POP 101: A Guide to *NSYNC (Part 1) - The Self-Titled Era

[00:00:00] And think it got the flow! He legit had snow town. He legit, instead of Motown, he made snow town. Just developing white boys. And then we did that in Florida. Viewer discretion is advised. Your fave will be criticized. That's Jan. That's Chris.

[00:00:17] And welcome to CCTV The Nonstop Pop Show. It's a day we're heading to POP 101 class and learning about the legendary boy group in C. Oh no. Okay, looking for an awesome global pop music podcast? Well, Shed and I have the inside scoop with extensive experience performing on stage

[00:00:38] and working at record labels. We review and deep dive into your favorite artists' songs and careers analyzing all the creative and business decisions along the way. So you can join us on Patreon at patreon.com slash cctvpops and become a part of our amazing crew

[00:00:53] which includes Lily, Lisette, Emily and Juliet. Subscribe now and let's explore the world of pop music together. Yeah, that's right. Okay, so I'm totally in it. So I'm totally in the 90s back right now if you guys could not tell because we're talking about NSYNC.

[00:01:10] I'm super excited. Chris is just giving me a laughing and then looks. It's great. I love it. But yes, we're here to talk about NSYNC and if you're new here, POP 101 is where we go and deep dive about all the good stuff

[00:01:21] about your favorite groups, our favorite groups. We talk about the business side, the music side and you know, all that good stuff. So yeah, I'm excited to talk about them today. It's been fun researching, you know, for this. I've had so much fun researching

[00:01:34] and I'm pretty sure my obsession has only grown. Maybe? Yeah. Oh, got it. Yeah, because they were so good. I'm really excited to talk about everything because definitely I'm a huge fan but my sister was really the big, big fan in my household.

[00:01:47] And so I remember her going to the mall to meet them and I remember hearing, I remember, I think I was there at the mall performance too for that first album and she went to see some of the tours and stuff but like I was really young

[00:01:57] and like I didn't fully appreciate it, you know, until a bit later on, kind of towards more of the end of their career. But yeah, as I've gotten older though, I constantly go back to them. Yeah, it's easy to do so. Their music is great.

[00:02:12] They were so good. Definitely one of the best boy bands of all time. Hand style. They're super solid, super solid. I mean, you have a little bit more experience in terms of like the UK groups, the US groups. So you saying that actually, it means a lot y'all,

[00:02:25] it means a lot to me. I was like, that's really insane, that's really insane. And as I got older, I'm like, oh, that wasn't one of those two groups? Okay, you know, do the research. Oh, that's O-Town. Oh, that's Westlip. Oh, that's five.

[00:02:38] So it's been kind of fun kind of going, you know, back into their discography and such. I will say that I like them as a kid, I think. Question mark, exclamation, I don't know. But because I was like a single digit age when they were like popping.

[00:02:51] Yeah, same. So I was just like, okay. I only knew singles and that Justin was Mr. Spears for a little while. So I was just kind of like, okay, Hugh Curley here. I was like, oh my God, he's so cute. I think what really was locked it in

[00:03:05] was during lockdown, we were watching their No Strings concert and I saw JC pop that butt and I was like, no one pops it like, JC Chansay, that just since then. I was like, hey, I think I need to like rework my interest because then I heard

[00:03:18] like all the harmonies and you were like, yeah, that's Lance. I'm like, wait, I didn't realize Lance was actually singing because we know offensive a lot of groups now. Well, we kind of got used to people not actually singing and they were.

[00:03:29] So hey, I'm happy that they're, you know, they have so much footage of what not on YouTube so we can actually watch this. And I'm super happy as like a group they have and like slowly their legacy with like a mid album

[00:03:40] just because so it's nice to be able to listen to everything and be like, Dan knows. Yes. So I'm really excited because we're going to talk about their whole career starting from the very beginning. Yeah. Back in the 90s. So let's do this class is in session.

[00:03:56] In 1995, NSYNC began with an unlikely first member, Chris Kirkpatrick who crossed path with Lou Perlman. I'm going to call him who Perlman for the rest of the episode, the founder of Backstreet Boys and CEO of Transcontinental Records and Chris who was friends with Howie from Backstreet Boys

[00:04:18] was sad that he didn't get to be in that group and Paul Perlman was financially up for backing another boy group. So Chris began to find other members. He went on the hunt to find other young vocalists to form this group and he reached out

[00:04:32] to 19 different talent agents and one responded and gave Chris a Manila envelope containing a cassette tape for a young talented teenager named Justin Timberlake. Once Chris and Justin connected, Justin recommended his friend and former castmate from the Mickey Mouse Club, JC Chazae for the group

[00:04:50] and the three served as core members later recruiting Joey Fatone, Chris's old colleague for when they worked at Universal and also JC's mutual friend. And Lance Bass was the final member to join the group after original recruit Jason Galasso dropped out of the group due to creative differences.

[00:05:07] Lance was suggested by his vocal coach who also worked with Justin. And just to note, Jason actually has done interviews and stuff since then and he said he just like did not get along with the other four at all. So it didn't work out for him

[00:05:22] but he did leave his mark on the group's legacy because the band's name in sync, which Justin's mom had actually come up with, is spelled using the last initial of each member's first name. And so one of the ends is for Jason

[00:05:37] and there is no E for Lance. So Jason's name will forever be immortalized as part of the in sync name even though he is not on any of the songs. You know I heard that they started like nicknaming Lance Lansen just to make the end work.

[00:05:51] Oh it's like come on, like come on. Brilliant. Love that for them. Oh god. Gotta stretch it where you can. We're not changing the name dude, we haven't explained you. Like it's just like. Oh man, yes I do love their origin story

[00:06:08] because it has so many layers to it. All these little interconnections between all the members is nice to see. Like it wasn't just a bunch of blind auditions which was kind of nice. It was relatively organic right? And of course you do have Pooh, Pearlman.

[00:06:22] I'll try to also remember to call him Pooh, Pearlman from now on as well but the L might slip in there. But he had already seen some success with the Bashy Boys and he was already understanding that there was room for more in this market.

[00:06:35] And so at the end of the day he was a smart business man. He did make some stupid decisions eventually or later on but it's fine. We have him to thank for putting these boy groups together at least. And you know I think it's really great

[00:06:52] that they kind of had a lot of time before they actually released anything because the bond was really solidified. And even to this day that bond is still there. So that chemistry kind of being formed so early on is really awesome.

[00:07:07] Yeah I think all that time together definitely helps you kind of see and sift through a lot of who wants to be here who doesn't and develop relationships because if you're in a working with people and suddenly you're on tour with them

[00:07:19] and you only know each other for like however long it took you to develop the album and you're like oh I really hate this person you're stuck with them. You know so offensively it's a strong word but we see we've both been in groups of some sorts

[00:07:32] and they're like wow this is just not gonna work. We are you know watching old footage of them has been such a treat right? Like thank goodness to all the fans who have been collecting and finding and uploading because it's been such a treat to be able

[00:07:46] to retroactively get to know these guys. You know we can kind of figure it out with some like in like in sync concert footage but it's nice to see like their actual footage from like at the compound and stuff like that

[00:07:57] you can get to understand their dynamic a lot more and it makes them feel less factory made as opposed to like just a diamond in a rough being developed. So yeah I think as a group even with all their their experiences coming together

[00:08:10] like a do-op group come on like he's already built to be singing in a harmony he knows what it's like to be in a group. JC, JT in the whole Mickey Mouse Club they understand that they was taking an R&B song

[00:08:24] so everyone was ready for it but just needed opportunities and this was that so kudos to them for like getting that opportunity especially in Florida of all places. I know a lot of groups have now come from Florida which is very interesting.

[00:08:36] It was Hollywood back then, it was like Hollywood back then you know. All right so from there Mr. Pooh Perlman set the five boys up in a house in Orlando Florida where they trained and tightened up their sound and dance moves

[00:08:50] working their way up to their first public performance at Pleasure Island in October 1995. Yes and Perlman kept the project with the boys under wraps referring them as B5 on official documents and expense reports. He believed that the Backstreet Boys who he was also managing would be upset

[00:09:08] if they caught wind that he was essentially developing the Pepsi to their Coke. And wanting to duplicate Backstreet Boys' successful formula Pooh hired Backstreet Boys manager Johnny Wright to help manage NSYNC as well and Johnny's awesome. Like I don't know how much research or how well known

[00:09:30] his name is nowadays but he has managed the greats. With the boy groups there's also new kids that he was involved with. He worked with Janet for a little bit like he is an amazing manager and I also listen to a lot of interviews with him

[00:09:46] and he really knows what he's doing so they were very lucky to have him for sure. And in order to set the groups apart NSYNC were given the boys next door image dancing and singing with jerseys and clothing inspired by hip hop. Well Backstreet Boys were styled

[00:10:04] in more talker mature fashions like the long matrix jackets focusing a tad bit more on vocal performance and I have to say that's very true I kind of noticed that I was like what's the difference someone was asking me and I was like whoa

[00:10:17] some of them got these moves like they came ready to do like a Lakers game and some of them sort of sing like Boys to Men so yeah did you notice that? Definitely I mean it's interesting Obviously what you've just been saying

[00:10:29] we've gone down the YouTube hole right so NSYNC did also do a lot of cappella stuff and they were also influenced by kind of the Boys to Men esque idea but they were much more talented dancers as a whole I think Lance is the only one

[00:10:43] who's not like a proper dancer Right right totally And so even from the very beginning their dancing was on a whole other level than the Backstreet Boys Yeah absolutely And even if you compare the first videos between the two groups

[00:10:58] and we'll get to I want you back shortly but NSYNC looked very young even though Backstreet Boys had a few members that were also very very young they were styled at least a little more maturely but NSYNC they looked young They were like babies almost

[00:11:15] I mean Chris was the eldest he was like 24, 23 at the time 25, he was in that mid 20s range that's prime age to be sitting there singing and dancing kicking and you know so it's impressive and them having set positions in the group as who you are

[00:11:33] what you're singing, what you're looking like it's again it's one of those things that you're seeing K-pop now and I'm probably going to refer to K-pop quite a lot in this episode shamelessly so but yeah it's one of those things where it's like JT's the cute baby

[00:11:49] JC, Justin Timberlake is the cute baby JC was like the serious one who loves music Chris is like the crazy one Jay Potone was the flirtatious Italian guy and then you had Lance, the Southern gentleman you know so you all had a personality and made it feel like

[00:12:05] oh my gosh little boyfriends in each one of them it helps to kind of have the fans pick their favorite or at least have someone to latch on to so that they are interested in the group and it's good to have that

[00:12:17] and I can totally see why they kind of had Justin as the center like as the main kind of like oh yeah look at this kid he's adorable he was so cute he's like the Latin and blonde and the blue eyes

[00:12:29] and you have Jay C who was like you know like the he looked like a complete jock from like those 90s sitcoms that you had to crush on like they were all very much like boy next door for sure and just vocally speaking

[00:12:41] they were solid too at that age yeah well even before we get to the vocals it's interesting you mentioned kind of these characters these quote unquote characters that you mentioned because from listening to further interviews that was actually brought on a few years later

[00:12:53] so that was actually inspired by the Spice Girls so because of the Spice Girls getting so big and having their characters every group around at the time also were forced to have their own characters so actually I think it was an interview with Chris where he actually

[00:13:09] said he hated being known as a craze like he hated that they had these characters cause it felt fake so it's interesting though cause I totally see it from your angle where it makes sense as a marketing tactic for sure

[00:13:21] I saw that though like I legit saw that before but it wasn't so defined right that's crazy wow okay that makes sense though but I'm just saying like I saw that kind of like their personalities just kind of in the videos you would watch them

[00:13:37] and just like okay there's that personality there that's the one that's the I mean you know if it's to Chris but his hair was like in this little bob and the headband he's just quirky you gotta say that so yeah I guess vocally it is interesting

[00:13:51] like you know Backstreet Boys also had kind of the same influences yeah so even the first kind of round of demos and stuff that they were doing they were singing Backstreet Boys rejects they were you know working with a lot of the same

[00:14:07] people that were working on the Backstreet Boys so it's very interesting that that rivalry and comparison was kind of built in right from the start and obviously that will grow into its own beast as well but vocally yeah we should talk about the roles themselves

[00:14:23] so you mentioned Justin and JC so they're the tenors and they took on the lead vocals then we had Chris who's the counter tenor Joey as a baritone and Lance as a bass so the blend was really perfect I think especially at the beginning

[00:14:41] if you watched kind of their first few club performances and stuff from like 96-97 Joey and Chris did have a lot more moments to shine actually even though Justin and JC did take most of the leads you know during the show they had little bits

[00:14:57] and like Chris has a really cool voice there are not many counter tenors no he was able to handle really cool things and it's sad well I feel like near the beginning they kind of knew where to use it oh yeah totally

[00:15:13] it kind of faded by the end but yeah I'm a little ahead of myself but then Joey he has a really cool tone actually like it's a little richer and also from doing kind of a lot more of the harmony analyzing

[00:15:27] he actually has some of the most difficult harmonies in the group he has some really odd kind of yeah changes in there like sometimes he'll be singing the bass part sometimes he'll be up there singing with JC

[00:15:39] and Chris up in the highs he kind of just fills in where the spaces are and so his job was really really hard and I feel like he never gets the credit that he deserves so taking this time to do a shout out

[00:15:49] before he even gets to the first song they released but he was amazing oh I know it's kind of hard to like to talk in like order because like we watched so much and I mean you didn't got to hear it here and there

[00:16:03] like their first kind of performances they would give like Joey and Chris moments like you said and we're gonna go to it later but there are moments where they actually saying lead on like performances or like where even at like their Disney performance we're gonna talk about later

[00:16:15] Joey sitting here and he's like kind of notes and I'm like where is that coming from so they had it and then Lance because he's a bass he only had like those really cool talking bits like a sub vocal that you're hearing K-pop

[00:16:27] and it's tough but I will say I do appreciate that they'll let him speak so even though he would introduce songs or etc as we go further we're gonna talk about a little bit more but they'll let him speak instead of just be like oh yeah

[00:16:39] that's a yeah and they always said that he was pivotal right like the thing I think that's maybe different from the Backstreet Boys a little bit is they did do a good job I think even though it was very clear that Justin and JC were kind of

[00:16:55] you know the mains and they were the quote-unquote stars yeah what they never diminished was how important the other three were at least absolutely on stage yeah like on stage they pulled their weight absolutely oh my god I remember when I get to it later

[00:17:13] but it was a concert Lance's mic is so high oh yeah but you know I mean I think that's what's something that part as well like Lance was a solid bass Chris there is no word of America at that point that had

[00:17:29] someone who could literally sing my notes you know what I'm saying yes so and then Joey like you said he's that sweet spot where even like now if you look at footage of them singing just them two together Chris and Joey they can hold it down because

[00:17:41] Joey kind of was like hey I could take whoever's note you need me to take honey so we'll get to that in a minute but again going back to Pooh Perlman well I'll explain why I call him Pooh Perlman in a minute but he legit

[00:17:53] had snow town he legit instead of Motown he made snow town just the bell thing white boys and then in Florida it was amazing this man had me he made snow town alright and I'm really impressed because it's because you have Motown

[00:18:09] yes no town and then you have SM town now right it's amazing you cannot deny the fact that he really knew what the heck he was doing and I'm really impressed absolutely and putting them through the kind of like not the gauntlet but train them in Florida

[00:18:25] and then eventually doing what they did with the BSV and putting them in Europe mm-hmm yes so much like Bashi Boys Instinct's journey did begin in Europe so Instinct had attempted to get an American record deal but they were having issues finding any interest

[00:18:41] so they ended up signing with Areola records in Germany and they were sent to Stockholm to work on their debut album with producers including Max Martin, Dennis Pop and Andreas Carlson yes though like the Baxby Boys the members of Instinct were inspired

[00:18:57] by boys to men and their more hopeful sounds the initial recordings were more Euro dance and heck no focus but with more of the American R&B vocal stylings Instinct released their debut single I Want You Back in Germany in October 1996 going straight to the top 10

[00:19:29] in addition to its success in Germany the single also hit the charts across different parts of Europe the group was quickly gaining traction while honing their skills and performing wherever they could in Germany, Switzerland and other neighboring countries but at home in America no one

[00:19:45] had heard of them just yet okay can I just say before we get to the song the choreography was wild it was absolutely wild I can only imagine what life was like for them when they learned the choreo could you imagine

[00:19:57] Lance not ever dancing having to do a whole basket like flip wrist come on I would be like I want to go home I'd be like mom call I want to come home mama I want to come home I can just imagine these little

[00:20:09] dances not what I this is what I signed up for but it's not what I was expecting to do why am I flipping right but yeah them singing the whole time doing this very athletic choreo is super impressive and because it's hip hop based it's even harder

[00:20:25] like hip hop in the 90s was just so jerky all the time even now I'm just like oh god when I choreograph anything now I'm always just like if I do this too much I'm not going to tire because we've gotten so used to dancing very much like

[00:20:39] within like a frame of our body or like in like a small square people with TikTok dancing they're not that big but yeah I mean this is why the bar super high though for me with K-pop these guys were flipping jumping kicking one of those other crab

[00:20:53] running left and right and still singing and carrying their notes and hitting harmonies like literally JC was one of the flippers and he still came to hit his nose come on and I love little parts of the choreography like there's a little pony dance

[00:21:07] in the first verse I love that little pony dance and then the leg flapping all I ever flapping flapping all I and then the arms the flily arms while jumping is my favorite part I don't know what that was I mean like everything about this is really what

[00:21:25] K-pop now is doing we know the pointing you know I want you back we know that you know the random dancing the sometimes random videos that we get but it's interesting to see like visually speaking what was happening in Europe what the guys are having to wear

[00:21:41] and do and things like that so you know kudos to them for trying to promote this American group in this European market but then still making it sound kind of American so kudos to like I mean the Swedes are amazing yeah man shout out to Dennis

[00:21:57] Pop man like rest in peace rest in peace because he has brought so much joy to my life you know like it's not just the music he directly created it's valid everyone that learned from him and then those that learned from his students that are continually still making

[00:22:15] music today yeah they have made my favorite songs yeah yeah hands down and it's amazing legend it's insane yeah absolutely and it's crazy everything about the song is amazing like it is absolutely perfection like and it one thing that's interesting if you listen

[00:22:35] to a lot of his catalog from there like his use of different instruments was just so smart yeah like especially like even with this the down arrow down down down out yeah like that's that feels so simple yeah there's something just even catchy just about that

[00:22:53] yeah yeah never even sing that melody no no yeah it's almost it's almost the same as like Britney is like one more time down down down right like it's iconic it's like that was like three notes so insane yeah yeah the original video is amazing to

[00:23:13] me but I didn't see it right because for many years like we only had the American version which we'll talk about because they don't release it for a couple years but the graphics are so funny like the mid 90s to late 90s attempt at like space

[00:23:27] futurism yeah it's just amazing and like they're wearing these like super tight yeah like oh my god they like what are they doing like it was just absolutely hilarious the graphics are awful especially with that random girl that like there's all the ports in yeah oh man it's

[00:23:45] so entertaining but of course it really is the choreography right that kind of brings it all together for sure and the other part that always makes me laugh and they do it kind of for every performance is they end the song facing back like well you back

[00:24:01] and they turn back and it's so dramatic and hilarious and it's like well that was creative yes oh my god this choreography is so fun there's a line dancing toward the end they go into a line yeah and they're all like under in level

[00:24:13] yeah I love that yeah yeah the American video is actually pretty good though I will say we'll get to it yeah we're not there yet they weren't released anything there yet also in the performances shout out to Joey's little extra bridge that

[00:24:27] he did that should have been in the recording because it's fun yeah he did what he could at least he got little center for that dance break you're so right oh god that was cackling any hoot of ditto you know so to keep the momentum

[00:24:41] going the group quickly release another single in Germany tearing up my heart originally written for the back street boys tearing up my heart did well across the charts in Germany and Austria yeah like a CY you know this song is a good example of how like sub vocals

[00:25:20] and k-pop like what they should be doing um just listening to it in the harmonies like chris held it the F down he held it the F I'm not sure if they were like oh this is a good idea

[00:25:32] we have somebody who can hit the higher harmonies that's not just and this is great I'm not sure they would think he like that or if he was like I got an idea I don't know how that came to be but the fact that they thought

[00:25:42] we need harmonies let's do it I want you back haves those ahhh kind of harmonies this is really cute I really do appreciate that but this one it's like you can hear it you know

[00:25:54] and then chris at the time they performed it was like right next to whoever was singing lead so like the the motions the choreography everything around this song was just really just perfect the way group sub vocals coming in all three of the other members

[00:26:10] but all three of the members that usually sing the backgrounds came through and I was just like oh my gosh um this is more crazy choreography from them as well and I love the um the head shake for the without you yes iconic way group choreography

[00:26:26] one of those things that made me kind of think how in the world do they not hit number x, y and z I mean we're not in America yet but just like one of those things where you kind of look back and you're like

[00:26:36] how do people not know this is them how do people only know this is bye bye bye or like it's gonna be me like how is this song not something that you already know yet um it's a really good it's a really good song

[00:26:48] and I can also hear a little bit of back stream boys with this one totally definitely back stream boys vocally are just they're great I give it to them but these guys can also handle the song and then give you sitting there all this choreography and jerking it

[00:27:02] so cool to them to them for sure oh man yeah this is one of my favorite boy band songs ever I think it's again perfect I think there's something about boy groups and drama that just like always works because there's something so dramatic and desperate about these lyrics

[00:27:20] and it just works girls love to hear that cute boys saying I want you why can't we be together and bopping their heads and breaking their necks like hold on yes but literally every single part of this song is so catchy like from the second

[00:27:36] it starts yeah you call that the harmony is already the production is great like there's a really heavy bass I love the fake rock drums that you know Dennis Poppin Max Bar and they all love that right yes and then especially when it all drops

[00:27:48] back for that bridge and you get those little like fake strings just perfection perfection um also when they sing it live always love those little extra things that they did like the um come on uh like all those like extra things that they added in between like now

[00:28:06] I've watched so many performances this past week it's like now part of it when I sing what I listen to the song like I hear that part too oh man but also we talked about the video too because the video is also very entertaining

[00:28:18] it's a very simple right yes very effective like them all doing the absolute most the whole entire time it's just amazing and the best part is the pose at the end oh my god yes that is so bad like way group like on a

[00:28:34] poster like yes it's so good oh my god and they're they're holding it for like five seconds at the end of the end of the day yes so I said hold it hold it hold it like as the wind is going

[00:28:46] to you oh man oh it's just perfect you know it's I mean if you were someone who were listening to like um new kids there was no way you're gonna look at this like I'm not gonna this was giving new kids the fact you know like right stuff

[00:29:00] yes you know um step by step like this is what that was giving so if you like them you're definitely gonna like these kids like they were so they're cute they're adorable and they sing like this just sounded good man like it's kind of crazy how good

[00:29:14] the vocals were from the very beginning that's the thing and there's so much emotion too yeah absolutely absolutely like Justin and JC have always been so good at that yes and it can get really subtle as well like it's not overly dramatic

[00:29:28] like they do a really really good job with that so yeah yeah oh man well only a few months later the group released another single Here We Go along with their debut album the self titled in sync in parts of Europe When we go one more time

[00:29:44] everybody's feeling fine here we go now and the album were successful with the album hitting number one in Germany and charting successfully across Germany, Switzerland Austria and Eastern Europe their success was growing quickly across the region and the music industry was starting to notice but first

[00:30:14] let's discuss the first version of the debut album here we go one more time everybody's feeling fat in sync it's got the flow don't give me started oh man so Lance has said in recent years that he finds Here We Go super embarrassing

[00:30:32] he hates the way that they call themselves out you know more like in sync it's here oh my god that's my favorite part come on that's what I'm saying but it's so catchy it's so fun it's so of its time yeah and that makes it so

[00:30:46] brilliant like I understand why they'd be embarrassed of it like maybe you know when they were like in their mid 20s you know it's like they're going to include this on their setlist anymore but it's so much fun and again the choreo somehow got crazier too there's

[00:31:00] knee spins and other floor moments and just interesting choices like when they all raise the roof and go in a circle around each other oh my god so fantastic and again sounded amazing in all the performances I could find like I could also not find anything

[00:31:18] where they actually sounded bad all that Florida trading all that European and those teeny tiny clubs you're sitting there dancing on the on the bar wherever it paid off it has to be paid off and even though he may have been embarrassed

[00:31:32] this song is so fun to me like it's aged a lot better than how he's ponytail okay alright and a lot better than we've got to go we're not far yet that's valid that's valid also I do have to say though this makes me miss

[00:31:46] the days of when pop was just silly too like the song's about nothing it's fun absolutely fun I mean exactly I think I think WAM even has a song like this like their first like single was like you know talking about young guy oh yeah the WAM rap

[00:32:00] yeah every boy group needs is like an inaugural song we have to talk about how awesome we are and also this kind of has that whole like my mom won't listen let me listen to boys in bed because they're black kind of feel like it's it's black music

[00:32:12] but being brought to you in this really cute little white package which was palatable and people like that say that but it's true back in the 90s things were at all page you can't so it's like I know you know my friend so

[00:32:24] you know it's one of those things where it's like it's more palatable you're getting introduced to these hip-hop R&B rhythms you're getting introduced to something that sounds like Motown Philly by way of snow town no offense to them love them but they're white

[00:32:36] guys yes you know I mean when I hear the whole instinct has got the flow I think NCT I can hear NCT dream any of the NCT groups oh being this song like this is what I wanted 90s love to sound like we talked about this why

[00:32:50] we did not go Swedish you know Max Martin camp with this you know I mean 90s love is fine but it is now but I would have loved the instinct version of 90s music it is interesting to hear this first edition of the album

[00:33:06] right because yeah it really wasn't cohesive you could hear kind of the more R&B stuff and then yeah the Europe hop stuff is hilarious the worst one to me is Riddle like that has aged terribly and it's so over the top Euro dance and not in the

[00:33:24] best way but it's not the worst debut album yes yes of course has some duds and I think they ended up making the right choices for the later release they took off the right tracks for the later release but you know

[00:33:38] they were doing what they could I assume their budget wasn't very high like they were only signed in Germany oh yeah their resources weren't huge so it is what it is it's fun to listen to some of the stuff that was on it

[00:33:52] though and they even released some of them as singles which you know a lot of American fans I don't know if you were a more casual fan you probably wouldn't even know some of these songs right you know what I wonder what a European

[00:34:04] fan has to say about like their if you're a European fan and you're listening or watching please leave us a comment and let us know what songs were your favorite on this album I'm really curious we were like R&B pop maybe more rock and interested

[00:34:16] but like those things but in the year I was like you know like it's just fine but it's just not for any single album like some of these should have been on like steps first album dude thank you that's what I'm saying so it doesn't make

[00:34:30] sense I appreciate it because of what we like but it's just a different fit them oh man so through the rest of 1997 the group promoted across Europe and they released two more singles from the album for the girl who has everything and together again wow

[00:35:29] man kind of just say for the girl such a beautiful song oh my god like if I was a teen wait hang on if I was I was at one point but if I were a teen girl at the time it even has a 20 something

[00:35:41] year old now like it hits you right in the romantic spot like like you said there's something about these way groups harmonizing singing how much of you and like what more can I give you I'm just a man like there's something about that yes you know because

[00:35:57] you don't really hear that now and like as I've gotten older and now with social media like all the jokes about I'm still single forever alone I can only imagine what it was like growing up listening these kind of songs like this is why people like

[00:36:09] a lot of like young people have like this this idea about love especially millennials because we have songs like this why can I have a for a girl that has everything why can I have a you know I want to run to you by Whitney or something

[00:36:21] like why don't we have that it was just ugly I love it so much the US totally missed out on having for the girl who has everything as a single because I agree with you it is such a good song and definitely one of the highlights from the

[00:36:35] album and as you know we've been doing our research and I've listened to everything available on all the streaming services because it's very confusing because we have all three versions of the album on streaming right yeah other compilations and stuff so there actually

[00:36:51] are three different versions of for the girl who has everything available on streaming services there probably are even more than that but if you love harmonies like I do yeah radio mix is the one because that one has the harmonized ad libs that JC and Justin do

[00:37:09] and that's the only version that has that so just fyi delete the one from the US album and take take the one from the essential compilation but yes I'm crying the video is amazing because it's the most stereotypical boy group video

[00:37:25] to you know it's them just like on vacation on a beach but then there are random shots of a girl looking like oh god yes yes like sorry I sound so jayny let me go right now oh man and then together again what did you think

[00:37:39] together again so that was not on the US version of the album and wow it is not good I agree with the face you just made like how did they go from something as cool as for the girl to this extreme cheesiness and the melody is so

[00:37:59] like blah like dude the long extended notes and it just doesn't go anywhere and it's like extreme like echo and reverb on it so they're like singing in a church somewhere and then the one good thing about it well the two good things about it

[00:38:17] Joey and Chris get verses so that's nice like welcome welcome to the first part of the film they're actually wearing boushy boys ask outfits in this video because they have those long black leather the jacket of the matrix yeah matrix jackets and then those giant collared dress shirts

[00:38:35] yeah yeah just hanging over yeah no this song is like this is another song for the snails um this is what this is what a snail if you don't know that's from our forever review with the spice girls when songs are slow they're for the snails

[00:38:55] somebody's getting married this is snail the slugs even I think this is one of those pop boy groups trying to make R&B as opposed to giving an R&B song but making it kind of pop you know what I'm saying like I mean if you listen at

[00:39:11] you know 0.5 0.25 speed actually is not that bad so that's my recommendation for y'all oh smart yeah so I dance fast fast forward there's no way I'm gonna put it get the hell out of here I'm sorry I am so sorry for those who wrote this song

[00:39:29] I'm pretty sure you're a really good songwriter so after seeing a promotional performance of Together Again in Budapest an A&R rep from RCA Records an American record label offered them a global record deal so plans were quickly put into place and I want you back

[00:39:45] was officially released in the US and the UK in January in 1998 with a brand new music video as we had mentioned and to adjust to the American market five songs were cut from the German version of the album and replaced with four new ones that leaned more

[00:40:01] towards R&B and this new version of the album was released in the US in March 1998 I think having them dress in the jerseys was a good idea like I said it's giving it's giving like hey here is a white package

[00:40:32] giving you hip-hop so you don't have to worry about your mom saying turn that off and get that music out of here they look super cute I love Chris with his braces that man was going through a phase and then I remember

[00:40:44] Joey during an interview had mentioned that he had to wear his hat in the video because they were like guys make a personality, make your own kind of style blah blah blah blah blah blah and he's like okay my stuff pierced

[00:40:54] they were like bro that's not what we met so they made him wear a hat the whole time so like you might see it here and there but the whole time he's wearing this hat it's like covering his eyebrows so all you see is like

[00:41:04] I want you back dude he's looking at the camera like he's just hit but yeah I think I think they all look like again 90s heartthrobs it definitely leaned into kind of the whole high school jock fantasy right but yeah

[00:41:20] so much better than the first video with the awful space station like they genuinely did look very cool for their age the street scene was also really well lit and like it was a nice setting oh wait they kind of did steal the pole basketball idea I think

[00:41:34] from the here we go video right because like that whole video is basically them playing basketball as well but you know Americans and the British did not know about that one so it's okay yeah regarding the album the new version of the album

[00:41:48] oh man the new songs are so good all four of those new songs are so good and they've still remained some of my favorites from the whole catalog and we're going to talk about some of them because you know they were singles but

[00:42:00] I just want to be with you is amazing definitely one of my favorites but yeah definitely smart they're all a bit more mature a bit cooler they're they weirdly kept I think there's one superhero dance song still on the album is it I Need Love

[00:42:18] that one's still very Euro so that one doesn't really fit you know maybe they just needed a certain number of tracks so they just do what they could and chose the best of the rest following the albums us release in sync release

[00:42:30] tearing up my heart in the UK and the US achieving success in both countries an additional track you drive me crazy was also recorded and added to the album for the UK market for its release in July 1998 the song was also released in Germany and other

[00:42:44] parts of Europe as a single you you you you you and though the singles achieve success in both countries the album sales were not very impressive and the album debuted in the Billboard 200 at number 82 and failed to rise any much higher

[00:43:18] which sucks you know but at the time Backstreet Boys were the king of boy bands so a breakthrough was a little bit more difficult for in sync but this only made the group work even harder and eventually a live changing opportunity would present itself first off before

[00:43:32] we even get to what that life changing opportunity was I love you drive me crazy like it's really really fun and the video is amazing and includes some spice girls drag so side like this song and video deserved more attention there's also a random uncredited

[00:43:50] rap by a German rapper called smooth tea so fun fact anyway in July 1998 the Disney Channel was organizing a concert special with the Backstreet Boys but as revealed by Johnny right in his interview with the Lance on his podcast earlier this year in 2023 the Backstreet Boys

[00:44:12] had actually felt that they had outgrown Disney and that this would actually hurt their brand and reputation because they were starting to get you know on the cover of Rolling Stone they were trying to get more reputable opportunities and this felt a bit like a step

[00:44:26] back so of course they blamed it on scheduling conflicts and then I think Brian was about to go to surgery yeah so they blamed it on things but the real reason was they were like Disney no we're grown we're grown men but in sync

[00:44:42] they were saying yes to everything and they jumped at the opportunity when given the performance slot and the concert special brought a ton of attention to the group with the album skyrocketing up the charts and eventually hitting number two in the Billboard 200 and being certified ten times platinum

[00:45:24] yeah that means that means this diamond baby diamond yep and finally they're popular oh my god yeah and it's crazy to think about how this one television special just changed it I'm even sure things like that happen nowadays where it's like I don't think so it's easy right

[00:45:42] there's too much going on in the world for there to be kind of one central thing that can make or break something like I think the last kind of more similar opportunity would maybe be back when like American Idol was still huge right

[00:45:56] like back when like season three season four like at its peak if you got a performance slot on American Idol you're almost guaranteed a hit or at least a much bigger chance at a hit absolutely right after that it kind of there's nothing else like

[00:46:08] this anymore yeah no it's a shame I mean you need like you need like you know the clock app to kind of do that and us bananas um their Disney performance is then not taking themselves super seriously like oh my god they were so captivating oh my goodness

[00:46:22] if I were someone watching this and I was like oh I wanted the backseat waist to kind of I would have I would have swung over to this side too because just watching them singing and dancing like I think maybe about 10 minutes in

[00:46:35] you got them saying let's go a little party and Joey's going ah and just sitting there wagging his tongue out like there's something about who was just like guys who just have me really cute happen to be really talented on stage

[00:46:48] just having a good time like no one was there but because people were there they were super engaging like man I personally have not seen something like that in like a really long time and like it's unfortunate even like if each one of them brought something like Lance

[00:47:06] he wasn't one of the like step out to bring attention to himself because he wasn't like a ham like Joey he wasn't super energetic like JC was and Chris would pop out here and there but he would still be super engaging

[00:47:18] I would always notice him going off to the side and like you know singing to the girlies and making eye contact and it felt special especially back in the 90s like they were not using the big old screens in the in the special speaker like we have now

[00:47:31] so it's like whatever you kind of moment you can make they made them and again if I had to sit there at home or in the crowd and see a bunch of boys older than me or my age singing about how much they love me

[00:47:43] how much fun they want to have and how cool they are I would be like yeah I agree I agree so coolness is a thing for getting that Disney special and that's the right demographic a lot of people play the teenage girl demographic but a lot of things

[00:47:56] in pop culture would not be a thing if females in general or people who are leaning more toward the female dear things whatever way have you if that gem demographic was not like even for the Beatles the girls were not screaming and fainting

[00:48:15] this is one of those things where it's like these girls made these men which is bananas so kudos to them but kudos to the girls too back in the day it's insane what it did and watching it back now it is such an impressive show they killed it

[00:48:33] word absolutely I cannot believe how good they sounded the entire time dude they were going full the f out the entire time every single song except for the ballad had insane choreography actually to be fair even the ballads had some choreography

[00:48:50] like those giant snaps for God must have smitten are hilarious but their showmanship is just crazy and it all felt so effortless as well and the charisma was just intense they did such an amazing job and even those little clips in between the songs of them

[00:49:12] taking that virtual roller coaster ride telling stories about each other they were very endearing and they seemed humble and the whole thing was just such a smart project their profile within the performance within a big vehicle like disney

[00:49:31] and I have to say I'm amazed we blasted this long shout out jayce's performance abilities I mean you've got to mention it a little bit but I think we can rave a little bit now because jayce yo every single pop star in the world

[00:49:47] needs to take lessons from him like I don't think that I know he's working on other things right now but eventually if he wants to become a performance coach and make a giant global company and spread his skills around like he needs to

[00:50:02] because he may be one of the best pop stars in terms of performance ability absolutely you know I think that's what it kind of got me onto like oh hello mister because he's so energetic and he's so consistent and he's smart too

[00:50:22] if he knows I wouldn't be able to hit this note he changes the note and it's always so tasteful or if he goes for it he goes for it but it's like he went for it, he tried and he's like he went for it

[00:50:33] you know but even looking at their earlier days this may have been their running, sprinting sprinting and jumping and sounding amazing yes it was impressive there's no way I can imagine just watching this and be like eff them

[00:50:51] I mean you might as a hater but it's only because they're so good yeah it's like you're jealous you're just jealous there absolutely and it's a sudden global success the boys were now seen as direct rivals with the backstreet boys and the group's profile rose significantly

[00:51:07] as opportunities began rolling in including supporting Janet Jackson on tour and huge TV appearances and in November 1998 the group recorded their Christmas album Home for Christmas in only six weeks and at that time N-Seq was also releasing a winter album the winter album in Germany

[00:51:29] and N-Seq released their ballad God must have spent a little more time on you in the US and Australia in February 1999 which became their first top ten on the Hot 100 okay so they also released thinking of you I drive myself crazy in Germany parts of Europe

[00:52:07] and the US shortly after and interestingly Chris sang the first verse of the US version but JC sang the first verse of the European version territories love it made a mistake when I let you go baby I drive myself crazy wanting you and at the end of 1999

[00:52:48] the group also released Music of My Heart with Gloria Estefan which hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 let me hear the music of my heart let me hear the music of my heart let me hear the music of my heart

[00:53:12] let me hear the music of my heart well starting with the Christmas album we won't talk too much about it because Jan hates Christmas music but I will say their Christmas album is effing amazing I still listen to it every Christmas and Joey

[00:53:28] does get a lot to sing actually on the Christmas album so maybe that will convince you but the single Merry Christmas Happy Holidays I know that one is one of my favorite Christmas pop songs ever I know that one Oh Holy Night Shout Out to Lance Hell Yeah

[00:53:46] I like the Temptations Christmas album because of Lance their album to me started sounding like Motown so I'll give them that I'll give them that sorry guys I'm not a Christmas music fan oh man alright so what did you think

[00:54:04] of a gone must have spent a little more time on you Justin adores love him you know he does a ballad he gets out of his nose it's just really nice because he has a very smooth voice and I appreciate it

[00:54:18] but yeah move out the way boom JC man Joshua Scott Shazae I love you you have no clue we will one day um but yes anyway this man's voice I didn't get a chance to really say it earlier

[00:54:37] we want to talk about a little bit more we talk about consciousness but his musicality is so good his choices are so good um hearing it live hearing it on the recording like he doesn't stray away from it too much and it's always like so emotive oh my

[00:54:55] if my man don't make me feel like this the way JC made me feel like when he's thinking this song I don't want him I don't want him um songs like this are just so sweet I feel like again like wedding this is really sweet

[00:55:05] it's interesting to kind of feel like the gospel mix with the pop because back in the day that was like a normal thing so for them to sit down and be able to actually deliver vocals to kind of be like hey we're not just like backstreet boy

[00:55:17] you know parasite or rejects we can actually sing as well we can hold a candle to this group so I really appreciate this song it's sweet and I do I like this song a lot more now than I did at the time actually I think

[00:55:29] it's just because I was young and energetic and I wasn't as big a fan of ballads in general but in the 90s actually in most of the world ballads were actually supreme like for the years yeah ballads were like the one

[00:55:43] that's what would turn you into a star was if you had like a hit ballad and especially in Asia as well like that's still what becomes a hit in Asia is often these big ballads um but yeah it's interesting but backstreet boys I think by this point

[00:55:59] were kind of more known for their ballads too right because you had kind of like even the more mid tempo stuff like you know quit playing games and that type of thing so it made sense for the next step for NSYNC internationally to do the ballad

[00:56:13] thing because it does expose you to another audience a more adult audience and going the kind of Christian gospel route was also very smart as well because there's also that um there's that country version that Alabama did that features NSYNC as well so yeah just smart decisions

[00:56:33] smart business decisions and they did have a good song behind it as well and then thinking of you I drive myself crazy I feel so bad for Chris like imagine that conversation it's like we know we're first verse on this song but for these territories like we're gonna

[00:56:53] have JC re-record this and in the music video like JC is gonna sing it you know it's like really because Chris sounds great it like totally is in his range he doesn't maybe emote as much as JC and Justin do like his voice is it naturally

[00:57:09] as like R&B-ish and soulful as those two but I think that's kind of what made it work because he kind of starts off the song and it's all kind of just like a bit melancholy and a bit kind of sad and then you kind

[00:57:21] of get a bit more soulful because then JC gets the amazing bridge so he already had the bridge so like he already had his moment of silence that's really annoying that Chris didn't have that as well but I really do like the song

[00:57:33] a lot and the video is fun with them like being in the asylum and everything yeah you know the way this films the fish eye lens and like what the heck is going on so yeah that's the super nice

[00:57:45] super night is and I think music of the heart is really pretty too it sounded like um Friday night at the time like a lot of their songs they're ballads for the girl who has everything sounds like Tyrese to me this sounds like

[00:57:57] Brian McKnight the music of the heart but yeah you know like I'm happy that they did ballads like this but you're right the Chris situation kind of is just tough I mean they did it to Howie with Backstreet Boys like he went from like

[00:58:07] being the lead and then suddenly it's like oh Brian's gonna do it then Brian was like oh suddenly AJ's gonna do it and just like suddenly you just don't you know it gets it's it's rough but again back to what we were saying about them as a whole

[00:58:21] just going like into whatever gear they can go into taking all the jobs doing the jobs well being super consistent it's really impressive and you would think like bam we didn't hit the jackpot we're rich and famous but you know we kind of go back to the business

[00:58:37] side we're talking about the music but behind the scenes things are getting kind of sticky so though the group was insanely successful across the world hitting global charts and selling out arenas the group was not earning the money that they should have been time for a

[00:58:55] recess break join us for part two where we discuss the dramatic Lou Perlman lawsuit and the no strings attached era