LAS VEGAS — Amid a revival of late-’90s and early-2000s pop royalty, the Backstreet Boys officially launched their long-awaited residency at the Las Vegas Sphere on July 11, igniting a frenzy among fans and music critics alike. Dubbed Into the Millennium, the 21-show residency is a full-scale theatrical affair that merges nostalgia with cutting-edge Sphere technology, setting a new standard for legacy acts seeking to reclaim the stage in the era of immersive entertainment.
The setlist reads like a time capsule from peak teen pop, but this time, it’s adorned with enhanced vocals, elegant lighting design, and the signature curved visuals only the Sphere can offer. The residency marks the group’s return to Vegas after their successful Larger Than Life run at Planet Hollywood from 2017 to 2019.
Ticket sales initially saw premium pricing, with seats commanding upwards of $199. But as of opening weekend, prices have dipped on the secondary market to around $132, with some as low as $115, according to the New York Post.
But the show isn’t just a rerun of greatest hits. For superfans, the real headline came with the live debut of Hey, a previously unreleased track shelved during the making of their 2019 DNA album. Released quietly on Valentine’s Day 2025, Hey finally had its moment under the glow of the Sphere’s 16K screen, a song about reunion, perfectly timed for the band’s enduring story, Billboard noted.
The 25-song setlist includes tracks not performed in decades — I Need You Tonight (last heard in 1999), Spanish Eyes (not performed since 2016), and The Perfect Fan, which hadn’t been sung live since 2000. It’s not just a concert — it’s a fan service spectacular.
“Vegas has always had a piece of our heart, and to do this at the Sphere, where the visuals become part of the emotion, is a dream,” AJ McLean said in a pre-show.
The residency will run through August 24, 2025. The Sphere, which has previously hosted U2 and Phish, continues to evolve into a new-age performance hub. Its wraparound visuals and earth-shaking acoustics transform each concert into a sensory experience. For the Backstreet Boys, who once defined boy band stardom, the venue feels like a fitting backdrop to rewrite their musical legacy.
Whether you’re there for I Want It That Way, or a deep cut like Back to Your Heart, this residency proves the Backstreet Boys are not just back, they’re redefined.
