Aaron Carter, the singer who broke out with the pop hit “Aaron Party (Come Get It)” in 2000 and tried to make a name for himself outside of his older brother Nick of the Backstreet Boys has died. He was 34.
According to TMZ, law enforcement officials in Lancaster, California (about 70 miles from Los Angeles) “received a 911 call at 11 AM Saturday that a male had drowned in the tub.” That male was later determined to be Aaron Carter, who was just about one month from his 35th birthday.
Aaron Carter released five albums in his career, with his most popular, 2000’s “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)”, hitting #4 on the Billboard 200. In addition to the title track, it also featured a song called “That’s How I Beat Shaq”, about besting Shaquille O’Neal in a pickup basketball game (don’t worry, it was all a dream). His final album, “Love”, was released in 2018.
Aaron Carter also appeared in various movies and TV shows, mostly as himself, including Lizzie McGuire, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and the reality series House of Carters. Carter also became, like so many teeny boppers before him, tabloid fodder, with gossip rags focusing on his drug addictions and his speaking out against getting the Covid-19 vaccine.
Numerous pop stars and reporters sent condolences through social media, including New Kids on the Block, who tweeted, “We are shocked and saddened about the sudden passing of Aaron Carter. Sending prayers to the Carter family. Rest in peace, Aaron”, while Jon Alba noted his influence on a certain generation, tweeting, “If you didn’t live the Aaron Carter experience with the drop of “Aaron’s Party” back in the day, you missed out. The essence of early-2000s pop culture.” The great Diane Warren took a more poignant approach:
While Aaron Carter never rose to the success of his older brother, Nick, his early 2000s following was undeniable.