Top 10 Backstreet Boys Songs

Top 10 Backstreet Boys songs

Let’s rewind a little back to the late-‘90s, to a time when frosted tips and baggy clothes were in style, and boy bands ruled the airwaves. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Backstreet Boys songs.

For this list, we’ve chosen our entries based on a combination of the artist’s fan favorites and their most commercially successful songs.

#10: “The Call”
Black & Blue (2000)

People expected a lot when buying the follow up to the ever-popular album, Millennium, and wow, did the boys from Orlando ever deliver! Kicking off the album was this track about giving into temptation and the burden of guilt that haunts those who make that choice. With that darker tone in mind, it makes sense that the chorus is so damn memorable. A track that utilizes the classic catchy style the Backstreet Boys are known for and an awesome key change towards the end of the song, there’s no way “The Call” couldn’t make our list.

#9: “Shape of My Heart”
Black & Blue (2000)

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. BSB’s knack for slowing it right down to hit us with an emotional wallop is readily evident, and “Shape Of My Heart” is one example of such a song. With relatable lyrics and a bittersweet melody, this powerful track drips with BSB’s epic signature style. The tune was a top 10 hit in the States and a #1 in Canada and much of Europe, including Sweden where the track was actually recorded. Coming a bit later in their career, this track is not to be missed by anyone who calls themselves a real Backstreet Boys fan.

#8: “All I Have to Give”
Backstreet’s Back (1998)

Money isn’t everything. Don’t believe us? Take a listen to this song. Laying down a few pieces of wisdom, the boys explain to the object of their desire that they don’t have much money, or nice things, but do have an abundance of love to give. It croons, it belts, it’s got everything we need from a Backstreet Boys track. As much as we love that sentiment, however, given the fact that Backstreet’s Back – this song’s parent album – sold well over 17 million copies, we’re guessing they’ve got a little bit more to give than love at this point.

#7: “I’ll Never Break Your Heart”
Backstreet Boys (1995)

Some boys will make some pretty dastardly promises they don’t intend to keep, but when the promise is delivered via a hit single, you better believe they mean it. The title pretty much says it all here, and the boys have got us hooked from the beginning to listen to their heartfelt words of love in verse after verse. We don’t know whether or not we’d actually recommend using the lyrics of this song as inspiration for wooing the ladies, but it probably couldn’t hurt.

#6: “Incomplete”
Never Gone (2005)

And some say comebacks are the stuff of dreams. Five years after the release of Black and Blue, the Backstreet Boys’ 2005 album Never Gone was released, headlined by this single. Not only a triumphant return to form, Never Gone managed to showcase a new dimension to the group, with one of their best produced songs to date leading the charge. As emotional as it is powerful, this track proved that as much as the group’s songs were long lasting, the group was equally capable of changing with the times.

#5: “Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)”
Backstreet Boys (1996)

Back to the beginning! The fourth single off their debut album, this early work from the group put them in the spotlight. A straightforward song with a simple message, “Quit Playing Games” has the singers wishing that their significant other would just, you guessed it; quit playing games with their hearts. With its catchy melody and smooth vocals to boot, this song was an indicator of the group’s career to come. The song was a #2 hit in both the US and the UK and was a #1 in Switzerland, proving the Swiss know a good thing when they hear it.

#4: “As Long as You Love Me”
Backstreet’s Back (1997)

Proving they could sing love songs as well as they could dance numbers, the five-man group laid out their signature style of emotional ballads with this track. “As Long as You Love Me” carries themes of unconditional love, and moving forward with relationships, and delivers them with a smooth as silk tone. It’s a track that’s both easy to listen to and fiendishly addictive, so we can’t get enough of this song. And with its near global top 10 status, we clearly weren't the only ones.

#3: “Larger Than Life”
Millennium (1999)

The opening scream is enough to get everyone’s blood pumping. The kick-off song from the Millennium album, the lyrics to “Larger Than Life” take an introspective look at fame and the relationship with the fans. In fact, the track’s chorus even thanks the group’s fans and supporters for their love and dedication to the group. In return, the members of BSB knock it out of the park with this high-energy dance number. Meanwhile its video is notable as the 14th most expensive video of all time, coming in at $2.1M. Totally worth it.

#2: “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”
Backstreet’s Back (1997)

Backstreet's back? Alright! After their debut album, many wondered if this new pop group was just a passing phase. Proving once and for all that this was not the case, the group followed up strong with “Backstreet’s Back”, letting the world know that not only were they back but that they were here to stay. A number sure to get everyone at the party dancing thanks to its powerful beat and anthemic chorus, this powerhouse can still be found on many fans’ iPods today.

Before we go full retro with our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
“Get Down (You're the One for Me)”
Backstreet Boys (1996)
“The One”
Millennium (1999)
“Drowning”
The Hits – Chapter One (2001)
“We’ve Got It Goin’ On”
Backstreet Boys (1996)
“That's the Way I Like It”
Backstreet’s Back (1997)

#1: “I Want It That Way”
Millennium (1999)

The crown jewel of the group’s magnum opus album Millennium, “I Want It That Way” sweeps us off our feet with the soft opening notes and doesn’t stop there. A pop-ballad to end all pop-ballads, the rising energy of the song’s arrangement is a pop song not soon forgotten by casual listeners and die-hard fans alike. With 30 million copies of the album sold, thanks in large part to this song, and the boys donning all white for the music video, this song cemented the group as icons in pop culture history and set the standard for what a boy band should be.

Did you agree with our list? What popular BSB songs did we miss? For more Top 10s about the best songs of today and yesterday, subscribe to MsMojo.