AJ McLean Reveals Which Backstreet Boys Hit He Thinks Is the ‘Worst Song Ever’: ‘Retire It for Life’ (Exclusive)

“Everybody loves that song, but why?” the singer said to PEOPLE at the sing-along performance of Broadway’s ‘& Juliet’ in N.Y.C. on Thursday, May 16

AJ McLean at the Songs For Tomorrow: A Benefit Concert in support of On Our Sleeves in L.A. in January 2023. Photo:Michael Kovac/Getty

AJ McLean says this particular song “sounds like a bag of cats”

After 31 years with the Backstreet Boys, AJ McLean understandably doesn’t love every song the band has recorded.

Ahead of hosting & Juliet’s sing-along performance in New York City, he told PEOPLE on May 16 that he considers one Backstreet Boys track in particular “literally one of the dumbest songs.”

“It’s ‘If You Want It to Be Good Girl (Get Yourself a Bad Boy),’” McLean, 46, said of the song from the band’s 1996 debut album. “Everybody loves that song, but why? It’s the worst song ever. We were joking in the booth [about] sounding like a bag of cats being hit against the wall, and it made the final record.”

The Backstreet Boys played “If You Want It to Be Good Girl (Get Yourself a Bad Boy)” last month at their Cancún, Mexico concert celebrating 30 years of the band. “Now we can retire it for life,” McLean said. “Bury it, burn it, shoot it, whatever!”

McLean also expected some BSB songs to be bigger hits, including “Siberia,” “Don’t Wanna Lose You Now,” “Don’t Want You Back” and “Get Another Boyfriend,” which he called “one of my favorites.”

Backstreet Boys (from left) AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson at iHeartRadio Z100’s Jingle Ball 2022 Presented by Capital One in N.Y.C. in December 2022.Slaven Vlasic/Getty

The father of two said the Backstreet Boys have discussed wrapping some of their hit songs, as well as new music, into a stage production about their career. “We’ve talked about potentially doing a Broadway musical, but it’s a long process,” he said.

McLean grew up doing theater and names being on a Broadway stage as a dream of his. He’d love to play The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, but, “I think that the age limit to play The Phantom was 36 — I’m 10 years past that now,” McLean noted. “Another dream of mine is to play Dr. Frank-N-Furter in Rocky Horror. I’ve had my dabble with drag, so I’m fully comfortable with that. To play in this show [& Juliet] would be amazing. I would love to play the character of May if I had my choice.”

McLean technically made his Broadway debut when he joined the & Juliet cast last Thursday for an encore performance of “Everybody,” one of five Backstreet Boys songs featured in the show inspired by the music of Swedish songwriter Max Martin.

“All the song choices are brilliant and it’s cool to hear our music in this atmosphere,” McLean said. “It breathes new life into these songs that we’ve heard for the last two or three decades. And we don’t have to do anything! We can just sit back and enjoy it.”

AJ McLean performing with the ‘& Juliet’ cast on May 16 in New York City.Rebecca J Michelson

The pop star has also been bringing new life to his songs while performing with *NSYNC’s Joey Fatone on their “A Legendary Night” tour, which resumes later this month.

“It’s two hours of what I call fantastic organized chaos,” McLean said. “We make fun of each other. We just go out there and whatever happens, happens. No two shows are the same. The beginning and the end, yes, but the middle we change every night to keep it fresh. It’s a different approach, but it’s been very humbling.”

McLean even admitted that “there’s plenty of *NSYNC songs I wish were Backstreet” tracks, such as “Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)” and “This I Promise You.”

“One that’s become one of my new favorites is ‘Space Cowboy,’” McLean added. “That is fun to do live. That wasn’t in the first few shows and we added it, and now it’s become a staple in the show towards the end. I look forward to that song.”

Joey Fatone (left) and AJ McLean at the We The Best Foundation Golf Classic VIP Reception at The Swan in Miami in July 2023.Kevin Mazur/Getty

The “Electric” singer said he and Fatone, 47, will continue touring together “until nobody wants us to do it or until both parties get pulled by their bands elsewhere.”

As for the potential of a complete Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC co-headlining tour, McLean said “never say never.”

“But there’s nothing on the horizon thus far,” he clarified. “So this is the closest you’re going to get to that part, but it really is a fun show.”