Fans of the popular 1990s and early 2000s boy band NSYNC have been hoping for a reunion tour for years. The group consisting of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass was one of the biggest acts of their time, selling over 70 million records worldwide. Though they officially disbanded in 2002, rumors of the five members reuniting have persisted. So what’s the likelihood of an NSYNC reunion tour happening?
Why a Reunion Tour Is Likely
There are several reasons why music industry experts and fans believe an NSYNC reunion tour could actually happen:
They’ve Reunited Before
NSYNC did technically reunite for a brief performance together at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards when Justin Timberlake received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. All five members joined Timberlake on stage for a medley of his hit “Suit & Tie” and their classic “Bye Bye Bye.” This got fans excited about the possibility of a longer reunion.
Ongoing Support for Reunion
In a 2016 interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, all NSYNC members except Justin Timberlake said they were open to a reunion tour. JC Chasez said they’ve “been talking” and Joey Fatone said, “I would love to do it. I think the fans would love to see it.” The fan demand is clearly there.
Backstreet Boys Successfully Reunited
NSYNC’s biggest rival, the Backstreet Boys, reunited in 2019 for their biggest tour in 18 years. The DNA World Tour was a huge success, showing there is still an audience for 1990s boy bands. This could motivate NSYNC to mount their own comeback tour.
20th Anniversary of Final Album
2022 marked the 20th anniversary of NSYNC’s last album as a group, Celebrity. Band member milestones like this often boost interest in reunions. The guys could capitalize on the anniversary nostalgia with a tour.
Members HaveHints of a Possible Reunion
In recent interviews, NSYNC members have hinted that they’ve discussed reuniting. Lance Bass said the guys have “been talking” and Joey Fatone said he “wouldn’t rule anything out.” So it seems the members are open to considering tour plans.
Why a Reunion Tour Is Unlikely
On the other hand, there are also a few barriers that make an NSYNC reunion tour unlikely to actually happen:
Justin Timberlake’s Solo Career
The main obstacle is that Justin Timberlake has an incredibly successful solo career that keeps him fully occupied. He’s released five hit solo albums and consistently sells out huge arena tours. It seems unlikely he would take time off his own career right now.
Logistical Challenges
Arranging a tour with five busy members’ schedules would be logistically difficult. Besides Timberlake’s packed schedule, Joey Fatone has his hosting gigs, Lance Bass is working on projects like his SiriusXM radio show, and JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick have families.
No New Music
Typically a reunion tour coincides with new singles or an album release, but NSYNC hasn’t released any new original music since their 2002 album Celebrity. It may be difficult to sustain momentum for a tour without fresh music.
Little Recent Activity as a Group
Unlike other groups who have reunited like the Spice Girls, New Kids on the Block, or Backstreet Boys, NSYNC hasn’t done much together recently. The lack of any group activity in nearly two decades could make it tough to align for a tour.
Solo Tension
There were rumors years ago about some tension between Justin Timberlake and the rest of the group over his decision to pursue a solo career. While unconfirmed, any lingering issues could cause problems for reunion tour plans.
What the Guys Have Said About Reuniting
Here’s a rundown of recent comments from each NSYNC member about the possibility of reuniting for a tour or performance:
Member | Recent Quote About Reunion |
---|---|
Justin Timberlake | “We did have a plan to do a reunion tour, but obviously that didn’t happen…” (2013) |
JC Chasez | “We’ve been talking about it…It just comes down to coordinating time and schedules.” (2016) |
Lance Bass | “We have been talking about it, I think the fans would love it.” (2016) |
Joey Fatone | “I wouldn’t rule anything out…If the opportunity comes up, I’m sure we’ll have a conversation.” (2022) |
Chris Kirkpatrick | “We did talk about doing possibly a residency in Vegas.” (2022) |
Based on these quotes, the guys do seem open to some kind of reunion but admit it’s not something currently in the works. The door isn’t closed completely though.
What an NSYNC Reunion Setlist Could Look Like
If NSYNC were to tour again, fans would obviously hope to hear a packed setlist of the group’s hits and fan favorites. Here’s a guess at what a potential NSYNC reunion tour setlist could look like:
Song | Album |
---|---|
Bye Bye Bye | No Strings Attached |
Tearin’ Up My Heart | NSYNC |
It’s Gonna Be Me | No Strings Attached |
I Want You Back | No Strings Attached |
This I Promise You | No Strings Attached |
Pop | Celebrity |
Gone | Celebrity |
Girlfriend | NSYNC |
I’ll Never Stop | NSYNC |
Dirty Pop | Celebrity |
Of course they would likely change up the setlist for different tour stops, incorporate solo hits, surprises, and off-the- beaten path tracks. But this gives an idea of the NSYNC classics and hits fans would hope to sing along to.
How Much Could an NSYNC Reunion Tour Gross?
Backstreet Boys’ 2019 DNA World Tour sold over 700,000 tickets and grossed over $66 million according to Billboard Boxscore. This proves there is still huge demand to see reunited boy bands from the 90s and 2000s in concert.
NSYNC was arguably just as popular in their heyday as Backstreet Boys. Their last tour, 2001’s PopOdyssey Tour, grossed over $90 million from 80 dates according to Pollstar. Adjusted for today’s ticket prices, an NSYNC reunion tour could likely gross well over $100 million if it was a global tour with multiple legs.
Highest Grossing Reunion Tours
Here’s a look at some of the highest grossing reunion tours of all time, according to Pollstar estimates:
Reunion Tour | Gross | Year |
---|---|---|
The Police | $362 million | 2007-2008 |
Fleetwood Mac | $96 million | 2014-2015 |
Led Zeppelin | $89 million (1 show) | 2007 |
Eagles | $86 million | 1994 |
Dead & Company | $56 million | 2021 |
Based on these numbers, there’s clearly massive profit potential if NSYNC is able to get a reunion off the ground.
Conclusion
While NSYNC reunited briefly at the 2013 VMAs, they haven’t toured together for over 20 years. A reunion tour remains speculative. But there seems to be genuine interest from members like JC Chasez, Lance Bass, and Joey Fatone, the fan demand is certainly there, and the success of the Backstreet Boys reunion proves boy bands can still draw big crowds and profits.
Justin Timberlake’s packed solo schedule casts doubt on his availability though. Getting five busy schedules to align may simply be too difficult logistically. But if the stars align and the guys can pull off even a limited run of reunion shows, the tour has major blockbuster potential to be one of the biggest of 2023.
For now, fans will keep watching hopefully for any hint of an announcement. But like their hit song goes – “it’s gonna be May” before any firm reunion tour plans materialize. NSYNC fans may just have to “bye bye bye” to the reunion dream for a while longer.
Fun Facts About NSYNC
* NSYNC has sold over 70 million records worldwide, making them the 8th best selling boy band of all time. Their 2000 album No Strings Attached sold over 15 million copies, making it one of the best selling albums of the 2000s decade.
* The group’s name came from Justin Timberlake’s mother. The last letter was capitalized because another group had the name ‘NSYNC.
* Before joining NSYNC, JC Chasez was a cast member on the Mickey Mouse Club with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling and Justin Timberlake.
* Lance Bass was the first member of NSYNC to go to space when he joined a Soyuz mission to the International Space Station in 2002.
* On their 2001 PopOdyssey tour, the band made touring history by being the first act to sell out all 50,000+ seats in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
* NSYNC’s 2000 No Strings Attached Tour sold out every single date, with an average concert gross of $507,021.
* The music video for “Bye Bye Bye” famously features the band members dancing in front of giant marionettes of themselves. It won three MTV Video Music Awards.
* In 2020, the members of NSYNC reunited on Zoom at JC Chasez’s request to discuss ideas for celebrations of their debut album’s 20th anniversary.
* Joey Fatone competed on season 4 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing second. Lance Bass competed on season 7, finishing in third place.
* In Rolling Stone readers polls, NSYNC has been voted both the Best Boy Band of the 1990s and the Best Boy Band of All Time.