Top 10 Backstreet Boys Music Videos

Written and produced by hip-hop and R&B group Full Force, this love song is a smoother take on the Backstreet Boys’ traditional pop sound. As the sixth single from their debut US album, “All I Have to Give” has a distinctly mid-’90s feel – and you’d better believe the accompanying video does too. Dressed in coordinating white suits, the boys sing about a love that’s just outta their league, while showing off their slick moves and ability to incorporate props into dance routines. At a time when boy bands ruled the airwaves, this was a glimpse at a more mature side of pop music. But of course, the guys still show some skin for their fans.

American members of the Backstreet Army may not know this, but “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” actually has two videos: the second, and arguably more famous of the two, was the first music video shown on MTV’s famous “TRL,” but it’s the ski lodge version that really takes us back. Filmed in 1995 to coincide with the international single release, the original video starts with a group of girlfriends on a ski getaway soothing a friend who recently suffered a breakup. The boys then jump in with their oversized sweaters and puffy jackets to sing in the snow of the Rocky Mountains, with Brian charming the newly single girl with a single red rose.

In a distinct departure from their usual videos, BSB pays homage to the 1980s with the second single from their comeback album “Never Gone.” Based on the documentary “Heavy Metal Parking Lot,” the video for “Just Want You to Know” features the boys as fans of a fictional ‘80s hair metal band. They show off their goofy sides by tailgating with other wild fans, and then making a second appearance as the actual band in question – a Guns ‘N Roses-style group called Sphynkter. There’s big hair, terrible mustaches, leopard print, air guitar, concert fights, stonewash denim and even a face lick; all the makings of a great music video, no matter what decade it is.

Dedicated to the late producer Denniz PoP, this song marks a darker tone for the Backstreet Boys, with each of the band members facing loss and sadness throughout. Shot in muted colors, the video conveys a heavy emotional theme as each Backstreet Boy is followed separately through a real-life struggle they’d survived: for instance, at the time of the video’s release, Brian had recently undergone open-heart surgery, while Kevin and Howie had both lost family members. And in fact, real footage of Kevin with his father is shown. In the end, the boys meet up and walk off into the sunset as a group.

By this point, the boys were enjoying worldwide success and had already released an international album that would go on to become one of the biggest debuts of all time. But they had yet to crack their home country – that is, until “Quit Playing Games” soared to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. And for their breakthrough single, they needed a breakthrough video, which is exactly what we got: shot in 1996 with the boys looking as fresh-faced as ever, the music video features all the pop clichés you could possibly want, from slow motion singing, to wind tunnel hair, to open-shirt dancing in the rain. What more do you need?

Told from the perspective of a man so in love he’ll overlook any flaw, “As Long as You Love Me” is a quintessential BSB tune. And, if you watched music videos in the ‘90s, you know this one was on heavy rotation – yes, despite the fact that it was never released as a commercial single in the U.S. It features the boys at an audition, performing for a group of professional women – one of whom is actually Brian’s future wife! And eventually, the tables are turned. All that’s great of course, but it’s the iconic chair dance routine that’s become a staple at Backstreet Boys concerts, and continues to win over the ladies time and time again.

Originally written by Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell, “Larger Than Life” is basically a love letter from the boys to their fans. For whatever reason, the accompanying video is set in space in the year 3000, as each member of the band emerges from a sleeping pod to engage in some sort of futuristic activity: Brian plays pong on a hoverboard, Nick dances the robot with robots, AJ pulls a Doctor Octopus, Kevin pilots an X-wing or something and Howie… well, we’re not sure what Howie’s doing but it’s trippy. Directed by Joseph Khan, this music video is one of the most expensive ever, with a budget of over $2 million. The dance break alone is worth at least half that.

You know when you should do the right thing, but you don’t? That’s what this song is all about. Both the lyrics and the video chronicle the story of what happens when a guy leaves the club with a girl instead of going home to his girlfriend. And we’ll say this: it’s one wild ride and peak turn of the millennium. With visuals ripped right outta “The Matrix,” each of the boys takes a turn as the unfaithful man, pursuing the mistress all over town as if she were a spy. Slick, dark and high-octane, the video for this second single off Black & Blue was a sharp and welcome contrast to the BSB vids that preceded it.

Everything that is the Backstreet Boys – and boy bands in general – is summed up in this music video: screaming fans, longing looks, matching white outfits, synchronized dances, slo-mo walks, Brian pointing at the camera, Kevin not getting enough screen time, emphasizing the lyrics with hand gestures; it’s all there. Released as the lead single on their monster hit album Millennium, “I Want It That Way” showcases a more mature sound that still stays close to their pop roots. Its vaguely ambiguous lyrics are beside the point: it became a signature tune for the band, reaching number one in over 25 countries. Meanwhile, its airport-set music video inspired a slew of parodies, including blink-182’s boy band parody, “All The Small Things.”

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions.
- “Incomplete” (2005)
- “Straight Through My Heart” (2009)
- “We’ve Got It Goin’ On” (1995)