Backstreet Boys add Sphere shows; new album due out

The Backstreet Boys’ original nine shows at Sphere were just a start. The venerable boy band has added three shows for a BSB dozen in its “Into The Millennium” residency.

The generation-spanning ’90s sensations have announced their “Millennium 2.0” will drop July 11, the first day of the band’s residency and is available on pre-order (backstreetboys.lnk.to/Millennium2.0). This is what is shaping up as a Summer of Backstreet scene in July.

Promoted by Live Nation, the residency’s Sphere schedule is now July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and August 1, 2, 3. Ticket info for all shows can be found on the group’s website, backstreetboys.com.

Alongside the new dates, BSB plugged its remastered “Millennium” album. The release features updated versions of original album from May 18, 1999. The original lineup of Nick Carter, A.J. McLean, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough is still intact, a quarter-century later.

“When we did the ‘Millennium Tour,’ our concept for the artwork, the album artwork and the tour was the future. We’re over 25 years into the future now, and a lot has changed,” Richardson told “Today” co-host Carson Daly. “So we’re excited to take that album, that concept of the future, to the next level, in the most state-of-the-art venue on the planet.”

The Deluxe Version encompasses 25 tracks featuring sis demos, including the “I Want it That Way” alternate take “No goodbyes…”, six live tracks from the “Into the Millennium” world tour, and the new song“Hey!” That track is available now.

BSB was announced this week as the first boy band and pop act to headline the Sphere in Las Vegas, joining U2, Phish, Dead & Company, the Eagles, Anyma and Kenny Chesney as Sphere headliners.

Live Nation promises, “Fans can expect an unforgettable experience as the Backstreet Boys bring their legendary ‘Millennium’ album to life, alongside a selection of their greatest hits. Beloved classics like “I Want It That Way,” and “Larger Than Life,” will be delivered or enhanced with cutting-edge visuals and sound made possible by Sphere’s revolutionary immersive technology.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.