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Now or Never
Studio album by Nick Carter
Released	October 29, 2002 (US)
Recorded	February – September 2002
Genre	Pop, pop rock
Length	43:42
Label	Jive
Producer	David Kahne, Per Aldeheim, Martin Brammer, Gary Clark, Matthew Gerrard, Steve Mac, Max Martin, The Matrix, Rami, Josh Schwartz, Mark Taylor, Brian Kierulf
Nick Carter chronology
Before the Backstreet Boys 1989–1993 (2002) Now or Never (2002) I'm Taking Off (2011)
Singles from Now or Never
"Help Me" Released: September 3, 2002 "Do I Have to Cry for You" Released: November 11, 2002 "I Got You" Released: February 14, 2003

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly	C

Now or Never is the debut solo album by Nick Carter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys, released on October 29, 2002 by Jive Records. The album debuted at #17 in its first week on the Billboard 200, selling some 70,000 copies during first week in U.S. It fell out of the top 50 in its second week, but sold well enough to be certified Gold by the RIAA in December 2002. Two singles were released from the album, neither of which had any impact on the US charts. The first single, "Help Me", reach number 9 on the Canadian Singles Chart. "I Got You" was a major hit in Europe and Southeast Asia. A sneak preview of the album was attached to the end of the fourth album of Carter's younger brother Aaron, Another Earthquake.

Background

In 2002, when the Backstreet Boys expressed a strong desire to leave their management company, The Firm, Carter chose to remain with them to manage his solo career. As the group began recording their new album without him, he started working on his first solo album. Now or Never was released on October 29, 2002, and it reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold, both in the United States and Canada. The lead single, "Help Me" achieved considerable worldwide success while the other single, "I Got You" was a minor hit in Europe while "Do I Have to Cry for You" became popular in the Philippines. The album made the charts in several other countries as well. He also launched a worldwide tour in support of the album.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits for Now or Never adapted from AllMusic.

• Per Aldeheim – engineer, guitar, guitar engineer, producer
• Alex G. – digital editing
• Dave Arch – string arrangements
• Keith B. Armstrong – mixing assistant
• Elan Bongiorno – make-up
• Martin Brammer – engineer, mixing, Pro Tools, producer, programming, vocals (background)
• Michael Brauer – mixing
• Nick Carter – illustrations, vocals (background)
• Alison Clark – vocals (background)
• Gary Clark – bass, engineer, guitar, keyboards, mixing, Pro Tools, producer, programming, vocals (background)
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• Michelle John Douglas – vocals (background)
• Geoff Dugmore – drums
• Rickard Evensand – drums
• Nick Friend – assistant
• Elisa Garcia – art direction, design
• Paul Gendler – guitar
• Matthew Gerrard – arranger, engineer, instrumentation, producer, programming, vocal arrangement
• Stefan Glaumann – mixing
• Steve Harvey – percussion
• Wayne Hector – vocals (background)
• Peter Kahm – bass
• Fridrik Karlsson – guitar
• Brian Kierulf – engineer
• Peter Kvint – guitar
• Chris Laws – drums, engineer
• Steve Lee – guitar (acoustic), vocals (background)
• Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
• Steve Lunt - A&R, composer
• Steve Mac – arranger, keyboards, mixing, producer
• Anthony Mandler – photography
• Max Martin – engineer, mixing, producer, vocal engineer, vocals (background)
• The Matrix – arranger, engineer, mixing, producer
• Pablo Munguia – vocal engineer
• Jackie Murphy – art direction
• Esbjörn Öhrwall – guitar
• Steve Pearce – bass
• Adam Phillips – guitar (electric)
• Daniel Pursey – assistant engineer, percussion
• Rami – engineer, mixing, producer
• Cesar Ramirez – assistant engineer, assistant vocal engineer
• Brandy St. John – stylist
• Christian Saint Val – assistant engineer
• Sank – engineer
• Andrew Scarth – engineer
• José Carlos Schwartz – bass, engineer, producer, vocals (background)
• Mark Taylor – engineer, mixing, producer
• Matt Tryggestad – vocal arrangement
• Michael Tucker – engineer
• Jeff Vereb – assistant engineer
• Jong Uk Yoon – assistant engineer

Charts

Certifications

References

1. "Nick Carter Talks Plea Bargain, Solo Stuff & Backstreet". popdirt.com. February 25, 2002. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
2. "Nick Carter Said Backstreet Boys Had Become Boring". popdirt.com. September 24, 2002. Archived from the original on July 29, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
3. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1478. November 8, 2002. p. 34. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
4. Now or Never at AllMusic
5. David Browne (October 28, 2002). "Now or Never Review". EW.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
6. allmusic.com - Now or Never > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
7. ^ "American album certifications – Nick Carter – Now or Never". Recording Industry Association of America.
8. allmusic.com - Now or Never > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles
9. Strauss, Neil (August 18, 2002). "MUSIC; The Lost Boys: How a Pop Sensation Came Undone". New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
10. "Now or never – Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
11. "Austriancharts.at – Nick Carter – Now or Never" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Nick Carter – Now or Never" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Nick Carter – Now or Never" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
14. "Italiancharts.com – Nick Carter – Now or Never". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
15. "ニック・カーターのリリース一覧" [A Look at Nick Carter's Releases]. Oricon. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
16. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
17. "Swedishcharts.com – Nick Carter – Now or Never". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
18. "Nick Carter - Now Or Never". hitparade.ch. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
19. "Nick Carter Chart History Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
20. "Nick Carter Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
21. "Canadian album certifications – Nick Carter – Now or Never". Music Canada.
22. "Japanese album certifications – Nick Carter – Now or Never" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved January 17, 2014. Select 2002年10月 on the drop-down menu

• 2002 debut albums
• Albums produced by Matthew Gerrard
• Albums produced by the Matrix (production team)
• Albums produced by Max Martin
• Albums produced by Rami Yacoub
• Jive Records albums
• Nick Carter (musician) albums
• Albums produced by Mark Taylor (music producer)