Backstreet Boys - Black & Blue

When 'N Sync usurped the Backstreet Boys' record of number of albums sold in a single week early in 2000, it had to hurt the Backstreets, since it was played in the press as if they had lost the teen pop throne. By the time the group released their third album, Black & Blue, Thanksgiving week 2000, 'N Sync was still popular, but the arc of No Strings Attached illustrated that they were weak where the Backstreets were strong -- namely, they couldn't really deliver the seductive mid-tempo pop tunes and ballads that were the backbone of the Boys' crossover success. Songs like "Shape of My Heart," which flows as gracefully as "I Want It That Way," prove that the Backstreet Boys do teen pop ballads better than anyone, but what's interesting about Black & Blue is how aggressively they protect their territory. Of course, it's relative protection, since they, like 'N Sync and Britney Spears, work with Max Martin, the man behind the biggest hits by all three artists. Consequently, it's not a coincidence that "Get Another Boyfriend" is a dead ringer for "It's Gonna Be Me" crossed with "Baby One More Time," but what gives Black & Blue character is that it's clear that the Backstreets want to remain kings of their world. So, the ballads are smoother than ever, and their dance numbers hit harder, all in an attempt to keep their throne. It works, even if it takes a couple spins before the singles stand out, since the Backstreets' material and voices are stronger than that of their peers, adding up to state of the art teen-pop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits A.J. McLean Vocals Adam Barber Engineer Alan Armitage Engineer Babyface Producer, Guitar, Drum Programming, Vocals (Background), Keyboards Backstreet Boys Vocals (Background) Bernard Löhr Mixing Engineer Björn Norén String Engineer Bob Brown Engineer Brian Littrell Vocals Charles McCrorey Assistant Engineer Chris Haggerty Digital Editing Chris Trevett Mixing David Krueger Arranger, Programming, Engineer, Keyboards, Producer Dexter Simmons Mixing Engineer Dirk Woodruff Engineer Dona Kay Flint String Contractor Esbjörn Öhrwall Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar Flip Osman Mixing Assistant, Editing Fraciz Producer, Arranger George Spatta Engineer Gustave Lund Percussion Henrik Janson String Arrangements, String Conductor, Guitar Howie Dorough Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Arranger Jackie Murphy Art Direction Jamie Allen Assistant Engineer Jimmy Bralower Drum Programming Johan Gunnarsson Mixing Assistant, String Engineer, Engineer John Amatiello Pro-Tools, Assistant Engineer, Vocal Engineer Jon Gass Mixing Engineer Keith B. Armstrong Assistant Engineer Kevin Richardson Vocals Kristian Lundin Engineer, Producer Kyle Bess Mixing Assistant Kyle Scholler Assistant Engineer Larry Campbell Producer, Musician LePont Arranger, Producer Marcelo Zolessi Assistant Engineer Max Martin Guitar, Mixing, Producer, Musician, Engineer Michael Tucker Vocal Engineer Mick Guzauski Mixing Engineer Mike Thomson Guitar Nathan East Bass Nick Carter Vocals Nick Gamma Art Direction Paul Boutin Engineer Paul Foley Engineer Per Magnusson Engineer, Programming, Keyboards, Arranger, Producer Peter Svensson Guitar Rami Engineer, Producer, Musician, Mixing Randy Bowland Guitar Resig Photography Rodney Jerkins Musician, Producer Scott McMahon Hair Stylist, Make-Up Shane Stoneback Assistant Engineer Stefan Boman Vocal Engineer Stockholm Session Strings Strings Thomas Lindberg Bass Timmy Allen Producer, Arranger Toby Dearborn Assistant Engineer, Assistant Vocal Engineer Tom Coyne Mastering Tony Battaglia Guitar (Acoustic) Ulf Janson String Arrangements, Conductor Veit Renn String Arrangements