New ‘N Sync Album “The Essential” Is Out, Not Even the Boys Knew About Release

Talk about a(n unpleasant) surprise! There’s a new ‘N Sync album out and not even the five guys who were once part of the very successful band had any idea about it, or had been informed by the record label about the release.

That should make fans feel better about not being let in on the secret in due time.

The album is called “The Essential” and it doesn’t include any new material. It’s a sort of greatest hits collection, probably timed to coincide with the 14th anniversary of the boys’ first and only No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with “It’s Gonna Be Me.”

Even so, it seems strange that the label would release it without announcing the bandmembers, even if they will undoubtedly get a cut of the sales. It’s not unheard of, but it is strange.

Lance Bass broke the news on the official ‘N Sync Twitter, but he saved his sarcasm for his official feed, where he posted, “I love when the record label doesn't even tell you they are releasing a new ‘NSYNC album tomorrow ! #TheyCare.”

So far, he’s the only one from the band, which also included Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, and Joey Fatone, and went on indefinite hiatus in 2002, to comment on this.

On his Dirty Pop with Lance Bass SiriusXM radio show (check out the audio recording below), the former teen heartthrob revealed that the surprise was even bigger than you could imagine. First of all, he says he found out about the release on Twitter, when fans of the now-defunct band started contacting him with questions about the new album of which, obviously, he had no idea.

Secondly, he says that the second of the 2 CDs included in the set includes such “random” songs that they did along the years, that some of them he never even heard. He remembers recording them, but he’s never heard them in their finished form.

He doesn’t seem pleased about what’s happening – not one bit.

Sony Legacy, the record label, is yet to say anything publicly about this stealth release, if you can call it that, but one representative did apologize to Lance on his Facebook, he reveals. “Hey, please accept my apology, I would like to do it right, maybe give some giveaways on your website and radio program,” the label representative wrote, as per Bass.

‘N Sync went on hiatus in 2002, when Justin Timberlake opted to focus exclusively on a solo (singing and acting) career. Despite countless pleas from fans, a reunion never happened, presumably because Justin is “too serious” now to be in a boyband anymore. Still, fans have not lost hope of seeing it happen – and Sony Legacy clearly knows that by releasing this new album.

The full tracklisting for “The Essential” is available below.

Disc 1 of 2: 1. “Here We Go” [Radio Cut] (3:34) 2. “I Want You Back” [Radio Edit] (3:20) 3. “Tearin' up My Heart” [Original Radio Edit] (3:26) 4. “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You” [Remix] (3:58) 5. “Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)” (4:00) 6. “For the Girl Who Has Everything” [Radio Mix] (3:55) 7. “Are You Gonna Be There” (4:06) 8. “Music of My Heart” (4:31) 9. “Bye Bye Bye” (3:19) 10. “It's Gonna Be Me” (3:11) 11. “This I Promise You” [Radio Edit] (4:26) 12. “I Thought She Knew” (3:20) 13. “I Believe in You” (4:57) 14. “If I'm Not the One” (3:21) 15. “Pop” [Radio Version] (2:55) 16. “Girlfriend” [The Neptunes Remix] (4:43) 17. “Gone” [Album Version] (4:51)

Disc 2 of 2: 1. “More Than a Feeling” (3:44) 2. “Best of My Life” (4:45) 3. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (3:10) 4. “Sailing” (4:36) 5. “Everything I Own” (3:57) 6. “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You” (4:38) 7. “Somewhere, Someday” (4:06) 8. “Trashin' the Camp” (2:24) 9. “If Only in Heaven's Eyes” (4:37) 10. “You Don't Have to Be Alone” (4:33) 11. “On the Line” (3:18) 12. “That Girl (Will Never Be Mine)” (3:25) 13. “Falling” (3:48) 14. “Feel the Love” (3:08) 15. “Selfish” (4:19) 16. “See Right Through You” (2:52) 17. “Believe in Yourself” [TV Version- SESAME STREET] (1:43)