27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and ran for 20 weeks, and #12 on the UK Singles Chart, ending their 13th consecutive Top 10 run, the last being The Call which peaked...

." In the first week of release, Black & Blues first single "Shape of My Heart" was played on 170 out of 171 of the Top 40 stations in the U.S. and eventually peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. Meanwhile overseas, the song entered the Top-5 in Germany (No.2), Switzerland (No.1), Austria (No.4), the Netherlands (No.3), Sweden (No.1), Norway (No.1), Finland (No.3), Italy (No.1), Australia (No.5) and New Zealand (No.1). In late February 2001, the album's second single "The Call" made it into the Top-10 in the UK and the third single "More than That" made it into the Top-20.

Black and Blue Tour, The Hits: Chapter One, and Hiatus: 2001-2003

In January 2001, the Backstreet Boys kicked off the first leg of their "The Black & Blue Tour
The Black & Blue Tour
The Black & Blue Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Backstreet Boys which took place in 2001. The first leg of the tour kicked off January 22, 2001 in the United States. The second leg began June 8 in the group's hometown of Orlando, Florida, and was temporarily put on hold July 9, in order...

", in which they were to perform on five continents. The tour also had extremely expensive production costs. The second leg of "The Black & Blue Tour" was put on hold when it was reported that A.J. McLean had checked himself into rehab to battle alcoholism, cocaine addiction and depression after Richardson had held an intervention for him at a Boston hotel. Three sold-out shows for Air Canada Centre were postponed until September. On January 28, 2001, the Backstreet Boys performed the American national anthem, in front of an audience at the Super Bowl XXXV at the Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...

, Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

.

The Hits: Chapter One
The Hits: Chapter One
The Hits – Chapter One, also known as Greatest Hits – Chapter One internationally, is the first Greatest Hits compilation released by American boyband, Backstreet Boys. The album features fifteen of the group's classic hits, as well as one new song, "Drowning"...

, released on October 30, 2001 was a collection of the Backstreet Boys's classic hits and a previously unreleased song, "Drowning". While the album entered the top-5 in the U.S. (No.4), United Kingdom (No.5), Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 (No.4) and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 (No.1), it managed to enter the top-10 in Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and New Zealand. In the US, The Hits: Chapter One was certified platinum for selling over one million units. Similarly, the album was certified platinum by IFPI (Europe) also for selling over one million units there.

In 2002, the band expressed a strong desire to leave their management company, The Firm. Nick Carter chose to remain with The Firm to manage his solo career. Jive, according to industry observers, had no choice but to bank on releasing Carter's solo album by the end of the year. The relationship with Jive
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...

 worsened when the Backstreet Boys filed a $75–100 million lawsuit against Zomba Music Group
Zomba Music Group
The Zomba Group of Companies was a music group and division which was owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was placed under the RCA/Jive Label Group umbrella. In 2011, the RCA/Jive Label Group was split in half...

 (Jive's parent company) claiming breach of contract. The group stated the label promoted Nick Carter's solo album Now or Never at the expense of the group who wanted to promote their fourth album. According to the suit, in November 1999, the Backstreet Boys revised their 1994 contract and committed to releasing two further albums for Zomba. In exchange for delivering them on time as part of a predetermined schedule, the group would receive multiple non-returnable payments that would serve as advances against future royalties.

In November 2003, A.J. McLean appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show where he talked for the first time in public about his addiction to alcohol and drugs, and his struggles rising to fame. The rest of the band surprised him by arriving in person to give him support, marking the first time the Backstreet Boys had appeared together in public in almost two years. The episode later aired in December 2003 to nationwide audiences. The band began to reform and reconcile their differences, planning to start recording a comeback album at beginning of the next year.

Never Gone and Richardson's departure: 2004-2006

The Backstreet Boys entered the studios in January 2004 to start writing the new album and mentioned they had recorded four songs for the album in February. They also started performing together to promote their return to the music scene. In September they kicked-off a small Asian tour, visiting Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

 and Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...

. Based on the success of this tour, they announced a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

 tour, visiting Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...

 and Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...

 and performing all new material.

After a three-year hiatus, their single, "Incomplete
Incomplete (Backstreet Boys song)
"Incomplete" is a song by American vocal group Backstreet Boys from their comeback album, Never Gone. The power ballad was released in April 2005 as the group's first single since they decided to reunite after a three year hiatus. It was written by Dan Muckala, Lindy Robbins, and Jess Cates, and it...

", was released to radio stations on March 28, 2005. The album is named after a song on the album which mourns the loss of Kevin Richardson's father. The drastic style change drew negative criticism from magazines such as Rolling Stone, which gave the album one star. On June 14, 2005, the Backstreet Boys released their comeback album Never Gone
Never Gone
Never Gone was the eagerly awaited comeback album by US vocal group Backstreet Boys. Originally to be released in 2004, the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2005 for unknown reasons. The album varies musically from their previous albums, with a rock sound to the album...

, which they spent more than a year recording. The album debuted at #3 on the U.S. chart with first week sales of 291,000 copies, and #1 debuts in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...

, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, Germany, India, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

. The Backstreet Boys began the first leg of their The Never Gone Tour in July in West Palm Beach, Florida. It was their first Australian tour. Never Gone was certified platinum in the US and four singles were released from the album. The first single was "Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete may refer to:* A piece of work that is not finished* Gödel's incompleteness theorems, a specification of logic* Incomplete * "Incomplete" , a track from the album Stranger Than Fiction by Bad Religion...

", the second single was "Just Want You to Know
Just Want You to Know
"Just Want You to Know" is a rock/pop song performed by the Backstreet Boys. It was released as the second single from the group's fifth studio album Never Gone...

", and the third singles were "Crawling Back to You" for the US and "I Still...
I Still...
"I Still..." was the third international single and the fourth and final overall single from the Backstreet Boys' fifth studio album, Never Gone, but was not given a US release. The US single was "Crawling Back to You"...

" internationally. Never Gone has sold approximately 10 million copies worldwide.
Never Gone's second single "Just Want You to Know
Just Want You to Know
"Just Want You to Know" is a rock/pop song performed by the Backstreet Boys. It was released as the second single from the group's fifth studio album Never Gone...

" hit the top 10 in the UK, but was not as successful in the United States. It was one of the group's weakest performing U.S. singles, only peaking at #70 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. The third international single "I Still...
I Still...
"I Still..." was the third international single and the fourth and final overall single from the Backstreet Boys' fifth studio album, Never Gone, but was not given a US release. The US single was "Crawling Back to You"...

" debuted at #1 on the Japan International Singles Chart. The third US single, "Crawling Back to You" peaked at #15 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...

.

In June 2006, Richardson left the Backstreet Boys to pursue other interests, issuing a statement on band's website on June 23, 2006.

Unbreakable and This is Us: 2007–2010

The Backstreet Boys' sixth album Unbreakable
Unbreakable (Backstreet Boys album)
Unbreakable is the Backstreet Boys' sixth studio album, fifth in the United States. It was released on October 24, 2007 in Japan and October 30 in the United States by Jive Records...

, was officially launched on October 30, 2007. It was their first effort since Richardson's departure. While the album had received positive reviews, it did not perform as well as its predecessor, Never Gone
Never Gone
Never Gone was the eagerly awaited comeback album by US vocal group Backstreet Boys. Originally to be released in 2004, the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2005 for unknown reasons. The album varies musically from their previous albums, with a rock sound to the album...

. Unbreakable opened at #7 on The Billboard 200, selling 81,000 copies in its first week of release. Two weeks after its debut, the album dropped out of the top 100. However, it performed well in Japan, debuting at #1 on the Japanese Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 weekly album charts and staying there for another week.

On July 25, 2007, the first single was confirmed as "Inconsolable
Inconsolable
"Inconsolable" is the first single by the Backstreet Boys from their sixth studio album Unbreakable which was released on October 30, 2007. The single hit the U.S. radio outlets on August 27, 2007. It was premiered by Jive at Z-100 - New York's Hit Music Station on August 6...

," a piano-driven power ballad similar to Never Gone
Never Gone
Never Gone was the eagerly awaited comeback album by US vocal group Backstreet Boys. Originally to be released in 2004, the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2005 for unknown reasons. The album varies musically from their previous albums, with a rock sound to the album...

's "Incomplete
Incomplete (Backstreet Boys song)
"Incomplete" is a song by American vocal group Backstreet Boys from their comeback album, Never Gone. The power ballad was released in April 2005 as the group's first single since they decided to reunite after a three year hiatus. It was written by Dan Muckala, Lindy Robbins, and Jess Cates, and it...

." It reached #21 on the US Adult Contemporary Charts, but managed only #86 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Helpless When She Smiles
Helpless When She Smiles
"Helpless When She Smiles" is the second single from the Backstreet Boys' 6th studio album Unbreakable, which was released on October 30, 2007. The single, produced by John Shanks, was released on January 15, 2008...

" was the next single to be released from Unbreakable. It only managed to reach #52 in the US Adult Contemporary charts and in turn failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

The group went on a 45 date World tour to promote Unbreakable in Tokyo, Japan on February 16, 2008. Dates were confirmed for the tour being titled the Unbreakable Tour in Australia, Japan, Mexico, UK, Europe, Asia, Canada and The United States. They recorded a tour DVD in London's The O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...

 which can be seen on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

, but has yet to be released. Richardson rejoined the rest of the band in Los Angeles at the Palladium in Hollywood on November 23, 2008 for the last North American stop of the Unbreakable Tour.
In 2009, the group began working on a new album that was released on October 6, 2009, called This Is Us
This Is Us (Backstreet Boys album)
This Is Us is the seventh studio album from American pop group Backstreet Boys. It is their second album since becoming a four-piece band and was released on September 30, 2009 in Japan through Sony Music Japan, October 5, 2009 in the UK through RCA, and October 6 in the U.S...

, and were confirmed to be working with Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...

, OneRepublic
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...

 singer Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Benjamin Tedder is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the frontman of the pop rock band, OneRepublic, though he has an independent career as songwriter and producer for various artists such as Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Far East Movement, Jordin Sparks, Leona...

, RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...

, Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...

, Brian Kennedy
Brian Kennedy (producer)
Brian Kennedy Seals is an American songwriter, record producer and musician from Kansas City, MO. Revered as a piano prodigy, he has been making music tracks since 2001...

, Alex James, Pitbull
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...

, Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly
Claude Kelly is an American singer-songwriter. He has a prolific discography, well known for writing for artists such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Jay Sean, Adam Lambert, Jessie J and Charice.-Career:He began playing the piano...

, Jim Jonsin
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...

, Eddie Galan
Eddie Galan
Eddie Galan is a Los Angeles born singer/musician, songwriter and record producer, who has worked on albums that have accumulated over 18 million in sales worldwide, garnered him 5 #1 records as a writer/producer and 4 #1 records as a publisher...

, T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...

, Rami Yacoub
Rami Yacoub
Rami Yacoub is a Swedish music producer and songwriter of Palestinian descent, and former member of the successful songwriting/production houses Cheiron Studios and Maratone...

, Kristian Lundin
Kristian Lundin
Kristian Carl Marcus Lundin is a Swedish composer, music producer and songwriter.-Biography:Beginning his career as a member of the Swedish duo Amadin , Kristian's writing and production talents were quickly recognized by music industry icon Denniz PoP, who invited him to join the Cheiron Studios...

 and many others. Unlike Unbreakable, This Is Uss sound went back to their original dance-pop beats and contains a more R&B sound. The album debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200, selling 42,000 copies in its first week of release. It peaked at #2 in Japan and was certified Platinum for shipments of 250,000 copies. On August 27, 2009, the first single, "Straight Through My Heart
Straight Through My Heart
"Straight Through My Heart" is a song performed by American pop vocal group Backstreet Boys. It was released as the lead single from the group's seventh studio album titled This is Us and is their first of two collaborations with critically acclaimed songwriter and producer RedOne appearing on the...

" was released. It failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 but managed to peak at #18 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs. The second single off the album was "Bigger
Bigger
"Bigger" is the second single from the Backstreet Boys seventh studio album, This Is Us. The song was co-written and produced by collaborator and producer Max Martin...

". On October 30, 2009, the group went on the This Is Us World Tour
This Is Us Tour
The This Is Us Tour was the eighth concert tour by American boy band, the Backstreet Boys. The tour promotes their seventh studio album, This Is Us. The tour reached Europe, Asia, Australasia and the Americas...

, which concluded in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...

 on March 26, 2011.

A second Backstreet Boys greatest hits album was released on January 26, 2010. The compilation is titled Playlist: The Very Best of Backstreet Boys and is part of a series of similar Playlist albums issued by Sony Legacy. It was their last album for Jive Records, as they parted ways with the label.

NKOTBSB: 2011-present

In November 2010, the Backstreet Boys closed out the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...

 with New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...

. On November 8, 2010, it was confirmed that they were planning to have a joint tour
NKOTBSB Tour
The NKOTBSB Tour was a co-headlining tour between American boy bands New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys. The tour visited North America, Europe and Australia and featured the hits of both groups over the years. The tour ranked 44th in Pollstar's "Top 50 Worldwide Tour ", earning over 10...

 with New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...

 in 2011. Prior to the tour, the new supergroup released an album of their biggest hits, including two new songs, "Don't Turn Out the Lights
Don't Turn Out the Lights
"Don't Turn Out the Lights" is a song by American recording artists New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys from their collaboration compilation album, NKOTBSB. The song was written by Jess Cates, Claude Kelly, and Emanuel Kiriakou and produced by Emanuel Kiriakou. A sneak preview of "Don't Turn...

" and "All in My Head". On October 16, 2011, new tour dates were announced for UK and Europe.

On October 25, 2011, Kevin Richardson made an announcement on Ryan Seacrest
On Air with Ryan Seacrest (radio)
On Air with Ryan Seacrest is the name of an American syndicated radio program hosted by Ryan Seacrest. As of 2010, the daily morning radio show airs on Los Angeles top 40 station KIIS-FM and was launched at the same time as the television show with the same name, although Seacrest had hosted a...

 that he will be hosting a special Beach Party Concert in the Bahamas on December 3, 2011. The party is part of the group’s second annual cruise, the SS Backstreet, which runs from December 2–5. He also stated that he would love to perform with the group again on a more regular basis.

Members

Discography

  • Backstreet Boys
    Backstreet Boys (International)
    Backstreet Boys is the self-titled international debut album from the pop group Backstreet Boys. The album was released around Europe, Asia, Canada and in a few other markets. It was a success, becoming one of the biggest debut albums ever and contains a number of the band's most memorable singles...

     (1996)
  • Backstreet's Back
    Backstreet's Back
    Backstreet's Back is an album by the Backstreet Boys released internationally in 1997, but not in the United States. It was a follow-up to their successful self-titled international debut. Some songs from this album, and the prior release were compiled into a second self-titled album whose release...

     (1997)
  • Millennium
    Millennium (Backstreet Boys album)
    Millennium is the third album by American boyband Backstreet Boys. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to both their United States debut album, and their second internationally released album. It was their first album to be released in both the U.S...

     (1999)
  • Black & Blue
    Black & Blue
    Black & Blue is the follow-up album to the Backstreet Boys' 1999 studio release Millennium. It is their fourth album and their third American release. In the United States, Black & Blue sold 1.6 million discs in its first week of release, making them the first group in Soundscan history to have...

     (2000)
  • Never Gone
    Never Gone
    Never Gone was the eagerly awaited comeback album by US vocal group Backstreet Boys. Originally to be released in 2004, the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2005 for unknown reasons. The album varies musically from their previous albums, with a rock sound to the album...

     (2005)
  • Unbreakable
    Unbreakable (Backstreet Boys album)
    Unbreakable is the Backstreet Boys' sixth studio album, fifth in the United States. It was released on October 24, 2007 in Japan and October 30 in the United States by Jive Records...

     (2007)
  • This Is Us
    This Is Us (Backstreet Boys album)
    This Is Us is the seventh studio album from American pop group Backstreet Boys. It is their second album since becoming a four-piece band and was released on September 30, 2009 in Japan through Sony Music Japan, October 5, 2009 in the UK through RCA, and October 6 in the U.S...

     (2009)

Tours

  • We Wanna Be with You Tour (1995–1996)
  • The Space Show (1996–1996)
  • Backstreet Boys: Live In Concert Tour (1996–1997)
  • Backstreet's Back Tour
    Backstreet's Back Tour
    Backstreet's Back Tour was a concert tour by the Backstreet Boys.- Set list :# That's The Way I Like It# Hey, Mr. D.J. # I Wanna Be With You# Just to Be Close to You# 10,000 Promises# If I Don't Have You# Like a Child...

     (1997–1998)
  • Into the Millennium Tour
    Into the Millennium Tour
    The Into the Millennium Tour was a world concert tour by the Backstreet Boys in support of their 1999 album, Millennium. The tour comprised 115 sold-out shows in 84 cities spanning three legs...

     (1999–2000)
  • The Black & Blue Tour
    The Black & Blue Tour
    The Black & Blue Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Backstreet Boys which took place in 2001. The first leg of the tour kicked off January 22, 2001 in the United States. The second leg began June 8 in the group's hometown of Orlando, Florida, and was temporarily put on hold July 9, in order...

     (2000–2001)
  • Up Close & Personal Tour
    Up Close & Personal Tour
    The Up Close & Personal Tour was a March-April 2005 concert tour by the American pop vocal group the Backstreet Boys, and it served as a pre-tour for the following Never Gone Tour . It had 17 shows in the United States which had the same set list as the Never Gone Tour with only minor changes...

     (2005)
  • The Never Gone Tour
    The Never Gone Tour
    The Backstreet Boys' Never Gone Tour was a 2005 concert tour which featured all the songs from their fifth studio album, Never Gone, and all of the songs from their 2001 greatest hits release, The Hits: Chapter One....

     (2005–2006)
  • Unbreakable Tour
    Unbreakable Tour
    The Backstreet Boys' Unbreakable Tour was a 2008-2009 concert tour. This was the first Backstreet Boys tour without Kevin Richardson. He did, however, join his band again at the end of the tour in Los Angeles....

     (2008–2009)
  • This Is Us Tour
    This Is Us Tour
    The This Is Us Tour was the eighth concert tour by American boy band, the Backstreet Boys. The tour promotes their seventh studio album, This Is Us. The tour reached Europe, Asia, Australasia and the Americas...

     (2009–2011)
  • NKOTBSB Tour
    NKOTBSB Tour
    The NKOTBSB Tour was a co-headlining tour between American boy bands New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys. The tour visited North America, Europe and Australia and featured the hits of both groups over the years. The tour ranked 44th in Pollstar's "Top 50 Worldwide Tour ", earning over 10...

     (2011–2012)

See also


External links

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