Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, AJ McLean, Nick Carter, Brian Littrell of Rascal Flatts and the Backstreet Boys perform onstage at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards. Photo:
Rich Polk/Penske Media
Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts united as a singular country-pop supergroup to close out the 2025 ACM Awards.
The two bands took the stage for a medley that included their new rendition of Rascal Flatts’ 2006 hit, “What Hurts the Most,” which will appear on the country group’s upcoming project, Life Is a Highway: Refueled Duets. Rascal Flatts also performed a bit of their recent single, “I Dare You” (which features the Jonas Brothers on record), before the Backstreet Boys came back to sing their 1999 smash “Larger Than Life.”
Rascal Flatts closed out the crossover event with “Life Is a Highway,” with not only the Backstreet Boys, but the whole crowd, singing along to the classic hook.
Rascal Flatts will release Life Is a Highway: Refueled Duets on June 6. The project features nine artists tasked with reimagining classic releases from the band in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their self-titled debut. The record also features Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Brandon Lake, Ashley Cooke, Jordan Davis, Kelly Clarkson, and more.
The Backstreet Boys have been on a country music roll of late, performing at last month’s Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California, where they were joined by Luke Combs for a surprise rendition of “I Want It That Way.”
In a statement in March, Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox raved about working with Backstreet Boys and other artists on the duets project. “It was such an honor to create this project with such incredibly talented artists, it’s a pretty indescribable feeling having your colleagues and friends do your songs in such unique ways and knock your socks off with the results,” he said. “This album is just another attempt for us to thank our fans for the blessings they’ve given us on this crazy journey the past 25 years, thanks for riding along with us!”
Rascal Flatts were nominated at this year’s ACM Awards in the Group of the Year category. It marks their first nomination in nearly a decade. “It just became so normal for us to not be in there anymore and it was a great way to wake up. It was a fantastic way to start the day,” Jay DeMarcus said of their nod, per Southern Illinois Now. “Some might think if you win it, you’ve won it, and that’s past you. But it’s very, very humbling to have those things continue to happen in your career.”
From Rolling Stone US.
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