
The song was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Song and Record of the Year, and has been included in lists by Blender, MTV, Rolling Stone, and VH1. It was later released on the Backstreet Boys' greatest hits album, The Hits: Chapter One in 2001.Ĭritically, the song was met with positive reception, with many critics commending its catchiness, also calling it the pop ballad of the year.

The song was highly played on the radio and the video, directed by Wayne Isham, was well played on television. The pop ballad talks about a relationship strained by matters of emotional or physical distance. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson, while Martin and Kristian Lundin produced it.

It was released on April 12, 1999, as the lead single from their third studio album, Millennium. " I Want It That Way" is a song by the Backstreet Boys.
