The Backstreet Boys are a Grammy-nominated American pop group. The group's launch to fame was financed by Lou Pearlman, who spent about 3 million dollars on it. They have had 13 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and have approximately sold 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 #13 and #27 respectively, in the list of 150 Best Selling Albums. 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.
