In a World Like This is the eighth studio album by American group Backstreet Boys. It was released on July 30, 2013, through the group's own K-BAHN record label,[2] under license to BMG Rights Management, and distributed by RED Distribution. Although it serves as the follow-up to This Is Us (2009), it is the first album since Never Gone (2005) to feature Kevin Richardson, who left the group in 2006 and rejoined in 2012. It was also their first independent album since leaving their old label Jive Records in 2010.
Critics saw the album as a mature and well-crafted effort, but often too safe, bland, or less memorable than Backstreet Boys' earlier work. In a World Like This debuted strongly worldwide, topping Japan's Oricon chart, reaching the top five in several countries, and becoming band's highest-charting US album since 2005 despite lower sales than earlier releases. Overall sales were solid but modest, with Gold certification in Japan, 180,100 copies sold in the US, and mixed chart performance across Europe and Asia.
On May 20, 2013, the group released "Permanent Stain" as a promotional single. A free song download was offered with a ticket for their In a World Like This Tour.[3] The first single from the album, also titled "In a World Like This" premiered on Z100 New York on June 18, 2013[4] and was released on June 25, 2013.[5] The album was supported by the In a World Like This Tour, which started in China on May 24, 2013, and finished on June 28, 2015. The tour consists of over 150 shows in 11 legs worldwide so far.
Background and recording
On May 25, 2010, Backstreet Boys, still a quartet without Kevin Richardson at the time, left their long-time label, Jive Records.[6] The group then was looking to sign with Interscope Records, but the members couldn't agree on whether to take a one-album deal or a three-album deal. In June 2010, Nick Carter revealed that they had started working on new material for the next album,[7] and Brian Littrell said in a separate interview that they were planning to release the album in early 2011.[8] However, in late 2010 they teamed up with New Kids On The Block for a joint tour called NKOTBSB, planned for 2011, so they had to push back the release of the album as they had to find time to work on the album in between tour dates. In March 2011, during a press conference in Vietnam, the band stated that for the first time, they had complete creative control because they were no longer with Jive.[9][10]
This is the Backstreet Boys' first album with Kevin Richardson back in the group since their 2005 album Never Gone.
In November 2011, after the US leg of the NKOTBSB tour ended, Carter said in an interview that they hoped to get a single out in the spring of 2012 and the album in the summer of 2012.[11] However, Carter's sister Leslie's unexpected death at the end of January 2012 made the group once again postpone the recording until the end of February 2012 to give him time to cope with his loss. Howie Dorough stated later that month that they would not rush the album and would try to release it in 2012 or 2013 at the latest.[12]
In April 2012, a week before the European leg of the NKOTBSB tour started, the group, along with original member Kevin Richardson, went to London to meet with producer Martin Terefe and to write some songs.[13] On April 29, 2012, the group announced that Richardson had rejoined them permanently[14] and in July 2012, all five members moved into a house together all by themselves in London to work on the new album.[15] Besides Terefe, they also wrote songs with Sacha Skarbek and Craig David while in London,[16][17] and in the US they worked with Morgan Taylor Reid, Mika Guillory, GoodWill & MGI,[18] Lucas Hilbert, Geo Slam, and Porcelain Black.[19][20] On July 27, 2012, the group held a lottery for fans to win a chance to hear rough mixes of their new album at their studio in London.[21][22]
Writing and musical style
In July 2012, Richardson stated in an interview that the album would be authentic and personal and that they hoped Terefe would produce the entire record.[13] he group was heavily involved in the songwriting process, with many tracks drawing directly from their own life experiences.[23] Carter explained that the band deliberately avoided making a traditional boy band album and did not want to record songs they had not written themselves.[24] Richardson also revealed that he had written a song about his son, emphasizing the album's autobiographical nature: "We want it to be a personal album that reflects what's happening in our lives right now [...] A.J. is about to become a father, and Howie, Brian, and I are already fathers, so we’re focused on making a record that feels honest and personal."[25] In a separate interview with Clizbeats, Carter addressed the idea of reinvention and drastic change, noting that he did not feel the group was at that stage in their career anymore.[26] Musically, the album blends modern pop, adult contemporary, and dance elements, with touches of the singer-songwriter genre evident on tracks such as "Try," "Madeleine," and "Trust Me."[27]
Promotion
On April 20, 2013, during a 20th-anniversary celebration event, Backstreet Boys previewed eight new songs, including "Soldier," "In Your Arms," "Show 'Em (What You're Made Of)," "Trust Me," "Permanent Stain," "Hot, Hot, Hot," "Try," and "Breathe".[28] The following day, they posted a video containing the previews of six of the new songs on their YouTube channel. On May 15, 2013, the group performed "Permanent Stain" for the very first time on ABC morning television program Good Morning America.[28] On GMA, they also announced that the purchase of each ticket for their In a World Like This Tour would include a free download of "Permanent Stain," co-written by band member Nick Carter.[3] A lyric video for the song was released on their YouTube Channel the following day.[3]
Singles
The first single from the album, the album's title track, premiered on Z100 New York on June 18, 2013 and was released on June 25, 2013.[4][5] "Show 'Em (What You're Made Of)" was released as the second worldwide single on November 18, 2013.[29] A music video for the song was filmed in October 2013 and released on November 19, 2013.[30][31]
The album was supported by the In a World Like This Tour, which started in China on May 24, 2013, and finished on June 28, 2015. The tour consisted of over 150 shows in 11 legs worldwide so far.[32][33][34]
In a World Like This received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 60, which indicates "mixed or average reviews," based on 11 reviews.[35]
Entertainment Weekly critic Nick Catucci wrote: "Like a mellowing dude who finally trims off his frosted tips, the Backstreet Boys adopt a streamlined — dare we say mature — sound on their eighth album [...] and they still bring some of that old campy sparkle."[46]Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic found it "far more interesting" sonically than the two last albums and stated that In a World Like This was a "surprisingly mature and fine record from a former boy band that seems unafraid to act its age."[36]PopMatters's Kevin Catchpole stated that "this album won't set the world on fire like Millennium did [but] for what they've become, it is definitely a step in the right direction."[43] Writing for The Standard, John Aizlewood found that the album was "less strident than the previous seven [...] and is as efficient and clinical as globe-straddling pop ought to be. Superb, often spine-tingling harmonies — always Backstreet [...] It's predictable but it's no less rewarding, and no less expertly crafted for all that."[47]Los Angeles Times's August Brown wrote: "Is anything here going to be as iconic in their catalog as "Everybody"? Probably not. But there are far worse records than this to greet you at the pearly gates,"[41] while Boston Globe critic Sarah Rodman remarked that although "there are a couple of detours [...] the fivesome remains genial, accessible, and happy in lush harmony."[48]
In a mixed review, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian opined that "their last record, released 2009, recreated the dance-pop of their golden era; this time, perhaps goaded by fear of looking foolish, they've abandoned the beats for mid-tempo adult pop."[39] Annie Zaleski from The A.V. Club remarked that "as with the last few records, this release freshens up the group’s soulful sound with modern production touches and reference points [...] The problem is, these contemporary sonic elements don't suit the Backstreet Boys' strengthsin fact, the album's slick production makes the vocal melodies and harmonies sound disappointingly generic."[49]Newsday critic Glenn Gamboa wrote that "at their best, the Backstreet Boys build the sweetest pop of any boy band around. And on In a World Like This [...] they continue the tradition [...] Unfortunately, there are too many poorly worded choruses and too much greeting-card sap to take the whole project seriously.[42] Julia Leconte from Now found that with In a World Like This the band was stepping "into a blandish adult contemporary milieu [...] Max Martin wrote the opening track on each of those early records, as he does here on their eighth. But even the anthemic title tune can’t hoist the group out of elevator-music territory."[50]Rolling Stone critic Caryn Ganz noted: "Given that they're out of the spotlight, they could've tried anything here, but settled for dentist-office-dull tracks stocked with wanna-be Ryan Tedder beats [..] The resulting LP is roughly 100 times less fun than the Boys' cameo in This Is the End."[44] Hermione Hoby, writing for The Observer, concluded: "The music is just as you'd expect: uplifting cheese."[51]
Commercial performance
First released in Japan on July 24, 2013, In a World Like This opened at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart,[52] selling 40,000 copies in its first week and becoming the best-selling western album in Japan at that time.[53] The album was eventually certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), with total sales of 109,077 units.[54] While this considered a strong performance, it was a noticeable decline from their previous album, This Is Us, which debuted at number two with 98,000 copies sold.[54]
On July 30, 2013, the album was released in the United States.[2] It debuted and peaked at number five on the US Billboard 200 the week of August 17, 2013, selling 48,000 copies in its first week.[55][56] It was the group’s highest-charting US release since Never Gone in 2005.[56] On other Billboard charts, In a World Like This reached number three on the Independent Albums chart and number seven on the Digital Albums chart.[57][58] In total, the album sold 180,100 copies in the United States, though it did not receive a certification.[59]
In most other countries, the album was released in August 2013 . It reached number one in the Netherlands, India, Switzerland, and Taiwan (on both the Five Music and G-Music charts).[60][61][62] In Canada, it peaked at number two, continuing the group's streak of high-charting releases.[63]In a World Like This also entered the top five in Germany, Spain, and on the UK Independent Albums chart,[64] and the top ten in Austria and Norway.[65][66] In China, the album reached number three on the Sino Chart in December 2013.[67] In March 2014, it was released in France and entered French SNEP Albums Chart at number 144.[68]
Track listing
The official track listing was posted on the group's site on June 17, 2013.[69]
Credits adapted from the album’s liner notes. The track numbers correspond to the special editions of Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Mexico, and Target.[76]
↑"Nick Carter's Instagram Photo". September 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2012. Been in the studio all day long. 2 different writing sessions. One with Lucas hilbert and the other geo slam from red ones camp. I am hustling for this new BSB record!
↑"Brian Littrell Twitter update". July 26, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2012. Off to bed. Lottery pick at the studio on Friday. A chance to hear rough mixes of the new BSB record. 5 lucky winners. That's BIG!
↑"Gaon Album Chart"[Top 100 Albums] (in English and Korean). Gaon. January 24, 2014. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
↑"Archived copy". www.promusicae.es. Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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