Rascal Flatts recruit Backstreet Boys for take on iconic hit 'What Hurts The Most'

Upcoming collaboration album releasing June 6, available for preorder now

Press Release

Rascal Flatts have tapped Backstreet Boys to fulfill a dream collaboration both bands have had for years with “What Hurts The Most,” as two of the Y2K era’s defining groups join forces for the first time.

Choosing one of the trio’s most heart-wrenching tunes for the highly anticipated “Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets” album, Backstreet Boys help turn the epic country ballad into a vocal-driven masterclass of emotive, pop-country magic. Listen to the collaboration here.

“We have a long history with them over the years. We have such respect for what those guys have been able to do and how they’ve influenced a whole generation of pop music,” Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus said. “We’re so proud of how this song turned out; this has been a collaboration we’ve talked about doing for years, and we’re so glad it finally came to fruition.”

The two groups are set to perform together in Frisco, Texas, at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, dazzling the global audience with “What Hurts The Most” and a musical surprise or two. Rascal Flatts will appear as Group of the Year nominees for the 12th time – with this year’s nod coming on the heels of wrapping their nearly sold-out “Life Is a Highway Tour.” Hosted by Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively on Prime Video Thursday, May 8 (8 p.m. ET), from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.

Rascal Flatts’ much-anticipated “Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets” collaboration album will be releasing June 6 via Big Machine Records. The project features nine reimagined, beloved Rascal Flatts hits – including the reminiscent fan-favorite “Mayberry” with Blake Shelton and the infectiously emotive “I'm Movin' On” with Kelly Clarkson – plus a record-breaking new song, “I Dare You” with Jonas Brothers. The eclectic lineup of guest artists infuse their individual music styles to create all-new arrangements of timeless hits from the trio’s acclaimed catalogue.

Fans can preorder/pre-save the project here.

The Backstreet Boys were announced as the first ever pop group to have a residency at Sphere in Las Vegas. The summer residency, titled “Into The Millennium,” kicks off in July alongside the release of “Millennium 2.0” to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their chart-topping, five-times-Grammy-nominated album, “Millennium.” This deluxe reissue will feature 25 tracks, including all 12 remastered originals, live recordings, demos including “I Want It That Way,” B-sides including the alternate version of “I Want It That Way,” and a new song titled “Hey.”

Ahead of the residency, the group performed at Stagecoach Music Festival.

More about Rascal Flatts

Hailed as one of the most influential groups in modern country history, Rascal Flatts are a chart-topping trio created by vocalist Gary LeVox, multi-instrumentalist DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney. Since their founding in 2000, they’ve cemented their place in music history with genre-crossing hits including breakout hit, “Prayin’ For Daylight,” “Bless The Broken Road,” “What Hurts The Most” and “Life Is a Highway.”

Together, the Grand Ole Opry members have racked up 17 No. 1 hits, over 23.4 million albums sold, 35 million digital downloads, and over 12 billion total lifetime streams, with 4.6 billion streams on Spotify alone, while also selling over 11 million concert tickets and earning more than 40 trophies from the ACA, ACM, AMA, CMA, People’s Choice and more, making them one of the most awarded country groups of the past two decades.

Now emerging from hiatus with renewed passion, the trio is reuniting to take care of unfinished business with the forthcoming collaboration album “Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets,” releasing June 6 and celebrating 25 years of hits and the impact of one of the most influential groups in country music. For more information, visit rascalflatts.com.

More about Backstreet Boys

For more than 30 years the Backstreet Boys have delivered the finest pop music one has to offer, making them one of pop’s most influential performers. With countless No. 1s, record-setting tours, numerous awards and worldwide sales in excess of 130 million, BSB has been recognized as the best-selling boy band in history. 

Over the years, the Backstreet Boys have repeatedly captivated millions of people with their impressive catalog of hit songs and creative partnerships. They continue to be larger than life.