No Strings Attached: Did it Broke the Band?

It’s been 25 years since NSYNC broke the music industry with their sophomore album with No Strings Attached. The album was (and still is) the fastest selling album for any group. The first album that broke the 2 million sales mark in the first week. However, despite this album’s success, many sited this being the album that broke the band. Don’t know how much of that is true, but today we are going to go through this entire era of No String Attached.

No Strings Attached: Did it Broke the Band?

Who is *NSYNC

Before we could talk about the album, we have to talk about the group’s establishments. Let’s start off with Chris Kirkpatrick. In the early 90s, Chris got a job at Universal Studios. He was singing a various acapella groups in the park. One of his co-workers was named Howie Dorough. He got approached to join a group Lou Pearlman was building. That group would be known as the Backstreet Boys. Chris was approached to join Backstreet, but did not except for one reason or another. Backstreet Boys early days was spent outside of America. But back home, Lou Pearlman decided to quietly develop another band. He saw Chris Kirkpatrick perform acapella at Universal and felt like he could be a piece of what Lou was creating.

Chris was tasked to bring in members for this new band. The first member he recruited was Justin Randle Timberlake from Disney’s the Mickey Mouse Club. His mother sent in a tape for Lou and Justin joined. Next member was his fellow Mouseketeer in Joshua Chasez (or JC for short). Chris noticed that both JC and Justin where trained and ready for anything and thanks to their experience, the group development could go a little faster. Next, they needed two lower harmonies to balance the group. The recruited Joey Fatone. Like Chris, Joey worked at Universal and already knew Chris. Also, he was friends with JC so there was already cohesion there. Finally, the needed a bass to round up their sound, so Joey recruited a friend from school named Jason Watkins. Jason was perfect with their sound. Then the training phase, Jason was not a good dancer and never desired to be a teen idol. So, he quit. The group was scrambling to find a fifth and final member. Justin called his vocal coach back home and he told him that he was working with a client from Mississippi named Lance Bass and felt like he could be a fit. Lance came in and joined.

The band did a showcase at Pleasure Island in hopes any label would sign them but all-American labels rejected them. A German label named BMG have kept ties with Lou Pearlman since BSB had become popular in the country. They asked Lou keep the phone lines open if you got more of those groups. Lou had one of those groups and BMG signed NSYNC. However, they initially didn’t want Lance apart of the group as he wasn’t on the level of the other members. But after some convincing, BMG gave Lance a chance and NSYNC was on board.

Initial Success

In 1997, NSYNC released their self-titled album in Europe. The album was very successful thanks to singles I Want You Back, Tearin’ Up My Heart & Here We Go. They went on a promo blitz throughout the continent. They were working like underpaid slaves, working 3 months straight without a break. A new act could not afford to take the slightest of breaks. By the time, the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys were taking off in America, NSYNC were ready to go home. RCA took noticed in one of their international shows and decided to sign them to their label.

When they arrived home, they thought they were a huge band but in reality, no one even noticed. They have to re-record some of the songs while adding some new songs. They released the American version of the album. The album was off to a very slow start and needed a boost. Disney came in to save the day. They were holding a Disney Channel concert special and was originally was going to have BSB on. However, the band had a lot going on with Brian’s open-heart surgery, Howie losing his sister and the band overall being burnt out due to their rapid success. Disney scrambled and asked NSYNC to do the show and they agreed, pretty much last minute. Once the concert promo took place and the album started to grow and once the concert (and reruns) aired it skyrocketed the band’s success. An album that debuted at 82 reached a peak to 2 near year’s end and eventually given a diamond certification.

The band opened up for Janet Jackson on her Velvet Rope Tour before going on their own American Tour. Also, during this time, they were part of a rivalry with the Backstreet Boys. Both bands were created by Lou, whenever BSB said no to events NSYNC said yes (basically a sloppy second). Lou also created other bands because the more the merrier. Basically, the rivalry came to this: Lou created NSYNC as a secret to fabricate a boyband war. Mostly to play into the stan game that you see with fans today. NSYNC was the more colorful while SB was more serious and mature with their image. But in all honesty, they personally never had beef and considered the rivalry more friendly competition.

Legal Woes

By the end of 1998, NSYNC was the biggest band at that point. However, they have not received the trappings of their success to that point. One day at Lawry’s Prime Rib, Lou held a check presentation for the band. Thanks to album sales & merchandise they thought each member could receive a million, 6 figures at most. Each member only received $10,000. Not a bad amount but when you factor in those massive album sales, merchandise, shows, tv, etc. they should’ve saw way more than they received. They got with lawyers to breakdown the contract they initially signed with Lou. Turned out they signed a 6^th member clause which is whatever the band makes in anything, instead of paying a manager he’ll just get 1/6 of everything the band makes. Say the band made $600,000 on a show, instead of getting $120,000 each member would get $100,000 a piece because of the 1/6 clause. But Lou is getting paid with other factors in the band’s finances. Taking that same $100,000 the member made, they had other debts with Lou let’s just take away $50,000 from each member which means each member would make $50,000 and Lou would make $350,000. This was just a hypothetical example on how it felt to NSYNC.

The band tried to renegotiate their deal but when that ended in failure, they went with plan B and filed a lawsuit. In the midst of NSYNC recording their second album, they started to look for other labels to sign. Jive, which already had BSB and Britney Spears, took a major stance and wanted NSYNC to join their roster. But RCA/BMG/Lou blocked it and countersued for $150 million for breach of contract, and preventing them to perform under the name NSYNC. This could’ve been the end of NSYNC. Judge ruled that thanks to his daughter having a poster of NSYNC in her bedroom, he ruled in favor of NSYNC keeping their name. They also reach other outside settlements that allowed NSYNC to break with Lou and join Jive.

Rollout

While in London, NSYNC was trying to come up with names for their next album and Chris said something like “They are no strings on me” to celebrate the band breaking from their previous situation. And that’s how No Strings Attached became its name. Producing for this album included Babyface, Kevin Briggs, Richard Marx, Max Martin, Kristin Ludin, Kandi Burress from Xscape and JC & Justin himself wrote and produce for the album as well.

In January 2000, NSYNC released their lead of single “Bye, Bye, Bye”. The song highlights the desire to end a relationship with their girl although when the song came out, there were illusions that it was about Lou Pearlman and their legal situation. The video starts of with the boys being posed as puppets with model Kim Smith playing puppet master. She would cut strings on each member placing them in tough scenarios. Chris & Joey have to elude her from a speeding train, Justin eluding her and her viscous trained dogs, and JC & Lance eluding her in a high-speed car chase. In between these scenarios, the band do their choreography on a rotating blue gimbal. The video was praised as one of the best of the decade and was placed on heavy rotation on TRL. The song itself reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On March 21, 2000 No Strings Attached was released. On the first day it sold 1.1 million copies. It would eventually sell 2.4 million first week, which is the highest for any group and 3^rd highest overall behind Taylor Swift’s TTPD & Adele 25. In May 2000, NSYNC released their second single It’s Gonna Be Me. The song is about a man trying to persuade a woman to start a new relationship together as she recovers from a previous breakup. This song also had an iconic video, with the boys being portrayed as dolls, trying to be bought by Kim Smith (the same lady from Bye 3x) but they run into army dolls & Barbies. In the end, Kim is able to purchase the dolls and when they are scanned for approval, they change to life-size. The video also features the band wearing black clothing while doing their choreography routine. It’s Gonna Be Me was also a TRL regular and in the summer of 2000, It’s Gonna Be Me reached to #1, for two weeks.

The third single was This I Promise You. The song was written by Richard Marx as the song highlight love and devotion and promise that I’ll be there for you no matter what. The video features the band singing in the San Francisco Redwood Forest sporting turtle necks. This I Promise You went to #9 on the Hot 100.

Album Review

Album review portion of the video but will exclude Bye, Bye, Bye , It’s Gonna Be Me & This I Promise You. Also, only focusing on the American US version.

1.       Bye, Bye, Bye:

2.       It’s Gonna Be Me:

3.       Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay) (featuring Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes): After the two lead-off singles this is where we begin this segment. This song was a concept, with JC highlighting everyone’s paranoia because no one knew what was going to happen once January 1, 2000 came. And Justin emphasizing not worry and feel paranoid and having said feeling is not the way to live. You can’t live in fear. And the song features TLC member Left-Eye as she emphasizes not to live in fear because the future is bright.

4.       Just Got Paid: Is a cover song originally sung by Johnny Kemp and produced by Teddy Riley. It’s a classic and was one of the songs that pioneered Teddy Riley’s New Jack Swing sound. This version was performed at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards and the difference between NSYNC’s version and Teddy’s version was that NSYNC added a rap verse performed by Chris & Justin, doesn’t really add nor takeaway from the song. But in the end, it briefly highlight that there partying ways would leave them broke.

5.       It Makes Me Ill: This is the song produced a written by Shakesphere Briggs and Xscape member Kandi Burress. The pre-chorus is where the content of this song comes from, apparently it’s a break up song and it look liked she moved on, but the boys want them back and is jealous of her new partner. It makes them ill to see them with someone new. This song does have some legacy as Ariana Grande interpolates the song on her song “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored”

6.       This I Promise You:

7.       No Strings Attached: Title track of the album. This song is urging this girl to give love one more try, despite her hesitance.

8.       Digital Get Down: This is another concept song where band take use of a fairly new technology called autotune. This song falls in the territory of Email My Heart on aging weirdly with the technology as it has references to cyber intercourse. The song uses funky techno beats to seduce a girl “20,000 miles away” to “get down” using video chatting tech. Subliminal talking about cybersex.

9.       Bringin da Noise: It’s a party song that doesn’t really connect. The chorus is doing the heavy lifting and despite decent JC verses, this one is the dud.

10.   That’s When I’ll Stop Loving You: This isn’t related to the video but I am reminded of the NKOTB song from their Face the Music album. The song was called “I’ll Still Be Loving You” with Joey McIntyre and the chorus said “Till the forever come and go, til the mountains tumble down, til the stars fall off the sky, I’ll still be loving you”. I mention this because this song follows the same format except they’ll stop loving you if those things happen. This song is written by Diane Warren ands under the late 90s ballad she was known for at the time.

11.   I’ll Be Good For You: Justin Timberlake get’s a writing credit and he goes full R&B on this song. And the song isn’t more than a love song and how they’ll be good to you

12.   I Thought She Knew: Is an acapella closing track. While NSYNC prides itself in choreography they really pride themselves in five-part harmonies. The song is about how not saying the quiet part loud (being not confessing their feelings to their partner).

Exhausting the Band

No Strings Attached was highly successful selling over 12 million in the United States, once again giving it a diamond certification. They went on tour during the summer with a mixture of stadiums and arenas. Some of the opening acts include Pink, Sisqo, Boyz N Girls United, Innosense, Bow Wow, Baha Men, Dream, among various others. About 50 shows were ordered for the summer, but after its massive success another 30 shows were ordered. A date at MSG was filmed and used as a concert special. In 2001 the co-headlined the Super Bowl Halftime with rock band Aerosmith. At the 2001 Grammys, they had three nominations which included Record of the Year for Bye 3x.

Two incidents during the tour did receive some cause of concern. First in Atlanta, where a Tennessee teenager threaten to massacre the band. The plan was thwarted as his mother discovered the plot on his journal. She alerted the authorities and the young man was sent to juvie. Then on the 4^th of July at the Greensboro Coliseum, NSYNC got onstage late as a bomb threat was placed in the arena. After the threat was condensed, the show went on. In 2001, NSYNC released their third album Celebrity. The album sold 1.9 million first week, which was second at the time and only went five-time platinum as the boy band phase was running out. They went on two separate tours to promote called The Pop Odyssey Tour and the Celebrity Tour. After this tour, NSYNC went on what was supposed to be a temporary hiatus. Key word temporary as it was only planned for about a year or two but time waits for no man and in this case Justin.

He quickly released Justified in late 2002. The album was multiplatinum success and he went on tour with Christina Aguilera. Fast forward to 2004, the band was ready to get back together and record. But by this time, Justin became a huge megastar for better and for worse and announced he wasn’t interested in recording any new music with the band. 2004 was signified as the true breakup year for NSYNC. According to Lance, he had this to say “He didn’t think any of us was operating in the best interest of the band. I asked him what he meant by that, and he said, ‘Well, you know, when y’all did your movie,’ meaning Joey (Fatone) and me (and their 2001 film On The Line) … I couldn’t believe it. That sounded like the lamest excuse imaginable. Joey and I looked at each other in amazement… According to Justin the whole reason for the break-up of ‘N Sync was everyone else’s fault? That was crazy! All of us had done nothing but wait around for him to feel he was ready to start work on a new ‘N Sync album… And hadn’t Justin made a movie (2000’s Model Behavior) the year before we did ours? … I felt completely betrayed… It pi**ed me off that Justin’s life got set up perfectly before he came back to the rest of us… Justin’s time to become a solo star had arrived.” The band waited for two years and now realized they where on their own.

Life After NSYNC

Chris Kirkpatrick mostly got involved in television. He became the voice of Chip Skylark on the Fairly OddParents. He appeared on the show Mission Man Band, Celebrity Big Brother, Gone Country to name a few. He even started an alternative rock band in 2004, but broke up to Chris starting to manage other bands and artists. He did the masked singer season 8 as hummingbird. Joey Fatone got involved in acting as he starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. He also got involved in Broadway with Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, and most recently & Juliet. He did Dancing with the Stars three times, he was runner-up in season 4, got eliminated second in season 15, and made a cameo in season 27. He participated in the Masked Singer season 1 as rabbit tying fourth place. Lance Bass tried to get into space but failed. In 2006, Lance came out via People’s Magazine and is viewed as an LGBQT icon. The next year he released a book called Out of Sync. He also did Dancing with the Stars season 8 coming in third. He’s married to his husband and they have twins via a surrogate. JC Chasez released a solo album in 2004. His promotion was jeopardized thanks to Justin’s Super Bowl incident. He was slated to perform halftime at the Pro Bowl but was pulled after NFL found out about the song “Some Girls Dance with Woman”. He tried to release another album but that was scrapped and settled with a career in songwriting and production. And for Justin Timberlake, he’s accomplished so many things for better and worse, this video would not do it justice.

Final Thoughts

Time for a verdict did No Strings Attached contributed to the breakup of NSYNC? Let me say this the boys were feeling some kind of burnout from the Lou Pearlman case and when they released No Strings Attached, none of the band members thought it was going to be bigger than they thought. But because the album was massive, they had to promote by making every tv appearance they can get, go on a tour (fortunate that they didn’t go overseas). After that era ended, they quickly jumped into the next to feed off the momentum of NSA. Three years of touring, recording, promo nonstop that’ll burn out the band.

My verdict NSA did NOT break up NSYNC. I believe overall exhaustion caused the band’s demise. That’s just my take on what ended NSYNC, tell me what you think caused the breakup of NSYNC. 

Best Songs: basically, the singles & the title track

Worst Songs: Bringin’ Da Noise 

8/10

SOURCES

https://warm1069.com/lance-bass-says-nsync-was-scared-to-release-no-strings-attached/

https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/how-did-nsync-meet-44075855

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/n-syncs-would-be-assassins-plot-foiled-181081/

NSYNC’s Driven Video