NSYNC gave the world one of the most unforgettable pop culture moments of the late ‘90s when they stripped down to their swim trunks, jumped into a pool, and posed like wet, serious super models for the cameras.
Photo Credit: 16 Magazine | October 1999
Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, and Joey Fatone weren’t just selling music in that October 1999 issue of 16 Magazine—they were selling teenage daydreams that ended up taped to lockers, plastered on walls, and hidden under pillows all around the world.
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Whether you were an NSYNC loyalist, a Backstreet Boys devotee, a Westlife romantic, or riding the NKOTB nostalgia train, there was one undeniable truth: a poolside boyband photo shoot was going to grab your attention. The five guys, dripping wet, arms crossed, with those “we’re serious about this” stares into the camera—it was equal parts sexy, ridiculous, and everything fans wanted.
@justice4jc To have a pool day with *nsync!😅 jc chasez & joey fatone🧎🏻♀️ #Nsync #jcchasez #justiceforjcchasez #fyp #justintimberlake #nsynctiktok #90s #boyband @*NSYNC @JC Chasez @frostedtipswithlance @Lance Bass @Justin Timberlake @Joey Fatone @Chris Kirkpatrick
And let’s be real: magazines were the lifeblood of fandom then. Before Instagram grids and TikTok edits, those glossy photos were how we connected with our pop idols. You’d rip out the pages, tape them to your wall, and convince yourself that one day you’d lock eyes with JC Chasez across the room. (Don’t lie—we all did it.)
@justice4jc Part 2. Who remembers the iconic *nsync pool photoshoot?🥰 bonus points if you had the poster on your wall! jc chasez😍 #jcchasez #pool #90s #nsync #justiceforjcchasez
Flash forward to today, and the boyband comeback era is officially alive and well. Backstreet Boys are headlining a sold-out residency at the Sphere. 98 Degrees are out there serenading us with throwback bangers. Westlife just celebrated their 25th anniversary with a massive concert series. Which, naturally, leaves fans asking: where is NSYNC in all this?
@playlist4ever Reply to @jujueammar Full Live Performance #fyp #fypシ #nsync #itsgonnabeme #fypシ #fyp #fypage #fypシ゚viral #playlist #memories #2022 #viral #tiktok #foryoupage #foryou
Fans have been hoping for years to see the guys back together, and Joey Fatone recently addressed the million-dollar question in an interview with People.
“Of course, the big question is, is NSYNC ever getting back together? The answer is, we haven’t had that conversation yet,” he admitted.
He explained that while everyone assumes it’s as simple as hopping on a call, the truth is much more complicated.
“The five of us need to get together, and that day has not happened yet. Everybody’s everywhere in the world… There’s a lot of commitment, a lot of time. Everybody has families. Most people have kids.” In other words: it’s tricky. But he didn’t rule it out, adding, “It’s one of those things that hopefully, NSYNC does get back together.”
Until then, each member has been busy. Justin Timberlake just wrapped up his tour. Fatone recently finished a Broadway run in & Juliet (where he ironically played Lance). Lance Bass is thriving on social media and keeping his boyband cred alive by attending the Backstreet Boys’ residency. Chris Kirkpatrick has popped up on The Masked Singer, performed in the Pop 2000 tour, and even landed credits in the Deadpool & Wolverine album. And JC Chasez? He dropped a musical theater concept album in 2024 with Jimmy Harry, inspired by Frankenstein. Because of course he did.
So while the official NSYNC reunion remains a dream deferred, at least we’ll always have those iconic wet-and-wild photos from 1999. They were a moment in time: fun, sexy, slightly awkward, and forever etched in our collective memory. And until the boys get back in orbit, the pool shoot is enough to keep us smiling—and maybe still blushing—decades later.
REFERENCE: People Magazine