Backstreet Boys facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys performed at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles. From left: AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, and Brian Littrell
Background information
Origin	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Pop dance-pop R&B teen pop adult contemporary
Years active	1993–present
Labels	K-BAHN RCA Jive BMG Legacy
Members	AJ McLean Howie Dorough Nick Carter Kevin Richardson Brian Littrell

The Backstreet Boys (often called BSB) are a famous American singing group. The group includes Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. They started in 1993 in Orlando, Florida.

The group became very popular with their first album, Backstreet Boys (1996). They released their second album Backstreet's Back (1997) and a special U.S. album, Backstreet Boys (1997), which made them even more famous worldwide. They became superstars with their third album Millennium (1999), which had the huge hit song "I Want It That Way." Their next album was Black & Blue (2000). They also released a collection of their best songs called The Hits – Chapter One (2001).

After a short break, they came back with the album Never Gone (2005). Kevin Richardson left the group for a while in 2006 but rejoined in 2012. As a group of five, they released In a World Like This in 2013, celebrating their 20th anniversary. Their album DNA (2019) went to number one, making them the first boy band to top the U.S. album charts in three different decades. In 2022, they released their first Christmas album, A Very Backstreet Christmas. They celebrated 30 years together on April 20, 2023. In July 2025, they released Millennium 2.0, a special updated version of their Millennium album.

The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million records around the world, making them one of the best-selling music artists ever. They are the first group since Led Zeppelin to have their first ten albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 charts. Their albums Backstreet Boys and Millennium sold so many copies that they were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 22, 2013. They also released a documentary movie called Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of in 2015. From 2017 to 2019, they had a concert series in Las Vegas called Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life.

The Story of the Backstreet Boys

How the Group Started (1993–1995)

Howie Dorough and AJ McLean were from Orlando, Florida. They met through a singing teacher and later found Nick Carter through auditions. The three realized they could sing well together and decided to form a group. Cousins Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell were from Kentucky and sang in church choirs. Kevin moved to Orlando in 1990 to work at Walt Disney World and focus on music.

In 1992, a man named Lou Pearlman put an ad in the newspaper looking for a singing group. McLean was the first to audition. Soon, Carter, Dorough, and Richardson were chosen. Littrell joined on April 20, 1993, after Kevin called him. This date became their anniversary. Pearlman named them Backstreet Boys after a local market in Orlando.

The Backstreet Boys performed their first show at SeaWorld Orlando on May 8, 1993. They continued to perform in many places, like malls and restaurants, to build their fan base. In February 1994, they signed their first record deal with JIVE Records.

In late 1994, the group went to Sweden to record songs, including "We've Got It Goin' On." This song was released in August 1995. It became popular in Europe, especially in Germany, which led them to tour there.

Becoming Famous Worldwide (1996–1997)

The group finished their first album, Backstreet Boys, in spring 1996. It was released internationally on May 6, 1996. Their popularity grew quickly in Europe. They were voted the No. 1 international group in Germany in 1996 and earned their first platinum record there. They then toured Asia and Canada.

"Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" was released in the U.S. in May 1997. It became a big hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and selling over a million copies.

The group started working on their second album, Backstreet's Back, in October 1996. This album was released internationally on August 11, 1997. Their U.S. album, also called Backstreet Boys (1997), came out a day later. This U.S. album included songs from both their first international album and Backstreet's Back. It sold 14 million copies in the U.S. The most popular songs from these albums were "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "As Long As You Love Me." Together, their first two albums sold over 28 million copies worldwide.

Superstardom with Millennium (1998–1999)

In 1998, the group had a disagreement about their earnings with Lou Pearlman. This led to several agreements being made.

On October 7, 1998, the mayor of Orlando gave the group the keys to the city and declared it Backstreet Boys Day in Orlando. This was to honor their concert that raised money for tornado relief. They also started recording their third album, Millennium, that month.

The song "I Want It That Way" became a huge hit, topping charts in over 25 countries. Millennium was released on May 18, 1999. It sold over 1.1 million copies in its first week in the U.S. Other popular songs from the album included "Larger than Life" and "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely." Millennium was the best-selling album of 1999 in the U.S., selling over 9.4 million copies. It has sold over 12 million copies in the U.S. and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

On June 2, 1999, the Backstreet Boys started their Into the Millennium Tour. They performed 115 sold-out shows in 84 cities. The tour broke sales records, and one concert in Atlanta was one of the most attended concerts by a pop artist in American history.

Black and Blue and The Hits (2000–2001)

The group traveled to the Bahamas in May 2000 to write songs for their fourth album. They started recording in July 2000. Their album, Black & Blue, was released on November 21, 2000. It sold over 5 million copies worldwide in its first week, setting a record for international sales. In the U.S., it sold 1.6 million copies in its first week. To promote the album, they traveled around the world in 100 hours, visiting six cities. Popular songs from Black & Blue included "Shape of My Heart" and "The Call."

On January 28, 2001, the Backstreet Boys sang the American national anthem at the Super Bowl XXXV. They then started their "Black & Blue Tour," which included shows on five continents.

Their first collection of greatest hits, The Hits – Chapter One, was released on October 23, 2001. It included a new song called "Drowning." The album sold over one million copies in the U.S. and Europe.

A Break and Coming Back (2002–2006)

In 2002, the group wanted to leave their management company. There were also some disagreements with their record label, JIVE Records.

In November 2003, AJ McLean spoke publicly about his past struggles. The rest of the group surprised him by appearing on the show to support him. This was the first time the Backstreet Boys had been together in public in almost two years. They decided to work together again and planned to record a new album.

Backstreet Boys at KISS FM Jingle Bell Bash 8

In January 2004, the Backstreet Boys began working on their fifth album. The first song from the album, "Incomplete," was released in March 2005. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top 10 hit in 13 other countries.

Their album Never Gone was released on June 14, 2005. It debuted at No. 3 in the U.S. and was certified platinum. The album had a different sound, using more live instruments. Never Gone has sold about 3 million copies worldwide.

The Backstreet Boys started their Never Gone Tour in July 2005, which lasted until February 2006. On June 23, 2006, Kevin Richardson announced he was leaving the group to try other things. Both Kevin and the group said he left on good terms and could always come back. The group decided not to replace him.

New Albums and Collaborations (2006–2011)

Backstreet Boys performing without Richardson on Unbreakable Tour

Two days after Kevin left, the Backstreet Boys started recording their sixth album. Unbreakable was released on October 30, 2007. It was well-received and reached number seven on the Billboard 200. They released two songs from the album, "Inconsolable" and "Helpless When She Smiles." The group went on the Unbreakable Tour to promote the album. Kevin Richardson joined them on stage for one show in November 2008.

On October 6, 2009, the group released their next album, This Is Us. It debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. Two songs from this album were "Straight Through My Heart" and "Bigger." The group went on the This Is Us Tour, which had 123 shows.

Kevin Richardson performed with the group again on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2010. In May 2011, the group announced they had left their record label, JIVE Records. They also started a joint tour with New Kids on the Block called NKOTBSB. This tour was very successful, earning over $40 million. Kevin Richardson joined them on stage for some shows during this tour as well.

Kevin Returns and New Projects (2012–2015)

The Backstreet Boys announced that Kevin Richardson had rejoined them permanently during a show in London on April 29, 2012. They released a Christmas song called "It's Christmas Time Again" in November 2012, which reached No. 1 on Billboard's Holiday Digital Songs chart.

The Backstreet Boys celebrated their 20th anniversary on April 20, 2013. Two days later, they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and April 22, 2013, was declared Backstreet Boys Day in Hollywood. In May 2013, the group started the In a World Like This Tour, which lasted over two years and had more than 170 shows worldwide.

"In a World Like This," the first song from their eighth album, also called In a World Like This, was released in June 2013. The album came out on July 30, 2013. It was their first album released independently under their own label, K-BAHN. It sold 800,000 copies and reached the top 5 in many countries.

The group made a cameo appearance in the 2013 movie This Is the End, performing their song "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)." They won an award for "Best Musical Moment" at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards.

Their documentary movie, Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of, was released in theaters and online in early 2015. It tells the story of their career up to their 2013 album. In April 2015, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.

Las Vegas and DNA (2015–2020)

In August 2015, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, and AJ McLean filmed a movie called Dead 7, which Nick wrote. It was about a group fighting zombies. The movie premiered in April 2016.

In October 2015, McLean shared that the group was working on their ninth album. In April 2016, Nick Carter announced that the group signed a deal for a concert series in Las Vegas. McLean confirmed it would start in January 2017.

In August 2016, the group released "God, Your Mama, and Me" with country duo Florida Georgia Line. This song brought them back to the Hot 100 chart for the first time since 2007.

On September 23, 2016, the Backstreet Boys confirmed their Vegas residency show, Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life. They performed 80 shows between March 2017 and April 2019.

The Backstreet Boys released their new song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" on May 17, 2018. This was the first song from their new album. On November 9, they released "Chances" and announced their ninth album, DNA, which was released on January 25, 2019. The group started the DNA World Tour on May 11, 2019. They had to postpone the tour in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, rescheduling dates for 2022.

In April 2019, the band opened an exhibit at the Grammy Museum, showing tour outfits and childhood items. They also announced they would release their first Christmas album. During their Las Vegas residency, they received keys to the Vegas strip and participated in a handprint ceremony.

In December 2020, Britney Spears released a song featuring the group called "Matches".

Christmas Album and New Residency (2021–Present)

The Backstreet Boys performing in Sydney, Australia in March 2023

The Backstreet Boys started working on their first Christmas album in March 2021. They officially announced a holiday concert series in Las Vegas for November and December 2021. However, due to the pandemic, the album was released in late 2022, and the holiday shows were canceled. The Backstreet Boys resumed their DNA tour in April 2022 and finished in May 2023.

In October 2022, the group released their first holiday album, A Very Backstreet Christmas. It reached number 17 on the US Billboard 200 charts and number 1 on the Billboard Holiday charts. The song "Last Christmas" hit number 1 on the Billboard AC charts. On December 4, 2024, the band performed at the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center.

On February 12, 2025, the band announced a nine-show concert series called "Into the Millennium" at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Three more dates were added, making it twelve shows in July and August 2025. The group also announced that they released an updated version of their third album Millennium called Millennium 2.0 on July 11, 2025, to celebrate its 25th anniversary. This release included a new song, "Hey." Nine more dates were added to the residency, making it 21 shows.

To promote their Las Vegas shows, the band partnered with NASCAR and Legacy Motor Club. On April 27, 2025, the band performed at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. On May 8, they performed at the ACMs with Rascal Flatts.

On July 11, 2025, the band released the updated Millennium 2.0 with thirteen bonus songs, including live recordings and an alternate version of "I Want It That Way."

Their Music Style

The Backstreet Boys are known for their amazing vocal harmonies. They often sang a cappella (without instruments) to show off their voices. They wanted to be like vocal groups such as Boyz II Men. The group often uses polyphonic harmony, where different voices sing different melodies at the same time, which makes their sound special. Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, and AJ McLean usually sing the main melody, while Howie Dorough sings higher harmonies and Kevin Richardson sings the lower bass parts.

The Backstreet Boys' music style has changed over the years. Their first two albums mixed R&B and dance-pop. With Millennium and Black & Blue, they moved more towards pop and pop rock. Their 2005 album Never Gone used only live instruments, which was a big change from their earlier pop sound. Their album Unbreakable was similar to Never Gone, with more adult contemporary and pop music. With This Is Us, they returned to dance-pop with some R&B sounds. Their independent album In a World Like This mixed modern pop, adult contemporary, and dance music. On DNA, they combined their harmony-focused pop sound with R&B, country, funk, and EDM.

Other Projects and Partnerships

The Backstreet Boys have worked with many companies. Their "Into The Millennium" tour was sponsored by Sears, which included TV ads and sweepstakes.

Nick Carter, who liked comic books, worked with comic book writer Stan Lee to create a comic book series called "Cyber Crusaders." The comic book, Backstreet Project, was released in 2000 and featured the band members as superheroes.

In 2000, the Backstreet Boys signed a deal with Burger King. This included special CDs and a VHS tape sold only at Burger King. The deal also featured TV commercials and Backstreet Project toys in kids' meals.

In August 2012, the Backstreet Boys appeared in an Old Navy commercial. They also performed at an Old Navy fashion show in New York. In March 2014, the group filmed commercials for a Swedish company called NetOnNet. For these ads, they recorded a new version of their song "Larger Than Life" called "Lager Than Life."

During Super Bowl LIII in 2019, the band was in a commercial for Doritos with Chance the Rapper. In 2022, the Backstreet Boys started appearing in commercials for Downy detergent.

On June 24, 2022, the luxury car company Lincoln teamed up with the Backstreet Boys for a virtual concert for users in China. Over 44 million people watched the live show, making it a very popular online concert.

Helping Others

The group has supported many charities over the years, including Children's Miracle Network and City of Hope. On April 6, 2022, they donated $25,000 to a young band called First Day of School, who then donated it to their favorite charities. Individually, the members also support causes. For example, Nick Carter hosted a holiday dinner for Home for the Holidays. On July 27, 2022, the group played in a celebrity softball game in Ohio to raise money for On Our Sleeves, which helps children's mental health.

Band Members

• AJ McLean – vocals (1993–present)
• Howie Dorough – vocals (1993–present)
• Nick Carter – vocals (1993–present)
• Kevin Richardson – vocals (1993–2006, 2012–present)
• Brian Littrell – vocals (1993–present)

Albums

• Backstreet Boys (1996)
• Backstreet's Back (1997)
• Millennium (1999)
• Black & Blue (2000)
• Never Gone (2005)
• Unbreakable (2007)
• This Is Us (2009)
• In a World Like This (2013)
• DNA (2019)
• A Very Backstreet Christmas (2022)

TV Shows and Movies

Awards and Recognition

The Backstreet Boys have received many awards and nominations. They have been nominated for nine Grammy Awards. They have also won two American Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and a Juno Award, among many others.

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• We Wanna Be with You Tour (1995–1996)
• Backstreet Boys: Live in Concert Tour (1996–1997)
• Backstreet's Back Tour (1997–1998)
• Into the Millennium Tour (1999–2000)
• Black & Blue World Tour (2001)
• Never Gone Tour (2005–2006)
• Unbreakable Tour (2008–2009)
• This Is Us Tour (2009–2011)
• In a World Like This Tour (2013–2015)
• DNA World Tour (2019–2024)

Tours with Other Artists

• NKOTBSB Tour (with New Kids on the Block) (2011–2012)

Concert Series in One Place

• Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life (2017–2019)
• Backstreet Boys: Into the Millennium (2025)

See also

In Spanish: Backstreet Boys para niños

• List of best-selling music artists
• List of best-selling boybands
• List of best-selling music artists in the United States
• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of best-selling albums
• Top ten best-selling albums of the Nielsen SoundScan era
• List of most expensive music videos
• Forbes list of highest-earning musicians