Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean Reveals His Favorite *NSYNC Songs to Sing on Tour — and One's 'Raunchy' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

AJ McLeanmay be a member of theBackstreet Boys, but he’s still an *NSYNCfan!

PEOPLE caught up with the singer-songwriter at theiHeartRadio Music Awardson Monday, where he opened up about hitting the road with *NSYNC’sJoey Fatonefor their A Legendary Night tour.

“It’s an incredible show," says McLean, 46. “It’s so much fun. You may not get all 10 of us on stage, but you’re getting two of us singing each other’s songs.”

“Well, now it’s changed, because we do ‘Space Cowboy’ in the show, and that’s become my new favorite," McLeans says. “‘Digital Get Down’ was always my favorite. Just because it was adult, dirty, raunchy.”

AJ McLean at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on April 1, 2024 and *NSYNC in January 2000.Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images; Tim Roney/Getty Images

Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images; Tim Roney/Getty Images

“Space Cowboy” and “Digital Get Down” are both off ofNo Strings Attached, *NSYNC’s third studio album. Released in 2000, it immediately topped theBillboardcharts and produced the singles “Bye Bye Bye, “It’s Gonna Be Me” and “This I Promise You.”

McLean went on to praise more of *NSYNC’s music. “Some of the ballads, obviously I’m a big fan of,” he tells PEOPLE. “But I’m a real big fan of the new song ‘Paradise.’ "

Joey Fatone and AJ McLean in Miami in July 2023.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

“Paradise” is featured on band memberJustin Timberlake’s new albumEverything That I Thought It Was, “I got to hear it a week before it premiered,” McLean recalls. “The first thing I said to myself was, ‘Damn it. Why is this not a Backstreet Boys song?’”

The star adds he hopes the *NSYNC reunion “isn’t just a quick thing” and that “they do go back on the road.”

“The fans need it,” McLean says. “They want it.”

Lance Bass and AJ McLean at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on April 1, 2024.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Coming up on 30 years since the release of the pair’s debut singles with Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, both bands are still standing strong, which McLean is proud of.

“It’s a testament to the fans .. the music, and to each other, the brotherhood,” he tells PEOPLE Monday. “We love what we do. We’re a bunch of hams. We live to be on stage. So any chance we get to perform, be on tour, any of that, we’re going to keep doing it until literally the wheels fall off. So we’re coming up on 31 years together this month, and we’re still standing and we’re still going.”

AJ McLean and Lance Bass on stage at the iHeartRadio Awards on April 1, 2024 in Los Angeles.Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images

Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images

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McLean and Fatone, 47, announced their joint"A Legendary Night" touracross North America in January. The first run of shows for the tour kicked off on March 15 in Temecula, California, and concluded on March 30 Jacksonville, Florida.

More dates have since been added to the tour, due to high demand, with shows beginning again in August, McLean shares.

“We added now 20 more dates. Half of those are sold out and we’re about to add more dates in August,” he tells PEOPLE. “It’s 90 minutes of just organized chaos and fun. So if you haven’t seen it, come see it and you will not regret it.”

source: people.com