I Want It That Way
Encyclopedia
"I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys
, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium
. It was written by Max Martin
and Andreas Carlsson
along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham
, was well played on television. It was later released on the Backstreet Boys
' greatest hits album, The Hits: Chapter One
, in 2001. The song is still highly played on both radio and video and the single has been highly critically acclaimed, winning and being nominated for various awards including, three Grammy nominations, MTV
awards and Billboard Awards, as well as many others. It reached number 1 in over 25 countries and became the most successful single from a 'boy band
'. The song has been highly popular since its release, and has often been called the definitive pop song
.
, Carlsson described the genesis of song: "‘I Want It That Way’ was a play with words. When Max came up with the original idea for the song, it already had the line 'you are my fire, the one desire'. We tried a million different variations on the second verse, and finally we had to go back to what was sounding so great, 'you are my fire, the one desire'. And then we changed it to 'am I your fire, your one desire', which made absolutely no sense in combination with the chorus - but everybody loved it!"
held that position because it was completed before I Want It That Way. This was due to the album up until early 1999 planning to be titled "Larger Than Life" and follow the similar formula of their previous studio album "Backstreet's Back
" having an upbeat lead single that included the album's title in its own titling. This was changed due to hearing the final version of the "I Want It That Way" and the group's desire to move in a more mature direction, by utilizing a mid-tempo track as the lead single. Zomba Recording executives had to be convinced to approve of the song as the first single, due to them citing that the group could "alienate fans" with a mid-tempo song that had vague lyrical meaning. In the end, press information in the form of snippets were authorized for release to radio stations in March 1999, to precede the song's release to radio in April. An alternate version of lyrics were written and recorded by the band in January 1999. This version was included in some early demo presses of the album. In this alternate version, the song has the opposite message ("I love it when I hear you say, I want it that way"). Some of the lyrics are common among both versions, and other lines are changed but end on the same rhyming words ("My heart is on fire/Such a strong desire"). The alternative lyrics were written by Martin and Carlsson in collaboration with Mutt Lange. The alternate version became released on the internet via Napster
and other methods in the early 2000s, and was also played infrequently on some radio stations. According to then-member of the Boys' backing band, Tommy Smith, the released version is the "original version"; the alternate version was recorded because the chorus of the released version did not make sense.
charts, where it stayed for 10 non consecutive weeks. On the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart, it set a record for most weeks at #1. The single, however, failed to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at #6. The song hit big in the United Kingdom
, where it debuted at #1. "I Want It That Way" made chart history in the Netherlands being the first single ever to debut at #1 in the Top 40, without being in the "Tip Parade" first. The song also entered the charts at #1 in Italy, Spain, Canada, Austria, Switzerland and Germany. The song is also highly critically acclaimed. The song was voted #3 on VH1
's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s in December 2007, #10 in the MTV
/Rolling Stone
list of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs Of All Time" in 2000. It was ranked #16 on Blender Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born list and #61 on VH1
's 100 Greatest Songs Of The Past 25 Years in June 2003. It was ranked #1 in MTV's Top 99 Of 99 special. The song was also the 15th biggest selling boyband single of the 90's in the UK selling 423,300 copies. The video itself ranked as #3 on the top 10 list of the most iconic videos of all time at the TRL
finale. The song was also nominated for three Grammys in 2000 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo or Group Performance; it lost all three to Santana's "Smooth."
is set mainly at Los Angeles International Airport on April 1, 1999 (date filmed), and features prominent special effects scene transitions between shots. Notably, a high-speed zoom effect which makes it appear that the foreground subject has not changed to a new shot while the background has, fades in and out of white, and shifting between different film speeds during shots. Another special effects sequence using greenscreen
, in which the band, dressed in white, would perform a dance sequence while being manipulated over the backdrop of an airport lobby was mostly cut from the video, as it was felt that a dance sequence did not fit with the song, though elements of the dance remain in the second chorus, as do non-dance elements that sequence. As the band prepares to board their plane, they are greeted by a crowd of screaming fans bearing signs and flowers. The Tom Bradley International Terminal is featured when the band sings the chorus for the first time. The video reached #35 on "Muchmusic
's 100 Best Videos." The song's music video has been parodied by Blink-182 in their music video for the song "All The Small Things".
CD1
CD2
MTV Video Music Awards
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|rowspan="4"|1999
|rowspan="4"|"I Want It That Way"
|Video of the Year
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|Best Pop Video
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|-
|Best Group Video
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|-
|Viewer's Choice
|
MTV Europe Music Awards
|-
|rowspan="1"|1999
|rowspan="1"|"I Want It That Way"
|Best Song
|
|rowspan="3"|2000
|rowspan="3"|"I Want It That Way"
|Record of the Year
|
|-
|Song of the Year
|
|-
|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
|
MuchMusic Video Awards
|-
|rowspan="1"|1999
|rowspan="1"|"I Want It That Way"
|Peoples Choice Favorite International Group
|
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, and their first single from their 1999 album Millennium
Millennium (Backstreet Boys album)
Millennium is the third album by American boyband Backstreet Boys. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to both their United States debut album, and their second internationally released album. It was their first album to be released in both the U.S...
. It was written by Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
and Andreas Carlsson
Andreas Carlsson
Andreas Carlsson is a Swedish music producer, composer, and pop songwriter.-Biography:Carlsson was part of the Cheiron Studios team until the studio was closed down in 2001....
along with other producers. The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham
Wayne Isham
Wayne Isham is an American music video director who has directed music videos of many popular artists; such as Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Roxette, Mötley Crüe, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Whitesnake, David Cook, Simple Plan, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys,...
, was well played on television. It was later released on the Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
' greatest hits album, The Hits: Chapter One
The Hits: Chapter One
The Hits – Chapter One, also known as Greatest Hits – Chapter One internationally, is the first Greatest Hits compilation released by American boyband, Backstreet Boys. The album features fifteen of the group's classic hits, as well as one new song, "Drowning"...
, in 2001. The song is still highly played on both radio and video and the single has been highly critically acclaimed, winning and being nominated for various awards including, three Grammy nominations, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
awards and Billboard Awards, as well as many others. It reached number 1 in over 25 countries and became the most successful single from a 'boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
'. The song has been highly popular since its release, and has often been called the definitive pop song
Pop Song
Pop Song is the first single by the Drugs. It was released in 2000 and earned the Drugs some positive press. It has been described as "addictive". A live version was released on The Only Way Is Up...
.
Writing and inspiration
In an interview with HitQuartersHitQuarters
HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
, Carlsson described the genesis of song: "‘I Want It That Way’ was a play with words. When Max came up with the original idea for the song, it already had the line 'you are my fire, the one desire'. We tried a million different variations on the second verse, and finally we had to go back to what was sounding so great, 'you are my fire, the one desire'. And then we changed it to 'am I your fire, your one desire', which made absolutely no sense in combination with the chorus - but everybody loved it!"
History
"I Want It That Way" was written in October 1998, by frequent collaborators Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson. When the members of the Backstreet Boys came to Stockholm in November 1998 for a two week recording engagement, they were eventually presented the demo, which at the time only consisted of the main chorus. Upon leaving Sweden on November 16, vocals for the song had been completed in two days. This was originally not intended to be the first single, as Larger Than LifeLarger than Life
Larger than Life may refer to:In music:*"Larger than Life" , a song by the Backstreet Boys*Larger than Life , an album by Jody Watley*Larger than Life , an EP by Paragon...
held that position because it was completed before I Want It That Way. This was due to the album up until early 1999 planning to be titled "Larger Than Life" and follow the similar formula of their previous studio album "Backstreet's Back
Backstreet's Back
Backstreet's Back is an album by the Backstreet Boys released internationally in 1997, but not in the United States. It was a follow-up to their successful self-titled international debut. Some songs from this album, and the prior release were compiled into a second self-titled album whose release...
" having an upbeat lead single that included the album's title in its own titling. This was changed due to hearing the final version of the "I Want It That Way" and the group's desire to move in a more mature direction, by utilizing a mid-tempo track as the lead single. Zomba Recording executives had to be convinced to approve of the song as the first single, due to them citing that the group could "alienate fans" with a mid-tempo song that had vague lyrical meaning. In the end, press information in the form of snippets were authorized for release to radio stations in March 1999, to precede the song's release to radio in April. An alternate version of lyrics were written and recorded by the band in January 1999. This version was included in some early demo presses of the album. In this alternate version, the song has the opposite message ("I love it when I hear you say, I want it that way"). Some of the lyrics are common among both versions, and other lines are changed but end on the same rhyming words ("My heart is on fire/Such a strong desire"). The alternative lyrics were written by Martin and Carlsson in collaboration with Mutt Lange. The alternate version became released on the internet via Napster
Napster
Napster is an online music store and a Best Buy company. It was originally founded as a pioneering peer-to-peer file sharing Internet service that emphasized sharing audio files that were typically digitally encoded music as MP3 format files...
and other methods in the early 2000s, and was also played infrequently on some radio stations. According to then-member of the Boys' backing band, Tommy Smith, the released version is the "original version"; the alternate version was recorded because the chorus of the released version did not make sense.
Popular success
The single broke the record for most radio station adds in its first week with 165. It reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary TracksHot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
charts, where it stayed for 10 non consecutive weeks. On the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart, it set a record for most weeks at #1. The single, however, failed to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at #6. The song hit big in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it debuted at #1. "I Want It That Way" made chart history in the Netherlands being the first single ever to debut at #1 in the Top 40, without being in the "Tip Parade" first. The song also entered the charts at #1 in Italy, Spain, Canada, Austria, Switzerland and Germany. The song is also highly critically acclaimed. The song was voted #3 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s in December 2007, #10 in the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
/Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
list of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs Of All Time" in 2000. It was ranked #16 on Blender Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born list and #61 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest Songs Of The Past 25 Years in June 2003. It was ranked #1 in MTV's Top 99 Of 99 special. The song was also the 15th biggest selling boyband single of the 90's in the UK selling 423,300 copies. The video itself ranked as #3 on the top 10 list of the most iconic videos of all time at the TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
finale. The song was also nominated for three Grammys in 2000 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo or Group Performance; it lost all three to Santana's "Smooth."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
is set mainly at Los Angeles International Airport on April 1, 1999 (date filmed), and features prominent special effects scene transitions between shots. Notably, a high-speed zoom effect which makes it appear that the foreground subject has not changed to a new shot while the background has, fades in and out of white, and shifting between different film speeds during shots. Another special effects sequence using greenscreen
Chroma key
Chroma key compositing is a technique for compositing two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production...
, in which the band, dressed in white, would perform a dance sequence while being manipulated over the backdrop of an airport lobby was mostly cut from the video, as it was felt that a dance sequence did not fit with the song, though elements of the dance remain in the second chorus, as do non-dance elements that sequence. As the band prepares to board their plane, they are greeted by a crowd of screaming fans bearing signs and flowers. The Tom Bradley International Terminal is featured when the band sings the chorus for the first time. The video reached #35 on "Muchmusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's 100 Best Videos." The song's music video has been parodied by Blink-182 in their music video for the song "All The Small Things".
Track listing
- UK
CD1
- "I Want It That Way" (Radio Version) - 3:34
- "My Heart Stays With You" - 3:37
- "I'll Be There For You" - 4:43
CD2
- I Want It That Way (Album Version)
- I Want It That Way (David Morales Club Version)
- I Want It That Way (The Wunder Dub)
- I Want It That Way (Jazzy Jim Vocal Mix)
MTV Video Music AwardsMTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
|-|rowspan="4"|1999
1999 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 9, 1999, honoring the best music videos from June 13, 1998, to June 11, 1999. The show was hosted by Chris Rock at Metropolitan Opera House in New York City....
|rowspan="4"|"I Want It That Way"
|Video of the Year
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category, having been...
|
|-
|Best Pop Video
|
|-
|Best Group Video
|
|-
|Viewer's Choice
|
MTV Europe Music AwardsMTV Europe Music AwardsThe MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Networks Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. Originally beginning as an alternative to the American MTV Video Music Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards is today a popular celebration of what MTV viewers consider...
|-|rowspan="1"|1999
|rowspan="1"|"I Want It That Way"
|Best Song
|
Grammy Awards
|-|rowspan="3"|2000
|rowspan="3"|"I Want It That Way"
|Record of the Year
Record Of The Year
Record of the Year may refer to:*Grammy Award for Record of the Year*The Record of the Year, a British award based on public polling...
|
|-
|Song of the Year
Song of the Year
Song of the Year may refer to:* Dove Award for Song of the Year* Grammis Song of the Year* Grammy Award for Song of the Year* Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year* Singing News Fan Awards for Song of the Year...
|
|-
|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
|
MuchMusic Video AwardsMuchMusic Video AwardsThe MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
|-|rowspan="1"|1999
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
|rowspan="1"|"I Want It That Way"
|Peoples Choice Favorite International Group
|
Parodies and pop culture
- Ryan AdamsRyan AdamsDavid Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
performed the song live several times starting in 1999, albeit with a satirical slant. He played acoustic guitar on his cover version and routinely touted the quality of the song. However, he frequently attributed the tune to 'N Sync'N SyncN Sync was an American boy band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich, *NSYNC consisted of JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick...
or claimed ignorance as to which boy band performed the original. - Howard SternHoward SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
had a parody on his show called "The Gay Way", which was sung by his band The Losers. - "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
made a hugely popular parody called "eBayEBay (song)"eBay" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. In it, the narrator describes how he incessantly purchases bizarre items on eBay.-Release:...
". - A parody called "Which Backstreet Boy is Gay" became an Internet phenomenon and also became misattributed to "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was actually performed by the morning crew at Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
radio station KKRZ-FMKKRZKKRZ is a commercial broadcast radio station in Portland, Oregon, also known as Z-100, broadcasts CHR music.-History:What is now KKRZ first signed on May, 7, 1946 as KGW-FM on 95.3 MHz and moved to 100.3 MHz on September 22, 1947...
, known locally as Z100. - I Want A Fat Babe is a ShockWaveMacromedia ShockwaveAdobe Shockwave is a multimedia platform used to add animation and interactivity to web pages. It allows Adobe Director applications to be published on the Internet and viewed in a web browser on any computer which has the Shockwave plug-in installed...
video featuring the Backstreet Boys (referred to in the parody as the SnackTreat Boys) discovering and praising an obese woman in song and dance. - I Want It That Way is a humorous video of two Beijing college studentsBack Dorm BoysThe Back Dorm Boys is a Chinese duo who gained fame for their lip sync videos to songs by the Backstreet Boys and other pop stars. Their videos, captured on a low quality Web cam in their college dorm room, have been viewed by Internet users within China and around the world. Many of their videos...
lip-synching and imitating the style of the Backstreet Boys. - The above mentioned lip-synching students are parodied in the first episode of the first season of TV series HeroesHeroes (TV series)Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
. Two young men can be seen miming to the song in a scene featuring Hiro NakamuraHiro Nakamurais a fictional character on the NBC fantasy drama Heroes who possesses the ability of space-time manipulation. This means that Hiro is able to alter the flow of time. Previously, his ability allowed him to teleport, stop time, or travel through time, but recent events in the series have prevented...
and Ando MasahashiAndo Masahashiis a fictional character on the NBC science fiction television drama series Heroes, portrayed by James Kyson Lee.The character was billed in a recurring role during the first season, and was promoted to series regular in the second...
in a bar. - Blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
sent the video up in the video for their song "All the Small ThingsAll the Small Things"All the Small Things" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the second single released from the band's third album Enema of the State...
". - Mr. MeatyMr. MeatyMr. Meaty is an American/Canadian television series, airing on CBC Television in Canada and the Nicktoons Network in the United States. It originally began in 2004, as a series of interstitial shorts that aired on Nickelodeon. The show features puppets working at a fast food restaurant called Mr...
characters Josh and Parker lip-synched this song in a commercial on NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
. - ApologetiXApologetiXApologetiX is a Christian parody band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The band was founded in 1992, and since then, has played in 44 states, released 17 studio albums, and built up a fan club that includes 45,000 people. The band is currently composed of J...
wrote a parody called "I Want in That Place" on their 2000 "Spoofernatural" album. - Bob SagetBob SagetRobert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
sings his version Danny Tanner Was Not Gay in his stand-up routine. - The Oh Boyz sing a parody called "I Want in My Way" on Kim PossibleKim PossibleKim Possible is an American animated television series about a teenage crime fighter who has the task of dealing with worldwide, family, and school issues every day. The show is action-oriented, but also has a light-hearted atmosphere and often lampoons the conventions and clichés of the...
. - Sanjaya MalakarSanjaya MalakarSanjaya Joseph Malakar is an American singer of Indian origin, who was a finalist on the sixth season of American Idol. He gained national attention on the series, controversially advancing to 7th place with public votes, despite being poorly received by the show's judges, particularly Simon...
, Phil StaceyPhil StaceyJoel Philip "Phil" Stacey is an American singer who first gained national attention on season 6 of the television talent show American Idol. After being eliminated from the competition on May 2, 2007, he was signed to a recording contract with Lyric Street Records...
, and Chris SlighChris SlighCharles Christopher Sligh is an American singer; songwriter and producer who was a finalist on the sixth season of American Idol, finishing in tenth place.-Early years:...
performed the song as a comical performance on American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
Season 6 Tour. - Josh FarroJosh FarroJoshua Neil Farro is an American rock guitarist and songwriter, and the lead guitarist of the band Novel American. He is best known as the former lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the alternative rock band Paramore...
, Zac FarroZac FarroZachary Wayne Farro is an American musician and drummer of the bands Novel American and Half Noise. He is best known as the former drummer of the alternative rock band Paramore from its inception until 2010...
, and Jeremy DavisJeremy DavisJeremy Clayton Davis is an American bassist for the band Paramore.Jeremy Clayton Davis was born on February 8, 1984 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He has been playing bass for almost 14 years...
of ParamoreParamoreParamore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
sang this song with a Japanese representative while on tour in Japan for their album All We Know Is FallingAll We Know Is FallingAll We Know Is Falling is the debut studio album by American rock band Paramore, released on July 26, 2005. The album reached #8 on the UK Rock Chart...
. - Cricketers Brett LeeBrett LeeBrett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
, Shane WatsonShane WatsonShane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
, and Kumar SangakkaraKumar SangakkaraKumar Sangakkara is a Sri Lankan, Sinhalese cricketer and the former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a left-handed top-order batsman...
sang this song during the inaugural DLF Indian Premier LeagueIndian Premier LeagueThe Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
tournament. - Main characters, Shawn and Gus from USA Network's PsychPsychPsych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
, played by James RodayJames RodayJames Roday is an American actor and screenwriter. He currently stars on the USA Network series Psych as hyper-observant consultant detective and fake psychic Shawn Spencer.-Personal life:...
and Dulé HillDulé HillKarim Dulé Hill is an American actor and tap dancer. He is best known for his roles as personal presidential aide Charlie Young on the NBC drama television series The West Wing, and as pharmaceutical salesman-private detective Burton "Gus" Guster on the USA Network television comedy-drama Psych...
respectively, sing a rendition of the song while trying to block Juliet (Maggie LawsonMaggie LawsonMargaret "Maggie" Lawson is an American actress who is best known for her role as Juliet O'Hara in the TV show Psych...
) from the spotlight during the end credits of the episode "Forget Me Not." - Christian comedian Tim HawkinsTim HawkinsTim Hawkins is a Christian comedian, songwriter, and singer, best known for parodying popular songs, such as Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take The Wheel" and "The Candy Man" stand-up material based on marriage, homeschooling and parenting. Hawkins has released three CDs and five DVDs of his material...
parodied the song as "I Work at SubwaySubway (restaurant)Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
". - Posted in October 2009, a popular YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video titled "A Day at the Office" showed five young office workers recording themselves on laptop webcams doing a lip dubLip dubA lip dub is a type of video that combines lip synching and audio dubbing to make a music video. It is made by filming individuals or a group of people lip synching while listening to a song or any recorded audio then dubbing over it in post editing with the original audio of the song. There is...
performance of "I Want it That Way." - Selena Gomez & the SceneSelena Gomez & the SceneSelena Gomez & the Scene is an American pop band formed in Hollywood, California in 2009. Along with lead singer and founder Selena Gomez, the band consists of bassist Joey Clement, guitarist Ethan Roberts, drummist Greg Garman and keyboardist Dane Forrest. Selena Gomez & the Scene have released...
cover the song on their House of Blue Tour. - British boyband JLSJLS- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
performed this song and Everybody (Backstreet's Back)Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"Everybody " is the first single from the Backstreet Boys' second international album Backstreet's Back in 1997, and the third single and fourth track from their debut US album in 1997. It is one of their signature songs. The US debut was originally released without the song, which references the...
, along with two N Sync songs in a medley on their tour to support second album Outta This WorldOutta This WorldThe album has received generally mixed reviews from music critics. In his review for The Independent, Andy Gill reviewed the album poorly and said "For most of its 14 tracks, Outta This World is boy-band R&B at its most formulaic, tracks like "That's My Girl" and over-autotuned opener "The Club Is...
. - Teenage boyband, Connected, sang cover version of "I Want it That Way" on the popular British Talent TV show Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
in auditions for judges on May 1, 2010. YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video titled "Connected – Britain's Got Talent 2010 – Auditions 3" - Several of the DancemaniaDancemaniaDancemania is a series of remix compilation albums by i-DANCE. The series deals primarily with dance music, especially eurodance. Despite its tracks have been made by various musicians from all over the world mainly from the European continent, the albums have been released exclusively in Japan.The...
series albums have featured eurodanceEurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
remixes of the song, including CJ CrewCJ CrewCJ Crew are a dance music DJ duo, consisting of Chris Bucknall and John Briely. Other aliases include Big Vin & Hugh Jardon, Chi K Monkey, Chi K Munki, Connie and the Plainsman, Demanche Noir, Muff and the Munchers, Nancy and the Boys, The Orff Ki Ensemble, Pyan Issim, Pynck Hobo, Terry and the...
's uptempo remix recorded for the 2001 compilation Dancemania SPEED 6Dancemania SpeedDancemania Speed is a sub-series of Toshiba EMI's Dancemania compilation series. This series features faster, further remixed versions of recordings from previously released Dancemania albums or faster remixed covers of various famous songs...
. - Psychedelic rock Vanilla FudgeVanilla FudgeVanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
covered it on their album The Return. - In 2010, Steel PantherSteel PantherSteel Panther is a glam metal band from Los Angeles, California mostly known for their profane and humorous lyrics as well as their exaggerated on-stage personas...
covered the song on a few live shows and released the single as a download in the UK - An animated version of the music video was shown on the beginning of the ArthurArthur (TV series)Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
television special, Arthur: It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. The five members were also featured as guest stars. - In the comedic piece Murder in the Knife Room by Jonathan RandJonathan RandJonathan Rand is a playwright born in Jacksonville, Florida. According to the annual survey conducted by the Educational Theatre Association, his short plays are the most produced in North American high schools. As of November 2011, Jonathan Rand's plays have been produced over 5,800 times in all...
, the character "Boy Band Reject" claims to be the writer of the song, him being "the sixth Backstreet Boy."
Peak positions
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
2 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Flanders Flanders Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp... ) |
4 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Walonia) |
7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
1 |
| Canadian RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
2 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 1 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 4 |
| French Singles Chart | 20 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
3 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
1 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 1 |
| U.S. Hot 100 Airplay Hot 100 Airplay The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard... |
1 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 35 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 15 |