According to Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, Ryan Gosling could've and should've been a member of BSB!

McLean and Gosling go way back. They were friends when they lived in the same apartment building when Backstreet was first getting together right around the time Gosling joined the "Mickey Mouse Club."

Gosling recently gave an interview saying he used to tell A.J. he didn't think the band had a shot in hell of making it because it seemed like a New Kids ripoff.

When BSB made it, Gosling says he tried to reach out to A.J. but he never returned his calls.

Over the weekend, A.J. said it must have been a misunderstanding because he never intentionally blew Ryan off. He just didn't have Ryan's number.

In fact, A.J. wants Gosling to join the group because Ryan not only has a killer voice, but he's handsome too. No word from Ryan or his camp.