Are The Backstreet Boys And *NSYNC Merging Into One Band?
The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC have been considered rivals for decades, even though they were creations of the same musical mastermind. Record producer Lou Pearlman formed BSB first, and ultimately gave the group an early look at their future competition. After watching Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick in action on a VHS tape, BSB member Kevin Richardson said that it felt like a "betrayal," per Rolling Stone. "When we started out, we were like, 'Yeah, we're a team. We're gonna take over the world. There's nobody like us.' Then you find out, 'Well, actually there is somebody like you,'" he recalled in the 2015 documentary "Show 'Em What You're Made Of." But there was plenty of room in the hearts of teen pop fans for both groups, as they both had a number of hit singles. The Backstreet Boys' biggest hit was "Quit Playing Games With My Heart," which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. As for *NSYNC, they made it to No. 1 with "It's Gonna Be Me." But, while BSB can't boast a chart topper, the band has *NSYNC beat when it comes to longevity. Richardson, Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Howie Dorough are still touring, while *NSYNC has been on what was supposed to be a "temporary hiatus" since 2002 (via E! News). But maybe now it's time to quit comparing the groups and say "bye bye bye" to the boy band wars for good.