bringing sexy back

Comment 1 - "IIRC Justin’s first song like I love you was not the massive hit they wanted. They expected top 5 and it only reached top 20(?) which is fine it’s still a hit but they expected higher. It’s only after cry me a river with the Britney lookalike and (now we know) the famous ending falsetto that was actually sang by someone else. That sent him to the stratosphere of fame at that time."

Comment 2 - "Yes. Like I Love You stalled on the charts and caused an absolute panic at Jive. They had dismantled NSYNC just to set Justin up as the solo main character, and the multi-million dollar investment on Justin was starting to look like a losing gamble. That's when they decided to pivot and exploit the Britney breakup narrative for shock value (with no regard for the public damage it caused her). And you are right about CMAR, Marsha Ambrosius actually sang the iconic falsetto notes. At least she received an actual liner-note credit. They also had JC padding another one of Justin's award winning tracks but he received zero credit."

I need to know where I could find the documentation and evidence that Jive was in a panic when "Like I Love You" came out. I'm still also looking for evidence to back up this person's claims, including "They had dismantled NSYNC just to set Justin up as the solo main character, and the multi-million dollar investment on Justin was starting to look like a losing gamble." As always, no source for these claims is ever cited.

"exploit the Britney breakup narrative for shock value"

Let me research this last one. Unfortunately, I have to do the work. oh, also I need to research if Jive was in an absolute panic.

I might set up a subreddit.

Anyway, here is some information about Like I Love You. I don't see anyone in a panic here or Jive trembling in their boots.

 As of July 31, 2026, the music video has over 113 million views on You Tube - This exceeds NSYNC'S official video for I Want You Back which has 100 million views.

Nominated for a Grammy Award in 2003. (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration)

Critical reception

"This is quite possibly the best post-boy-band debut single of all time. He booked the hottest producers (The Neptunes) and a bubbling-under hip-hop duo (Clipse) to show that the bubblegum had officially popped. There couldn't have been a better introduction to Justin Timberlake, solo star."

— Billboard's Katie Atkinson in 2016.[19]

"Like I Love You" received positive reviews from music critics. Entertainment Weekly's Craig Seymour wrote "[Timberlake proves that] while no innovator, he is a fine student".[20] In his review of the album Justified for Rolling Stone, Ben Ratliff noted its "minimalism influenced by Michael Jackson", but a "softer, harmony-and-hook-filled chorus sets it off, thus pleasing preteen girls and beat junkies alike."[21]

Denise Boyd, writing for BBC Music, said that the song was a "sure bet for success" with the Neptunes producing the song, but "Justin's vocal arrangement has given this offering a distinctive edge and it stands out as one of the best Neptunes productions this year."[22] Slant Magazine called it a "well-oiled Neptunes production" and "the acoustic guitar loops and snap-crackle-pop percussion of "Like I Love You" pick up where NSYNC's hit "Girlfriend" left off."[23]

In 2013, Lauren Nostro from Complex placed "Like I Love You" at number three in a ranking of the 25 best Timberlake songs.[24] Katie Atkinson of Billboard placed it fourteenth in a ranking of Timberlake's singles;[19] Rania Aniftos ranked it among Timberlake's sixteen-best collaborations;[25] and Adelle Platon ranked it among Timberlake's fourteen-best hip-hop/R&B collaborations.[26] In 2017, Spin staff ranked it as the best boy-band solo debut single.[27]

Commercial performance

"Like I Love You" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 67 for the issue dated September 7, 2002.[29] The next week, it climbed to number 46.[29] It eventually reached a peak of number 11 and stayed on the chart for 36 weeks.[30] The song was more successful on the US Pop Songs and Dance Club Songs charts, where it peaked at number four and one, respectively.[31][32] Additionally, it charted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at 53.[33] The song was more successful in Oceania. On the Australian Singles Chart, the song debuted at number nine for the week dated October 27, 2002.[34] The next week, it fell to number 11, before eventually reaching its peak of number eight in its third week and remaining there for three consecutive weeks.[34] "Like I Love You" stayed on the chart for a total of twelve weeks[34] and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 units.[35] It debuted at number six on the New Zealand Singles Chart for the week dated November 10, 2002, staying on the chart for twelve weeks.[36]

Read more here:

Part two. Part one here:

The following claims/quotes come from Reddit and this site: Although the person is mostly focused on JC's solo career being sabotaged by Jive, she is also including the Celebrity Album as part of her entire narrative. My focus is on the last part and the Celebrity Album.

It's possible that the Queen 👑 runs the Justice for JC subreddit (and all the other socials), but I'm not 100% percent sure. It's the same narrative on that subreddit.

THE CLAIMS: my comments in red.

"The consensus was quick: Justin Timberlake had “it,” while JC Chasez simply “didn’t have it.” It is a neat story. It is also corporate spin.

"we have to look into the corporate strategy of parking executed with surgical precision by Jive Records."

"When NSYNC released their last album, Celebrity, in 2001, the foundation of the Timberlake era was already being built by Jive Records"

" a launchpad designed to transition Justin into an immediate solo future."

"On the Celebrity album cover, Justin Timberlake was in focus and placed at the apex of a rigid pyramid formation, the classic shorthand for “leader of the pack,” his gaze fixed directly onto the audience."

Surely, this (the Celebrity cover) isn't the only "evidence" that Jive was transitioning Justin into an immediate solo future, as this person alleges. I will accept what Lance said in his book (about Justin being placed front and center), but it is possible he didn't say it in the context some people think. I speak about that below.

So far, the person has made six claims, and I haven't seen the evidence to back them up.

MORE CLAIMS:

"JC’s demotion occurred under a massive conflict of interest."

Says who? Is this person qualified to assert that?

"JC found himself in a fiduciary limbo—his representation was incentivized to sign off on a narrative that framed the group as the “past” and Justin as the “future,” effectively managing JC’s obsolescence at the very peak of his career."

How do we know he was in fiduciary limbo? Definition: "A fiduciary is a person or organization that manages money or property for someone else while being legally required to put that client's best interests ahead of their own. Common examples include trustees, financial advisors, and executors." I think this person is alleging that JC was without representation because they were too busy representing Justin.

"sign off on a narrative that..." Word salad is all I'm seeing her with a sidekick of personal opinion.

"JC was vocally neutralized too. He wrote fan favorites like “Selfish,” “The Game Is Over,” and “The Two of Us” for Celebrity, but Jive only selected tracks written by Justin for the album singles. Most notably, the label deployed “Gone” as a teaser for Justin Timberlake’s solo debut. It was the first group single where Justin sang all the lead vocals alone, a stark departure from the co-lead vocal dynamic with JC that had defined NSYNC’s sound on global hits like “Tearin’ Up My Heart,” “Bye Bye Bye,” and “It’s Gonna Be Me.”

Vocally neutralized? And yet we have a very elaborate expensive production of the POP ODYSSEY TOUR where JC is showcasing his amazing talents… singing the songs that he wrote. of which Management had given the group the liberties to express themselves on this album. This tour was in no way orchestrated to favor Justin. A song JC wrote:

Up Against the Wall.

The Game Is Over

"but Jive only selected tracks written by Justin for the album singles."

To suggest that artists and Management selected Justin's songs only on purpose to pave the way to Justin's solo career is a bit much, don't you think? The decision as to which songs become singles is a bit more layered than that. Songs that JC wrote were included in setlists and performed live. This all reeks of extreme irrational jealousy or hatred toward Justin's success and the fact that JC wasn't as successful. This is not to say that JC wasn't a gifted artist with just as much talent as Justin and a killer vocalist.

The songs that JC wrote were performed multiple times. See Up Against the Wall and The Game is Over video clips I posted above.

"The Ritts music video was a coronation funded by the group’s collective budget. By using the group’s money to subsidize what was to all intents and purposes a five-minute commercial for Justin’s solo career, NSYNC’s label and management were liquidating the group’s equity to secure the future of one single member."

Honestly, what the hell? Justin made a hit, it was a great song. Why would they not use the group's budget? Were the other members not in the fucking video? And did they not all sing with Justin on the song Gone in the video and live on the Pop Odyssey Tour? Marketing the song Gone. That's what they were doing (the label). Justin was a part of NSYNC at that time. The song GONE is not a Justin song. It's an NSYNC SONG. Why would they not use the NSYNC budget?

"Liquidating the group's equity to secure the future of one single member".

Speechless. Who said the group's equity was liquidated? Again, see the above point. The "group" is not separate from Justin. Justin is a part of the "group". So yes, they used the group's budget. Apparently.

"The video and the song’s live performances framed Justin as the main character and recast JC and the rest of the group as background players."

That is just plain lies. Neither Justin nor the label considered the other four guys as Justin's backup singers. Not during Celebrity, not ever. That's ridiculous and just this person's opinion. Having said that, I can believe they were putting Justin front and center like Lance said in his book but in the way this person frames it. See more on that below. It does not mean Celebrity was paving the way for Justin. It could mean they were using Justin's popularity solely for marketing purposes for THIS ALBUM

"Wade Robson originally wrote "Gone" for the "King of Pop,” who declined to use it for his album."

This poster failed to mention that Justin wrote the song too.

When Jive released the song under the group’s banner, it was prepping the public for the “Prince of Pop” title they would later use to market Justin as a solo performer."

Where is the evidence that they were "prepping the public for the 'Prince of Pop' title they would later....? You know, if one is going to spread comments like this all around the internet, on Reddit, on different social platforms, they should distinguish whether they are saying that because it feels that way (opinion) or whether they have proof of it. Because presenting their opinion as fact could have dire consequences. It could falsely mislead people into believing a feeling is a fact.

Also, this person has cleverly decided to support their narrative by cherry-picking the song GONE (a link provided on their site) from all the other songs they performed. She wanted to show how Justin was front and center. However, see the videos I posted... Overall, the song GONE was just one of many featured on their live performances during the tours. They also sang songs written by JC. In the video clip the person provided, you will see Justin front and center because it was his song. The song GONE is not a Justin Timberlake song; it's an NSYNC SONG.

I don't like it when people are being disingenuous.

Okay, my opinion.

A lot of people who claim this narrative of the topic of this post will cite what Lance said in his book as supporting evidence. More on that a few paragraphs down. I don't think it's what they think it is.

The narrative/comments (mostly from JC stans) that the label had been paving the way for Justin DURING Celebrity cannot be substantiated, as far as I can see, with any concrete evidence. It seems to me that these views are being extrapolated by PERSONAL OPINIONS on what they are perceiving that only they see… and an irrational (very) dislike for Justin Timberlake.

What LANCE SAID.

Around the time of the Celebrity album, he realized, upon reflection, that everything seemed to favor Justin. The way they put him front and center in promotional material… in the videos, etc.

That might be true. Again, could it be because of what I mentioned previously about Justin being the more popular one so they needed him in the front? It's a bridge to far to insinuate a conspiracy was simultaneously going on behind the backs of the group members. And that is my entire point.

Lance Bass Out Of Sync - "I needed to know why it had become necessary to shut us down. Why couldn't Justin keep the franchise intact while he also did his own thing? As I thought about it, hard as it was for me to face it, the simple truth slowly became clear. Justin's time to become a solo star had arrived. Looking back at the band's last album and video, I could see now that everything seemed to naturally favor Justin. The record company executives had wanted him to sing all the solos and be in the middle of every shot. It became something of a joke among all of us, even him, that the rest of us were slowly being relegated to his backup singers. Sometimes, during photo shoots we'd kid around with the photographers and move Justin to the side while putting one of us in the middle; they would always quite "diplomatically" move us back in place. It reminded us of the No Doubt video for "Don't Speak", the one where Gwen Stefani is front and center in the video and the band members are all covered up in the back. We'd even begun to sing "Don't Speak" among ourselves as a way of making fun of what we thought at the time was just some goofy and harmless stuff. It had never occurred to us at the time that we were watching Justin begin to make his exit from the band."

"I felt completely betrayed. All of us had been strung along to believe that just beyond the horizon (or was it over the rainbow?) we were going to go back into the studio to make a new album, until someone finally had the guts to tell us it wasn't going to happen. It pissed me off that Justin's life got set up perfectly before he came back to the rest of us. And I felt that Johnny Wright, our manager, had a responsibility to let the four of us know what was happening (or really, what wasn't going to be happening) much sooner."

The INTENT "WAS" to go back into the studio to make a new album. Yes. They were all temporarily taking a break, branching out and doing separate things. Justin planned to go back to the group. He even said this in interviews. Obviously, at some point things changed, and the decision for Justin not to return was made. Were the group members entitled to have a rollercoaster of emotions (anger, resentment, etc) Of course.

Lance felt betrayed. He was pissed off that Justin's career was set up perfectly before the news broke that they were breaking up. Should they have told the rest of the group sooner? Yes, probably. But should we elaborate on what the word "sooner" meant? How many months before exactly was it that Management made the decision? When did Justin find out? What if it was only a short time before that the decision was made? Does anyone know for sure? And yet, Lance still isn't saying they were low-key orchestrating something. It's just that, at that point, when the guys were told Justin would be moving forward, while the guys were sort of stuck in limbo. Not knowing what their future holds. All of it suddenly came crashing down. Perhaps that's what Lance meant.

But the claims and never ending conflation of the Celebrity Album with Justin's solo career just keep getting repeated.

Facts about the song GONE:

"Gone" was initially written by Justin Timberlake and Wade Robson for Michael Jackson in 2001.[1] "Gone" peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 13, 2001. It also reached number fourteen on the Hip Hop/R&B Airplay charts, becoming the only pop boy band to chart there.[9] The single also hit number 27 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It also reached number 28 in Canada, number 24 in the UK, and number 43 in Sweden. "Gone" was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards,[17] but lost to "Without Me" by Eminem.[18] see Wikipedia for more info.

To say that he was conspiring in secret meetings with management for a long time behind the guys' backs is something people just don't know is true or not. So yes, some things people say are very rude and ridiculous. Anti-Justin people are focused on the impact Justin's decision would make on the group. And that is understandable because it would have a huge impact if the group broke up. In every aspect, but especially financially. But what about Justin? Is he not allowed to record an album? To make music that HE likes? To do something he's always wanted to do since he was a little kid? Saying that "Justin had to know... or Justin purposely" are not facts. People don't know what he was feeling. I just think that Justin following his dream doesn't make him a bad person. In fact, I think he is the opposite. A very good person.

A lot of my frustration is not with fans who are mad at Justin and blame him for the group's breakup. I don't see it that way. I, too was saddened when it was apparent Justin had fully gone solo. I was SAD... I was not MAD.

My frustration is with fans who are SYNC fans. Most of these fans are JC fans who have slandered Justin in a way that I don't feel he deserves. They have said horrible things about Justin. What gives them the right to go on every Pro Justin post on IG to talk shit and slam Justin at every turn? On Jessica Biel's posts??? Anytime Justin is mentioned here, they come slandering him. It's not right.

Yes, I think they are bitter.

Why would Justin do a reunion with these kinds of "fans"? And why, in the first place, would JT haters even want a reunion with Justin?

Just forget about him and follow your favs. And if they are N'Sync fans, they should be following Joey, Lance, and Chris. A lot of JT fans follow the entire group.

This is why I asked who was a JT fan when I first made the blog. I had a feeling Tumblr was just full of the JC fandom.

They will bring up the Janet and Britney thing. That's a whole other post I'm working on.

This is my corner of the internet where I can voice MY SIDE and my opinion. And I am just one person who is not going to change anyone's mind. Especially the fans who blame Justin for JC's potential future solo career, saying he sabotaged it.

I can ignore these people. But what saddens me is that this has created such a division in this fandom. As I said previously, the negativity has ruined it. Now it's "Justice for JC", Lance and Joey fans, and Chris fans. There are no more NSYNC FANS or an NSYNC fandom.

A shift in Hierarchy?

This person assumes that because JC is in the middle in the earlier albums, he is of a higher hierarchy.

JC being in the middle might not mean anything at all.

Likewise, Justin being in the middle of the No Strings Attached cover album does not mean they were setting up JT's solo career.

If Justin is the most popular one (and he was), then yes, Management will put him in the middle. Money, money, money like Just Got Paid.

I have a problem with how this person makes statements as if they are factual like:

"With the group's final album, Celebrity (2001) the label-ordered hierarchy was finalized." Where are they getting this from?

And if were true, would they have been mad if it was Joey, Lance, or Chris instead of Justin?

Why are they only concerned about JC? ("while JC Chasez the groups co-leader was framed as support pushed to the back and desaturated? Desaturated? 🤦‍♀️

What about Joey? He's in the back too? What if they had put Justin in the back with Joey and JC where Justin is?

Are we complaining when, during their performances, the cameras focused on JC more than they did on Chris, Joey, and Lance? Or is JC the only special one?

What about these album covers?

Is Chris supposed to be a higher hierarchy?

or, were they always treated more like a group?

Old photos. Hmmm okay. They are entitled to have an opinion of course. But when you look at the totality of what Justin and JC have said throughout the years, one can conclude that there is NO DOUBT that Justin and JC do indeed love each other.

Look at these images. Tell me there isn't love there.

Justin Timberlake Celebrates 'Brother' JC Chasez' Birthday with Throwback Photos: 'Come a Long Way'

Timberlake shared several photos from their *NSYNC days on his Instagram Story

Published on August 9, 2021 02:10PM EDT

"Happy birthday to my brother Timberlake, 40, wrote under a photo of the two hugging as Timberlake wore a white Nike hat and Chasez sported an olive green look. "We've come a long way."

"Case in point..." he added on a second slide, alongside two more silly photos of the duo.

It is astonishing just how much the haters hate.

During the Walk of Fame Ceremony, Justin gives a heartfelt speech telling his brothers how much they mean to him. And yet:

TOXIC TOXIC TOXIC. I cannot wrap my head around people like this who claim to be N'Sync fans. They are totally not N'Sync fans in my view.

I can't comment on the wedding invitation business until I find out what exactly happened. What I do know is that Lance confirmed he was not invited to Justin's wedding. There's a video on YouTube of him saying it. I have heard that Justin invited only JC and Chris. If true, here is another point that JC and Justin's friendship remains solid. If I had to guess, I would say that perhaps Joey and Lance weren't invited for a reason. Could it have been because of what Lance wrote in his book? Saying he was pissed off that Justin's life was all set up perfectly before they broke the news to the rest of the band?

Lance and Joey did not attend the premiere to Justins Justified album, but Chris and JC went. I would like to know the story behind that. Maybe Joey and Lance were busy; I don't know.

Quotes from JC Chasez:

Chasez is clearly prepared to ride out such annoyances as his favorite rapper Eminem's recent mockery of 'N Sync ("I don't care if he likes me or not; I think he's a talented guy"), by recalling the days of scrambling for whatever gig they could get ("We practiced 'The Star-Spangled Banner' just hoping to sing the anthem at a basketball game in Orlando - we thought we were so cool").  And he'll live with the badly bruised knee he's suffered after running his bike into an equipment case.  "You know, when your back is sore, when your knees are hurting, when you're walking around with a sprained ankle, there's always that minute backstage before the show.  You hug your best friend, saying, 'Let's go do it.'  Because we all hug before every show.  It may sound corny, but we're a family, and so whatever argument we've had that day is all squashed right there.  And there's an understanding that says, 'Okay, now it's time to do what we do best.'"  (Entertainment Weekly, May 2000)

They love each other.  "I've been quoted as saying that girls come second, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that," says J.C.  "I'm married to my best friends.  People say it's my work, but my work involves four of the closest people in my entire life."  (CosmoGirl, February 2002)

"I think the press thinks of us as a group, but it's more like a family to us. If someone wanted to do something outside, that'd be fine, but we'd always come back to this because we know each other and we're the best of friends."  (1999)

Do you worry about life after N Sync split up? "Not really, because I know we'll all still remain friends whatever we do, and even after the band, we'll continue to work together even when we are doing solo projects. Sorry, but you're not going to get rid of us that easily!"  (1999)

"He's just got that star quality," says JC about Justin. "He's like the sound. When people see Justin on stage, they think he's really cool."  (Teen People)

 "I don’t think anyone would like to be my girlfriend because of the attention level that you can’t give," JC says. "We’re married to our work, and it sucks for a girl to hear that she’s second. It’s a tough thing to say, but there’s no way around it. I love my four best friends, and there’s no way I’m gonna let them down."   (Rolling Stone, August 2001)

In a dressing room, as Joey trims his goatee, JC leans against the wall, watching him. "I was so bummed yesterday without you," JC says. "It was so eerie. Chris was like, ‘I don’t wanna [shoot the video].’ But we had to do it."  (Rolling Stone, August 2001)

As thrilled as the guys are about being uncles, what they really want to talk about is music. You'll have the new disc any day now, so we'll skip the flowery adjectives. Let's just say if any doubt remains as to whether these guys are the real deal, Celebrity will erase it. The band wrote the bulk of the CD's songs, which they describe as 'dirty pop', themselves and co-produced it. The growth is undeniable-some tracks are rough R&B, others are super smooth ballads, and the peppy lead single "Pop even finds the guys experimenting with the futuristic electronic beats. "I don't even think about what I've done," says Chasez, who along with Timberlake, shares most of the songwriting credits. "I'm proud of Justin-he's probably done the best stuff on the record." Spoken like a true brother.  (Seventeen, July 2001)

"These guys ('N SYNC) are my best friends, we get to experience everything together, and that's the best part of the job."

"We're best friends. That's something that no matter what anyone says about us, they can't take away from us. It's a chemistry we have - a bond. It's a genuine thing, and I think that's why people enjoy being around us."

"We had outside people submit lots of songs, but this time, we felt ours were stronger. I'm proud of Justin. He's probably done the best stuff on the record." (Life Story magazine, 2002)"

He's very, very athletic, and he's always dying to do things and have a good time. I also love his sincerity -- he's a really nice, genuine kind of person." (about Justin - Life Story magazine, 2002)

What would you do if *NSYNC comes to an end? "Oh, I try not to think about anything like that and always think positive. But should it happen, we would still have each other and would remain friends forever." (02/00)

This might not be the last of my rant posts about this topic. I have a lot to say.

MY opinion about the NSYNC breakup from Justin's point of view:

The narratives I read all seem to be focused on how the breakup affected the group, with zero mention of how Justin felt. What did this mean for Justin? What were Justin's desires, and why are those never relevant or mentioned? The focus seems to always be on the negative aspect of how the group was affected, with no mention of the positive side of Justin achieving his dreams and how happy he must have felt. What about his achievements and successes? Why can't we be happy for Justin? Why is Justin not allowed to plan his future? Yes, it could have been handled differently by the label, as Joey said on the doc BoyBand Confidential. Yes, the guys were deeply affected. But I don't feel that Justin Timberlake should bear the weight of having the power to shape the lives and future lives of the other members and how this would affect them financially. If you have a job, you do not reject a big promotion because of your coworkers and how terribly inconvenient this will make their jobs. In the case of NSYNC, yes, Justin going solo would have dire consequences because this was the sole income of the guys. One minute they are millionaires and the biggest boyband group in the world, and the next minute it is all gone. Devastating? yes. What I do not believe is that Justin was secretly plotting behind the group's back. Blame the label. "Tell us that" - Joey Fatone. Joey is right. In regard to JC's career: The industry is looking for the next artist who will make them money. They were right. They are in the business of making money and finding their next artist. It was always obvious, even from back in the Germany days, that Justin was the standout. JC could have made them as much money as Justin did. But the world had already decided that Justin would be the one. There isn't much I can say about that.

It also makes zero sense to me how Justin haters can be fans of NSYNC while hating Justin but also simultaneously wanting a reunion?

I adore JC. JC is arguably the best singer in the group. Even Justin concedes. Justin, imho, was the best performer. Justin deserves his flowers. He worked his ass off as much as the next guy and has been working nonstop since he was like 12 years old. The entire fandom has been ruined because of this JC/Justin debate. Completely ruined. And it's sad.

The one silver lining is what the guys feel. Never mind what the fans or social media say. It matters not that the entire fandom blames Justin for the group's breakup. All the guys rose above it all. The possible anger/disappointment and other feelings were eventually overcome and dealt with. The group has grown, and their brotherhood remains intact. The legacy of NSYNC remains intact.

Justin is receiving a well-deserved Michael Jackson Vanguard Award. He was the one who wanted the guys to come on. He acknowledged the guys in his speech and acknowledged all the awards they won as a group. Justin had to acknowledge that part of his success, or the fact that he even had a solo career, is ALL because he first started in NSYNC. And thank you, Chris! A huge celebratory moment in Justin's solo career is met with upset NSYNC FANS. I agree with the guy in this video (mostly), and the woman I find supremely annoying.

This might not be the last of my rant posts about this topic. I have a lot to say.

MY opinion about the NSYNC breakup from Justin's point of view:

The narratives I read all seem to be focused on how the breakup affected the group, with zero mention of how Justin felt. What did this mean for Justin? What were Justin's desires, and why are those never relevant or mentioned? The focus seems to always be on the negative aspect of how the group was affected, with no mention of the positive side of Justin achieving his dreams and how happy he must have felt. What about his achievements and successes? Why can't we be happy for Justin? Why is Justin not allowed to plan his future? Yes, it could have been handled differently by the label, as Joey said on the doc BoyBand Confidential. Yes, the guys were deeply affected. But I don't feel that Justin Timberlake should bear the weight of having the power to shape the lives and future lives of the other members and how this would affect them financially. If you have a job, you do not reject a big promotion because of your coworkers and how terribly inconvenient this will make their jobs. In the case of NSYNC, yes, Justin going solo would have dire consequences because this was the sole income of the guys. One minute they are millionaires and the biggest boyband group in the world, and the next minute it is all gone. Devastating? yes. What I do not believe is that Justin was secretly plotting behind the group's back. Blame the label. "Tell us that" - Joey Fatone. Joey is right. In regard to JC's career: The industry is looking for the next artist who will make them money. They were right. They are in the business of making money and finding their next artist. It was always obvious, even from back in the Germany days, that Justin was the standout. JC could have made them as much money as Justin did. But the world had already decided that Justin would be the one. There isn't much I can say about that.

It also makes zero sense to me how Justin haters can be fans of NSYNC while hating Justin but also simultaneously wanting a reunion?

I adore JC. JC is arguably the best singer in the group. Even Justin concedes. Justin, imho, was the best performer. Justin deserves his flowers. He worked his ass off as much as the next guy and has been working nonstop since he was like 12 years old. The entire fandom has been ruined because of this JC/Justin debate. Completely ruined. And it's sad.

The one silver lining is what the guys feel. Never mind what the fans or social media say. It matters not that the entire fandom blames Justin for the group's breakup. All the guys rose above it all. The possible anger/disappointment and other feelings were eventually overcome and dealt with. The group has grown, and their brotherhood remains intact. The legacy of NSYNC remains intact.

Justin is receiving a well-deserved Michael Jackson Vanguard Award. He was the one who wanted the guys to come on. He acknowledged the guys in his speech and acknowledged all the awards they won as a group. Justin had to acknowledge that part of his success, or the fact that he even had a solo career, is ALL because he first started in NSYNC. And thank you, Chris! A huge celebratory moment in Justin's solo career is met with upset NSYNC FANS. I agree with the guy in this video (mostly), and the woman I find supremely annoying.