With the Backstreet Boys back on the street, we take a look at boy bands past
and present
By Melinda Newman
Special to MSN Music
Backstreet Boys
Just as Maurice Starr served as Svengali for New Edition and NKOTB, Lou
Pearlman started a new boy-band dynasty out of Orlando,
Fla. (a side note:
Pearlman is now in prison awaiting sentencing for fraud). His first success was
Backstreet Boys, a quintet who relied on strong harmonies, solid production and
top songwriting to set girls' hearts fluttering. Hits such as "As Long as You
Love Me," "I Want It That Way" and "Shape of My Heart" kept the streak going for
three years, but then the band hit setbacks more common to rock bands than boy
bands: A.J. McLean went into rehab and Nick Carter was arrested a number of times, including a DUI
stop. He went on to date Paris Hilton and star in a failed reality show. After a long
hiatus and the departure of Kevin Richardson, the band's comeback CD, 2007's "Unbreakable" arrived DOA. (Larry Busacca/Retna
Ltd.)
More Backstreet Boys photos | Discuss
Watch the Backstreet Boys in Concert
Close
Hotmail
