Boy bands have been a part of music culture for decades. Regardless of whether people are fans of it, there is no denying that it is a lucrative part of the music industry. Because of this, every generation has had its own group to fawn over, claiming them to be the "best boy band" from The Beatles in the 1960s to more recently, One Direction and BTS. During the 1990s, the Backstreet Boys put their own stamp on the pop music scene, making fans for life. They also made millions of dollars in the process. And while each member today is independently wealthy, that wealth is not evenly distributed.
With over 100 million albums sold and several successful tours that raked in the money, it is easy to see how the Backstreet Boys were able to amass a fortune as a group. The feat is even more impressive given that their manager, the infamous con artist Lou Pearlman, stole millions from them. While some of that money was recouped, much of it never was.
As such, regardless of how much the Backstreet Boys have earned to date for themselves, that figure is likely much less than what it should be. And this has left smaller individual fortunes for Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson, and McLean, though some have higher net worths than others.
Here is why AJ McLean has one of the lowest net worths of the Backstreet Boys.
AJ McLean's Net Worth
Over the years, the Backstreet Boys have been able to amass over $200 million as a group. However, that figure is not split five ways with some members having significantly more than others. McLean, unfortunately, is not one of those members. Instead, he has the smallest net worth of the group.
Before getting too concerned that McLean will not be able to keep a roof over his family's head, despite having the smallest fortune of the five, the "bad boy" of pop still is worth a cool $30 million. Some of this was earned during the early years of the Backstreet Boys.
McLean has also worked on other projects over the years that have helped him build his fortune.
When not touring with BSB, McLean appeared on Dancing With the Stars and Celebrity Big Brother, co-hosted a now-canceled podcast with Cheryl Burke, put out solo albums, and even tried his hand at acting.
All of these opportunities have helped McLean make money outside the group. However, given that the Backstreet Boys rake in tens of millions of dollars with each tour they participate in, it will always be as a group rather than individually that McLean makes the lion's share of his money.
Why AJ McLean Has The Lowest Net Worth Of The Backstreet Boys
During his time with the Backstreet Boys, McLean has not been one to shy away from the fact that he has had his share of personal issues to overcome. And it is a result of having these demons to battle that McLean has had to spend some of his wealth to be the healthiest version of himself today.
McLean is no stranger to going into rehab. To battle his drug and alcohol use, the father-of-two attended treatment in 2001, 2002, 2011, and again in 2018. Depending on where McLean decided to go for his treatment, one month could have amounted to up to $90,000 for care.
During this time, there would have also been career opportunities that McLean would have had to pass on, including postponing a BSB tour to go into rehab. This culmination over the years would have had an impact on his overall net worth
Most recently, McLean and his wife, Rochelle, have decided to separate. While the two have indicated that they desire to "come back together and continue to nurture [their love for one another, and [their] family," there is no telling if this is going to happen or not.
If the two do eventually divorce, McLean's fortune will likely take a heavy hit because of it.
Upcoming Projects That Could Be Lucrative For AJ McLean
While his personal life may have some upheaval, professionally, 2023 looks to be promising for McLean. This is because not only does he have a television show premiering on Paramount+ but the Backstreet Boys are touring overseas as well.
In March 2023, The Fashion Hero: A New Kind of Beautiful premiered. McLean is the host of the reality series that "celebrates diversity and inclusion while breaking down the traditional barriers set in the beauty industry by encouraging regular people to be confident in who they are."
If this series is as popular as the original The Fashion Hero was, McLean may have found himself a source of income that will last for several years.
When not filming, McLean will be joining the rest of BSB on tour for 2023. The DNA Tour currently runs through May and will be going to countries such as India, Iceland, and South Africa. If this leg of the tour proves to be as financially successful as the American leg was, there are tens of millions of dollars to be made.
McLean also is planning on releasing a solo album this year. And given his ongoing popularity as a Backstreet Boy as well as his staying in the limelight over the past several years, there is a good possibility that his album will be a success.
While McLean may not be able to make up ground to surpass his bandmates financially, he certainly will be increasing his net worth over this next year with the lucrative projects he has in the works. How much that will be exactly, however, remains to be seen.
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