He came to fame as a teen pop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among preteen and teenage audiences during the first years of the 21st century,[3] with his four studio albums.

His second album Aaron's Party (Come Get It) (2000) sold three million copies in the United States, and Carter began making guest appearances on Nickelodeon and touring with the Backstreet Boys shortly after the record's release.

He had an older brother, Nick, a member of the Backstreet Boys, and three sisters: his twin, Angel, a model; Bobbie Jean (BJ) (1982–2023);[8] and Leslie (1986–2012).

[13] In accordance with the California Child Actor's Bill, Carter's parents were supposed to put 15% of his earnings into a Coogan account.

[14] Carter claimed that his earnings had helped his parents purchase 30 cars and 15 houses; however, he did not receive any portion of the profits when they sold the properties.

Carter reported that the abuse began when he was ten years old, ended when he was 13, and occurred when Leslie would fail to take prescribed medication for her bipolar disorder.

[19] He left the band after two years because he wanted to perform pop music, while the other members were interested in alternative rock.

[19] Carter made his first solo appearance at age 9, singing The Jets' "Crush on You" when opening for the Backstreet Boys in Berlin in March 1997.

The album achieved gold status in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Spain, and was released in the United States on June 16, 1998.

[22] Carter's second studio album, Aaron's Party (Come Get It), was released in the United States on September 26, 2000, under the Jive label.

[23][24] The album included the hit singles, "I Want Candy", "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)", "That's How I Beat Shaq", and "Bounce", all of which received airplay on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.

He also made several guest appearances on Nickelodeon and performed as the opening act in several concerts for the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears' Oops!...

[25] In March 2001, he made his acting debut, guest starring on an episode of the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire.

"[41] On February 10, 2011, it was announced that Carter had successfully completed a month of rehab at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California.

[42] On November 7, 2011, Carter began starring in the off-Broadway production of the world's longest running musical, The Fantasticks, at the Snapple Theater Center in New York City.

[49] In July, Carter appeared on Good Day L.A., where he performed "Ooh Wee",[50] a single featuring Pat SoLo.

[64] On September 17, 2006, at age 18, Carter became engaged to former beauty queen and Playboy model Kari Ann Peniche; he proposed to her on stage while performing at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

[68] Carter came out as bisexual in August 2017[68] through Twitter, and in December he made a guest appearance on the podcast LGBTQ&A to discuss both his career and sexuality.

[74] On November 22, 2013, Carter filed a bankruptcy petition to shed more than $3.5 million in debt,[75] mostly taxes owed from the money made at the height of his popularity[76] when he was a minor.

[78] In March 2020, Carter set up an OnlyFans account, which is popular in the adult entertainment industry, to make money.

[82] A series of tests revealed Carter did not have cancer or any sexually transmitted disease, but he did have a candida infection, which can be a sign of a weakened immune system.

[84] Carter was malnourished and underweight at 115 pounds (52 kg), and was advised to enter a drug rehabilitation program and remain under medical care; he later admitted himself to Alo House, a treatment center in Malibu, California.

[85] In 2019, Carter and his mother, Jane, appeared in the We TV reality series Marriage Bootcamp: Family Edition.

[87][88] In February 2008, Carter was arrested in Kimble County, Texas, when he was pulled over for speeding, and authorities found just under two ounces of marijuana in his car.

[90][91] He agreed to plead no contest to reckless driving and was placed on probation and, among other conditions, was ordered to perform community service and pay $1,500 in court fees and fines.

[92] In August 2019, Carter was granted a restraining order against his ex-girlfriend, Russian model Lina Valentina, after she reportedly threatened to stab him.