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"music washes away the dust of everyday life" sometimes we need to take a step and evaluate what is truly important to us. For some music helps accomplish this task. And for me it is the backstreet boys that help me cope with the trials and tribulations that life presents to me.

In 1994 the group got together in Orlando florida, where they took their name from a street market called "backstreet". They did local gigs, and opened for such acts as toni braxton and babyface. In 1995 they released their first single "we've got it going on". This song did not do well on US charts, so their management decided to send it to Europe and asia, where it soon reached number one. It wasn't until 1997 that they had any success in the US. the release of their self titled album, brought fame and fortune to these 5 talented young men. And its been nothing but success ever since.

It is this motivation to succeed that makes them positive role models for their audiences. The strive for achievement that brought them from a back market in Orlando to the record breaking superstars they are today, really stresses the idea that one can truly be what ever they want to be and you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Backstreet fans range in age from very young to very old, and they care deeply for all of them. Its not every day that you come across an artist that still is working for the fan. In all actuality it is the fan that makes the artist. It is very refreshing to see that I, the fan am still important to some. More artists should take their example and really strive to put more effort into appreciation rather than sales to benefit their wallets. Backstreet boys continually give back to their fans, with appearances meet and greets, and even writing 2 songs dedicated solely to the backstreet fan...one being "larger than life' and more recently from their black and blue album "everyone" these songs thank the fans and really push the idea that they do care, and are appreciative of the love that we have for them.

"so tell me why we have to cry and not try when there are so many things we can do to help this troubled world start anew" this is an excerpt

from the song "the answer to our lives" written by the boys as and attempt to motivate us to change the world and think positively about the future. AJ Mclean is