Backstreet Boys

The foundation of Backstreet Boys had been laid in 1992.

Originally it included members : Nick Carter , A.J. Mclean , Brian Littrell , Howie Dorough n Kevin Richardson. But Kevin Richardson has left.

Their first Released Record was in 1997 --- Quit playing games ( with my heart )

Backstreet Boys were, in many ways, a contradictory band. Comprised entirely of white, middle-class Americans, the group sang a hybrid of new jack balladry, hip-hop, R&B, and dance club pop that originally found its greatest success in Canada and Europe, with their 1996 debut album charting in the Top Ten in nearly every country on the continent; ironically, success in their native land did not follow until nearly two years later.

Cousins Kevin Richardson (ex-member) and Brian Littrell, who both hail from Lexington, KY. The two began singing while they were children, performing in local church choirs, as well as festivals, where they sang doo wop and new jack R&B in the style of Boyz II Men.

Two of the other remaining members, Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean, were natives of Orlando , FL, who met each other -- as well as transplanted New Yorker and fifth Backstreeter Nick Carter -- through auditions for local commercials, theater, and television .

At one audition, the three discovered that they shared an affection for classic soul and could harmonize together. In no time, they were singing as a trio.

Shortly after the trio had formed, Richardson moved to Orlando, where he became a tour guide at Disney World; at night, he concentrated on becoming a professional musician .

Eventually, he met Dorough, Carter, and McLean through a co-worker, and the four decided to form a group, naming themselves after an Orlando flea market; Littrell was invited to join to make the band into a quintet

Through a friend, record producer Louis J. Pearlman, the band secured management from Donna and Johnny Wright, who put the group out on the road and had several A&R reps come see the Boys perform live.

Eventually, Jive Records became interested in the band, signing the group in 1994. Jive/Zomba set Backstreet Boys up with producers Veit Renn and Tim Allen and they labored over the album with the band for several months.

The group's eponymous album was released throughout Europe in late 1995. The record was a success, spending several weeks in the Top Ten in most continental countries where it charted.

In the U.K., Backstreet Boys were named Best Newcomers of 1995 at the Smash Hits Awards thanks to their international hit single "We've Got It Goin' On."

After scoring another European hit with "I'll Never Break Your Heart," the group released their eponymous debut album in Europe and Canada in late 1996; it was a success, spending several weeks in the Top Ten in most of the countries where it charted.

Despite their popularity in Europe and Canada, "We've Got It Goin' On" stalled in the lower reaches of the U.S. charts in 1995; this may have been due to the fact that the American version of Backstreet Boys was not released until 1997.

Combining their international singles with new tracks (which also formed the centerpiece of that year's European-only album Backstreet's Back), the American Backstreet Boys finally began their rise to U.S. success, scoring hits with the singles "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" and "As Long as You Love Me" (the former of which went platinum).

The album continued to spin off hits into 1999, with "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," and "All I Have to Give" all landing on the charts; both the former and the latter were platinum Top Five hits, and the album ended up with sales of over 13 million copies.

In the meantime, the group saw its share of turmoil; Littrell underwent surgery in early 1998 to correct a congenital heart defect, and the Boys became embroiled in lawsuits against Pearlman and the rest of their management over royalties for most of the rest of the year. When the dust settled, Pearlman remained the group's manager (though the rest of the team was fired), and the Boys began work on their follow-up album.

Millennium was released in the summer of 1999, and debuted at number one with first-week sales of over a million copies. Despite the fact that no singles were officially released from the album in the U.S., "I Want It That Way," "Larger Than Life," "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," and "The One" all hit the charts based on airplay alone.

The group released its Christmas Album before the end of the year, by which time Millennium was well on its way to sales of 12 million copies in the U.S. alone.

In November 2000, the group released a new album, Black & Blue , with the idea of the title of the album coming from Brian as the boys were in Los Angeles for a photoshoot.

The album debuted with 1.9 million units sold in the first week in America, making the band the first ever artist to have two albums sell a million or more copies in the first week.

In 2001, the Backstreet Boys kicked off the first leg of their "The Black & Blue Tour ", in which they were to perform on five continents. The tour also had extremely expensive production costs. The tour was featured on a CBS TV special, The Backstreet Boys: Larger Than Life. To coincide with the special, TV Guide issued six different covers of the boys: five individual shots and one group photo.

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 drinking, drug addiction, and depression after Richardson had held an intervention for him at a Boston hotel. The tour was postponed until September.

In the September 11 , 2001 attacks, a Backstreet Boys crew member, Daniel Lee, was killed. He had been using time off in the tour schedule to travel from Boston to Los Angeles to be with his pregnant wife. The death caused the cancellation of the band's plans for overseas tours. Despite the attacks in New York that day, the Backsteet Boys went ahead with a planned concert that night in Toronto.

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. It became apparent that this was reason for their lack of resistance to the Backstreet Boys moving on and this unexpected move forced the band to take a break.

Starved for a blockbuster album release, Jive, according to industry observers, had no choice but to bank on releasing Carter's solo album by the end of the year, ahead of the next Backstreet Boys' album, which was due in early 2003.

In 2002, Nick Carter's solo album Now or Never was released. The album peaked at #17 on the Billboard and was certified Gold.

In November 2002, Brian's wife Leighanne gave birth to the couple's first child, Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell.

In December 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 band began to reform and reconcile their differences to start recording a comeback album.

In 2004, the Backstreet Boys started performing together to promote their return to the music scene.

After a three-year hiatus, their single, "Incomplete", 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, 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 Japan, Pakistan,Germany, India, Chile , Brazil and South Korea.

In the same year, Brian Littrell's song "In Christ Alone" charted at #1 on the US Christian Charts. 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. Their first single was "Incomplete", the second single was "Just Want You To Know", and the third singles were: "Crawling Back To You" for the US and "I Still...", internationally. Never Gone has sold approximately 10 million copies worldwide.

On May 2, 2006, Brian Littrell released his first solo album Welcome Home with the title track as the first single. Both album and single made the top 3 on the Billboard Christian Charts.

In June 2006, Richardson left the Backstreet Boys to pursue other interests and "move on with the next chapter of [his] life." He issued the following statement on the band's website on June 23 , 2006 -----

"After 13 years of what can only be described as a dream come true, I have decided that it is time to leave the Backstreet Boys. It was a very tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life. Howard, Brian, Alex and Nick will always be my little brothers and have my utmost love and support. I would like to thank the Backstreet fans for all the beautiful memories we have shared together and look forward to including you in the next phase of my life. I wish my brothers continued success and look forward to their new album".

The Backstreet Boys' sixth album includes various music styles, combining their earlier mid-90s dance-pop sound with their newer guitar driven pop/rock sound. Unbreakable, was officially launched on October 30, 2007. It was the Group's follow-up to 2005's Never Gone and is the first effort since Richardson's departure.

On July 25, the first single was confirmed as "Inconsolable," a piano-driven power ballad similar to Never Gone's "Incomplete". It reached #21 on the US Adult Contemporary Charts and managed only #86 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Helpless When She Smiles" 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.

"Everything But Mine" the second track from the album has been confirmed as the third single for release. It was officially confirmed by Nick Carter and A.J. Mclean during an interview for Music Magazine.

While the album had received positive reviews, it did not perform as well as its predecessor, Never Gone. 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. These low sales may in part be due to the lackluster performance of first single "Inconsolable" in the United States which peaked at #86 on The Billboard Hot 100. However, it performed well internationally, debuting #1 in Japan and staying there for another week.

The group kicked off their 45 date World tour to promote Unbreakable in Tokyo, Japan on February 16th 2008. Dates have been confirmed for the tour being titled the Unbreakable Tour ( Backstreet Boys) in Australia, Japan, Mexico, UK, Europe and Asia.

The group will be kicking off the US tour on August 16th in Gilford, NH and then August 23 in St. Paul Minnesota and in Chicago at The Ravinia on August 24. The tour DVD was recorded in London's The O2 Arena.

The group plans to head into the studio in the spring of 2009 to begin work on their next album, after they finish the Unbreakable World Tour, with plans to hopefully release the album sometime the next year, early 2010.In between that time AJ Mclean announced on 19 March 2008 that he's finished recording and will release his first solo material some time in 2008.

~ Nick Carter ~

Full Name : Nickolas Gene Carter
Nicknames : Nicky, Koas, Chaos, Mr. Hyper Man, Frack, Messy Marvin
Birthdate : January 28, 1980
Place of Birth : Jamestown, NY
Height : 6' 1"
Hair : Golden Blonde
Eyes : Blue
Family : Mother Jane, Father Bob, Sister BJ, Leslie,and twins Aaron and Angel
Favorite Car : Prowler
First Ambition: Singing
Favorite Colour : Forest Green
Favorite Musical Artists : Steve Perry of Journey, Nirvana, Jodeci, Boyz II Men and Michael Jackson
Favorite Song : I Will Always Love You by The Cure
Favorite Food : Pizza
Favorite Drink : Mountain Dew

Astrological Sign : Aquarius
Favorite Movie : Aliens, Braveheart
Favorite Movie Actress : Sigourney Weaver
Favorite Movie Actor : Jeff Goldbloom
Favorite TV show : Mad About You, Beavis and Butthead, The X-Files, The Simpsons
Favorite Book : Living Free
Favorite Type of Clothes : Nike
Favorite Sports : Basketball, football, baseball
Favorite Cologne : Gravity
Favorite School Subjects : Science, History, English, PE
Least Favorite School Subjects : Math
Hobbies : Boating, fishing, drawing, basketball, collecting football cards, and playing video games
Deodorant : Speed Stick
Favorite Ice Cream Flavors : Mint chocolate chip, chocolate-chip and cookie dough
Favorite BSB Song : Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
What he looks for in a girl : ---

(1) He likes girls who are older than him (darn!)
(2) Girls that are smaller
(3) Pretty
(4) Long dark hair
(5) Honest
(6) Loyal
(7) Very romantic
(8) Someone that loves him for who he is deep down inside
(9) Someone who is independent
(10) Fiesty with a great personality
(11) Good heart
(12) Most of all- his dream girl has to be natural, not too much makeup!!
Dream Date : The beach at night where the moon is full

~ A.J. Mclean ~

Full Name : Alexander James McLean
Nicknames : AJ, Bone
Birthdate : January 9, 1978
Place of Birth : West Palm Beach, Florida
Hair : Brown
Eyes : Brown
Height : 5' 9"
Family : AJ is an only child and his mom's name is Denise. His Dad's name is Robert (Bob).
Favorite Colour : Yellow (The VIP section of the official site says Purple)
Favorite Food : McDonald's #6 which is Double QP with cheese, large fries, large Coke, iced tea no lemon
Musical Instruments : Saxophone, Bass Guitar
Favorite Music : Boyz II Men, Silk and the Blues
Favorite School Subject : English
Astrological Sign : Capricorn
Favorite Film : Pulp Fiction
Favorite TV show : Seinfeld
Favorite Book : Witches
Favorite Movie Star : Dustin Hoffman
Favorite Cologne : CK One
Hobbies : Dancing, writing, poetry, basketball, billiards, shopping
Favorite Foreign City : Paris
Favorite Chocolate Bar : Hershey's Cookies 'n Creme
What he looks for in a girl :---
(1) Beautiful eyes
(2) Long, sleek fingernails
(3) Long hair
(4) Great personality
(5) Great sense of humor
Dream Date : What ever her heart desires!

~ Howard Dorough ~

Full Name : Howard Dwaine Dorough
Nicknames : Howie, Howie D., Latin Lover and Sweet D.
Birthday : August 22, 1973
Birthplace : Orlando, Florida
Eyes : Brown
Hair : Brown
Shoe Size : 9 (mens)
Height : 1.70 m, 5' 7"
Car : Mazda 626
Musical Instrument : Guitar
Favorite Music : Soul and R&B
Favorite Colgnes : CK One and Escape for Men
Favorite TV show : Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Astrological Sign : Leo
Family : 4 older brothers and sisters, John, Pollyanna, Caroline and Angie , Wife : Leigh Boniello
Favorite Food : Asian
Favorite Colour : Purple
Favorite Musicians : Bobby Brown and Jon Secada
Favorite Book : The Firm by John Grisham
Favorite Movie : Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Favorite Film Star : Tom Hanks
Favorite School Subject : Math
Hobbies : Weigth lifting, water skiing, dancing, movies and raquetball
Early Jobs : Howie was in the movie Parenthood and Cop and a Half. He did community theatre and was in Disney World commercials
What he looks for in a girl :---
(1) Really likes blondes
(2) Intelligent
(3) Nice personality
(4) Good sense of humor
Dream Date : a candlelight dinner, then a movie or dancing, then ending with a long walk on the beach!

~ Brian Littrell ~

Full Name : Brian Thomas Littrell
Nicknames : B-Rok, Mr. Joker, Seaver, Frick
Birthday : February 20, 1975
Place of Birth : Lexington, KY
Current Residence : Atlanta, Georgia
Height : 1.70 m, 5' 7"
Hair : Brownish - Blonde
Eyes : Blue
Family : His parents, Harold Baker Littrell II and Jackie, and his older brother Harold Baker Littrell III. Wife: Leighanne (Wallace) Littrell, Son: Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell
Musical Instruments : Trumpet
Favorite Musicians : Boyz II Men, Shai, Jodeci
Favorite Colour : Midnight Blue
Favorite Food : Macaroni and Cheese
Hobbies : Basketball, golf, going to the movies, dancing, singing, lifting weights, swimming
Biggest Fear : Heights
Bad Habit : Biting his nails
Astrological Sign : Pisces
Favorite TV Show : Friends
Favorite Movie : It's A Wonderful Life
Favorite Movie Star : Tom Hanks
Favorite Actress : Wife, Leighanne Littrell
Favorite Cologne : He doesn't wear colonge. He says he smells like his fav soap, Dove Body Wash
What he looks for in a girl : He says he has already found it! But here it is ~

Blonde or light brown hair blue eyes, nice legs, long nails, intelligent, good sense of humor, determination, athletic with lots of energy, have her own dreams, interested in achieving goals, giving, open, trustworthy, willing to have fun
Dream Date : Something simple, a picnic in the park or a walk on the beach

~ Kevin Richardson ( ex - member ) ~

Full Name : Kevin Scott Richardson
Birthday : October 3, 1971
Birthplace : Lexington, KY
Astrological Sign : Libra
Favorite Colours : Blue, Black and Purple
Hobbies : Playing keyboards, water skiing, swimming, surfing, basketball and hockey
Favorite Food : Mexican and anything Asian
Favorite Music : R. Kelly, Prince, Babyface and Teddy Riley
Favorite Movies : Top Gun and The Shawshank Redemption
Favorite TV Shows : Roseanne and Martin
Favorite Book : Interview with the Vampire
Favorite Film Stars : Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
Favorite Foreign Country : Sweden
Unique Talents : Ballroom dance instructor
What he looks for in a girl :--- Pretty , Able to talk openly and honestly with him , Intelligent , Nice smile
Dream Date: Nice restaurant then maybe dancing or a movie afterward