Bye Bye Bye by 'N Sync

Album: No Strings Attached (2000)

Charted: 3 4

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The Swedish team of Jacob Schulze, Andreas Carlsson and Kristian Lundin wrote "Bye Bye Bye," with Lundin and Schulze producing. A lot of pop music around this time was generated by Swedes, often helmed by Max Martin, who frequently worked with Carlsson and Lundin. Their names show up on tracks by Backstreet Boys as well.
The song is about a guy who has reached the end of his patience in his relationship and is ready to leave. "Don't want to be a fool for you," he tells the girl as he shows her the door.
"Bye Bye Bye" was the first single from the second 'N Sync album, No Strings Attached, which set a record by selling 2.4 million copies the first week it was out. By 2000, there was a hysteria for the group, which had some modest hits from their first album ("I Want You Back," "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You") but nothing crazy. That album was issued internationally in 1997 to test their appeal, then released in America in 1998.

With New Kids On The Block off the radar since 1991, many wondered if the boy band genre was over, but both 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys made inroads, and when BSB issued their album Millennium in 1999, it started the frenzy. Already established as their closest competitors, 'N Sync rode that wave with No Strings Attached, which went on to sell over 12 million copies in America. After that wave crested, they released one more album - Celebrity in 2001 - which sold 5 million, and then they broke up. Justin Timberlake ended up being the breakout solo star with his first album, Justified, in 2002.
No Strings Attached was 'N Sync's first album released on Jive Records. Claiming their manager, Lou Pearlman, was taking almost all of their profits, the group sued to leave him and the RCA label to sign with Jive. This led to speculation that "Bye Bye Bye" was about their break with Pearlman, although there's no evidence to support this: The song is about a boy who wants to leave a girl he used to love, and explores his feelings about their relationship.
For the 2000 American Music Awards, Sid and Marty Krofft, who had worked on H.R. Pufnstuf and Land Of The Lost, designed 25-foot puppets of the band. The Kroffts sued when photos of the puppets were used on souvenir programs and backstage passes without their permission, but the case was thrown out of court.
Billboard announced in December 2009 that No Strings Attached was the best-selling album of the 2000s in the US with over 10 million copies sold to that point.
JC Chasez said during an episode of Making the Video: "The song is a love song, but it's about kissing somebody off after they burned you."
The video was directed by Wayne Isham and features 'N Sync as puppets controlled by an evil puppetress played by Kim Smith. The Friday Night Lights actress also appeared in the clip for the boy band's song "It's Gonna Be Me."
In a 2017 Super Bowl commercial for the beverage Bai, Christopher Walken quotes some lines from this song before we see that Justin Timberlake is sitting next to him. Says Walken:

I don't want to make it tough
I just want to tell you that I've had enough
It might sound crazy but it ain't no lie baby
Bye bye bye
This was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals but lost to Steely Dan's "Cousin Dupree."
The opening scene of the 2024 marvel movie Deadpool & Wolverine shows Merc with the Mouth dancing to "Bye Bye Bye" choreography while slaying a horde of Time Variance Authority agents. The action-packed opening credits sequence quickly became a viral sensation on TikTok, sending the 'N Sync song soaring up the streaming charts.
When MTV shut down some of their channels on December 31, 2025, MTV 00s, which played hits from the 2000s, was one of the victims. They signed off with this song.

Comments: 21

Siahara Shyne «theoneandonly» Carter∆ from United States»» So someone made a paradoy of this song The title was "Cry Cry Cry" (Bye Bye Bye) Paradoy
They messed up lol ....
But just funny it says " I just wanna be fool for you ” You must check it out at YouTube lol you judge them xD But I don't wanna judge lol Nobody's Perfect though;-)))
Corey from Greensboro, NcThe only credibility this song has in my eyes is that in one episode of Scrubs (probably one of my favorite shows right now), Turk changes the ringtone on his cell phone to this song, claiming that he's going to "bring it back" and saying "I challenge anyone not to shake their butt every time they hear this!" And thus he had successfully set a trend--everybody in the hospital staff, Kelso included, began breaking out in dance every time his phone rang. Aside from that, though, *NSYNC was dead before they even arrived on the scene. The only one of them who's actually continued to be successful after it all fell apart was Justin Timberlake, and that's largely due to his career in acting as well as his collaborations with Timbaland and the Lonely Island.
Margie from St. Louis, MoI can't believe "Bye Bye Bye" by N*Sync is on the Top 10 list of the day. Even more surprising, it's ranking higher than The Doors. Sure, some of the boys in N*Sync were good-looking, and I like the fact that in the music video, they're all trying to get away from a b****, but really, there is no way N*Sync can compare to some of the truer, greater music artists that have come.
Ryan from Farmer City, IlI love this song. I think the meaning is true to all guys who have lost a girl because she wanted too much. The guys just want to say "Bye Bye Bye" to the girl which hurt them. Also, as far as the "manufacturedness" of this song and band, get your head out of your ass you peoples!
Jessie from Coffee County, TnN'sync was one of the best boy bands ever!!
I went to see them in Nashville when I was seven, and i loved them. I'm 15 and i still listen to them. Pretty much all of my friends still listen to them too. Of course that's not all we listen to. Every single one of the members can sing really good. And if yall don't agree with me, ur Crazy.
Bill Clinton from New York, NyWhen i hear this song i cant help but dunk my head in a vat of hot oil
Mike from Hueytown , AlThis is classic Teeny Bopper Snot Nose Drivel
Dave from Cardiff, WalesJimmy - males who've been abused by their partners care what the song means, personally I don't think N-Sync are anywhere as bad as you make out. And if it's true no one DOES care, why so many comments? Get your head out of the clouds mate
Jimmy from Twinsburg, OhI agree with alot of the people on this message board, who cares about what this song means? There are, in fact, better music artists/bands out there. And when I say "better", I mean bands/artists that actually have talent and can actually sing.
Dave from Cardiff, WalesAww, that's harsh... This wasn't a great song, but they had a huge UK hit in early 2002 with the song 'Girlfriend', an unlikely collaboration with Nelly that looked at unrequited love from both directions - that song was very good. N'Sync weren't completely talentless, and Justin Timberlake is still consistently topping the charts all over the world in 2006...
Caitlin from Upper Township, Njsorry n'sync, but i am waaaaaaaaayyy over you guys! you are just one of the countless talentless boy bands overshadowing the true artists in the music business.
Destini from Evansville, Inall justin fans please come to my upcoming website--www.justtimberlake.com--e-mail me
Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI don't think abilities is the right word. You probably mean musical freedoms. I know that might make sense to some of you guys.
Zac from Olive Bridge, Nyi have got to be honest with you all this is probably the greatest song of all time
Jeff from Atlanta, GaI agree with Dave. This is a song that does say that males can be innocent in an abusive relationship because some women can be ego maniacs as well. I have dated women like that before. Some women can be just as bad as us men can.
Brian from Bellingham, Wafor ramon, who cares? thank god this song went "bye bye bye"
Adrian from Merthyr Tydfil, Ali cant believe you people listen to this manufactured rubbish - Take youre heads outya ya pooper and realise there is a world full of great music out there

ps - monikahye@aol.com - great comment!
Dave from Cardiff, WalesI think this song was actually supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek revenge attack on songs with 'anti-men' lyrics, such as TLC's "No Scrubs", Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right, But It's OK", and Britney Spears' "Boyz". It was supposed to put across the idea that males can also be the wronged party in an abusive relationship, and that females can be just as egotistic and selfish as their male counterparts, and how today's media try to dispell said idea.
Christina from Wayne, Njyou can learn the dance to this video on darrin's dance grooves
Monica from Shawnee, Ks*to above comment- What musical abilities????
Ramon from Ottawa, CanadaDon't know if this was true - I heard this song represents their feelings about changing record company, after they felt unpleased with former contract, which limits their musical abilities

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