AJ McLean’s Ups and Downs Throughout the Years: Music, Substance Abuse Struggles, Fatherhood and More

Credit: RMV/Shutterstock

AJ McLean's Ups and Downs Throughout the Years: Music, Substance Abuse Struggles, Fatherhood and More

Overcoming obstacles. AJ McLean achieved fame as a member of the Backstreet Boys, but a fair share of challenges have come along with his worldwide success. In 1992, the “Larger than Life” performer auditioned for the boyband and became the first official member of BSB. He was later joined by Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell. Following their formation, the musical group rose to fame throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Despite the success, McLean has battled his own personal demons from the age of 22. During an October 2020 interview with Good Morning America, the “Shape Of My Heart” crooner confessed he tried cocaine for the first time while on the set of BSB’s music video for “The Call.” “The first time I tried drugs was literally an hour before my call time to ‘The Call’ video shoot,” he recalled to GMA‘s Will Reeve. “I was off the walls.” McLean’s bandmates noticed a change in his behavior when he started to skip rehearsals and they intervened. [jwplayer o2C7zkRk-zhNYySv2] “They basically broke into my house, and they dumped ice water on me while I was passed out in my bed,” McLean told GMA at the time. “Everybody started to catch on. I wasn’t me anymore, you know. I was just living a lie.” Throughout his decades-long battle, McLean has gone to rehab on multiple occasions and he has admitted to overdosing twice. While competing on Dancing With the Stars in 2020, the “Everybody” artist credited his then-wife, Rochelle McLean, for staying by his side through his darkest times. (AJ and Rochelle tied the knot in 2011 but separated in March 2023. The twosome share two daughters, Elliott and Lyric, who were born in 2012 and 2017, respectively.) “My wife means everything to me as does the fact that she’s been here still, to this day, with me after all the bad things I’ve done in my life that have hurt people — especially her,” he wrote in an exclusive blog post for Us Weekly at the time. “She’s always seen the good in me and seen past — as hard as it may be to see past — all the bad stuff I did when I was drinking and using drugs. But things are the best they’ve ever been today, and I couldn’t ask for anything else.” A few months later, AJ celebrated his first anniversary of being substance-free. “I’m gonna be one-year sober tomorrow, which is insane,” the “Quit Playing Games” artist said on a December 2020 episode of his “Pretty Messed Up” podcast. “As long as I’m keeping my side of the street clean, I can’t worry about keeping your side of the street clean. And everything actually worked itself out. I feel much better.” Keep scrolling to see AJ's ups and downs over the years:

Credit: RMV/Shutterstock

AJ McLean's Ups and Downs Throughout the Years: Music, Substance Abuse Struggles, Fatherhood and More

Overcoming obstacles. AJ McLean achieved fame as a member of the Backstreet Boys, but a fair share of challenges have come along with his worldwide success. In 1992, the “Larger than Life” performer auditioned for the boyband and became the first official member of BSB. He was later joined by Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell. Following their formation, the musical group rose to fame throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Despite the success, McLean has battled his own personal demons from the age of 22. During an October 2020 interview with Good Morning America, the “Shape Of My Heart” crooner confessed he tried cocaine for the first time while on the set of BSB’s music video for “The Call.” “The first time I tried drugs was literally an hour before my call time to ‘The Call’ video shoot,” he recalled to GMA‘s Will Reeve. “I was off the walls.” McLean’s bandmates noticed a change in his behavior when he started to skip rehearsals and they intervened. [jwplayer o2C7zkRk-zhNYySv2] “They basically broke into my house, and they dumped ice water on me while I was passed out in my bed,” McLean told GMA at the time. “Everybody started to catch on. I wasn’t me anymore, you know. I was just living a lie.” Throughout his decades-long battle, McLean has gone to rehab on multiple occasions and he has admitted to overdosing twice. While competing on Dancing With the Stars in 2020, the “Everybody” artist credited his then-wife, Rochelle McLean, for staying by his side through his darkest times. (AJ and Rochelle tied the knot in 2011 but separated in March 2023. The twosome share two daughters, Elliott and Lyric, who were born in 2012 and 2017, respectively.) “My wife means everything to me as does the fact that she’s been here still, to this day, with me after all the bad things I’ve done in my life that have hurt people — especially her,” he wrote in an exclusive blog post for Us Weekly at the time. “She’s always seen the good in me and seen past — as hard as it may be to see past — all the bad stuff I did when I was drinking and using drugs. But things are the best they’ve ever been today, and I couldn’t ask for anything else.” A few months later, AJ celebrated his first anniversary of being substance-free. “I’m gonna be one-year sober tomorrow, which is insane,” the “Quit Playing Games” artist said on a December 2020 episode of his “Pretty Messed Up” podcast. “As long as I’m keeping my side of the street clean, I can’t worry about keeping your side of the street clean. And everything actually worked itself out. I feel much better.” Keep scrolling to see AJ's ups and downs over the years:

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1993

AJ was one of the first guys to join the Backstreet Boys. Since their formation, the group went on to release ten studio albums, headlined a Las Vegas residency, hosted six cruises for their fans and headlined more than ten worldwide tours. In addition to commercial success, BSB has also earned critical acclaim by receiving a total of nine Grammy nominations and has broken the record as the best-selling boyband by selling more than 130 million records.

While the group took a brief hiatus in the early 2000s to pursue other endeavors, they ultimately came back together and continue to perform to this day. 

Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock

2001

The “Incomplete” singer admitted he began to struggle with substance abuse and addiction when he was 22 years old.

“The first time I tried drugs was literally an hour before my call time to ‘The Call’ video shoot,” AJ recalled during a 2020 appearance on GMA. “I was off the walls.”

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December 2011

AJ and his estranged wife tied the knot in a gothic-themed ceremony at the Beverly Hills hotel.

Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock

2012

AJ became a father for the first time when he and Rochelle welcomed their first child, daughter Elliott. In 2017, the McLeans expanded their family with daughter Lyric.

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December 2020

The “As Long As You Love Me” performer celebrated his one-year anniversary of being sober. During an episode of his “Pretty Messed Up” podcast, he thanked everyone who helped him get to where he is now including his fellow BSB members, Rochelle and friend René Elizondo Jr.

“I thought the boys were gonna be disappointed, or I thought my wife was gonna leave me,” he confessed. “I could be completely vulnerable with René … I felt safe, I felt not judged. Not saying I felt judged by my wife, because she doesn’t judge me at all. But I always had this inkling of fear … like, ‘Oh, my God. She’s going to leave me.’”

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September 2022

The “I Want it That Way” singer got candid about how he was “taken aback” by his eldest daughter’s decision to change her name at first but ultimately came around.

“Whatever reasoning it is, that’s hers, and I’m going to support it a million percent. My wife will [too],” he said during a September 2022 Today appearance.

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March 2023

AJ and Rochelle announced they were separating after 11 years of marriage but hoped to reconcile after spending some time apart.

“Marriage is hard, but worth it. We have mutually decided to separate temporarily to work on ourselves, and on our marriage with the hope of building a stronger future,” the estranged couple told Us in a joint statement at the time. “The plan is to come back together and continue to nurture our love for one another, and our family. We ask for respect and privacy at this time. Separation is hard enough without the commentary, please be kind and remember there are children involved.”