NSYNC (/ɛnˈsɪŋk, ɪn-/ en-SINK, in-; also stylized as *NSYNC or 'N Sync) was an American vocal group and pop boy band formed by Chris Kirkpatrick in Orlando, Florida, in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich. The group consisted of Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Justin Timberlake, and Jason Galasso who soon left and was replaced by Lance Bass. Their debut album NSYNC was successfully released to European countries in 1997 and later entered the American market with the single "I Want You Back".
After heavily publicized legal battles with their former manager Lou Pearlman and former record label Bertelsmann Music Group, the group's third album, No Strings Attached (2000), sold over 1 million copies in one day and 2.4 million copies in one week in the US, which was a record for over fifteen years. Celebrity (2001) debuted with 1.8 million copies in its first week in the US. Singles such as "Girlfriend", "Pop", "Bye Bye Bye", "Tearin' Up My Heart", and "It's Gonna Be Me" reached the Top 10 in several international charts, with the last hitting number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2002. Over the course of their hiatus, the five members reunited occasionally, including for a one-off performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, for an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2018, and to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018. They reunited as a four piece without Timberlake to perform with Ariana Grande at Coachella in 2019. The group briefly reunited in 2023 to release the song "Better Place" for the DreamWorks animated film Trolls Band Together (which stars Timberlake) and performed at the premiere, and at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. While working on "Better Place", NSYNC also recorded a track titled "Paradise" for Timberlake's sixth solo album, Everything I Thought It Was (2024). In 2024, the group made a special one-off appearance at Timberlake's ONO concert in Los Angeles.
The band completed five nationwide concert tours and has sold over 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. Rolling Stone recognized their instant success as one of the Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments of all time. In addition to nine Grammy Award nominations, NSYNC performed at the Super Bowl and sang the national anthem at the Olympic Games and World Series. They have also sung or recorded with Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Michael and Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Phil Collins, Celine Dion, Aerosmith, Nelly, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Mary J. Blige, Alabama, and Gloria Estefan.
Last Updated: March 22, 2026
