What These '90s Boy Band Hunks Look Like Today
Boy bands in the '90s weren't just music groups, they were a way of life. Everyone had their favorite boy band and their favorite boy within that band. There was merchandise to declare your love for your boy band of choice — everything from school folders and backpacks to T-shirts. But what happened to those guys once the boy band bubble burst? Some of the groups are still going and for those that aren't, some members have launched lucrative solo careers. Now grown men, here's what these '90s boy band hunks look like today.
Donnie Wahlberg
This Wahlberg brother was one of the founding members of New Kids On The Block, a boy band you could still catch on tour in 2018. "I enjoy every aspect more now than as a kid — performing, recording, touring," Donnie told The Huffington Post in 2013. When he's not singing and dancing, he keeps busy as an actor, restaurant owner, father, and as Mr. Jenny McCarthy.
Jordan Knight
Since New Kids On The Block first became popular, Jordan Knight has never left the music scene. He's released a few solo albums and even worked on an album with fellow boy bander Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys. "We wanted to do something new for the fans, and fresh and exciting for us," Carter told TIME in 2014. Knight clearly isn't interested in ditching the boy band way of life. "It feels like we just started," he said in 2017, while discussing the NKOTB tour. "It's still a lot of fun."
Justin Timberlake
NSYNC, one of the most popular '90s boy bands, went on hiatus in 2002. "I was growing out of it. I felt like I cared more about the music than some of the other people in the group," Justin Timberlake told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. "And I felt like I had other music I wanted to make and that I needed to follow my heart."
Timberlake has enjoyed tremendous success as an actor and as a solo artist. As of 2018, he's won 10 Grammy awards and received a whopping 38 nominations. He's also a family man these days, raising a son with actress Jessica Biel. Not to mention, his bromance with comedian and late night host Jimmy Fallon has become the stuff of legend.
Lance Bass
Lance Bass, another member of NSYNC, surprised fans in 2006 when he came out as gay, telling People that he didn't talk about his sexuality before because of his status as a boy band member. "I knew that I was in this popular band and I had four other guys' careers in my hand, and I knew that if I ever acted on it or even said (that I was gay), it would overpower everything," he said.
After NSYNC went on hiatus, Bass embarked on a unique journey to go into space — yes, really. According to BuzzFeed, he went to a Russian space training camp in 2002, but his plans fell through. In a 2016 episode of Watch What Happens Live, Bass revealed that he still plans to go to space. In fact, he says some of his clothes and experiments are already on the International Space Station. By the way, it's unclear how Bass' husband, artist Michael Turchin, feels about the final frontier.
JC Chasez
Along with Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez was one of the main NSYNC vocalists. Unfortunately, JC's post-NSYNC solo career didn't pan out quite as well as JT's. Chasez has found some success, appearing as a judge for America's Best Dance Crew and dropping by his old Disney stomping ground to star in Club Mickey Mouse's "Back to School Special." According to his Instagram, Chasez still spends time in the studio as well.
Joey Fatone
After NSYNC disbanded, Joey Fatone went on to do some acting (you may remember him from 2002's My Big Fat Greek Wedding). In 2016, he told Fuse TV that people didn't get to see his real personality during his time in NSYNC, but he had the opportunity to let it shine when he joined the Season 4 cast of Dancing with the Stars (He also returned for the All-Stars season).
"It was completely different and people were seeing more of my personality as opposed to just being one of the guys from *NSYNC," he told Variety. "And there's nothing wrong with being one of the guys from *NSYNC but people started to finally see that's Joey Fatone, he's a real personality, a host, an actor, a singer. So far, everything I've done no one has told me I sucked, which is great. As long as I don't have that, I think I'm good."
Fatone is also a father to two daughters. He has talked openly about parenting a daughter on the autism spectrum.
Nick Carter
After taking a bit of a break, the Backstreet Boys are back in full force. In 2017, the group launched a residency in Las Vegas and spent some time touring. Nick Carter is now a father to a boy of his own with wife Lauren Kitt — they starred in a reality show documenting the journey to their wedding day. Carter faced some obstacles along the way, including struggles with drugs and alcohol. He told Wendy Williams in 2013 that he had his first drink when he was only 8 or 9 years old and also had issues with ecstasy.
When he's not kicking it with the Backstreet Boys, Carter is reportedly working to mentor future boy bands. As an "architect" on the ABC competition show Boy Band, he told Billboard, "I'm able to kind of give back a little bit and maybe inspire — and who knows, maybe create that next big group for the next generation."
That positive role model reputation took a hit in 2017, when actress-singer Melissa Schuman accused Carter of rape, and in 2018, an unidentified person accused him of sexual misconduct, reported USA Today. Carter denied Schuman's claims and, to date, he has not been charged with any crimes in connection with the accusations.
AJ McLean
AJ McLean was the resident bad boy of the Backstreet Boys. Unfortunately, it landed him in some trouble when he developed a drug problem. "I kinda just fell into losing myself," he said on Rolling Stone's Music Now podcast, revealing that he's been to rehab three times. Fortunately, McLean was able to get clean and head on tour with the rest of the group. "I'm now sober, I'm happy, I've got a beautiful family, life couldn't be better," he said. "It's an ongoing struggle but I'm happy today and that's all I can think about."
McLean has enjoyed newfound success on the country music scene with his hit song, "Bottle Service," and his high-profile collaborations with Florida Georgia Line. "It's been a long time coming," he told Billboard. "I've been working on music for years, and after we did 'God, Your Mama, and Me' with us and [Florida Georgia Line], it just lit this spark in me to really step outside the box. I've been a fan of country music — of music in general — my whole life, and what I love so much about country is that it all tells stories, and I wanna tell my story."
Brian Littrell
Brian Littrell not only sang for the Backstreet Boys, but he also helped write a ton of the band's music. Despite the group's tremendous success, Littrell told Cosmopolitan in 2015 that being in the band wasn't always easy. "There were plenty of times that I was fearful for my life," he said. "It's kinda scary." Littrell also told Cosmo that he suffers from vocal tension dysphonia, though he continues to tour with the group.
Littrell made headlines in September 2018 over some light-hearted shade cast at rival boy band NSYNC. While celebrating his 18th wedding anniversary with his wife, the couple posed for a picture with plates of dessert. A message was written in syrup on Littrell's plate: "NSYNC SUCKS." According to People, "It's unclear if the note was Littrell's doing — or the waiter's."
Littrell's son, Baylee, seems to be following in his father's footsteps, joining the Broadway musical cast of Disaster! as a teen in 2016.
Nick Lachey
Though 98 Degrees had a successful run as a boy band, Nick Lachey is perhaps best known for the Newlyweds reality show that documented his relationship with Jessica Simpson (They divorced in 2005.)
Lachey is now happily remarried to TV personality and pageant queen Vanessa Minnillo, and they have three kids: Camden John, Brooklyn Elisabeth, and Phoenix Robert. "It's important you spend time together just the two of you, but family's everything so it's important to spend time with the family," he told People in 2017.
Lachey and his lady competed against each other on Season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. "Although we are technically competing on the show, it feels much more like a support system to be honest with you," he told Insider in 2017.
Drew Lachey
Drew Lachey has a lot in common with older brother Nick Lachey. Also a member of 98 Degrees, Drew took a spin on Dancing with the Stars as well. In fact, he won the show's second season. Drew has continued to perform with 98 Degrees, and he even told The Morning Call in 2016 that "there's a very good chance" the boys will return to the studio in the future.
Until then, you can get your 98 Degrees fix with the group's performance at the Miss USA Pageant in 2018.
Ashley Parker Angel
While O-Town never grew as popular as some of the other boy bands, Ashley Parker Angel was definitely a fan favorite. Though he didn't see much commercial success with his solo career, he still managed to craft a fairly lucrative post-boy band life. He appeared in a couple Broadway shows, including Hairspray and Wicked, and he also co-founded the High Level Nutrition supplement company. Plus, his Instagram page is one giant thirst trap.
This guy appreciates his roots. "Yes, I graduated from the School of Boy Band, where I got a lot of stage experience," he told Broadway.com in 2017. "For me, musicals are the best of both worlds because I get to sing and I get to act. But coming from a boy band helps."
Omarion
Omarion was a founding member of B2K. Though the group's success didn't last, Omarion has since orchestrated a successful solo career, including a 2005 Grammy nomingation for best contemporary R&B album. He discussed his evolving music career with NBC News in 2017. "It's a more mature approach and more seasoned sound," he said. "It's a more seasoned, refined, mature me, especially after I had the kids my priorities changed. The importance of how I feel and approach music is different."
Omarion and former Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star Apryl Jones split in 2016, but they have two daughters together – A'mei Kazuko and Megaa Omari, reported BET.