Backstreet Boys Selling Out Concerts? No, You Haven’t Time Traveled Back to 1999

The Backstreet Boys — one of the most popular boy bands of all time — are showing that their boy-bandiness continues even today, more than a decade after they were viewed as relevant on the music scene.

The Backstreet Boys have been able to reassert themselves thanks to their “In a World Like This” tour. If their recent show in London is any indication of what is to come, then perhaps we should start saying “Backstreet’s back, all right?”

The Backstreet Boys just performed at the O2 Arena in London, where they sold the show out. Just let that sink in. Yes, those Backstreet Boys just sold out a show in an arena that holds 20,000 people.

Before you freak out that you have forgotten to feed your virtual pet or fear that Y2K is going to make it hard to access AOL, remember we are still in 2014 — not 1999.

If you are a fan of boy bands (or even a closeted fan of boy bands) is the news of the Backstreet Boys selling out concerts a sign of a renaissance in boy-bandery? Others may feel its more of a sign of the apocalypse, but either way it’s a fact that needs to be dealt with.

For their part, the Backstreet Boys themselves are kind of shocked that they sold out their London show as well. According to Contact Music, the Backstreet Boys’ Kevin Richardson told this to fans:

“Two years ago A.J. mentioned he would rejoin the band and two years later I can’t believe we have sold out the O2. Thank you, you’re amazing. It feels good to be back on stage with my brothers tonight.”

Of course, the Backstreet Boys have different competition than they used to have. While the main competition for the Backstreet Boys was always groups like N Sync and 98 Degrees, today One Direction is the king of the boy bands.

Perhaps, however, the Backstreet Boys won’t really need to worry too much about competing with One Direction, given the fact that their fan bases are probably a decade or more apart in ages.

Time will tell if the Backstreet Boys will be able to keep up the momentum built on their tour or if there will be a drop off as they travel back to North America, but for many fans — and for the Backstreet Boys themselves — there was at least one night during which they could go back to their glory days.

Image via LiveNation.com