When
'N Sync usurped
the Backstreet Boys' record of number of albums sold in a single week early in 2000, it had to hurt
the Backstreets, since it was played in the press as if they had lost the teen pop throne. By the time the group released their third album,
Black & Blue, Thanksgiving week 2000,
'N Sync was still popular, but the arc of
No Strings Attached illustrated that they were weak where
the Backstreets were strong -- namely, they couldn't really deliver the seductive mid-tempo pop tunes and ballads that were the backbone of
the Boys' crossover success. Songs like "Shape of My Heart," which flows as gracefully as "I Want It That Way," prove that
the Backstreet Boys do teen pop ballads better than anyone, but what's interesting about
Black & Blue is how aggressively they protect their territory. Of course, it's relative protection, since they, like
'N Sync and
Britney Spears, work with
Max Martin, the man behind the biggest hits by all three artists. Consequently, it's not a coincidence that "Get Another Boyfriend" is a dead ringer for "It's Gonna Be Me" crossed with "Baby One More Time," but what gives
Black & Blue character is that it's clear that
the Backstreets want to remain kings of their world. So, the ballads are smoother than ever, and their dance numbers hit harder, all in an attempt to keep their throne. It works, even if it takes a couple spins before the singles stand out, since
the Backstreets' material and voices are stronger than that of their peers, adding up to state of the art teen-pop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine