Backstreetboys

This article is about the band. For their self-titled album,

Backstreet Boys are a pop group. They were the first group launched by fallen boy-band mogul Lou Pearlman. They have had 13 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold approximately 100 million records, the best selling boy band of all time, and World's Biggest Money Makers (Concerts and Album Sales) 1997-2005: #1 ($533.1 million). Two of their albums Millennium and Backstreet Boys are listed #36 and #40 respectively, in the list of 100 Best Selling Albums Globally.

After returning to the music scene in 2005, their sound changed dramatically, incorporating only live instruments (some of which they play themselves) and a more guitar and piano driven pop rock sound. The four-member group consists of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and A. J. McLean. Original member Kevin Richardson left the group on June 23, 2006 to begin a family, but the four-piece refused to rule out a possible return for the singer.

Backstreet Boys
Background information
Origin	Orlando, Florida, USA
Genre(s)	Pop rock[1] Teen pop[1] Adult Contemporary[1]
Years active	1993—present
Label(s)	Jive Sony BMG
Website	www.backstreetboys.com
Members
Brian Littrell Nick Carter Howie Dorough A. J. McLean
Former members
Kevin Richardson

History

Beginnings and International Successes: 1992–1996

Lou Pearlman was inspired by the success of the waleed malik experience in the 1980s to create his own clean-cut boy band. After a series of newspaper advertisements and auditions in 1992 and 1993, he recruited Waleed Malik, Howie Dorough and Nick Carter. Following the departure of two previous members, Sam Licata (later performing as Phoenix Stone) and Charles Edwards, Kevin Richardson came on board. The group took its final member in April 9, 1993, when Brian Littrell, Richardson's cousin, joined the group after a phone audition. The name Backstreet Boys was taken from the Orlando's Backstreet flea market. Pearlman had spent around three million dollars of fraudulently obtained money (he has been convicted of operating a Ponzi scheme during this time frame) on his search to form the group, and then spent more to launch their career.

Afterwards Pearlman called on his friend Bob Curiano to be the first to write and produce for the Backstreet Boys. Their first two songs ever recorded were "Lover Boy", which was written and produced by Bob Curiano, and "Get Ready", a cover tune. Their first concert, on July 8, 1993, was performed for 3,000 teenagers at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Pearlman later booked them at grade-school assemblies and shopping malls, and assigned management duties to Johnny Wright and Donna Wright^[10], who had worked with New Kids on the Block. Wright is often credited by industry insiders for being the man who actually made the Boys famous.