AJ McLean Shares Which Iconic Backstreet Boys Song His Oldest Daughter Hates ‘With A Passion’

Over the years, the Backstreet Boys have blessed fans with countless classics, including “As Long As You Love Me,” “I’ll Never Break Your Heart,” and their signature song “I Want It That Way,” the latter of which AJ McLean‘s 12-year-old daughter Elliott can’t stand to hear.

“My oldest daughter hates that song, hates it with a passion,” McLean said in an interview with People on the red carpet at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 17. “Because she gets teased at school when she walks into school.”

“When I drop her off, the boys [sing the lyrics], ‘Tell me why,’ and she’s like, ‘Stop doing that,'” he added. “And then I start doing it to embarrass her because that’s what dads do.”

Backstreet Boys Announce ‘Into the Millennium’ Residency At The Sphere

In January 2025, the Backstreet Boys announced a new Las Vegas residency at the Sphere called “Into the Millennium,” which coincides with the band’s forthcoming release of “Millennium 2.0.” The project is a reimagined version of their 1999 album “Millennium,” which spawned classic hits like “Larger Than Life,” “Showing Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,” and of course “I Want It That Way.”

“Millennium 2.0” will feature six new demos, live recordings from their Into the Millennium World Tour, and remastered versions of the original tracklist, according to Billboard.

“The fact that we get to redo this album again live, it’s kind of reinvigorating, this excitement about what it was back in ’99,” McLean told People.

The “Into the Millennium” residency kicks off on July 11, 2025 and concludes on August 3, 2025.

AJ McLean Will Pay Tribute To Liam Payne In Netflix’s Forthcoming ‘Building the Band’ Show

McLean is set to host Netflix’s forthcoming show “Building the Band.” One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died on Oct. 16, 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, served as one of the judges before his death. He was only 31 years old.

“Liam Payne and I got very close. He was just a dream to work with. He was a light, so talented, so funny, so genuine, but I get it,” McLean told Parade on the red carpet at the 2025 iHeart Music Awards. “I still have the last text conversation we had. I refused to delete it.”

McLean also shared that “Building the Band” will be dedicated to Payne and his family.

“It’s a great way for fans to remember him as he truly was — just witty and fun and so outspoken and so supportive of the talent on this show,” McLean said.

“It’s just very sad,” McLean added. “It really is, but I know he’s safe where he is now and he’s no longer in pain. Hopefully, we can make him proud.”

An exact release date hasn’t been announced for “Building the Band,” but it’s expected to debut in 2025. Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland will also appear as judges.