Backstreet Boys

Deluxe Cd has 3 exra trks & special packaging

European 13-track version. Jive.

On Never Gone, the Backstreet Boys crib from the pop foundation they helped establish. Like a lot of smart popsters on the rebound, the reunited fab five broach their return by borrowing from the current hit makers. Even after a four-year hiatus, the flecks of new influence won't matter a bit to the fans. The boys' signature sugar-coated yearning softens every song to a melty consistency, and the lyrics haven't lost any of their babe-magnet pull. "It's all so dark and mysterious/When the one you want doesn't want you," sing the chiseled Lotharios on "Siberia." And on the final title track, a swirling crescendo sums up the sentiments of millions of heartsick, former teen devotees: "Never gone, never far/In my heart is where you are." -Tammy La Gorce

Limited Deluxe digipak edition of their 2007 'comeback' album including bonus tracks, exclusive photos, a separate pull-out poster and much more. 2007 album from one of Pop's most successful acts, now slimmed down to a quartet (adios, Kevin Richardson) but sounding better than ever. Celebrating the 10th Anniversary since the release of their self-titled debut, Unbreakable sees the Backstreet Boys back in action and ready to climb the charts all over again. Features the hit 'Inconsolable'. Jive.

The Backstreet Boys' previous outing, Millennium, was a tough act to follow, combining as it did the storming pop of "Larger Than Life" and the sublime balladry of "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely." Black & Blue is a worthy successor, if a slightly more mature sound for the boys. There's plenty of uptempo pop, such as the catchy advice dished out on "Get Another Boyfriend" and the slinky beat-riddled R&B of "Shining Star," nicely balanced with some smooth ballads--you can almost hear the lighters sparking up as the Spanish guitar gently plucks away on "I Promise You (with Everything I Am)." However, it's when they take up immediately where Millennium left off that they are at their strongest: "The Answer to Our Life" and "Not for Me" form a sturdy bridge from their previous output onward to the future. If this is the state of things to come, the future is decidedly rosy for Brian, Kevin, Howie, A.J., and Nick. --Helen Marquis

The world may be divided into two camps when it comes to the Orlando-based Backstreet Boys--detractors and hard-core fans--but no one can deny the fact that the boys produce perfectly polished pop that sells. The hits on this album speak for themselves: "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," "As Long as You Love Me," and "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)." If you're not one of the disciples, however, you may want to steer clear: lackluster attempts at R&B, saccharine ballads, and a murderous remake of PM Dawn's "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" make this a slick production but little more. --Rebecca Wallwork

The fourth in the series of Top 40-tracking compilations strikes a good balance between pop radio played-to-death singles, R&B standouts, and straight-up rock chart stormers. The beginning of the disc is packed with requisite teen pop; however, the Britney Spears offering "(You Drive Me) Crazy" will probably disappoint those who were hoping for the more recent "Oops!... I Did It Again"). This disc, where the Italian group Eiffel 65's dance-pop smash "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" lives in the same space as Blink 182's "All the Small Things," Ben Harper's "Steal My Kisses," and Macy Gray's "I Try," is like channel surfing during drive-time radio hours and scoring with every hit of the "seek" button. --Beth Massa

For their hard-core under-18 fans, of course, the Backstreet Boys are all that, and a bag of chips and free soda to boot. Millennium, the follow-up to the quintet's umpteen-million-selling debut, offers more reasons why so many of the rest of us have found a place for them in our hearts. The Boys' ultrapackaged look and up-to-date production underscore the quality of their best tracks; only a churl could deny that "I Want It That Way" is one fine radio-aimed declaration of love, or that "Larger Than Life" makes the most of its Daft Punk sample and double-edged acknowledgment of Backstreet followers' loyalty. And who can resist an album-closer like "The Perfect Fan," Brian Littrell's ode to his mom? --Rickey Wright

Special Limited Version of the 'best Of' Collection. Features the Additional Track: 'my Beautiful Woman'.