Sound CheckBackstreet Boys’ best and worst albums
Original Backstreet Boys (BSB) members Brian Littrell, A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson have announced that they are returning to the studio to record their first album as a united quintet since 2005's "Never Gone."
Saying that he left the band to pursue other interests, Richardson is happy about the reunion with BSB, saying, "Being back with my brothers again feels great." Adding, "I love these guys. We have gone through so much together. We just have a chemistry . . . a bond that will always be."
"We couldn't be happier to have our brother back with us," Carter said in a statement. "Having Kevin back in the mix adds that extra special magic to our group," Littrell, who is also Richardson's cousin, added. "We're over the moon to have him back and it's a great way to give back to our fans."
The release of their new album is set to coincide with the boy band's (or is it man band now?) 20th anniversary next year and will feature the producing prowess of Martin Terefe who has previously worked with artists like Jason Mraz, Train and Mary J. Blige.
In honour of the promise of a new 2013 record, let's relive some of the best and worst albums of BSB's history.
WORST: "Unbreakable"
Album singles: "Inconsolable," "Helpless When She Smiles"
As the first album following Richardson's departure and without the producing expertise of long time BSB collaborator, Max Martin, 2007's "Unbreakable" seemed to be missing a certain "je ne sais quoi" despite peaking at number seven on Billboard's 200 album chart. Dubbing the record "more thoroughly bland and cheesy than ever," Rolling Stone gave it 2/5 stars, saying, "The material stinks worse than ever."
BEST: "Backstreet's Back"
Album singles: "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," "As Long As You Love Me," "All I Have To Give"
After the successful release of their self-titled debut album, BSB returned with a vengeance in 1997 with their follow-up, "Backstreet's Back." The album received a diamond certification in Canada a year after its release and spawned a slew of music videos featuring memorable dance moves. Admit it, you still know the closing dance sequence from "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," the chair routine from "As Long As You Love Me" and the fedora hat dance from "All I Have To Give" off by heart!
WORST: "This Is Us"
Album singles: "Straight Through My Heart," "Bigger"
Despite having Max Martin back on the producing team in addition to major collaborators like OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder and Lady Gaga's hit making producer RedOne, BSB's 2009 release "This Is Us" failed to impress. Earning 2.5/4 stars, the Toronto Star compared the album to "a warm cup of flavoured instant latte," saying it was, "sweet, a little frothy, mildly stimulating — and eminently forgettable."
BEST: "Millennium"
Album singles: "I Want It That Way," "Larger Than Life," "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely," "The One"
As the first album to be simultaneously released internationally and in the United States, "Millennium" sold almost 500,000 copies in the U.S. on its debut day and has gone on to become the best selling album of 1999. A fun fact about this record is that it was secretly previewed at the end of some editions of Britney Spears' debut album "'...Baby One More Time.'"
In addition to releasing a new album, BSB is also set to perform on "Good Morning America" on August 31 and the members will also receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles in 2013.
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