Share and Follow
Netflix recently debuted a brand-new competition show that’s taking reality TV audiences by storm. Building The Band invites musicians to form bands purely based on sound, not seeing each other until they’ve agreed to form a cohesive group.
Guiding these musical artists through their journey is an extremely accomplished musical icon, former Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean. Given that AJ is the face of the new series, fans are now wondering what his net worth really is.
AJ Is Worth Several Millions
It’s no surprise that being in one of the most successful boy bands of all time is quite lucrative. It’s been reported by Just Jared that, as of 2025, AJ is certainly not hurting for cash—his current net worth is estimated to be over $30 million.
Beyond his work with Backstreet Boys, AJ has since created other forms of income for himself. In addition to releasing several of his own solo musical projects, he’s taken part in some nonmusical ventures as well. He’s also the creator of Skulleeroz Vapor, a line of liquids that are designed for electronic cigarettes. Additionally, back in 2020, AJ also made a line of nail polish through Ava Dean Beauty.
At the time, AJ shared with The List how getting into the beauty industry helped him embrace his own sense of style, and particularly his inner femininity:
Once I started wearing polish, then got into makeup, I became more comfortable with my feminine side, if you want to call it that. It didn’t de-masculinize me. I just felt, ‘This is who I am.’
AJ Appears As The Face Of Building The Band
AJ and his painted nails appear quite a bit throughout Building The Band. From the earliest stages of the show, he serves as the go-between for the various contestants, who are in individual sound booths and unable to see one another. AJ asks the cast members their thoughts on their journey, and often offers them comfort, having been in their position before.
As important as he is to the show, it seems that the show is equally valuable to him in turn. In a candid conversation with Fox leading up to the show’s premiere, AJ noted that accepting the host role on Building The Band helped him to stay sober.
AJ opened up to the outlet about how grateful he was for the opportunity:
I’m sober today. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen tomorrow. And I was sober yesterday. I stay in the now. I stay in the moment. I take everything in. It is the age-old saying of stopping and smelling the roses. I actually physically stop and smell flowers. I have a different confidence — not arrogance, not ego — that I’ve never had. And it’s a confidence that is empowering.
For both the show’s hopeful singers and for AJ himself, it seems that the series has been a wonderful opportunity. He noted that, outside of his own episodic pay, he also thought the cash prize for the winning band was extremely important, allowing the artists to have freedom in determining their future in the music industry.
“What I love so much about it, unlike other music competition shows, it’s twofold,” he said. “I can tell you, honestly, it has been an incredible journey,” he added. Episodes of Building The Band are available to stream now on Netflix.
- Network
-
Netflix
- Cast
-
Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, Liam Payne, AJ McLean
- Genre
-
Reality TV
- Premiere Date
-
July 9, 2025
Building The Band is a music competition reality series that takes a unique approach to forming the next big pop group. Premiering July 9, 2025, on Netflix, the show begins with 50 solo singers auditioning in blind, isolated pods, where they can only hear each other’s voices. Contestants swipe “like” or “pass” as they listen, focusing purely on vocal chemistry rather than looks or personality. From there, selected musicians join forces to form six separate bands, moving through a series of challenges including live performances, songwriting workshops, and branding exercises. The show emphasizes not just vocal talent but also teamwork, versatility, and group cohesion, with the goal of launching a real, fully developed music act by the end of the season.
Guiding the competition is a high-profile judging panel made up of music industry veterans: Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and the late Liam Payne, with hosting duties handled by AJ McLean. Each judge brings personal experience from global groups—Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls, Rowland from Destiny’s Child, and Payne from One Direction—offering both critique and hands-on mentorship to the contestants. Their feedback isn’t limited to vocal performance; they also focus on interpersonal dynamics, branding, and long-term career viability. Liam Payne’s participation adds an emotional layer to the series, as Building The Band marks his final project before his passing in 2024. Throughout the show, viewers witness not just the formation of new bands but also honest, often vulnerable conversations about fame, pressure, and what it takes to truly succeed as a collective rather than as a solo act.