BACKSTREET BOYS REMAIN AT THE TOP OF THE POP MUSIC WORLD

Press Release Content:

DATE: DECEMBER 7, 2000

FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER/TODD BRODGINSKI

BACKSTREET BOYS
REMAIN AT THE TOP OF THE
POP MUSIC WORLD
AS 'BLACK & BLUE' SELLS MORE THAN
FIVE MILLION COPIES GLOBALLY IN ONE WEEK,
SECOND WEEK SALES BRING FIGURE
TO 2.3 MILLION IN THE U.S.;

TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR FIRST LEG OF U.S. TOUR DATES
INSTANT SELL-OUTS REPORTED
IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY;

GROUP TO SHOOT VIDEO IN LOS ANGELES
FOR NEW SINGLE "THE CALL"

As Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson journey to Los Angeles to shoot the video for their upcoming single "The Call," from BLACK & BLUE, BACKSTREET BOYS want to thank their fans all over the world for making them the first group in music history to sell five million copies of an album in only one week. In the U.S. alone, BLACK & BLUE (Jive) sold more than 2.3 million copies in the initial two weeks of release.

"We're totally excited by our first week sales all around the world. The response from our fans, whether they come from the Unites States or Indonesia, continues to blow us away. We've said it before, but we need to say it again: There are no better fans in the world than BACKSTREET BOYS fans."

This statement from the BACKSTREET BOYS–recognized as the biggest pop group in the world–also acknowledges their precedent-setting success in the United States where they have become the first act to have two consecutive albums top one million in sales in their debut weeks according to Soundscan.

As Spin.com reports: "…it's the Backstreet Boys who, once again, are breaking records and selling more albums than the combined weight of Germany. The boys' latest, Black & Blue, debuted at No. 1 this week, selling 1,591,191 copies in the U.S., and more than five million copies worldwide (please note: this sets a new record for first-week international album sales)."

At the same time, tickets for the "Black & Blue World Tour" went on sale Saturday, December 2, and 23 of the 26 shows were instant sell-outs, with only a few seats available for the remaining shows. In addition, tickets for the California leg of the tour have as yet to go on sale. SFX, the promoter and producer of the tour, offered the following information:

"It sold out faster than any stadium show I can remember," Arthur Fogel, President of Touring, SFX Music Group (about the 42,000-seat Toronto Skydome show).

"We sold 'em as fast as we could print 'em. The show sold out in five minutes," Ted Mankin, regional head of SFX touring (about the MCI Center in Washington, DC).

Meanwhile, BACKSTREET BOYS' forthcoming single "The Call"–a funky, infectious song–follows up the current Top Ten success of the album's debut single, "Shape Of My Heart." The video for "The Call" will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who's shot clips for artists including Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Green Day, Destiny's Child and Lauryn Hill, among others.

Press Release Date:
Thu, 2000-12-07 23:00

Press Release Link:
http://

Press Release Teaser:
BACKSTREET BOYS REMAIN AT THE TOP OF THE POP MUSIC WORLD AS 'BLACK & BLUE' SELLS MORE THAN FIVE MILLION COPIES GLOBALLY IN ONE WEEK, SECOND WEEK SALES BRING FIGURE TO 2.3 MILLION IN THE U.S.; TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR FIRST LEG OF U.S. TOUR DATES INSTANT SELL-OUTS REPORTED IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY; GROUP TO SHOOT VIDEO IN LOS ANGELES FOR NEW SINGLE "THE CALL"