Backstreet Boys

Houston Astros superstar Jose Altuve LOVES the Backstreet Boys -- and it turns out, the feeling is mutual.

A.J. McLean says he saw the rendition of "I Want It That Way" that Jose and his Astros teammates shot in the team locker room last year ... and now he wants to collaborate!

The Backstreet Boys singer admits Altuve ain't exactly the songbird of his generation ... but his voice is good enough -- so he extended the slugger an invite to sing with the band.

Please say 'yes.' Please. Please.

If A.J. McLean and Joey Fatone can wave the boy band white flag and come together onstage ... then maybe there's hope for America too.

The awesome duet went down Saturday night during Joey's 40th birthday bash at Ora nightclub in Miami. The former pop rivals decided to serenade the crowd with the Backstreet Boys hit, "I Want It That Way."

You'd think they'd do an 'NSYNC tune ... it was Joey's night after all, but the crowd ate it up, anyway.

The Backstreet Boys held an open audition for one lucky dude Friday night ... and he's got a ladies already trying to win his love.

Nick Viall, who is on the upcoming season of "The Bachelor" as the main prize, had a group date at the BSB show in L.A. ... and Nick and the girls got pulled up onstage. It's easy to tell, the whole thing was choreographed (literally) for the show ... but Nick ain't half bad.

The boy band picked one chick from the group to have a solo dance with Nick to their hit "I Want It That Way" after the group dance.

Lou Pearlman, the record producer/manager who launched huge boy bands including 'NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, has died in prison.

Pearlman faced a slew of lawsuit by members of the 2 famous groups, claiming he screwed them out of their cash by collecting money for both producing and managing.

He became obsessed in the 80's with the enormous success of New Kids on the Block, and launched his own record company. He conducted a $3 million talent search and found 5 unknowns to form a band -- Nick Carter, A.J. McClean, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell and Howie Dorough. The Backstreet Boys went on to become the best selling boy band of all time, selling 130 million records.

His encore was enormous as well ... 'NSync sold 55 million records and launched the careers of Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick.

Pearlman got in a heap of legal trouble in 2008 ... he was convicted of one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history, swindling 1,700 people out of half-a-billion bucks.

He was serving a 25-year-sentence.

Lance Bass tweeted, "He might not have been a stand-up businessman, but I wouldn't be doing what I love today without his influence. RIP Lou."

Cause of death is unknown.

As if Ryan Gosling doesn't have enough going for him -- he's also a better singer than Justin Timberlake ... at least that's what A.J. McLean thinks.

The Backstreet Boys singer gave us some insider boy band 411 about the rumor Gosling auditioned for a spot in 'N Sync. You gotta hear his comparison of the Mickey Mouse Club alums ... 'cause it's straight up blasphemy, if you're a JT fan.

Also interesting, his memory of a bromantic experience -- watching girl on girl porn with the rest of his BSB group mates ... 'cause they wanted it that way.

The Backstreet Boys are in the middle of a little showdown in big China -- between a concert touring company and a promoter accused of pulling a $2 million scam.

The touring company says it forked over the cash to a woman named Angela Wong, who posed as a successful promoter who'd previously brought Britney Spears over to China ... and said she could do the same with BSB.

The company says Wong promised she'd lock in the Boys for 10 concerts last March, but she eventually tried to postpone the scheduled dates. According to the suit, things really got fishy when the Backstreet Boys ended up coming to China around those dates ... but through a different promoter.

The suit says Wong gave back $640k when the company called her out, but now it's suing to get the rest of the money back ... plus damages.

A.J. McLean is standing by his fellow Backstreet Boy ... saying there's no deep mystery behind Nick Carter's arrest -- dude just got drunk.

A.J. was on San Diego's "Kramer and Geena Mornings" Friday, and said he feels bad for Nick ... but mostly because the media's making too big of a deal about the Key West bar brawl.

His take is Nick made a silly mistake after a few drinks ... something he says everyone, himself included, is guilty of at some point. Check out his advice for Nick.

Nick Carter swears there's much more to his arrest than meets the eye -- even though he's already been recorded describing the bar fight, in his own words, to cops.

The Backstreet Boys singer had a few words for reporters after he was arraigned in Key West. When he was released Thursday afternoon he said, "The truth will come out."

Nick and his pal, Michael Papayans, bailed out of jail after getting busted for misdemeanor battery.

You've gotta see this video of Nick right before the arrest -- it's that magic moment when cops arrive, your buzz starts to wear off and you tell your friend, "I'm so sorry, man!!"

Nick Carter and his buddy claim they were repeatedly beat down by staffers at a Key West bar -- something they drunkenly tried to tell cops right before they got arrested.

We got the bodycam video shot by a Key West officer outside Hog's Breath Saloon Wednesday night, where Nick and Michael Papayans blurted out their version of the fight.

Papayans admits they were relatively drunk (whatever that means), and that Nick popping off to a bouncer started the fight. Actually, it wasn't much of a fight the way he described it -- "They tackled me like they were f**king Navy SEALS or something."

Cops checked surveillance cams, and as we first reported ... busted both guys for misdemeanor battery.

A.J. McLean got to relive his Backstreet Boys glory days in front of a hard-partying crowd ... all thanks to a '90s cover band.

McLean hit up a '90s Throwback Party at Greystone Manor in West Hollywood Thursday night and when a '90s cover band started playing the BSB hit "Everybody," McLean went nuts.

Check out the video ... A.J. kills it on air guitar.

Backstreet's back ... sorta.

He's already golfed with Bruce Jenner ... but now, Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean says he wants to get Caitlyn on the links too ... and hopefully emerge victorious this time!

A.J. has been golfing for years -- and actually played a round with Bruce (back when she was Bruce) at Jenner's home course at Sherwood Country Club a while back.

McLean says Bruce kicked his ass back in the day ... and now he's looking for some long-awaited revenge -- which he'll be HAPPY to take out on Caitlyn.

Two Backstreet Boys had an emotionally charged experience in the Holy Land of Israel by taking a plunge into a river made famous by Jesus himself.

Howie Dorough and Brian Littrell, along with his wife Leighanne Littrell, all took a blessed bath in the Jordan River as part of a baptism ceremony.

You see Brian in the video break down during the ritual.

The band is on tour in Israel where they took a break for a mud bath in the Dead Sea with wine in hand.

Check out the gallery for all the holy happenings in underground Christian corridors and King Herod’s royal thrones … but not the type of throne you think.

Backstreet Boys have finally scored legal victory ... snagging the rights to the master recording of one of their biggest songs in a battle that raged on for years.

The "Boys" have been battling ex-manager Lou Pearlman's bankruptcy estate ... and it was agreed this week they'd get the masters to some of their songs -- including "I'll Never Break Your Heart."

The Boys claimed they were owed nearly $3.5 mil ... but the bankruptcy trustee for Lou's case said they lacked the proof to back up that claim. A judge ordered both sides to work it out earlier this year ... and according to court docs, they did just that.

So the boy band will receive $99K ... as well as possession of some master recordings -- including a few lesser known songs and live recordings.

They also received a VHS copy of "Star Trek Adventure" ... whatever that is.

Good luck finding a VHS player.

The Backstreet Boys love their fans in Israel, but they love their families more -- which is why they regretfully cancelled a bunch of concerts there, according to A.J. McLean ... who's standing firm on NOT choosing a side in the conflict.

We saw McLean in Malibu Tuesday and he explained that if the cease fires had held, BSB might have gone through with what would've been their first shows ever in Israel this week.

A.J. reveals when they're planning to reschedule, and adds he's praying for both sides, because ... "You can't pick a side."

Not all boy banders agree with A.J. on that.

The band follows in the footsteps of Neil Young & Crazy Horse and Paul Anka ... who also cancelled their concerts in the wake of the escalating Middle-East conflict.

Backstreet says, "This is a major disappointment for the band and fans as this was to be our first visit to Israel and we looked forward to meeting our fans."

The Backstreet Boys haven't had a huge hit in years ... but they're still earning 1990s-sized paychecks.

Sources close to BSB say they just collected close to $750K to star in a Swedish commercial ... singing a version of "Larger Than Life" ... for a Swedish warehouse store.

Brian Littrell tells us the guys divided the spoils evenly -- so, if you do the math, that's $150K a piece. Brian pocketed extra cash.. because he was the co-writer of the tune.

The commercial shows them slaving away in a warehouse when they suddenly break into song.

Now here's the hook ... they changed the lyrics from "larger than life" to "lager than life." Lager means warehouse in Swedish.

Swedish humor ... it's not that funny.