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THE BACKSTREET Boys took the world by storm in the 1990s.

Since forming in 1993, the group became the rage among teenagers - and one of the most successful boy bands in the world.

The Backstreet Boys performing in West Palm Beach, Florida, in June 2022
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The Backstreet Boys performing in West Palm Beach, Florida, in June 2022Credit: Rex

Where are the Backstreet Boys now?

The Backstreet Boys, composed of members Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson, rose to fame in 1993.

Since forming, the group has released ten studio albums and has sold over 100million records worldwide.

They are considered the best-selling boy band of all time and one of the world's best-selling music artists.

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The Backstreet Boys celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2013 and released their first independent album, In a World Like This, shortly after.

They received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star that same year and four years later, announced they were headlining a residency in Las Vegas until 2019.

At the end of their residency, the band hit the road for a 2022 tour and has continued to sell out stadiums around the world.

In July 2022, the band performed in Toronto and was joined on-stage by Drake for a performance of their hit song, I Want It That Way.

What are the Backstreet Boys’ top songs?

The Backstreet Boys are one of the few bands in the industry to have multiple diamond-certified albums.

Their most popular songs include:

  • I Want It That Way
  • Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
  • I'll Never Break Your Heart
  • Shape of My Heart
  • Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely
  • Everybody (Backstreet's Back)

Due to years of their international and domestic success, the band released a documentary titled, Backstreet Boys: Show 'Em What You're Made Of, which chronicled their career and rise to fame.

Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson are the Backstreet Boys
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Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson are the Backstreet BoysCredit: Rex

How did the Backstreet Boys become famous?

The Backstreet Boys first formed in Orlando, Florida after Dorough and McLean met each other through a mutual vocal coach.

They then met Carter through auditions and decided to form a trio.

Richardson was living in Kentucky but relocated to Orlando in 1990 to work at Walt Disney World. 

A coworker from the theme park introduced him to Carter, Dorough, and McLean and all four decided to let Richardson in their group.

Littrell, who is cousins with Richardson, eventually joined the band in 1993 after record producer Lou Perlman placed an ad in the Orlando Sentinel to compose a vocal group.

They first performed as a group at SeaWorld Orlando in 1993 and then travelled to Sweden to record some songs.

Their first album broke all major records in Europe, especially in Germany, and quickly became one of the most successful debut artists in the world.

Nick Carter

Nick Carter hasn't been far from the headlines in recent years
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Nick Carter hasn't been far from the headlines in recent yearsCredit: Getty

Tragedy struck Nick in recent years, with brother Aaron found dead at his home bathtub in 2022 after battling substance abuse.

Nick kept busy on-stage, releasing a series of singles following Aaron's passing including tribute hit "Hurts to Love You".

Then in December 2023, just two days before Christmas, sister Bobbie Jean died aged 41.

Nick posted to Instagram: "It may take a lifetime to fully process the loss my family has endured over the years ... I am completely heartbroken."

Meanwhile, three women have sued Nick from 2022-23 claiming he sexually assaulted them in separate alleged incidents between 2001-03.

He denies all of the allegations.

The 44-year-old still enjoys millions of Spotify streams and from more than 750,000 listeners per year, while his social media is stacked with photos of his kids.

Most recently, he has been spotted playing golf in the Dominican Republic and beach volleyball in Cancun.

Howie Dorough

Howie D wound back the clock earlier this month with a video showing how many tequila shots he can slam down.

The singer finished the count on eight up on stage while at an event in Mexico.

He has otherwise kept fairly quiet in recent times as he raises his two sons.

AJ McLean

AJ was full of praise for Taylor Swift
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AJ was full of praise for Taylor SwiftCredit: Getty

AJ has been in the news recently as he explained why his daughter, formerly Ava, changed her name to Elliott four years ago.

He clarified that she simply wanted a more unique name rather than it being associated with a gender identity switch.

AJ also praised Taylor Swift recently for her kindness to his daughter and called her one of the most "grounded, humble performers".

AJ split from his wife in 2022.

Prior to that, he released a solo album in 2019 called "Which One Am I?" targeted at both adults and children.

Brian Litrell

The Backstreet Boys are still chasing that elusive Grammy
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The Backstreet Boys are still chasing that elusive GrammyCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk

Brian's son last year turned 21, showing just how long the Backstreet Boys have been around for.

He recently revealed that winning a Grammy remains a dream for the group.

Brian told Bustle: "In the back of my mind, there’s always that elusive Grammy, because we’ve been nominated like eight times and we’ve never walked away with that hardware.

"So I’m going to throw it out there in the atmosphere that hopefully, one day, the Backstreet Boys will accept the Grammy."

Kevin Richardson

Kevin, a cousin of Brian, has enjoyed a varied career since the boy band's glory days.

He launched a solo career, modelled for Versace and tried his hand at acting.

Most recently, Kevin was chosen as a drum honouree for the all-conquering Kansas City Chiefs.

He slammed the drum at Arrowhead Stadium to energise the home crowd at a game in December.

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Richardson is such a Chiefs fan that three of his last five Instagram posts are dedicated to the Super Bowl champs.

He recently enjoyed a trip to Alaska with his young family.

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