My initial exposure to the Backstreet Boys came through my friend Stephanie, who was (and remains) heavily into Brian Littrell. Before I was even old enough to recognize his phenomenal talent, I fell victim to a rampant girlcrush on Nick Carter. My appreciation for the group's, shall we say, unsuperficial aspects has only grown deeper as we have simultaneously matured.

Naysayers are quick to discredit the Boys for their un-"macho" music or choreographed dance routines. While even I find some of their antics a bit ridiculous (a song anticipating the loss of one's virginity - 'Let's Do It for Love' - recorded by a group of grown men?) - as do they themselves (a couple of the Boys call 'Get Yourself a Bad Boy' their "stupidest" song) - if one looks deeper, one can find much credibility to respect. Their debut as a pretty, put-together "boy band" was just a means of getting a foot in the door. In those days, they had little control of what they recorded and how they behaved on stage and in interviews. But shrewdly they learned about their industry and bit by bit gained control until they were able to break free from the shackles of their creators.

And when finally they did, they brilliantly managed to do so without completely abandoning their roots, thus maintaining - rather than alienating - their original fan base. Individual members take on solo ventures, but never stray too far. Inflections of their individual tastes can now be heard on Backstreet collaborations as well: A.J. and Nick are influential in Backstreet's hip-hop qualities, as well as its soul and gritty rock sounds, respectively; Brian and Howie soften the mix with contributions of gospel, country, and Latin ballad. Yet, at its core, no song is indistinguishable from classic Backstreet.

I'm most proud when occasionally they sing a cappella. Then, stripped of any catchy beats or studio trickery, they demonstrate their foremost strength: beautiful, capable voices. This - the fact that, beneath it all, they have real, raw talent - is to what I accredit their longevity.