New York – As U.S. pop radio stations begin to embrace the Backstreet Boys single “Incomplete,” Jive Records has set June 14 as the release date for the vocal group’s fourth studio album, “Never Gone.”
The new album features the writing and production talents of Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik, Savage Garden’s Darren Hayes, Max Martin, Billy Mann (Pink, Sting), Dan Muckala (Jump5, the Afters) and John Fields (Switchfoot), as well as John Shanks, who in February won the Grammy Award as producer of the year for his work on releases by Sheryl Crow, Clarkson, Hilary Duff and Ashlee Simpson.
The album’s title track was co-written by Backstreet member Kevin Richardson as a tribute to his father. The cut was produced by Mark Taylor, whose resume includes work with Britney Spears, Cher, and Celine Dion. He also contributed to “Now or Never,” 2002 the Jive solo album released by Backstreet’s Nick Carter.
“Incomplete” is off to a strong start in its first week at U.S. radio outlets. The track debuts this week at No. 55 on Billboard’s Hot 100, and jumps 90-27 on the Pop 100 thanks to the infusion of digital sales. On Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs list, it opens at No. 30.
A video for “Incomplete” was recently shot with director Joseph Kahn, who was behind the lens for U2’s “Elevation” and Britney Spears’ “Toxic” clips. Fans will get a first peek at it April 25 online via AOL Music’s “First View” program.
The Backstreet Boys are nearing the end of a club and theater tour and will wrap April 18 in Norfolk, Va. Details of a summer tour due to launch in mid-July and play larger venues have not yet been released.
Prior to that run, expect to see the group on television quite a bit, with performances lined up on NBC’s “Today” (June 10), the syndicated “Live With Regis & Kelly (June 14), NBC’s “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (June 16) and “The CBS Early Show” (June 17).