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.)

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