Nsync’s True Talent Essay, Research Paper

Nsync: A True Talent in Music

Here we go, the title of one of many Nsync songs, but it is also a term that cynics often

use referring to the group. ?Here we go, another ?boy band?, they all sound the same, etc., etc.,

etc.? I admit that two years ago I agreed with the critics of this new ?boy band? movement, in

that they were trying to duplicate the success of groups such as New Kids on the Block and New

Edition. It?s a guaranteed money-maker, five good-looking guys, a trace of vocal talent, and

some smooth dance moves equals domination of the music industry via the teen market. Nsync

may fit into the stereotype of ?boy band / bubble-gum pop?, but they have proven talents far

beyond their competition in the genre.

It all began for me in March of nine-teen ninety -eight. There was this new dance tune

being played way too often by Portland?s own Z100. I Want You Back was the first release off

of Nsync?s self-titled debut album. From March through May of ?98, Nsync performed at a string

of radio station shows. They had not yet reached the success of a fellow Trans-Continental

produced group, The Backstreet Boys. In June of ?98 they recorded a special Disney show called

?Nsync Nconcert?, thus beginning the craze of another successful ?boy band?. Soon after the

special aired they released their second single, Tearin Up My Heart. The audience that had not

yet been won over by those two songs were soon captured by a sweet ballad, God Must Have

Spent A Little More Time On You. Personally, as cheesy as it may sound, it helped me through

one of the toughest moments I?ve had to deal with, my grandmothers death in November of 1998.

God Must Have Spent…… in a way was a therapy to help me think of the good moments I had

spent with her. After that release I was thankful to them for the way they could harmonize in that

song. Soon after I bought their debut CD, as well as the November 1998 release of their Home

For Christmas album.

Hearing them on the radio every once in a while many people thought, and continue to

think that Nsync will be just another flash in the pan. Some believe that just because these five

guys do not play their own instruments live means they have no talent. I once believed the same.

I shall testify right now that I was wrong, and that everyone who doubts their talents are wrong as

well. Nsync won me over, not for the blonde haired guy, or the crazy fun guy, but for the

harmony that comes from the group. They have been through many interviews where they have

been asked to sing on the spot, a capella. This is where they are best. They have no need for

instruments aside from their vocal cords. This impressed me so much that I decided to see them

live, four times.

The first time I saw them was at the Clark County Fairgrounds, August 8, 1998. At the

time I was barely interested in them, and did not pay much attention to the show. The following

three concerts took place April 24, 25, and 26 of 1999 in Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle. I was

not sure what to expect, I had high hopes for them to showcase their vocal abilities, and let me

say now that I was not let down one bit. Too often artists choose to lip-sync during live shows,

not Nsync. I have been to concerts by Aerosmith, Whitney Houston, Bryan Adams, Everclear

and many others. All of them were great, but these Nsync boys put on THE best live show I have

ever seen. It was full of flashy moves, great dancing, and even a song where they played their

own instruments. But what caught me the most in their show was the a capella performance.

They had the audience stunned by the a capella rendition of there March 1999 released I Drive

Myself Crazy. Harmonies and rhythm are what catch my attention, and these five young men

have mesmerized me with their talents.

In the summer of 1999 Nsync made three grand career moves. They collaborated with

great musicians of three different genre?s. They helped country group Alabama remake God Must

Have Spent. The worked with the legendary Phil Collins on a song called Trashin The Camp for

Disney?s Tarzan. Trashin The Camp was a very jazz oriented scat song. It was a magnificent

showcase for their vocal abilities. The next collaboration was with Gloria Estefan on the song

Music of My Heart for the Music of the Heart soundtrack. Music of My Heart was a hit

instantly. Another song to add to their list of harmonizations. But along with the success of

those three collaborations came a battle over creative control for their sophomore album.

In September of 1999, Nsync left their label, BMG / Trans, Continental Records for Jive

records. BMG & Co. filed a $150 million dollar lawsuit against the group for breaking their

contract. In the end it was settled out of court. The judge persuaded the out of court settlement

after seeing how Trans. Con?s leader, Lou Pearlman had taken more than sixty percent of the

profits Nsync had earned in 1996 through 1998. Oddly enough the settlement was made

December 23, 1999, two days before Christmas. What better gift could they ask for? What else

could Jive records want? After signing Nsync they became the top ?pop? record label. They

were already home to The Backstreet Boys, and bubble pop princess Britney Spears, adding

Nsync to the lineup equaled big bucks for everyone involved. What else could they need? A new

album! Fans have been anxiously awaiting a new album for a while now, and they are now slot to

release their sophomore album, No Strings Attached on March 21, 2000.

Fans have received two previews ino the album. They released the single Bye Bye Bye to

radio stations on January 12th of this year. The song became the top requested song on top 40

radio stations nationwide literally overnight. They recently appeared on an MTV special, Snowed

In. At this show they performed Bye Bye Bye, as well as another track from No Strings Attached.

The second song performed was Promises, another ballad to prove their vocal abilities as well as

song writing abilities. Nsync won creative control over their sophomore release. The guys wrote

at least six songs for it, and produced every track on the album. No Strings Attached is expected

to sell in excess of one million copies in it?s first week alone. Rick Dees reported this past

weekend that their new album has over one and a half million reservation already, and I believe it.

I work in a local music store and in one day alone we had 10 reservations for it, which is a lot for

one little store in Vancouver, Washington.

I believe that Nsync?s talents, as both vocalists and songwriters, will continue to shine in

the year two thousand. They have the artistry to be around for many years to come. As long as

they grow with the music, and with their audience the will have continued success. People with

such great vocal capacities tend to hang around the music business for many years. My only hope

is that critics will finally begin to embrace the vocal mastery of Nsync with the release of

No Strings Attached.