It's a sad day in boy band land.
One of bubblegum pop's elder statesmen, Kevin Richardson, has announced that he would be leaving the Backstreet Boys to "pursue other interests," potentially undermining his news with the much more surprising revelation that the BSB were still in existence.
He spilled the news with a posting Saturday on the "I Want It That Way" group's official Website.
"After 13 years of what can only be described as a dream come true, I have decided that it is time to leave the Backstreet Boys," Richardson said. "It was a very tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life.
"Howard, Brian, Alex [A.J.] and Nick will always be my little brothers and have my utmost love and support. I would like to thank the Backstreet fans for all the beautiful memories we have shared together and look forward to including you in the next phase of my life."
While the 33-year-old Backstreet man gave no hints as to what the next phase of his life would include, he did wish the newly minted foursome good luck in the future, as the remaining members have chosen to sing on sans a fifth man--er, boy.
"Earlier this year, after much soul searching, Kevin Richardson came to us and told us that he had decided to leave the group and pursue other interests," read a letter from the departing one's fellow band mates. "He gave his blessing to continue the music without him.
"We have no intention of replacing Kevin, and the door will always be open for him to return to the Backstreet Boys."
Richardson, the Dreamy One, joined cousin Brian Litrell (the Sensitive One), A.J. McLean (the Bad Boy), Howie Dorough (the Quiet One) and Nick Carter (the Cute One), to form the band in the early '90s under the auspices of producer Lou Pearlman. The group's name came from a flea market in their hometown of Orlando.
After striking it big in Europe, the Boys returned to the U.S. and released their eponymous debut in 1997. The album spawned Top 10 hits "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)," "Backstreet's Back" and "As Long as You Love Me."
The group was largely credited with propelling the boy band craze, and bubblegum pop as a whole, paving the way for rivals like 'N Sync, 98 Degrees and LFO, and such solo acts as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson.
The Backstreeter's 2000 follow-up, Millennium, was their biggest success to date, breaking all previously held U.S. sales records, selling more than 1 million copies its first week in release and spawning four number one hits, including "I Want It That Way" and "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely," based on airplay alone, as the group opted not to officially release any singles off the disc.
The group took a break in 2001 when McLean checked himself into rehab. He later credited Richardson's tough love with being a driving force behind his recovery.
In the meantime, Richardson took to the stage, starring in the musical Chicago on Broadway. He also married his longtime companion, Kristin Willets.
The group released its first album in five years in 2005, Never Gone, which, unlike their previous efforts, did not have the luxury of skyrocketing sales to make up for the critics' resounding disapproval.
"Incomplete," the most successful single off the album, peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 13 before quickly falling off.
Which means Richardson may have picked the opportune time to bid the Boys adieu.
The remaining foursome will return to the studio this weekend to begin work on the follow-up to Never Gone. The new album is due out later this year.
In the meantime, Richardson's not the only Backstreeter to embark on a new project. Carter, along with younger bro and fellow pop star Aaron and their three sisters, have signed on to star in House of Carters, a reality show chronicling the music biz clan as they live together and work on their respective careers. The show debuts this fall on E! Entertainment Television. (E! and E! Online are both part of E! Networks.)