Peak
25
Weeks
19
Score
2,016
Chart Year
1999
The music video for "Larger than Life" was a big-budget production directed by Joseph Kahn,[21] who also directed "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" video in June 1997. The video was shot on a soundstage at Universal Studios on August 12–14, 1999, in Orlando, Florida. The video takes place in a futuristic space setting and includes elaborate special effects and animation, as well as a breakdown with a dance number. It was inspired by the movies Blade Runner and the Star Wars saga.
This dance-pop hit from the Backstreet Boys' third album, Millennium, is a thank-you letter to fans for sticking with the band through their ups and downs. Leading up to the album's release, they were experiencing many of the downs in their personal and professional lives. While they were embroiled in a lawsuit with their manager Lou Pearlman, who pocketed millions of the band's earnings, their beloved producer Denniz Pop died of stomach cancer. Meanwhile, band members Kevin Richardson and Howie Dorough were grieving over the deaths of family members, and Brian Littrell was facing open-heart surgery. Through it all, the devotion of their fans helped keep their spirits up. Littrell wrote this with Max Martin and Kristian Lundin, Swedish pop mavens who also wrote and produced hits for 'N Sync, Britney Spears, and Celine Dion. The album was originally named after this song, which was intended to be the lead single before "I Want It That Way" was chosen. The title "Larger Than Life," however, followed the Backstreet Boys throughout their career. They re-recorded it as "Lager Than Life" for a series of commercials for the Swedish warehouse company NetOnNet in 2014. It was also the name of their two-year Las Vegas residency (2017-2019) at Planet Hollywood. That's AJ McLean screaming "Yeah!" at the beginning of the track. The futuristic music video, directed by Joseph Kahn, opens with a shot of a spaceship that's broadcasting a number of the group's earlier hits, including "I Want It That Way," "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)." Onboard we're introduced to a robot (played by Starsky & Hutch actor Antonio Vargas), who awakens the boys from their sleeping pods. With its $2,100,000 budget, it was one of the most expensive videos ever made. Report this ad This was the longest-running #1 video on MTV's Total Request Live until it was surpassed by another Backstreet Boys' clip: "Shape Of My Heart." In 2015, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson performed a bluegrass rendition of this at the Kentucky Music Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, accompanied by bluegrass musicians Carson McKee and Josh Turner. This was used in the movies Joe Somebody (2001) and Napoleon Dynamite (2004).
I may run and hide When you're screamin' my name, alright But let me tell you now There are prices to fame, alright All of our time spent in flashes of light All you people can't you see, can't you see How your love's affecting our reality Every time we're down You can make it right And that makes you larger than life Looking at the crowd And I see your body sway, c'mon Wishin' I could thank you in a different way, c'mon 'Cause all of your time spent keeps us alive All you people can't you see, can't you see How your love's affecting our reality Every time we're down You can make it right And that makes you larger than life All of your time spent keeps us alive All you people can't you see, can't you see How your love's affecting our reality Every time we're down You can make it right And that makes you larger than life Yeah, every time we're down Yeah, you can make it right Yeah, and that's what makes you larger than life All you people can't you see, can't you see How your love's affecting our reality Every time we're down You can make it right And that makes you larger That makes you larger That makes you larger than life
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 18, 1999 | 70 | 56 |
| 2 | Sep 25, 1999 | 60 | 66 |
| 3 | Oct 2, 1999 | 47 | 79 |
| 4 | Oct 9, 1999 | 34 | 92 |
| 5 | Oct 16, 1999 | 30 | 96 |
| 6 | Oct 23, 1999 | 34 | 92 |
| 7 | Oct 30, 1999 | 30 | 96 |
| 8 | Nov 6, 1999 | 29 | 97 |
| 9 | Nov 13, 1999 | 25 | 101 |
| 10 | Nov 20, 1999 | 25 | 101 |
| 11 | Nov 27, 1999 | 28 | 98 |
| 12 | Dec 4, 1999 | 30 | 96 |
| 13 | Dec 11, 1999 | 53 | 73 |
| 14 | Dec 18, 1999 | 65 | 61 |
| 15 | Dec 25, 1999 | 70 | 56 |
| 16 | Jan 1, 2000 | 87 | 39 |
| 17 | Jan 8, 2000 | 96 | 30 |
| 18 | Jan 15, 2000 | 87 | 39 |
| 19 | Jan 22, 2000 | 94 | 32 |