See Backstreet Boys, Fallon Play ‘I Want It That Way’ With Classroom Instruments
Backstreet Boys joined Jimmy Fallon and the Roots on Thursday’s Tonight Show to perform their signature hit “I Want It That Way” using classroom instruments.
The mega-band crammed into a dressing room and harmonized on the 1999 single, building a massive percussion section with shakers, wood blocks, triangles and tambourines. The Roots fleshed out the track with xylophone, ukulele and melodica.
The group also closed out the episode with a live version of their recently issued single “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” utilizing choreography to act out the lyrics’ ocean waves and shattered hearts. The song is the first preview of the quintet’s upcoming ninth LP, a follow-up to 2013’s In a World Like This. The vocalists are exploring country influences on the album, which is expected this fall.
The group’s AJ McLean will participate in an upcoming documentary about boy band impresario Lou Pearlman, The Lou Pearlman Project, expected to premiere later this year on YouTube Red.