AJ McLean is reminiscing about one of the craziest stunts from the Backstreet Boys’ heyday. In 2000, the band embarked on an insane promotional tour, “Around the World in 100 Hours,” to celebrate their album Black & Blue. The journey took them to six cities in just 100 hours, a feat no one had attempted before.
Speaking in the CW documentary The ’90s Boy Band Boom, McLean recalled one particularly thrilling moment on the trip: flying their private plane. “I did fly the plane for like a hot second. Terrified the rest of the boys,” McLean confessed. “I grabbed the steering wheel, pushed it forward, and the whole plane nosedived for a minute before it leveled out. I was like, ‘Whoopsies, sorry about that.’”
The band’s chaotic travel schedule didn’t stop there. During their stop in Rio, the Backstreet Boys ended up with a massive crowd of nearly 50,000 fans after their radio interview. The sheer volume of people led to an impromptu concert, leaving McLean and the band in awe of their overwhelming fame.
Reflecting on their whirlwind experiences, McLean also shared the personal sacrifices they made. “We were growing up on the road, essentially, missing milestones like prom and homecoming. I went back to graduate and people were like, ‘Who’s this kid?’” McLean said, touching on the challenges of growing up in the public eye.
The documentary offers fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a boy band at the peak of their fame, full of fun, chaos, and unforgettable memories.
Read more:
