Formed in Orlando, Florida, N*SYNC were named after taking the last letter of the initial members' names: JustiN, ChriS, JoeY, LaNce and J.C to create the acronym as I take a look at my favourite *NSYNC songs from one of the best-selling boy bands of all-time. The group tore up the charts in the late 1990s when I Want You Back was released in Germany in 1996, right through to the early 2000s with their second studio album effort, No Strings Attached, which clocked over 2 million copies in its first week. Working with Max Martin, they enjoyed immediate success. The follow-up, Celebrity became the second fastest-selling album of all-time. After the release of Celebrity in 2001, N*SYNC went on indefinite hiatus. Justin Timberlake went on to purse a solo career, thus finding success & eventually became a 10-time Grammy-award-winner. In 2018, the group achieved a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1. That Girl (Will Never Be Mine) (2001) - some would argue this is their best song, it hits hard right from the start and is my favourite. A bonus track on the European version of Celebrity, it should have made the cut on the North American edition too. It screams single every way and it is disappointing it didn't get a look in in that department. It would have been a top 10 hit for sure. It's Bye Bye Bye part II
2. It's Gonna Be Me (2000) - the only *NSYNC song to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with an effortless five-part harmony bridge. It was released at the very peak of their pop success and was the follow-up hit to the edgy, Bye Bye Bye when NSYNC were huge & they were pitted against their boyband rivals, the Backstreet Boys. It was written by Max Martin and produced by Rami Yacoub, who also wrote some of the Backstreet Boys songs from their debut album all the way through to the Black & Blue era
3. I'll Never Stop (2000) - I was only 19 when this came out, and it is still a belter over 20 years on; has flashes of Tearin' Up My Heart as it has a similar beat. When the Backstreet Boys released The One off Millennium with a music video containing excerpts from concerts, NSYNC did just that with I'll Never Stop as a single release; in fact, if you listen to both songs, The One and I'll Never Stop they do have a not- to- similar chord structure
4. Just Don't Tell Me That (2001) - when it comes to upbeat songs, *NSYNC has some of the best ones for a boy band, and Just Don't Tell Me that is no exception and is overlooked. From start to finish, this is another great uptempo number. They have so many songs that get you dancing to choose from in contrast to other boybands that came before and after them.
5. If I'm Not the One (2000) - featured as a bonus track on the European version of No Strings Attached, it has a catchy mid-tempo sound and beat and is one of my favourites from this group
6. This I Promise You (2000) - stands as the best slow jam of *NSYNC's by a long shot, written and with arrangements by Richard Marx who sang 'Right Here Waiting' and edges out I Drive Myself Crazy off their debut LP, with leads Justin and J.C delivering impressive vocal ranges on this song. Earned them their 5th top 10 on U.S Billboard Hot 100, although it didn't find much success internationally with the song only hitting #21 on the UK top 40
7. Could It Be You (2000) - B-side to Bye Bye Bye and was on the U.K version of No Strings Attached, that should have been a standalone single perhaps. A song that some NSYNC fans might be unfamiliar with but it is still a goody
8. I Don't Wanna Spend One More Christmas Without You (1998) - was on their Christmas themed album, Home for Christmas and is a slow modern ballad with a great chord structure. My personal pick from their LP with rousing vocals throughout
9. Girlfriend (2001) - produced by The Neptunes, penned by Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, probably the first song of JT's he has recorded that he has written and it is a very mature- sounding record, so unlike anything they put out before with its pop- R&B sound. 2001 was peak *NSYNC taken from their final studio LP
10.Tell Me, Tell Me... Baby (2001) - follows in the same vein as Bye Bye Bye and It's Gonna be Me from No Strings Attached LP, Tell Me Tell Me is the follow-up from Celebrity
Honourable Mentions: Tearin' Up My Heart, Think About That, All I Do, Down to Earth, This is Where the Party's At, I Feel the Love, (God Must've Spent A Little)Time On You, I Drive Myself Crazy (Thinking of You) (J.C version), Everything I Own, Bye Bye Bye, No Strings Attached, If Only Through Heaven's Eyes, One in This World, I Want You Back, Down to Earth, Pop, Gone, Selfish, That's When I'll Stop Loving You, I Never Knew The Meaning of Christmas, Kiss Me at Midnight
