Better Place (NSYNC song)

"Better Place"
Single by NSYNC
from the album Trolls Band Together (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
ReleasedSeptember 29, 2023 (2023-09-29)
RecordedMarch 2023 (2023-03)[1]
GenrePop
Length3:37
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
NSYNC singles chronology
"Girlfriend"
(2002) 		"Better Place"
(2023)
Lyric video
"Better Place" on YouTube

"Better Place" is a song by American vocal group NSYNC. It was released on September 29, 2023, through RCA as the lead single from the soundtrack of the film Trolls Band Together, in which band member Justin Timberlake voices the character Branch. He produced the song with Shellback and the two wrote it alongside Amy Allen. It serves as NSYNC's first release after a hiatus that lasted over twenty years and follows the release of their fourth studio album, Celebrity (2001).[2]

Release and promotion

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Over two weeks before the release of the song, the band members put out a behind-the-scenes video, in which it showed the members recording their parts for the song.[3] A trailer video was also released, which included a pre-save link for the song and confirmed its release date.[4] Rumors of an NSYNC reunion have previously circulated after numerous posters of the film Trolls Band Together were spotted in New York City, which included the first letter of the band's logo and a QR code to the website TakeYouToABetterPlace.com to give a teaser of the song.[5] The band briefly reunited at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, prior to the song's release on September 29, 2023. However, the song and film were reportedly not promoted by the band due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.[6]

Composition and lyrics

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"Better Place" is a pop song that is reminiscent of NSYNC's previous music from the late 1990s and early 2000s and is built on a disco pop instrumental as Timberlake, Chasez, Fatone, Kirkpatrick, and Bass sing the chorus: "Just let me take you to a better place / I'm gonna make you kiss the sky tonight / Yeah, if you let me show the way / I'm so excited to see you excited".[7] Timberlake first recorded a demo of the song in early 2023 before deciding to reunite the band and record it together, with the film's plot being considered a "perfect confluence" to carry that narrative.[8]

Commercial performance

[edit]

"Better Place" debuted and peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Hot 100, tying the group's highest debut on the chart with their debut single, "I Want You Back". It became their thirteenth Hot 100 entry, eleventh top 40 appearance, and first since their previous single "Girlfriend" released in 2002.[9]

Critical reception

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The single was positively reviewed by Sadie Bell of People, stating it as an "infectious pop banger — calling back the '90s and ‘00s icons' early boy band sound, while giving it a contemporary update with a disco-pop beat. Each member gets their own moment to shine, too, while Timberlake, 42, carries the chorus."[10]

Chuck Arnold of the New York Post gave a generally positive review: "Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick sound just in sync as ever on this buoyant bop from the "Trolls Band Together" soundtrack, which indeed takes you to a "Better Place." After a whistling intro — a hook that repeats throughout the song — it opens with what could be a statement about how they’re still better together after all these years: "It's some kind of love, it's some kind of fire/I'm already up, but you lift me higher." While other members of the group sing lead in the verses, it's Timberlake who owns the chorus with his familiar falsetto. And when he sings "I'm so excited to see you excited" over the bass-bumping disco groove, it’s as if he knows exactly how giddy this track is making *NSYNC fans all around the world."

Music video

[edit]

A lyric video featuring characters from the Trolls Band Together movie was released on YouTube.[11] A fan documentary was then also shared on YouTube highlighting five of the group's biggest fans to star in the music video for "Better Place". It showcased the fans standing in for the band members and becoming *NSYNC as they perform choreography from the movie.[12] The lyric video has received over 10 million views on YouTube as of April 2024.[13]

Credits and personnel

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  • NSYNC
  • Shellback – production, songwriting, guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, drum machine, whistling, programming
  • Amy Allen – songwriting
  • Anna Bylund – flute
  • Teresia Alm – oboe
  • Wojtek Goral – baritone saxophone
  • Tomas Jonsson – tenor saxophone
  • Mattias Johansson – trumpet, French horn, violin
  • Helena Stjernstrom – English horn
  • Peter Noos Johansson – trombone
  • Janne Bjerger – fluegelhorn
  • David Bukovinsky – cello
  • David Bergström – violin
  • Hanna Helgegren – violin
  • Erik Arvinder – violin
  • Robert Mollard – tambourine
  • Kasper Komar – tambourine
  • Mattias Bylund – synthesizer, editing, recording
  • Karl Gunér – synthesizer
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Randy Merrill – mastering
  • Chris Godbey – recording
  • Bryce Bordone – assistant engineering
  • Eric Eylands – assistant engineering

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for "Better Place"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various September 29, 2023
RCA [44]
United States October 3, 2023 Contemporary hit radio [45]
Italy October 6, 2023 Radio airplay Sony [46]
United States November 17, 2023 7-inch single [47]

References

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  1. ^ Gonzalez, Rebekah (September 25, 2023). "*NSYNC Shed 'Tears of Joy' While Reuniting In The Studio". iHeart. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  2. ^ Deville, Chris (September 29, 2023). "NSYNC – "Better Place"". Stereogum. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Zee, Michaela (September 29, 2023). "Watch NSYNC Reunite in Studio for the First New Song in 21 Years, 'Better Place'". Variety. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  4. ^ Skinner, Tom (September 14, 2023). "*NSYNC Announce First New Song in Over 20 Years, 'Better Place'". NME. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  5. ^ Aniftos, Rania (September 14, 2023). "*NSYNC Reunite for 'Trolls Band Together' Song 'Better Place': See the Release Date & New Trailer". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  6. ^ "*NSYNC Reunites at 2023 VMAs: Here's What Happened". Billboard. September 12, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  7. ^ "*NSYNC Reunite with Pop Banger 'Better Place' — Their First Song in Over 20 Years: LISTEN". People. September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  8. ^ "How 'Trolls' Scored the *NSYNC Comeback We've All Been Waiting For". Billboard. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  9. ^ "*NSYNC Back on Billboard Hot 100 for First Time Since 2002 With 'Better Place'". Billboard. October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  10. ^ "*NSYNC Reunite with Pop Banger 'Better Place' — Their First Song in Over 20 Years: Listen". People. September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  11. ^ ""Better Place" Official *NSYNC Lyric Video (2023) - TROLLS BAND TOGETHER". YouTube. September 29, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  12. ^ "*NSYNC Recruit Their Biggest Fans in Part 1 of 'Better Place' Music Video Documentary". Billboard. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  13. ^ *NSYNC - Better Place (From TROLLS Band Together) (Lyric Video).YouTube
  14. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 9 October 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1753. Australian Recording Industry Association. October 9, 2023. p. 9.
  15. ^ "Australia Airplay Chart - AirCheck". RadioInfo Australia. AirCheck. October 12, 2023. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  16. ^ "*N Sync – Better Place" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  17. ^ "*N Sync – Better Place" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  18. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  19. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  20. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  21. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  22. ^ a b c *NSYNC & Justin Timberlake — Better Place (From Trolls Band Together). TopHit. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  23. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 49. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  24. ^ "Offizielle Download Charts Single (09.10.2023)". MTV Germany. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  25. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  26. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on January 13, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  27. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of October 11, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  28. ^ "Latvijas radio stacijās spēlētākās dziesmas TOP 45. nedēļa" (in Latvian). LAIPA. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  29. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Nov 23, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  30. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 41, 2023" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  31. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  32. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 28.10.2023–03.11.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  33. ^ "Top 50 – Radio San Marino RTV – 26/11/2023" (in Italian). San Marino RTV. November 26, 2023. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  34. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 49. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  35. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 40". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  36. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  37. ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  38. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  39. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  40. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  41. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  42. ^ "NSYNC Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  43. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Monthly Chart: October 2023". TopHit. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  44. ^ *NSYNC; Timberlake, Justin (September 29, 2023). "Better Place (From TROLLS Band Together)". Spotify. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  45. ^ "A Recap of Radio Add Recaps". Hits. October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  46. ^ Sisti, Sara (September 29, 2023). "*NSYNC, Justin Timberlake - Better Place (From TROLLS Band Together) (Radio Date: 06-10-2023)". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  47. ^ "*NSYNC - Better Place Limited 7-Inch Single LP". Urban Outfitters. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
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