Shape of My Heart (Backstreet Boys song)

"Shape of My Heart" is a 2000 song from the American boy band Backstreet Boys. It was released as the lead single on October 2, 2000, taken from their fourth studio album, Black & Blue. The ballad was written and produced by Max Martin and Rami and co-written by Lisa Miskovsky. Following its release, "Shape of My Heart" topped the singles charts of nine countries and reached the top 10 on 16 others, including the US Billboard Hot 100, on which it peaked at number nine. The song earned a Grammy Award nomination during the 44th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Background
Due to the success of rival boy band NSYNC's 2000 studio album No Strings Attached selling over 2.4 million copies in its first week, there were high expectations from industry experts and fans that the Backstreet Boys' next album Black & Blue would break the first week sales of No Strings Attached. "Shape of My Heart" was widely anticipated as the lead single of Black & Blue, which would follow their previous singles "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)", "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)", and "I Want It That Way".

Composition
"Shape of My Heart" is stated to be "the sound of a boy band becoming a group of men." It consists of a bubblegum chorus, clean pop structure, along with various vocal harmonies from Max Martin's production. It also contains soft-pop guitar, low-key percussion, and a lyrical emphasis on the reflection of past mistakes.

The song is performed in the key of D major with a key switch to E major during the third chorus. It has a tempo of 96 beats per minute, and based on  common time. The band's vocals on the track ranges from the low note of A2 to the high note of B4.

Track listings
Standard CD single, UK cassette single
 "Shape of My Heart" – 3:47
 "All I Have to Give" (a cappella) – 3:48
 "The One" (Jack D. Elliot Radio Mix) – 3:46

European CD single
 "Shape of My Heart" – 3:47
 "All I Have to Give" (a cappella) – 3:48

References

Category:2000 songs
Category:Backstreet Boys songs
Category:Pop ballads