Source: CosmoGirl.com

The third and last installment of the horror spoof trilogy is pulling out all the stops. Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox Arquette and David Arquette are reprising their roles while Scott Foley, Jenny McCarthy, Patrick Dempsey and Parker Posey join the cast. But the list of stars rumored to make cameos could make up the guest list of the hottest A-list party in tinseltown! Just a few names that have been tossed around as possible cameos include Heather Graham, Ben Affleck, Alicia Silverstone, Kate Hudson, Jonathan Jackson, Shannon Doherty, Monica, Tara Reid and... drumroll please... Nick Carter!

Besides cameos, we have dish on the plot twists! The adorable Jaime Kennedy who played Randy in Scream 2 (the horror film expert who gets killed) apparently makes an appearance in Scream 3. (We thought he was dead?!) Just HOW he returns and IF he'll be playing the role of Randy is still a mystery.

The truth to all your burning Scream questions will just have to wait until February 4th... we're DYING to know as well!

Source: Infobeat

(Launch) - Imagine if you and two of your friends had the chance to see the Backstreet Boys perform live on Feb. 26 in New Orleans and then meet them in person after the show. The official Fox network Web site is currently holding a contest that will give three lucky Backstreet Boys fans that very opportunity. The complete contest-winners package includes airfare to New Orleans with two friends, rides between the airport and the hotel, a three-day and two-night hotel stay, a ride to and from the Backstreet Boys concert and a meet-and-greet with the members of the chart-topping pop group. For an entry form and official contest rules, please visit the Fox Web site, www.fox.com.

Backstreet Aim For Web Record

Source: Dotmusic.co.uk

Backstreet Boys are lining up a pay-per-view webcast of their forthcoming 'Into The Millennium' tour of North America.

A web package is being put together which is set to include interviews and backstage footage. Access to the event will cost around £6. The March event will be produced in conjunction with MCY.com.

The broadcast is expected to become the most watched web event ever, topping the 50 million hit record set by Paul McCartney at his Cavern Club gig in Liverpool last year.

Tia Ernst of MCY.com says 'We will be offering the webcast for three months. Judging by their fanbase I am sure the McCartney figure can be topped'.

Backstreet Boys: SERIOUSLY!

Source: CheckOut

Los Angeles, CA
Mark Knize
CheckOut.com

Okay, okay. It's easy to laugh at the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync or any of the other spate of generic, interchangeable boy-bands that flooded the '90s music scene. But if you think about it, prefab rockers have been with us forever -- in the early '70s, Led Zeppelin fans probably retched everytime the latest David Cassidy/Partridge Family single hit the airwaves. Let's face it -- from The Monkees through The Backstreet Boys, industry manufactured groups don't get no respect, at least at first. Hindsight and nostalgia frequently lead to a re-evaluation of a prefab band's career, long after the laughter dies down (remember the Monkees resurgence in the mid-'80s?). But the plain truth is, pop and country music have a long standing tradition of producer created groups -- it wasn't until Bob Dylan and The Beatles came along that it became de rigeur for an artist to craft his own songs. Contrived or not, the following groups have made an impact on the music world (for better or worse) and most of them have created some significant music…

THE MONKEES

What began as a simple parody of A Hard Day's Night became a Beatle-esque phenomenon in its own right. The Monkees (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork) were four actor/musicians hired to portray the mythical band in Bob Rafaelson's psychedelic sitcom -- with the show's success, the group quickly became The Monkees for a nation of squealing pubescent girls. As a would-be teen phenomenon, the show couldn't have been planned better, with it's colorful, quick-cut style and stable of radio-ready pop classics (provided by Neil Diamond, Carole King, Harry Nilsson and others). Although Jones, Dolenz and company most certainly enjoyed their success, they were less thrilled with their status as an industry joke. Attempts at writing their own material were hit and miss at best, and by 1970, Nesmith and Tork had jumped ship, effectively ending the group. Nearly 20 years later, after signature tunes like "I'm A Believer" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday" had become pop standards, the group enjoyed a nostalgia-fueled comeback (minus Nesmith, who had established himself as a creative force outside the group), complete with tours and new records. And while none of the new material added to their legacy, the Monkees finally became what no one ever thought they could be -- legitimate.

THE RUNAWAYS

The Runaways have the distinction of being the only real rock 'n roll group on our list. Masterminded by Los Angeles producer/scenester Kim Fowley, the Runaways were part rock band, part jailbait fantasy designed to pump up teenage boys. Instead, they ended up influencing a generation of would-be female rockers, with frank, libidinous songs, penned largely by Fowley, that played on their image as teenage bad girls ("Hello Daddy/Hello Mom/I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-CHERRY BOMB!"). Nothing was contrived about their sound, though -- Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cherie Currie and their compatriots could rock just as hard as the boys. Initially, the group were a critical laughing stock (except in Japan, where they were huge), but they managed to weather the storm for several years, racking up two classic albums (The Runaways, Queens of Noise) before packing it in. Both Jett and Ford have gone on to successful careers outside the band, but their Runaways legacy remains unmatched.

THE VILLAGE PEOPLE

As befitted the time, there was only one message to the Village People's late-'70s brand of disco -- dance and party all night long. Formed by French producer Jacques Morali, the Village People's burlesque of popular gay archetypes (cowboy, hard hat, leather cop, biker) may have been lost on middle America, but chartbusters like "YMCA" and "Macho Man" spoke loud and clear as universal dancefloor anthems. When the disco craze died, so did the group, though they've resurfaced in recent years (with various, interchangeable new members). Does it matter to the legions of nostalgia hounds who still queue up to hear them play? Not at all -- the Village People have become an institution that requires only a costume, solid abs and a decent set of pipes in order to apply.

MILLI VANILLI

The flashiest, trashiest, highest-flying (and most tastelessly crash-n-burn) of all prefab groups, Milli Vanilli's name will live in music trivia infamy forever. The brainchild of producer/songwriter Frank Farian, Milli Vanilli went beyond the usual producer-as-puppeteer arrangement, by simply hiring two good looking dancers to lip-sync to already completed music. Despite its high chart position, the group's breakthrough album (Girl You Know It's True) was generic pop crapola at its worst -- what put the group over were Rob and Fabs cheekbones, pecs and high-energy dancing. It took winning a Grammy for Best New Artist (and considerable industry rumor-mongering) to force Farian to come clean and admit that -- oops! -- Rob and Fab didn't exactly perform on their records. In a humiliating televised press conference, pop's newest supervillains gave back their award and began their inevitable slide into obscurity. Morvan attempted to get on with his life, crafting a more folk infused brand of music (no record deal yet). Rob Pilatus, on the other hand, descended into a pitiful downward spiral of drug abuse and self-loathing that ended with his suicide in 1998. The music is already forgotten -- the scandal lives on!

SPICE GIRLS

Even if you didn't dig their music, you gotta admit there was something sassy about the Spice Girls. For their brief chart and media reign, this hand-picked group of grrrls managed to inject something fresh and authentic into the Village People concept of representing archetypes that an audience -- in this case, young girls -- could relate to. The difference was, each of the Spicers had a strong personality, cheeky wit and the kind of media savvy that kept them from becoming generic, replaceable puppets. In addition, their feminist-lite stance was empowering to teenage audiences, but not threatening to anyone else. This, combined with several brilliantly crafted dancefloor singles, made them a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic. The group's moment in the sun may be over (lead Spicer Geri Halliwell bailed for a solo career in '98), but the Spice Girls unquestionably made their mark.

BACKSTREET BOYS / NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Sure, there's been plenty of boy bands over the last 15 years, but NKOTB and The Backstreet Boys are the only ones who've managed to achieve the status of genuine pop phenomenon. It's equally certain that the Backstreet Boys could not have existed without New Kids. In the late '80s, NKOTB were a new kind of boy band -- slick, professional, ultra-choreographed, designed and marketed for the video age. Backstreet Boys are the logical, '90s version of New Kids -- that is, a perfect mishmash of all current trends in pop music (R&B, hip-hop, dance-pop), but with one major difference. While the New Kids were a producer's project from the start, Backstreet's members actually performed together for several years before they began recording. Sure, the "boy band" marketing of the group reeks of industry machination, but the chemistry of the members is genuine (as are their contributions to the songwriting). And even the most hardened cynic would have to admit that "Larger Than Life" and "Backstreet's Back" are superbad pop anthems. The Backstreet Boys may give a nod to prefab tradition, but ultimately, they're their own men …

Source: Herald Leader

Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell nearly melted the ice at Rupp Arena last night as he sang the national anthem before the Kentucky Thoroughblades' game against the Louisville Panthers.

In exchange for the Lexington native's performance, the T-Blades donated $1 from every ticket sold to Littrell's Healthy Heart Club for Kids.

Littrell also joined the Ice Patrol, shooting autographed T-shirts into the crowd of 11,134. The attendance was more than double the T-Blades' average for this season.

McCartney's Internet Record Could Tumble Soon

Source: Yahoo!

By Paul Majendie

CANNES, France (Reuters) - Paul McCartney set a world record with 50 million hits on the Internet when he went back to where he once belonged with a concert last month at Liverpool's tiny Cavern Club.

Now the record set in the birthplace of the Beatles looks set to fall. So great is the growth of concerts on the information superhighway that the organizers of that electronic milestone now confidently predict that the American group the Backstreet Boys will comfortably top McCartney in March.

``The growth is just phenomenal,'' said Tia Ernst of MCY.com, showing off its technological wares at Midem, the record industry's annual marketplace which attracts more than 4,000 companies from over 90 countries to this French Riviera resort.

The rapidly expanding company is the brainchild of Bavarian music scholar Bernhard Fritsch whose mission statement in a rapidly shrinking global village is ``to surmount musical and geographical borders.''

Audience figures have climbed steeply in just one year for the new ``music on click'' phenomenon.

It started last year with a concert in Munich by Michael Jackson that attracted 10 million hits. Next came Luciano Pavarotti in Helsinki and then McCartney in Liverpool.

As the technology improves, the potential for online entertainment is potentially monumental.

Next stop is the North American ``Into the Millennium'' tour by the Backstreet Boys and MCY.com, now headquartered in New York, is confident McCartney's record can be smashed.

``Absolutely no doubt about it,'' said Ernst. ``We will be offering up the webcast for three months. I am convinced the McCartney figure will be topped. Just look at their fan base.''

The Backstreet Boys, whose latest album sold more than 28 million copies worldwide, will also be offering backstage footage and interviews in the web package that will retail for under $10.

Ernst said that the Internet was pushing at an open door with pop stars. ``They love it. It is a way of going directly to their fans,'' she told Reuters at Midem. ``Pavarotti adored it, McCartney thought it was the coolest thing and did a little Thank You video for us afterwards.''

For the day has come when fans can download a vast catalog of stars from Tina Turner to Louis Armstrong. ``This is the way the industry is going,'' Ernst concluded.

I was at the NRJ Radio Awards last night in Stockholm, Sweden and it was great! Backstreet Boys won the price for Best Internatinal Band. I think it was a guy from their record company who was there and excepted their price for them. He said:
Sorry that the Backstreet Boys couldn´t be here. But I think they would be real happy if you could do some 'WHO WHO' for them. And the whole auidience like 'WHO WHO'! (=
When Britney Spears won Max Martin came up on stage so now I have seen him in real life too (=.

Source: Dotmusic.co.uk

US superstars the Backstreet Boys have landed a lucrative sponsorship deal with Burger King. The band will be paid £1 million for the tie in which will involve the chain offering fans an exclusive single and video, along with sponsorship of their Autumn tour.

A publicity statement 'from the band' says, "This offers us an opportunity to be associated with the only fast food brand that lets our fans 'have it their way'."

The band, whose 'Millennium' album has sold over 12 million copies in America, release a new UK single 'Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely' in February.

Source: MTV

As the Backstreet Boys gear up for the launch of next month's North American tour to support its newest release, "Millennium," the band is already setting its sights on a fall outing to promote its next album, tentatively due out in October.

The reigning Orlando boy band will team up with Burger King for an exclusive promotional tie-in with the Backstreet Boys' forthcoming new album and fall tour. As part of the deal, the band will offer an exclusive video and CD that will only be available for sale at Burger King restaurants in August and September.

The CD will feature an as-yet-undetermined advance single from the new album, as well as five previously recorded but never-before released live songs taken from the Backstreet Boys' previous tours. The promotional video will contain backstage footage of the Backstreet Boys in action and interviews with all of the members of the group.

Burger King has also signed on to serve as the title sponsor for the Backstreet Boys fall outing.

The Backstreet Boys, who have been nominated for four Grammy Awards, will start a North American tour with a two-night stand on February 11 and 12 at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania.

-- David Basham

Burger King Corporation Inks Deal With Backstreet Boys

Source: Burger King Corporation

MIAMI, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Burger King Corporation (BKC) today announced an exclusive promotion with the Backstreet Boys, which will include an unprecedented CD and video offer this year and exclusive title sponsorship of the group's Fall 2000 tour.

While terms of the contract were not disclosed, BKC marketing executives said the exclusive CD and video tie-in will feature an advance single from the group's upcoming album as well as five previously recorded but never-before released live songs. In addition, a video with new backstage footage and personal interviews with the Backstreet Boys -- Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean And Kevin Richardson -- will be sold exclusively at BURGER KING® restaurants.

The CD and video promotion is scheduled for the August-September 2000 time frame and will only be available at BURGER KING®. The Backstreet Boys forthcoming Jive album is scheduled for an October 2000 release.

``Burger King Corporation has redefined the fast food segment with the introduction of the BURGER KING BIG KIDS MEAL(TM). Now we are creating a whole new innovative category of promotions geared towards teens and young adults with this cutting-edge CD and video offer,'' said Richard Taylor, vice president, USA Marketing. ``This is the first musical CD promotion ever undertaken by the fast food giant on a national basis.''

``We are excited about teaming with Burger King for this promotion,'' said the Backstreet Boys. ``This offers us an opportunity to be associated with the only fast food brand that lets our fans 'have it their way.'''

``We are always looking for exciting, innovative entertainment tie-ins that will delight our customers each and every day. The Backstreet Boys deliver on all fronts,'' Taylor said. ``Since they are the #1 group in the world, we are thrilled to bring the Backstreet Boys music to our customers.''

Burger King Corporation and its franchisees operate more than 10,700 restaurants in all 50 states and 55 countries and international territories around the world, with more than 92% of BURGER KING® restaurants owned and operated by independent franchisees. Since the company's founding in Miami in 1954, the BURGER KING® brand has become recognized for great flame-broiled taste and HAVE IT YOUR WAY® food customization. In fiscal year 1999, the BURGER KING® system had system-wide sales of $10.9 billion. Burger King Corporation is a part of Diageo (NYSE: DEO - news), the international food and drinks company, that includes such brands as Pillsbury, Haagen Dazs, and Guinness. To learn more about the BURGER KING® system, please visit the company's website at http://www.burgerking.com .

The BACKSTREET BOYS' latest album, Millennium, has sold more than 28 million worldwide and has already spent over 33 weeks on Billboard's ``Top 200 albums'' (the majority of it in the Top Ten). The Backstreet Boys -- presently recognized as the biggest pop group in the world, having received gold and platinum awards in 45 countries -- MILLENNIUM album was recently honored with five Grammy nominations: ``Album of the Year'' and ``Best Pop Album'' for the ten-times platinum MILLENNIUM album; as well as ``Record of the Year,'' ``Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal'' and ``Song of the Year'' (a songwriter's award) for ``I Want It That Way,'' the LP's first single.

Burger King signs deal with Backstreet Boys

Source: Yahoo!

MIAMI, Jan. 20 (Reuters) - Burger King Corp. signed an exclusive promotional deal with the pop heartthrob Backstreet Boys, which will include a CD and video offer targeting teens and young adults, the hamburger chain said on Thursday.

Contract terms were not disclosed but Burger King said it would become the exclusive sponsor for the vocal group's autumn 2000 tour. The exclusive CD and video tie-in will feature an advance single from the group's ``Jive'' album as well as five recorded but previously unreleased live songs.

A video with backstage footage and interviews with the Backstreet Boys -- Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson -- will be sold exclusively at Burger King restaurants.

The August-September CD and video promotion will precede the ``Jive'' album release, which is scheduled for October.

``This is the first musical CD promotion ever undertaken by the fast food giant on a national basis,'' said Richard Taylor, Burger King's vice president for USA Marketing. ``Since they are the No. 1 group in the world, we are thrilled to bring the Backstreet Boys music to our customers.''

The Backstreet Boys' latest album, ``Millennium,'' has sold more than 28 million worldwide and was named ``Album of the Year'' in the Billboard Music Awards in December. The album was also nominated for five Grammy awards, including ``Album of the Year'' and ``Best Pop Album.''

#1 again!

The Backstreet Boys were #1 again on the Select Chart (MTV Europe) with SMTMOBL today! They have been up and down on the chart, but now they are back at their right place. Number 1!

New Backstreet Boys Tour & Album On The Way

Source: Launch

(1/19/00, 4 p.m. ET) - The Backstreet Boys are currently on vacation and the group has plans for six weeks of U.S. tour dates -- the second leg of the Millennium tour kicks off Feb 11 in University Park, PA. After the tour, the group will return to the studio to record a new album, which is tentatively scheduled for release in October or November of this year.

The group won the award for the favorite pop/rock duo or group at the 27th Annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles earlier this week, beating out Santana and 'N Sync for the honor. Howie Dorough was the sole representative for the Backstreet Boys present at the American Music Awards. He met with reporters backstage after the event and explained the whereabouts of the remainder of the group. "We're actually right now in the middle of two tours. We're having a little down time and this is our first vacation we've had in about a good five or six years at this length of time," he said. "So, I'm out here in L.A. writing and producing for the next album, and I told the guys just to take the time off. I said, 'I'll be in the audience. If we accept an award, I'll definitely bring it back home. If not, you guys still have vacation time."

Reporters also asked Dorough about his thoughts on the amazing career of Carlos Santana. "He is definitely a legend, and just to be nominated with him in that same category is just an honor to me," he said. "I'm so glad he got the first one. I knew we we're nominated together in two awards, and I expected him to take both of them home." When asked if he felt guilty about taking an award away from a "legend," Dorough replied, "Yeah. Being a young little rookie, I kind of feel a little guilt, but we'll give him a little run for the money."

-- Jason Gelman, New York

Sorry Greenville!

backstreetboys.com

The Backstreet Boys had to cancel their appearance there due to the Grammy Awards. We are very sorry for any inconvenience.

MCY.com Teams Up With Backstreet Boys to Webcast Spring Tour

Source: MCY.com

First-Ever Backstreet Boys Webcast To Debut March 15

NEW YORK, Jan 19, 2000 (ENTERTAINMENT WIRE) -- MCY.com (OTCBB:MCYC), New York-based global digital music retailer, has signed on as the official sponsor for the second leg of the Backstreet Boys' "Into The Millennium" North American Tour.

In addition to serving as tour sponsor, MCY.com will air an exclusive Pay-Per-View Webcast of the opening show from State College, Pa. Fans will also have a chance to win tickets to a show in their area as well as attend a meet-and-greet with the Backstreet Boys.

"The Backstreet Boys are more than just another Pop band, they are a global sensation," stated Bernhard Fritsch, Chairman and CEO of MCY.com. "Hundreds of thousands of fans missed out on seeing the sold-out tour in 1999 but will now have the chance to experience it on MCY.com. We are excited to be a part of the phenomenon."

The Winter 2000 leg of the critically acclaimed tour kicks off Feb. 11 in University Park, Pa. and consists of 23 shows in 18 cities. The trek will take the Backstreet Boys into arenas, stadiums and coliseums before concluding March 15 in Toronto.

Beginning in January, Backstreet Boys fans will be able to log-on to MCY.com and register to win tickets for any of the shows on the tour through a variety of Internet contests. MCY.com will also be giving away a number of "meet-and-greet" passes for selected shows, as well as autographed Backstreet Boys merchandise.

MCY.com will be videotaping the opening two shows of the sold-out tour for a Pay-Per-View Webcast to be aired on their Website at www.mcy.com from March 15 through July 31. Along with the concert, fans will be treated to backstage footage and interviews with the Backstreet Boys: Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson.

SFX Marketing, a division of SFX Entertainment, which is producing the Backstreet Boys' "Into The Millennium" North American Tour, facilitated the partnership between MCY.com and the BACKSTREET BOYS.

The Backstreet Boys' latest album, "Millennium," has sold more than 28 million copies worldwide and has already spent more than 33 weeks on Billboard's "Top 200 Albums," the majority of which were spent in the Top Ten. The Backstreet Boys are presently recognized as the biggest pop group in the world, having received gold and platinum awards in 45 countries.

"Millennium" was recently honored with 5 Grammy nominations: "Album of The Year," "Best Pop Album," "Record of The Year," "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal" and "Song of The Year" for "I Want It That Way," the LP's first single.

MCY.com is a global online retailer of encrypted digital music and offers a dynamic variety of music and entertainment, all of which is divided into user-friendly searchable genres. MCY.com controls one of the largest exclusive catalogs of retail digital downloads from artists including Bob Marley and other top stars.

Other major music content available on MCY.com ranges from Tina Turner and Bob Marley to Glenn Miller and Louis Armstrong, as well as live tracks from Luciano Pavarotti. In July 1999, MCY.com made online music history with the Webcast of the Michael Jackson and Friends concert, which received more than 10 million hits.

MCY.com's cybercast of the phenomenal live performance by Paul McCartney on Dec. 14, 1999 at Liverpool's Cavern Club set a new record with 50 million hits. MCY.com is based in New York, with European headquarters in Munich, Germany, and an office in Los Angeles.

Brian and Kevin recently signed up as ASCAP members in Orlando, Florida. Pictured at the signing are Littrell and Richardson and (back row, l-r) Backstreet Boys attorney Jordan Keller and ASCAP's John Briggs.
(...Click on the photo for bigger size...)

BSB posters in Days Of Our Lives

On "Days Of Our Lives" (Jan. 18th), a 16 yr old character named Belle Black had BSB posters in her room. One poster was their 'Millennium' cover and the other was one that's also in their calender where all five of them are lying on the floor and the angle of the camers is on top of them. It said in Soap Opera Digest a few issues back that the actress that play Belle Black (Kirsten Storms) his a huge fan of BSB.

Last night the American Music Awards 2000 was held in Los Angelese. The Backstreet Boys won the category of FAVORITE POP/ROCK BAND/DUO/GROUP. The Boys were unable to attend with the exception of Howie, who gladly accepted the award on behalf of the guys. Howie mentioned they were in between tours and that he was in town writing songs for the new album. He told the fans to continue to "Keep the Backstreet Pride Alive!"

Source: wallofsound.com"

"A lot of people told me they didn't want to work with me because I'm old," Santana told reporters backstage. "Mr. Davis believed in me. We both believed we had a masterpiece in our belly." Later in the evening, the aging rocker lost out to the Backstreet Boys for Favorite Pop/Rock Duo or Group, which was accepted by Backstreet Boy Howie D, who had kind backstage words for his elder. "Being a young little rookie, I kind of feel a little guilty," he said, "but we'll give him a run for his money."

Lauryn Hill, Backstreet Boys, DMX Honored With American Music Awards

Source: MTV

Lauryn Hill, Shania Twain, and Garth Brooks were the big winners at last night's presentation of the American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with each artist receiving two awards during the event, hosted by comedian Norm MacDonald.

Hill dominated the awards Soul/Rhythm & Blues category, being named the Favorite Female Artist, while her 1998 album, "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill," was honored as the genre's Favorite Album.

As with her recent record sales, country sensation Shania Twain crossed over to win the Favorite Female Artist awards in both Pop/Rock and Country, although neither Hill or Twain were on hand to pick up their American Music Award statues.

Brooks, who announced plans to leave music at the end of this year ,did attend the event, and was selected as Favorite Male Artist ion the Country category, and his 1998 concert collection, "Double Live," was named Favorite Album.

The country singer also picked up a special, non-competition award for Artist Of The Decade in recognition of his body of work for the '90s. Previous Artist Of The Decade winners include Michael Jackson for the '80s, Stevie Wonder for the '70s, The Beatles for the '60s, and Elvis Presley for the '50s.

Others artists and performers honored at the 27th Annual American Music Awards, which are generally considered a preview of next month's Grammy Awards, include Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Ricky Martin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, DMX, Santana, and TLC.

NO-SHOWS WIN AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS

Source: TV Guide

Man, she feels like a winner! Sultry country crooner Shania Twain won two American Music Awards Monday night, but she didn't bother to show up for the ceremony; neither did Lauryn Hill, who also won two awards. Garth Brooks won three awards, including one for Artist of the Decade, and did attend the ceremony, which was broadcast on ABC. Other winners included Britney (did you see what she was wearing?), Mariah Carey (did you see what she was wearing?), the Backstreet Boys and Santana, who won favorite pop/rock album for Supernatural.

Source: Rolling Stone

This came from the "Private Mix" section of Rolling Stone where the artist Sisqo talks about his favorite tracks......One of the is BSB's Larger than Life...this is what he says:

Backstreet Boys
Larger than Life
"I like songs that evoke emotion. I mean, in my neighborhood, you don't listen to this kind of song, but one day I caught the video, and they were doing things like using crescendos and decrescendos, different kids of instruments, doing breakdowns in the middle of the song. Musically its just terrific."

Source: Teen Hollywood

THE BACKSTREET BOYS braved the mean streets of Los Angeles for a video shoot - and were bombarded with mayonnaise jars.

The heart-throbs headed to one of Los Angeles' seediest areas to shoot part of their new video, SHOW ME THE MEANING OF BEING LONELY. But when the Florida fivesome stepped into a downtown motel full of crack addicts for the late night shoot, they soon found they had to be careful of the neighbours.

With minutes, BRIAN LITTEREL was forced to take evasive action from a flying mayonnaise jar thrown out of a window and AJ McLEAN narrowly avoided being hit by a shampoo bottle.

An eyewitness explains, "It was three days the boys would not like to repeat.

"Some of the residents were amused to see them but others responded with thrown items. It was a little seedy."

What's Nick Like On Tour?

• He loves playing pranks on the road and always seems to get away with it! During the recent Into The Millennium Tour, he stocked up on firecrackers to put under toilet seats and surprise the other boys! His favorite trick on the last tour was to fill a sock with all the smelly things he could find, then leave it behind the drum kit to fester.
• Nick can be a bit grumpy in the mornings and when he’s in a really bad mood he’s been known to slap the boys around the head!
• According to AJ, Nicks hotel room gets pretty messy when the boys are on the road. "On the last tour, his room looked like it’d been hit by a tornado" he says. " clothes everywhere, video games, his console, food, candy bars, everything. It would be called the ‘comfortable, lived in look’ but only if you could actually find his bed!"
• One of Nicks most embarrassing moments on stage was when he tried to do a kip up – when they lie on their backs and flip up onto their legs. He didn’t make it and fell flat on his back!
• When Nick wants some time to himself, he’ll put on his headphones and listen to anything from Nirvana to Prince! Sometimes he’ll just sit on his bunk in the tour bus and draw.
• If there’s time, he’ll stop and chat to fans. " I meet a lot of girls when we’re travelling and I try to make friends with some," he says. "Then when we go back to that country I can call them up for a chat!" Nick prefers travelling from venue to venue by bus rather than plane. He still hates flying, despite having flown all around the world a million times! Instead of partying after a show, Nick likes to go back to the hotel, have a nice long shower and go to bed. " It doesn’t take me long to wind down after doing a show," he says. " I get so tired I could fall asleep right away!"
• If Nicks mum isnt on tour with them, he’ll call home twice a day ‘cause he gets pretty homesick. " where up at the crack of dawn some days, we travel all day and then perform at night. That’s the schedule, day after day," he sighs. "but the bad parts even out because we get such a buzz from performing and we meet some great people."

Millennium Certifications

Source: Zomba

• 11x Platinum - USA
• 10x Platinum (Diamond) - Canada
• 4x Platinum - Taiwan, Philippines, Japan
• 3x Platinum - Italy, Mexico, Spain, Indonesia, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia
• 2x Platinum - Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium
• Platinum - Austria, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway
• Gold - UK, Finland, Sweden, the Gulf, France, Portugal

With over 19 million "Millennium" albums sold worldwide and counting!

Millenium goes up at the Billboard chart!

This week the Backstreet Boys' album Millennium goes from #14 to #9 at the Billboard chart!

(Launch) - Singer Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys will sing the national anthem at the Kentucky Thoroughblades' minor league hockey game against the Louisville Panthers on Jan. 22 in a promotion that will benefit the singer's charity. The Kentucky team will donate a portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold for the game to Brian Littrell's Healthy Heart Club, which provides assistance to children preparing for and rehabilitating from surgery. Littrell was hospitalized in the pediatrics unit of Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington, Ky., as a child in 1980 for treatment of a serious infection of his heart muscle. The singer was born with a ventricular septal defect, which is a small hole between the left and right ventricles of the heart. In 1998 Littrell completed successful surgery to repair the hole in his heart. This performance will mark the singer's first appearance in Rupp Arena since the two sold-out Backstreet Boys concerts last November.

Speaking of hearts, Littrell made a lighthearted appearance Sunday, singing onstage with "Johnny Suede" - the alter ego of fellow Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean - at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando, Fla. At a press conference before the show, McLean presented a check for the evening's $27,000 take, plus a $10,000 donation from Time Warner, to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. The contributions will benefit the new Save the Music chapter for the local Central Florida region. Tickets for the Jan. 22 game and the rest of Thoroughblades season are currently on sale. Fans can purchase tickets at the Rupp Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Fans that cannot attend the game can still donate to the Brian Littrell Fund by writing a check or money order payable to the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation and sending it to: P.O. Box 8490, Lexington, Ky., 40533.

During a chat with Jon Bon Jovi at the official Bon Jovi webpage on Jan 4, someone asked Jon, "What do you think of the Backstreet Boys?" His reply was: "You know what is really great about them. They did us a good favour at a charity we had at my house and they did a meet and greet with the people backstage and sent out a limo for them and everything. those boys are alright with me."

Billboard Review of SMTMOBL

Source: Billboard

This is the one we've been waiting for as Britney Spears' labelmates the Backstreet Boys serve up the third single from "Millennium", the No. 1 album of 1999. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is a keepsake ballad that will have the quintet's loyal legions panting over their loss and loneliness. But there's more to this smooth, R&B-flavored ballad than just an emotional plea targeted to emotionally charged teens. As they have done successfully over and over, this beautifully produced BSB anthem is rock-solid, with lush orchestration, those signature harmonies, and a melody that will instantly lock itself into the pop culture consciousness. No surprise, given that it comes from the signature mind of pop maestro Max Martin, who co-produced with partner Kristian Lundin and co-wrote with Herbert Crichlow: No doubt-like the pair's current hit for Celine Dion, "That's The Way It Is"- this is as much as an adult hit as that one, certain to light up the boards at both top 40 and AC. The best ballad of the season and a sure-fire way to return the Boys to full glory. Nice, nice job.

Go here to see A.J. as Johnny Suede!

Source: The Orlando Sentinel

Matthew J. Palm and Leslie Doolittle of The Sentinel Staff

Published in The Orlando Sentinel on January 10, 2000 .

'Johnny Suede.' Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean as Suede gets pimped-up and pumped-up with a concert set at Hard Rock Live.

Johnny Suede, the hottest British rock star to launch a career from Nashville -- much less a Nashville coat label -- sang at his first-ever concert Sunday to an ecstatic sellout crowd.

Not bad for a guy who doesn't exist.

Suede is the alter ego of A.J. McLean, one-fifth of Orlando's Backstreet Boys. It would have been the first solo concert by any member of the pop uber-group but it wasn't, everyone insisted. Pay attention now: That wasn't McLean on the stage, it was Suede.

Confused?

You should have been at the concert.

It was McLean who presented the evening's take of $27,000 plus a $10,000 donation from Time Warner to VH-1's Save the Music Foundation at a news conference before the concert. The oversized check was signed by both McLean and Suede, whom McLean said was getting ready for the show.

"It's the first time he's performed so he's a little nervous," said McLean of Suede. "I'm not, but he is."

Still confused? Keep reading.

The concert opened with a uniformed "police officer" -- perhaps a roadie's alter ego -- unlocking a handcuffed Suede so he could belt out 10 pop, rock, disco, Latin, R&B and Backstreet Boys songs. Odd that the only style he missed was boot-scooting country, Suede's label being from Nashville and all.

"Our old drummer took us to a clothing store [in Nashville], and made me buy a jacket that had the label:

"Johnny Suede -- Dressed to Pimp," explained McLean before the concert. "We dropped the 'dressed to pimp,' but Johnny Suede became a nickname."

Suede strutted and sang like McLean but bantered with a British accent between songs. Suede talked less about himself than one might have thought, but what can you say about a guy who is basically one-step up from an imaginary friend?

"Wassup Orlando! I just want to take this time to thank A.J. for letting me come up here," Suede said after the fifth song. "It's my first concert here for you all so I appreciate the warm welcome, not to mention all the fine looking ladies in the house. I just want to you all to enjoy yourselves on me -- It's my man A.J.'s birthday. He appreciates you all coming out."

Suede seemed to enjoy his solo venture throughout the evening, but most of all when "surprised" on stage by one of McLean's bandmates.

Brian Littrell, who came as pop star Brian Littrell -- or a guy with a really bad British accent -- drove the teen screamers to a frenzy not seen this side of Liverpool or Dollywood by singing with Suede on Brian McKnight's "Back at One" and "6, 8, 12."

Suede diligently -- but lightheartedly -- kept up the charade throughout the concert. Suede followed that with a song that "A.J. wrote" but Suede sang because "he's not here -- he's backstage with his family. I'm going to sing it for him, hopefully better than he would."

McLean said before that the concert could lead to Suede's first album. And if the concert was any measure, there's clearly an audience just screaming for it.

Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines, eat your heart -- hearts? -- out.

Posted Jan 10 2000 12:18AM

Peoples' Choice Honors Backstreet Boys

Source: MTV

The Backstreet Boys, Shania Twain, and Ricky Martin were the musical winners in last night's presentation of the 26th annual Peoples' Choice Awards in Pasadena, California, a populist precursor of sorts to the upcoming Grammy, Academy, and Emmy Awards.

In addition to the awards handed out to films and television series and their respective actors and actresses, the Peoples' Choice Awards also named Latin sensation Ricky Martin as its Favorite Male Musical Performer and country crossover Shania Twain as its Favorite Female Musical Performer.

The Backstreet Boys received the Peoples' Choice Award for Favorite Musical Group Or Band, but was unable to attend the event, prompting award presenter Craig Kilborn to joke that the group was actually out touring with fellow Orlando boy band, 'N SYNC.

The Peoples' Choice Awards are based on the results of a phone poll of 5,000 Americans conducted by the Gallup Organization, a group which normally handles political polling during certain state and national elections.

In other award show-related news, Gloria Estefan has been named this year's recipient of the "Award Of Merit" from the American Music Awards, in recognition of her work as an international superstar and for helping popularize Latin pop music across the world.

'N SYNC, who dueted with Estefan on the hit single, "Music Of My Heart," will participate in the planned salute to the former Miami Sound Machine singer. The "Award Of Merit" will be given to Estefan during the broadcast of this year's American Music Awards, slated for January 17.

-- David Basham

Backstreet Boys and Elton John new single

"Someday Out of the Blue" featuring The Backstreet Boys on backing vocals - is expected to be the first single from Elton's "El Dorado" project, his next album.

The song is scheduled for a mid- to late-January release and, like the album and the movie, will receive a mammoth promotional push.

The soundtrack is for the animated DreamWorks movie "The Road to El Dorado", which will be coming to theaters in March. The soundtrack will also be released at that time. Perhaps they will make some appearances together to promote the single. (that is not confirmed regarding appearances).

Gene Simmons takes hat off to pop acts

Source: Infobeat

(Launch) - Hard as it may be to believe, Kiss singer/bassist Gene Simmons is a fan of the current wave of teen pop. In a recent interview with the amateur musician Web site, www.getsigned.com, Simmons was asked how he felt about the current chart-toppers and multiple Grammy-Award nominees, and he said, "I like it. Anybody that has a problem with it, they're missing the point. It's not for you. It's meant to appeal to a 12-year-old girl. It's very professionally done, very clever songwriting. I like Backstreet Boys more than 'N Sync. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, it's all very well done stuff. Much better than the Partridge Family and New Kids On The Block. I took my kids to see Backstreet Boys live and they flipped out."

Backstreet Boys to perform at Grammy Awards

Source: BSBMillennium

The Backstreet Boys will be doing a live performance of "I Want It That Way" at the Grammy awards on February 23, 2000. After being nominated for both the song, and their top-selling album "Millennium", the boys were tapped to perform. Because of their Grammy performance, the boys will not perform at the American Music Awards on January 17.

A.J. McLean as Johnny Suede

Source: Orlando Sentinel

By Leslie Doolittle
Of The Sentinel Staff

That album Garth Brooks put out as his pop pseudonym, Chris Gaines, went over like Santa Claus in a blue pin-stripe suit. Yet, up comes the Backstreet Boys' tattooed wonder, A.J. McLean, with plans for a Hard Rock Live benefit concert as his new alter ego:

Johnny Suede.

``All I've been able to find out is that he is British and he's going to look different,'' said Chris Tomasso, Hard Rock International's new senior director of marketing and production and really, really long corporate titles. ``He's doing this for Save the Music, so you've got to like that.''

You bet we do. McLean's Jan.9 concert is to kick off a new Orlando chapter so that funds raised locally for Save the Music, which provides musical instruments to schoolchildren, can be spent locally.

Lost in the translation?

A.J. was headed to the Backstreet Boys' stylist to talk red leather suits, but we got ahold of his mom, Denise McLean. She said A.J. wanted to do a benefit during the group's tour break, and since it was just him, he thought it would be fun to cut loose under the name he used to book hotel rooms after finding it on a clothing label.

``He'll be doing a compilation of his songs and covers,'' said McLean, who assures us her son won't have trouble with the British accent because he studied dialects as a kid.

Pony up $15 for a ticket and you can tell your friends you not only attended Johnny Suede's debut concert with the Backstreet Boys, but also McLean's 22nd birthday party.

Backstreet Boys finish '99 in front

Source: USA Today

By Edna Gundersen

USA TODAY

The Backstreet Boys are entering the new millennium with a history-making Millennium of their own.

The group's second album sold 9,445,732 copies to rank as 1999's top seller, according to year-end figures from SoundScan. It places eighth among all albums sold since SoundScan began tabulating data in 1991. Backstreet's self-titled debut is 10th overall with 9.2 million; the Boys are the only act in the top 10 more than once.

Totals reflect a healthy surge for the $14 billion music industry, with 754.8 million albums sold in 1999, up 6% from 711 million in 1998. An estimated 8.5 million albums were sold on the Internet last year. CD sales, up 12%, account for 86% of recordings sold.

Britney Spears' . . . Baby One More Time is No. 2 for the year with 8,358,619 copies sold, followed by Ricky Martin (5,981,155), Shania Twain's Come On Over (5,618,134), Limp Bizkit's Significant Other (4,952,890), Santana's Supernatural (4,732,589), Kid Rock's Devil Without a Cause (4,259,736), TLC's Fanmail (4,186,685), Christina Aguilera (3,662,905) and the Dixie Chicks' Wide Open Spaces (3,463,642).

R&B remains the strongest genre, with 175.3 million albums sold, up 9% from 1998. Alternative rock is second, with 120.9 million units, followed by rap, country and gospel/Christian. Soundtracks, sixth in the genre breakdown (which does not break out pop or non-alternative rock), dropped to 41.6 million from 61.4 million. Eighth-place Latin music sold 22.2 million units, up from 15.6 million in 1998, a 43% leap.

In last week's sales, Jay-Z's Vol. III . . . Life and Times of S. Carter led sales with 463,000 copies, enough to enter the Billboard chart at No. 1. DMX's And Then There Was X is next with 399,000. The rest of the top 10, in descending order: Celine Dion, Aguilera, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, the Now 3 pop-hits compilation, Santana, Mariah Carey and Korn.

Lexington, KY...Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys will sing the national anthem at the Kentucky Thoroughblades' game against the Louisville Panthers on January 22nd in a promotion that will benefit Brian Littrell's Healthy Heart Club.

The T-blades will donate a portion of each ticket sold from the game to Brian Littrell's Healthy Heart Club, which provides assistance to children preparing for and rehabilitating from surgery.

It will be Littrell's first performance in Rupp Arena since the two sold out Backstreet Boys concerts on November 26th and 27th.

Tickets for the Jan.22nd game, which faces off at 7:30pm, and the rest of the T-blades season are currently on sale now. You can purchase tickets at the Rupp Arena Box Office and all TicketMaster outlets.

Won´t BSB perform at AMA´00?

At the American Music Award page they list all the performance and presenters and BSB is not in one of them. It seems like they aren´t going to perform, after all.
But they are nominated in Nominees>>Pop Rock with "Favorite Band, Duo or Group" and "Favorite Album" for 'Millennium'.

This week (1/6-1/11): Front row seats to the Millennium Tour. Sit back and watch the costumes, sets and songs that made it the hottest show of 99!

Next week (1/12-1/18): You know they can sing, dance and look great, but can they play golf? Team up with BSB!

Backstreet Boys dominate Rolling Stone poll

Source: Infobeat

(BackstreetBoys.com) - By expressing their undying loyalty, Backstreet Boys fans have helped the group come out on top in Rolling Stone magazine's annual Reader's Poll. The Boys were named 1999 Rolling Stone Readers Poll Artists of the Year, Band of the Year, Album of the Year for "Millennium," Single of the Year for "I Want It That Way," Best Video for "Larger Than Life," Best Album Cover for "Millennium," Best Dressed, Best Fan Site for BackstreetBoys.com, Best Tour and Biggest Hype.

Source: The Lexington Herald-Leader

Published Wednesday, January 5, 2000, in the Herald-Leader

Backstreet Boys have a lock on record sales and sold-out shows, but critical acclaim has mostly eluded them until now.

Backstreet Boys, an Orlando-based group that includes native Kentuckians Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson, snagged five Grammy nominations yesterday, including three of the most prestigious Record of the Year (I Want It That Way), Album of the Year (Millennium) and Song of the Year.

They also racked up nominations for Best Pop Album and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

The nominations have the harmony vocal outfit sitting pretty alongside such critical favorites as Carlos Santana, TLC, Madonna and Sarah McLachlan.

The Grammy nods weren't the Boys' only crowning achievements this week: They grace the most recent Rolling Stone cover (they're spiffy, yet de-pantsed).

Why? They were voted Artist of the Year in the magazine's annual Readers Poll. But the fans weren't satisfied with just a single accolade, oh no. BSB were also honored with the top spots in the battles for: Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Best Video, Best Dressed, Best Fan Site, Best Tour and Biggest Hype. Whew!

-- Heather Svokos

Backstreet Boys Outsell E-Commerce

Source: Wall Of Sound

January 5, 2000

For all the clamor and commotion surrounding e-commerce and online music sales in 1999, one fact still stands out: The Backstreet Boys alone outsold the entire number of all CDs sold online. SoundScan, which tracks point-of-purchase music sales, has released its year-end figures for 1999, and Millennium, the Backstreet Boys' top-selling May release, sold almost a million copies more than online retailers.

According to SoundScan's figures, the album sold 9,445,732 copies between its release date and Jan. 2, 2000. Online retailers, on the other hand, sold 8,499,473 records between Jan. 4, 1999, and Jan. 2, 2000. The year's second-best selling album, Britney Spears' … Baby One More Time, almost topped the retailers as well, selling 8,358,619 copies following its release Jan. 5, 1999.

Though the numbers certainly speak to the sales strength of both the Backstreets and Spears, they also make it clear that online record sales aren't as pervasive as many might believe. Almost 755 million albums were sold in the U.S. in 1999, up from 711 million in 1998, making online sales just a minor part of the picture.

After the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, Ricky Martin's self-titled English-language debut was the highest-selling record in the land, followed by Shania Twain's Come on Over and Limp Bizkit's Significant Other. In the year's No. 6 spot was Santana's Supernatural, which landed Carlos Santana 10 Grammy nominations Tuesday. Kid Rock, TLC, Christina Aguilera, and the Dixie Chicks rounded out the year's Top 10 selling albums.

Top 20 selling albums of 1999

1. Backstreet Boys: Millennium (Jive) — 9,445,732 copies sold
2. Britney Spears: … Baby One More Time (Jive) — 8,358,619 copies sold
3. Ricky Martin: Ricky Martin (C2/Columbia) — 5,981,155 copies sold
4. Shania Twain: Come On Over (Mercury Nashville) — 5,618,134 copies sold
5. Limp Bizkit: Significant Other (Flip/Interscope) — 4,952,890 copies sold
6. Santana: Supernatural (Arista) — 4,732,589 copies sold
7. Kid Rock: Devil Without a Cause (Atlantic) — 4,259,736 copies sold
8. TLC: Fan Mail (LaFace) — 4,186,685 copies sold
9. Christina Aguilera: Christina Aguilera (RCA) — 3,662,905 copies sold
10. Dixie Chicks: Wide Open Spaces (Monument) — 3,463,642 copies sold
11. 'N Sync: 'N Sync (RCA) — 3,271,753 copies sold
12. Juvenile: 400 Degreez (Cash Money/Universal) — 3,270,296 copies sold
13. Celine Dion: All the Way — A Decade of Song (Epic) — 2,885,268 copies sold
14. Offspring: Americana (Columbia) — 2,883,987 copies sold
15. Eminem: Slim Shady (Interscope) — 2,824,460 copies sold
16. Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Columbia) — 2,762,628 copies sold
17. Cher: Believe (Warner Bros.) — 2,760,221 copies sold
18. 98 Degrees: 98 Degrees and Rising (Universal) — 2,699,512 copies sold
19. Dixie Chicks: Fly (Monument) — 2,672,649 copies sold
20. Lou Bega: A Little Bit of Mambo (RCA) — 2,473,519 copies sold.

Wall of Sound news headlines are featured on MusicNewswire

BSB to perform at the American Music Award

Backstreet Boys are going to perform at the American Music Award wich airs January 17. That means that they are not going to perform at the Grammys, ´cause I have heard that you can´t perform on the American Music Award AND the Grammys, that is kind of strange if you ask me.

'Millennium' drops

Source: Billboard Seeing a post-holiday season slide, Millennium drops from No. 3 to No. 14. As they have just been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards, many expect their positions to change for the better on next week's chart.

Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Ricky Martin Dominate Year-End Sales

Source: MTV

The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and Ricky Martin had the biggest-selling albums of 1999, with the three artists selling a combined 23 million copies of their LPs, according to figures released on Wednesday by SoundScan.

The Backstreet Boys owned the top-selling album of the year with "Millennium," a record that sold 9.4 million copies in a little over seven months in release. "Millennium" has been nominated for a Grammy for "Album Of The Year."

Teen diva Britney Spears came in at number two with her debut, "… Baby One More Time," which registered 8.3 million in sales for last year, but was released several months before the Backstreet Boys' "Millennium" juggernaut. Spears is scheduled to issue her second album on May 16.

Ricky Martin set fire to the U.S. charts with his first English language album (and fifth solo record since leaving Menudo in 1989), "Ricky Martin," which sold 5.9 million copies. Right behind Martin was country-pop crossover Shania Twain, whose 1997 effort, "Come On Over," actually earned 5.6 million in sales in 1999.

Limp Bizkit had the best-selling rock album of the year with its second record, "Significant Other," which sold 4.9 million copies and arrived in stores a month before the band's controversial appearance at the Woodstock '99 music festival in Rome, New York.

Rounding out the rest of SoundScan's top 10 selling albums of 1999 were: guitarist Santana's "Supernatural" comeback record with 4.7 million in sales, rap-rock hybrid Kid Rock's "Devil Without A Cause" with 4.2 million, and hip-hop trio TLC with 4.1 million copies sold of its "Fanmail" album.

Christina Aguilera surged into the top 10 with a year-end splash, as her self-titled debut moved 3.6 million copies in a little over four months in release, while country trio Dixie Chicks benefited from long-term fan support of its 1998 LP, "Wide Open Spaces" which sold 3.4 million copies in 1999 and was actually released in January 1998.

-- David Basham

Source: Expressen
Translation by Katarina

Max Martin, the famous swedish producer, who have produced songs like 'As Long As You Love Me' and 'I Want It That Way' for the Backstreet Boys.

LOS ANGELSES. Nobody knows what´s gonna happen on the Grammy Award that is held in Los Angeles in 1½ month, but it CAN be that...
...February 23 is the new swedish national day.
...The Cheiron studio on Fridhemsplan in Stockholm is our new castle.
...Max Martin is the King.

The Grammynominations in 98 different catogories went offical yesterday.
In the heaviest catogories are Max Martin nominated. Max Martin and the others in the Cheiron gang are nominated in "Album of the year", "Song of the year" and "Songwriter of the year".
The swedish gang have produced Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, the two artists who sold the most records during 1999.

In the catogorie "Album of the year" have the Swedish gang and Backstreet Boys competiton from 'Fly' with Dixie Chicks, 'When I look in your eyes' with Diana Krall, 'Supernatural' with Santana and 'Fanmail' with TLC.
In the catogorie "Record of the year" they compeeting with 'Believe' with Cher, 'Livin La Vida Loca with Ricky Martin, 'Smooth' with Santana and 'No Scrubs' with TLC.
In the third catogorie, "Song Of the year" (A Songwriter(s) Award), they are competing with 'Livin La Vida Loca' (written by Desmond Child and Robi Rosa) performed by Ricky Martin, 'Smooth' (written by Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas) performed by Santana, 'Unpretty' (written by Dallas Austin Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins) peformed by TLC and 'You´ve got a way' (written by Robert John 'Mutt' Lange and Shania Twain) performed by Shania Twain.

Max Martin can win Grammys

Source: Aftonbladet

Max Martin are on his way til the top. The swedish songwriter and his Cheironstudio are nominated in four catogories with this year Grammy Award. - I´m very happy about it, says Max Martin.

The nominies for this year Grammy Award went offical yesterday who is held in Los Angeles February 23. The award can be a success for the swedish songwriter Max Martin and the others from the Cheiron studio in Stockholm.
Max Martin are together with Andreas Carlsson nominated for "Song of the year" for 'I Want It That Way' performed by Backstreet Boys.
But the Cherion is also in the catogories "Pop Album of the year", "Album of the year" and "Record of the year" like producers and songwriters for Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys.
- It´s feels amazing for me and for everyone at Cheiron, says Max Martin thorugh Andreas Carlsson.

Source: Grammy.com

At a star-studded press conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel this morning, the Recording Academy announced the nominees for the year-2000 42nd Annual GRAMMY Awards with legendary guitarist Carlos Santana leading the field with an impressive 10 nominations, capping his hottest year since he exploded on the rock scene in 1969.

Also grabbing significant multiple nominations were R&B act TLC (six), renowned classical conductor Pierre Boulez (six), country-swing revivalists Asleep At The Wheel (five), as well as Backstreet Boys, Dixie Chicks, Emmylou Harris, Whitney Houston and last year's breakout winner Lauryn Hill (four each).

On hand to help make the announcements were a host of recording stars - many of them also nominees themselves this year - including Christina Aguilera (Best New Artist), producer/songwriter Dallas Austin, Mary J. Blige (Best R&B Album, among three nominations), Steven Curtis Chapman (Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album), Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, Macy Gray (Best New Artist), Martina McBride (Best Female Country Vocal Performance), Sarah McLachlan (Best Pop Album), Carole Bayer Sager, Tom Scott (Best Instrumental Arrangement), and Diane Warren (Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media).

"Never have the nominations reflected so many different musical points of view - from the fanatically popular to those artists whose influence and artistry speak with a unique and unheralded resonance," said Michael Greene, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. "The Academy voters dug deep to select nominees whose recordings demonstrate artistic achievement and long-term credibility in their respective genres."

The breadth of the GRAMMY nominations is heralded by the Album of the Year category, which reflects a wide-ranging cross section of musical genres, from the straight-ahead pop of the Backstreet Boys' Millennium and the timeless rock of Santana's Supernatural to the R&B/rap of TLC's Fanmail, pure jazz of Diana Krall's When I Look In Your Eyes and country twang of the Dixie Chicks' Fly.

The overwhelming support of Carlos Santana confirms a general consensus of both the general public and key music critics, and throughout the nominations list, the Academy's voting members acknowledged artists and music of inspired achievement even as they recognized some of the prominent musical trends of the year. The list of nominations also celebrates the two great comebacks of 1999. Both Carlos Santana and Cher enjoyed the biggest records of their already illustrious careers, and both feats have been honored with numerous nominations. Santana's nods include Album of the Year, Record of the Year for "Smooth," Best Rock Album and seven others. Cher has been recognized with nominations for Record of the Year and Best Dance Record, both for the smash track "Believe," as well as Best Pop Album.

The Best New Artist category also shows no genre boundaries with nods to rock rapper Kid Rock, the bluesy Susan Tedeschi and teen singer Britney Spears in addition to Gray and Aguilera.

Record of the Year is rounded out by the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way," TLC's "No Scrubs" and "Livin' La Vida Loca" by last year's GRAMMY sensation Ricky Martin, in addition to Santana's "Smooth" and Cher's "Believe."

Song of the year nods go to Andreas Carlsson and Max Martin for "I Want It That Way," Desmond Child and Robi Rosa for "Livin' La Vida Loca," Itaal Shur and Rob Thomas for "Smooth," Dallas Austin and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins for "Unpretty," and Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Shania Twain for "You've Got A Way."

Winners of the 42nd Annual GRAMMY Awards - which encompass nearly 500 nominations in 98 categories - will be announced on February 23 on the CBS television network.

Grammys Pitt Teens Against Rock Titans
by Julie Keller
Jan 4, 2000, 9:40 AM PT

Source: E! online

It will be the teens versus the legends of rock this year at the Grammys.

The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera are among the teeny bop heartthrobs who'll be battling veterans like Santana, Cher and Madonna on February 23 at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Record of the Year competition (presented to the artist) pitts Santana's "Smooth" and Cher's club-hopping "Believe" against Backstreet's "That Way," Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" and TLC's catchy "No Scrubs."

True diva-dom will challenged in the top female Pop Vocal Performance category. "Genie in a Bottle" singer Aguilera and "Baby..One More Time" crooner Spears will be facing stiff competition from Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger," Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" and Alanis Morissette's "Thank U."

The legendary rockers of Santana, oft-snubbed in the past by the finicky Recording Academy voters, scored the most nominations (10) and were recognized this year in the three most coveted nomination categories. Along with their Record of the Year nod, the Carlos Santana-led crew scored a Song of the Year nod for "Smooth" and an Album of the Year commendation for Supernatural .

"I feel grateful," the 52-year-old rocker said from home this morning. "It validates what I'm trying to do musically."

The oft-fighting R&B trio of TLC were the other big winners at today's nominations, scoring six nominations. Among the acts with four Grammy nominations were the Backstreet Boys, country stars the Dixie Chicks and Emmylou Harris, and previous Grammy-winners Lauryn Hill and Whitney Houston.

Similarly to last year's country/rock/pop mix, Santana's Album of the Year competition runs the gamut of musical genres. Other nominees include: Backstreet's Millennium, the Dixie Chicks' Fly, Diana Krall's When I Look In Your Eyes and TLC's Fanmail.

Competing in the Song of the Year race (presented to the songwriter): Backstreet's "I Want It That Way," Matin's "Livin' La Vida Loca," Santana's "Smooth," TLC's "Unpretty," and Shania Twain's "You've Got A Way."

Nominated for Best New Artist: Christina Aguilera, Macy Gray, Kid Rock, Britney Spears and Susan Tedeschi (blues guitarist).

Other key categories:

Pop Album