This Is What the Backstreet Boys Looked Like Nearly 30 Years Ago!

Five young boys from Orlando appeared on camera together for the first time in the ’90s: Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Howie Dorough. At that time, the global hits “Everybody” and “I Want It That Way” were still a long way off. The Backstreet Boys were in the midst of the formative phase that would soon give rise to the most successful boy band of the ’90s.

Two years later, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson walked the red carpet at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Over-the-knee leather jackets, turtlenecks, and small sunglasses defined the young band’s look. In the U.S., the Backstreet Boys still had to work hard to achieve fame at that time, while they were already being celebrated in Europe and Asia. That year, they released their global hit “Everybody.”

During a visit to Planet Hollywood in Beverly Hills in 1997, Kevin Richardson donated a tour outfit to the restaurant’s memorabilia collection. The dark zip-up jacket with the distinctive logo, short hair, and a goatee defined his look that year. Worldwide tours and millions of records sold made the band one of the biggest boy bands of its era.

At the 2022 Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden in New York, Kevin Richardson was once again in the spotlight. A cream-colored oversized coat, hair slicked back, and a well-groomed goatee showcased a mature, self-assured entertainer. Today, he wears his hair long. His in-ear monitor and laid-back stage presence betrayed decades of live performance experience. The young pop star of the ’90s had become a seasoned professional who continued to fill sold-out venues.

In a classic press photo from 1998, Nick Carter stood alone against a dark blue studio backdrop. A dark leather jacket and slicked-back, light-streaked hair defined his look. Shortly before that, the Backstreet Boys’ debut album had caused a sensation in the U.S., but their international breakthrough with “Backstreet’s Back” was still to come. His youthful appearance captures the moment just before their leap to global success at the turn of the millennium.

In 2026, Nick Carter and Brian Littrell announced the band’s next major performance at the Grand Prix Plaza in Las Vegas. A striped jacket with leather accents and stylish, light-blonde hair rounded out Nick Carter’s modern look. The Backstreet Boys will headline the official after-party for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix at The Sphere. The press event demonstrated just how relevant the band has remained even after many years in the entertainment business. Afterward, the guys headed to Düsseldorf, where they will play ten concerts.

This is what Brian Littrell looked like in 1998—he’s probably changed the least over the years. But the singer has gone through some difficult years. Since 2012, he has been struggling with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), which affects his voice. Today, he sounds different than he used to.

In a tunnel passageway at the Grand Prix Plaza in Las Vegas in 2026, Brian Littrell appeared dressed casually in a denim jacket, a cap worn backward, and cargo pants. His gray-blond beard and relaxed demeanor made it clear just how at ease the singer is with his current star status. The Backstreet Boys are thus proving that they’re still a sought-after act at major events today.

Howie Dorough also took a break from his daily life with the band in 1998 at the Fairway to Heaven tournament in Las Vegas. A loose-fitting, oversized black T-shirt and a subtle earring defined his casual look. In the midst of the Backstreet Boys’ most successful period, when millions of albums were flying off the shelves, he was seen far away from the stage.

At the press event at the Grand Prix Plaza attraction in Las Vegas, Howie Dorough appeared in 2026 wearing a dark blazer over a light blue shirt. A gold necklace and light stubble rounded out his modern, casual-yet-elegant look. The occasion was the announcement that the Backstreet Boys will headline the official after-party for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix at The Sphere. The event underscores just how undiminished the band’s popularity remains to this day.