The Backstreet Boys are a pop group that sprang up in Orlando, Florida, in the 1990s and dominated the decade, ultimately selling over 130 million albums in the 1990s and 2000s. The members are AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, and cousins Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell.
The group has clearly enjoyed tremendous success for the last 20 years, but that hasn't come without controversy. While the five members have weathered quite a lot over the years, it seems that they might currently be embroiled in a disagreement that is pretty threatening.
Recently, Kevin Richardson shared an article about losing a loved one to conspiracy theories alongside the caption, "Interesting read." Now many believe he was making a pointed statement about his cousin Brian.
Brian has been married to his wife, Leighanne, for over 20 years, and the couple have a son, 18-year-old Baylee. Leighanne has become a fixture at Backstreet Boys shows and events, and by now many fans are very familiar with her. Up until a few years ago, most people didn't think much about Leighanne other than being happy that she and Brian seem like they're always doing well.
Things shifted in November 2016, when some pretty monumental changes took place in the US. Brian told TMZ that everyone "needed to support" the new person "in charge," and many took this to be an indication of how he and Leighanne had voted that month. Kevin and AJ came out against Brian's views, while Nick and Howie remained pretty quiet.
Some fans were also troubled by stories that popped up in the years that followed. The group's popular song "I Want It That Way" was used at an event without their permission, prompting publicist Steven Trachtenbroit to note, "[The Backstreet Boys] did not approve this and we are not associated [with the event]."
Last year, Leighanne Littrell began publicly posting her own views that many people found incredibly problematic. Many of her posts were incredibly questionable, and Leighanne became fond of demonstrating her support for the Confederate flag and "Heterosexual Pride Day."
Earlier this month, Brian told fans that he would be using the now-defunct social media networking site called Parler. The site has since been banned from Apple, Amazon, and Google's app stores, but his membership alone was enough to seriously concern quite a few people. One of those people was his cousin, Kevin.
A few days later, Kevin shared two articles from Cosmopolitan: "I Lost a Best Friend to QAnon" and "The Unlikely Connection Between Wellness Influencers and the Pro-T**** rioters." He didn't offer much commentary or details, but people were quick to fill in their own.
A fan replied, telling Kevin that Brian's behavior and beliefs could have serious consequences for the entire group: "I don't think your cousin either cares or realises the impact this has had. People are angry. It could affect the future of this fandom and the behaviour of people at your concerts."
So far, the members of the group haven't addressed the issue or spoken out in any way. In early 2020, AJ told Yahoo! that the group is like a big marriage:
"We've had our fights, believe me but there's a certain bond that's just undeniable with us and literally, this is our first marriage. Before any of our real marriages."
