Veteran boy band Backstreet Boys return with their best single released in advance of their highly-anticipated 2019 album (DNA), “Breathe.”  

Backstreet Boys continue to record despite the decline of the boy band. Even with the odds stacked against them, BSB return with a brand-new album, DNA.  After releasing three advance singles (“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, “Chances” and “No Place”), the pop collective delivers their best advance single yet, “Breathe.” Safe to say, “Breathe” is the perfect way to close out the advanced promo campaign for DNA, period.

A soulful intro sets the tone for “Breathe” with doo-wop-styled vocals: “Ooh / Do-do-do-do-do.  The intro later reappears as the post- chorus, which is a very nice, sensible touch.  Notably, “Breathe” is a cappella, and the overall sounds ends up being lush to the nth degree.  The richness is awe-inspiring, fueled by incredibly warm and refined vocals. Also, worth noting, is the compelling falsetto that appears throughout. Backstreet Boys wisely lean on the past – an old-school, R&B backdrop – to fuel their fire.  Ultimately, the backdrop yields fitting results for the veterans.  Adding to the greatness is a straightforward form, comprised of verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and post-chorus (reprise of the initial intro). The songwriting focuses on the familiar – love, heartbreak, and lost time, all things BSB have excelled at on previous records.

Final Thoughts

Does Backstreet Boys change the game with “Breathe?” No, but they definitely recapture not only the magic of their lucrative past, but maybe more notably, the magic of the music preceding them. “Breathe” is well-written, well-produced, and superbly performed.  The vocals are nothing short of amazing – the best vocals delivered by the collective in years.

Backstreet Boys • DNA • K-Bahn / RCA • Release: 1.25.19

Photo Credits: K-Bahn / RCA