Emily Exton of VH1 placed the song at number seven on their "20 Backstreet Boys Songs" list, writing that the song is "a more mature sound that showcased Kevin’s vocals instead of mostly his dark and mysterious looks. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" was nominated for a Grammy award on the 43rd ceremony for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, but lost it to Steely Dan's " Cousin Dupree". It only performed moderately in Australia, where it reached number 19, becoming their lowest charting-single since " Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)" in 1997. It also reached the top-ten in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Norway. The song became a success in countries like the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland, reaching number two. In the United Kingdom, "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" peaked at number three, becoming their last single to reach the top-three and seventeenth top-ten single. In Canada, the song topped the RPM Top Singles chart for two weeks. In other Billboard component charts, the song also succeeded, topping the Top 40 Mainstream chart and reaching number two on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. In the United States, the song debuted at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart while on the issue of March 18, 2000, the song peaked at number six, remaining at the peak position for two further weeks. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" was a success on the charts, reaching the top-ten in most countries it charted.
While reviewing their compilation, The Hits: Chapter One (2001), Erlewine wrote that "the rest of the singles that fill out the compilation aren't quite as good as "I Want It That Way", "As Long as You Love Me", "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)", "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Larger than Life" (although "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is)." Arion Berger of Rolling Stone commented that the song "digs its melodic claws into your skull on the first listen-it's the swooniest blending of the five vocalists' timbres to date, and mighty pretty besides." Ĭhuck Taylor of Billboard named it a "keepsake ballad that will have the quintet's loyal legions panting over their loss and loneliness." Taylor also called it "a beautifully produced anthem," and praised its melody, writing that, "it will instantly lock itself into the pop culture consciousness." Taylor finished his review, writing that the single is "the best ballad of the season and a sure-fine way to return the Boys to full glory." Commercial performance Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic picked the song as a standout track on the album. The song received acclaim from most music critics. It is set in the key of F♯ minor and G♯ minor. "Show me the meaning of being lonely/Is this the feeling I need to walk with/Tell me why I can't be there where you are/There's something missing in my heart," they sing in the chorus. Lyrically, the song deals with heartbreak and how the protagonist is dealing with loneliness. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is a pop and R&B ballad, with Latin pop influences.
The song was sent to US radio on December 14, 1999, and was released in the United Kingdom as a CD and cassette single on February 21, 2000. On the November 27, 1999, issue of Billboard Magazine, it was reported that Jive Records selected "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" as Millennium's third single.
"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" was written by Max Martin and Herbie Crichlow, while Martin also produced it. The song also earned a Grammy award nomination during the 43rd Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It follows each of the band members in a separate dramatic history, with the band uniting for the video's end. The music video for the track was released on 1999's New Year's Eve and was directed by Stuart Gosling. It has also experienced success on the charts, reaching the top 10 in most countries it charted, also peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart and number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was one of 3 tracks to be previewed at the end of Britney Spears' debut album. It received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who commended the lush orchestration, its melody and the group's vocal performance. Jive Records selected the track to be released as the third single from the album, on December 14, 1999. It was written by Max Martin and Herbie Crichlow, with production by Martin and Kristian Lundin. " Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is a song by American boy band Backstreet Boys, taken from their third studio album, Millennium (1999). "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" on YouTube