Larger Than Life

Album: Millennium (1999)
Charted: 5 25
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This dance-pop hit from the Backstreet Boys' third album, Millennium, is a thank-you letter to fans for sticking with the band through their ups and downs. Leading up to the album's release, they were experiencing many of the downs in their personal and professional lives. While they were embroiled in a lawsuit with their manager Lou Pearlman, who pocketed millions of the band's earnings, their beloved producer Denniz Pop died of stomach cancer. Meanwhile, band members Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough were grieving over the deaths of family members, and Brian Littrell was facing open-heart surgery. Through it all, the devotion of their fans helped keep their spirits up.
  • Littrell wrote this with Max Martin and Kristian Lundin, Swedish pop mavens who also wrote and produced hits for 'N Sync, Britney Spears, and Celine Dion.
  • The album was originally named after this song, which was intended to be the lead single before "I Want It That Way" was chosen. The title "Larger Than Life," however, followed the Backstreet Boys throughout their career. They re-recorded it as "Lager Than Life" for a series of commercials for the Swedish warehouse company NetOnNet in 2014. It was also the name of their two-year Las Vegas residency (2017-2019) at Planet Hollywood.
  • That's AJ McLean screaming "Yeah!" at the beginning of the track.
  • The futuristic music video, directed by Joseph Kahn, opens with a shot of a spaceship that's broadcasting a number of the group's earlier hits, including "I Want It That Way," "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)." Onboard we're introduced to a robot (played by Starsky & Hutch actor Antonio Vargas), who awakens the boys from their sleeping pods.

    With its $2,100,000 budget, it was one of the most expensive videos ever made.
  • This was the longest-running #1 video on MTV's Total Request Live until it was surpassed by another Backstreet Boys' clip: "Shape Of My Heart."
  • In 2015, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson performed a bluegrass rendition of this at the Kentucky Music Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, accompanied by bluegrass musicians Carson McKee and Josh Turner.
  • This was used in the movies Joe Somebody (2001) and Napoleon Dynamite (2004).

Comments: 2

  • Guitarguru from OhI believe it was Greg howe who played the solo.
  • Mark Thomas from NashvilleAnybody know who played the guitar solo on the record?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Subversive Songs Used To Sell

Subversive Songs Used To SellSong Writing

Songs about drugs, revolution and greed that have been used in commercials for sneakers, jeans, fast food, cruises and cars.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.