The Backstreet Boys: Where Are They Now?
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From solo projects to fatherhood, find out what the five members of the Backstreet Boys have been up to lately
By Stephanie Sengwe
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The Backstreet Boys, circa 1995
The Backstreet Boys in 1995. Photo: Tim Roney/Getty Images
One of the biggest boy bands in history, you cannot talk about the '90s without mentioning the Backstreet Boys.
Composed of Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough, the band released their self-titled debut album in 1996 and it was off to the races.
Backstreet Boys housed hits such as "Quit Playing Games with My Heart" and "Get Down (You're the One for Me)" and put the heartthrobs on the map. They followed up with Backstreet's Back in 1997 and gave us "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "As Long as You Love Me."
Though the band found much success with their first two albums, it wasn't until they released "I Want It That Way" as part of the 1999 Millennium album that their careers were catapulted through the stratosphere. The album scored four Grammy nods, including song of the year, and became an instant classic.
Like most groups of their time, however, the Backstreet Boys faced many ups and downs throughout their careers, and even sued their former manager, Lou Pearlman, for fraud. (That part of their story will be chronicled in a Netflix documentary entitled Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, which premieres on July 24.) Over the years, some band members also left in pursuit of solo projects and other passions. However, the group always managed to get back together and make more music for their fans.
Ahead of the documentary premiere, see what the Backstreet Boys have been up to since they hit the radio waves back in 1996.
01
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AJ McLean
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: AJ McLean of Backstreet Boys attends the Warner Music Group Pre-Grammy Party at Citizen News Hollywood on February 01, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Warner Music)MIAMI BEACH, FL - APRIL 1997:AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys poses for an April 1997 portrait in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images)
AJ McLean. getty (2)
The "OG Backstreet Boy," AJ McLean was the first member recruited for the boy band back in the early '90s.
Though he has primarily focused on being a musician — he released a solo album, Have It All, in 2010 — McLean, now 46, has ventured into other entertainment arenas over the years, making brief appearances in Days of Our Lives, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Olive Juice and Static Shock, among other TV shows and movies.
McLean married Rochelle Deanna McLean (née Karidis) in 2011, after having met in 2008. The two welcomed their daughters Elliott, born in 2012, and Lyric, born in 2017, before announcing their separation in 2023.
In January 2024, the pair decided to “officially end their marriage” after 12 years together, and revealed they will be divorcing.
Still, McLean has remained busy. Outside of being a doting dad, he still enjoys touring and is currently on a joint "A Legendary Night" tour with Joey Fatone of *NSYNC. The first run of shows wrapped in the spring, but the pair wound up adding more dates due to high demand and will be picking back up in August.
02
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Nick Carter
Nick Carter
Nick Carter in the '90s and in 2023. Gabe Ginsberg/Getty
Fun fact: Nick Carter could have possibly been in *NSYNC. Back in the day, the singer auditioned for and scored spots in Backstreet Boys and on The Mickey Mouse Club at the same time.
"I got offered a contract, and I turned it down," Carter said of trying out for The Mickey Mouse Club while at 90s Con in 2022. "I was supposed to be on the same team as Britney [Spears] and Ryan [Gosling]. And I got an option to go in for a Backstreet Boys audition. [AJ] was there."
Ultimately, he made the choice to sing and became the youngest member of the boy band.
Throughout his career, Carter has also branched out and carved out his own lane, releasing three solo albums and starring in some reality TV shows with his famous family.
In recent years, the now-44-year-old has gone through some tough times with the loss of his brother Aaron in 2022 and his sister Bobbie Jean in 2023. Carter is currently being sued by multiple women for sexual assault, but has denied the accusations and is fighting them in court.
The singer has been married to his wife Lauren Kitt Carter since 2014. The couple shares three children: son Odin Reign, 8, and daughters Saoirse Reign, 4, and Pearl Reign, 3.
03
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Kevin Richardson
Kevin Richardson
Kevin Richardson in 1996 and in 2020. Images)
In 2006, hearts broke across the globe when Kevin Richardson announced he would be leaving the band in pursuit of other projects.
However, the "big brother of the group" couldn't stay away for too long, as he performed and made appearances with the band several times between 2008 and 2011. He officially announced he was coming back to the group during an episode of On Air with Ryan Seacrest in July 2011 and rejoined on April 29, 2012.
Away from the fandom, Richardson, 52, has also been happily married to his wife, Kristin Kay Richardson, since 2000. The lovebirds have two sons: Mason, 16, and Maxwell, 10.
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Howie Dorough
Howie Dorough
Howie Dorough in 1996 and in 2023. Gerardo Mora/Getty
Like his bandmates, Howie Dorough found himself in the Backstreet Boys after auditioning for and impressing their manager, Lou Pearlman. Dorough also released two solo projects away from the band: 2011's Back to Me and 2019's Which One Am I?
Dorough, now 50, met the love of his life, Leigh, in 2000, when she was serving as the band's webmaster. The two got married seven years later and welcomed their first son James Hoke in 2009, followed by Holden John in 2013.
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Brian Littrell
Brian Littrell
Brian Littrell in 1997 and 2020. MEnternational/Getty
Brian Littrell's vocal prowess was so evident, he auditioned over the phone and was flown to Orlando the next day, according to the official Backstreet Boys website.
He released a solo Christian album titled Welcome Home in 2005 and then followed up with some Christmas albums featuring his family: 2010's Brian Littrell's Family Christmas and 2011's Christmas with the Littrells.
When he's not performing with the Boys, Littrell, 49, lives an otherwise quiet life with his wife Leighanne and their singer son Baylee, 21, in Atlanta. The couple first met on the set of the Backstreet Boys' "As Long as You Love Me" music video in 1997 and got hitched in 2000.
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