In 1996 five guys got together, formed a band, made
an album, and changed the world, all in one shot. That’s the basic story
behind the quintet known as *NSYNC. Five talented young men from across the country,
joined together in Orlando and created one of the most successful groups in music
history. Each guy brought their own flavor to the group, as well as lending the
last letter of each of their first names, to create the name and feel of the band.
They learned to dance, to write songs, and in the process, they sold ten million
copies of their self-titled debut album. Without question, the story of *NSYNC
is just as compelling as the music itself.
They teamed up in Orlando,
where they created the name *NSYNC out of the last letters of each of their first
names. They arranged a few pop/dance songs, learned the high-energy dance moves
that accompanied them and headed for Europe. The guys toured Germany, building
up a fan base, before signing to BMG Ariola Munich. From there, the singles, “I
Want You Back” and “Tearin’ Up My Heart” were released,
and turned *NSYNC from a little known dance act into the hottest act in Europe.
The band toured the continent, became huge stars and then decided that it was
time to head back across the Atlantic, and test their music on the U.S. market.
They aced that test! Their self-titled first album went diamond, selling
over ten million copies in 1998, and reaching number two on the charts. Its success
was followed by the seasonal release of their holiday album Home For Christmas,
which went multi-platnium. Then the guys hit a snag, as they entered into legal
disputes with their management. The band fought for finances, freedom and even
their own name. The guys went back in the studio, and after a highly publicized
court battle, they signed a new record deal with Jive Records and released the
"No Strings Attached" album. The album was released in March of 2000
and broke records with one million copies sold the very first day and 2.4 million
albums purchased within the first week. The first single “Bye, Bye, Bye”
which was later nominated for a Grammy award for song of the year, was a huge
success, and was followed by the equally popular “It’s Gonna Be Me”
and “This I Promise You.”
The "No Strings Attached"
Tour was just as groundbreaking as the album itself and sold out every arena and
stadium that the guys played. When they returned to the studio in 2001
to create the "Celebrity" album, they decided to venture away from the
squeaky clean, “boy-band” image they had acquired, and worked to create
a concept album that would be unlike anything they had done before. Justin and
JC got a chance to demonstrate their songwriting abilities, while working with
hit making producers like The Neptunes, Brian McKnight, Rodney Jenkins, and their
choreographer Wade Robson, to create the catchy hooks for the songs that made
the album so captivating. The result was a collection of pure dance songs, with
infectious beats and more insightful lyrics, which were developed with the fans
always in mind. The song “Pop” was the runaway hit from the album,
and the accompanying video became a favorite on MTV. “Gone” and “Girlfriend”
followed suit, and suddenly the guys were no longer the puppets on strings that
everyone had come to label them as, they were now bona fide song writers and producers.
The album was a huge success and it inspired them to go on tour again. This time,
they would be doing a tour like nothing anyone had ever seen before. |
