BECAUSE THAT TIME *NSYNC REUNITED AT THE 2013 VMAS. BECAUSE. THAT. TIME.

Once upon a pre-millennial time, there lived a boy band that SO FAR SURPASSED any other boy band, that people still lose their collective lunches with “GAHH-AHH-AHHH!!” 13 years after the fact. We’re talking, of course, about *NSYNC, one of the greatest boy bands of ALL TIME, who ALSO REUNITED AT THE 2013 VMAS.

Joining VMA Video Vanguard Winner Justin Timberlake mid-medley (“Mirrors,” “Suit & Tie,” “Take Back The Night“), Chris, JC, Lance, and Joey popped up onstage to whip out the final chorus of their No Strings Attached classic: “Bye Bye Bye.” AND THEY DID THE DANCE. THAT! DANCE! And, just, like, AHHHHHHHH!! FEELINGS. Feelings explosion. Feelings about everything. Sorry, O-Town, and love you 2gether, and I’mma let you finish LFO, but *NSYNC 4Ever and always. Nothing compares 2 U.

Now that we’ve kind of sort of recovered ourselves (except not even close), let’s play a little game of “Who Remembers 1999?” Hold on, excuse me, just gotta rummage through my middle school Hope Chest, connect to the ‘net via AOL dial up, put in some butterfly clips, phone in that order from *Delias… AND OK. READY. Let’s talk *NSYNC!!

We first met Chris Kirpatrick’s braids *NSYNC back in 1998. (OK, technically 1995.) But THE WORLD met them in 1999 at the VMAs! You’re welcome.

Then we REALLY met *NSYNC when they joined Britney Spears onstage to perform “Tearing Up My Heart.” Remember how she introduced them as “some friends of hers”?? HA! “Just some friends”… Psh.

FRIENDS! WITH BRITNEY SPEARS! IN 1999! Where did I put my JNCOs?? I’m crying a river!

Because…. THIS. (R.I.P TO THE GIRL YOU USED TO SEE!)

AND THIS.

YEAH! You’re all tearin’ up my heart, boys. Because you’re gonna be STAHHHRS.

Justin: Because a leader tucks his shirt in.

Get more about *NSYNC’s 2013 VMA resurrection after the jump.

Soon enough *NSYNC traded their casual, sleeveless T-shirts for… more sleeveless T-shirts! Except for RIBBED TURTLENECKS! AND MOONMEN! It’s the year 2000!

OK, stop. INTERRUPTION. Time to do a close study of Justin Timberlake’s OOC hair, circa 2000. Nothing says “The Millennium” quite like L.A. Looks volumizer.

I’ll have my ramen with a side of curls, please. I mean, um, curly fries! Never mind. But if I’m being honest, I’ll take dapper Justin circa 2013. Oh, you too? Not surprised.

NO! IT’S TOO SEXY! Let’s instead look at ALL the hair. Like, the time Lance Bass had red highlights. That conveniently match Chris Kirpatrick’s sunglasses!

Hrrrrmmm, but maybe would we’d rather look at JC’s “onlyartist.com” shirt from the year 2002! (Which, 11 years later (guh), would be hashtag #onlyartist. #TimesHaveChanged.)

Except NO! We’re traveling too far into the future! I am NOT done looking at Lance Bass with blue highlights circa 1999! NOT done. Still not done. No… don’t take it away from me. I SAID NO.

FIIIIINE, I’ll see your Lance Bass with blue highlights and RAISE you Justin Timberlake’s bandana cornrows. If you’re nice to me, I’ll even throw in Chris’ pink, paisley cowboy hat. Or JC’s leather “Indiana Jones” hat! Choices!

Or we could just relive their “Spinal Tap“/stuck in a box/”It’s Gonna Be Me” 2000 VMA moment.

But why look at annnny of these things when there’s JC mid-shimmy/performing “Dirty Pop” at the 2001 VMAs?

OR *NSYNC being friends with MICHAEL JACKSON at the 2001 VMAS?? (You’re welcome again.)

But you know what? No matter where they are, and no matter what their incarnation, the fact remains: THEY’RE BACK.

Always.

EEEEE!

*NSYNC WINS THE VMAS.

+ Read more about *NSYNC’s 2013 MTV VMA reunion, watch a supercut of the boy band’s VMA history, and check out more photos of *NSYNC through the years. 

Video Music Award 2013 winners, red carpet photos, and the full VMA show free on demand at VMA.MTV.com.

Photo credit: Getty Images/GIFs: GlobalGrind/Gavin Alaoen/Vulture

BECAUSE THAT TIME *NSYNC REUNITED AT THE 2013 VMAS. BECAUSE. THAT. TIME.

Once upon a pre-millennial time, there lived a boy band that SO FAR SURPASSED any other boy band, that people still lose their collective lunches with “GAHH-AHH-AHHH!!” 13 years after the fact. We’re talking, of course, about *NSYNC, one of the greatest boy bands of ALL TIME, who ALSO REUNITED AT THE 2013 VMAS.

Joining VMA Video Vanguard Winner Justin Timberlake mid-medley (“Mirrors,” “Suit & Tie,” “Take Back The Night“), Chris, JC, Lance, and Joey popped up onstage to whip out the final chorus of their No Strings Attached classic: “Bye Bye Bye.” AND THEY DID THE DANCE. THAT! DANCE! And, just, like, AHHHHHHHH!! FEELINGS. Feelings explosion. Feelings about everything. Sorry, O-Town, and love you 2gether, and I’mma let you finish LFO, but *NSYNC 4Ever and always. Nothing compares 2 U.

Now that we’ve kind of sort of recovered ourselves (except not even close), let’s play a little game of “Who Remembers 1999?” Hold on, excuse me, just gotta rummage through my middle school Hope Chest, connect to the ‘net via AOL dial up, put in some butterfly clips, phone in that order from *Delias… AND OK. READY. Let’s talk *NSYNC!!

We first met Chris Kirpatrick’s braids *NSYNC back in 1998. (OK, technically 1995.) But THE WORLD met them in 1999 at the VMAs! You’re welcome.

Then we REALLY met *NSYNC when they joined Britney Spears onstage to perform “Tearing Up My Heart.” Remember how she introduced them as “some friends of hers”?? HA! “Just some friends”… Psh.

FRIENDS! WITH BRITNEY SPEARS! IN 1999! Where did I put my JNCOs?? I’m crying a river!

Because…. THIS. (R.I.P TO THE GIRL YOU USED TO SEE!)

AND THIS.

YEAH! You’re all tearin’ up my heart, boys. Because you’re gonna be STAHHHRS.

Justin: Because a leader tucks his shirt in.

Get more about *NSYNC’s 2013 VMA resurrection after the jump.

Soon enough *NSYNC traded their casual, sleeveless T-shirts for… more sleeveless T-shirts! Except for RIBBED TURTLENECKS! AND MOONMEN! It’s the year 2000!

OK, stop. INTERRUPTION. Time to do a close study of Justin Timberlake’s OOC hair, circa 2000. Nothing says “The Millennium” quite like L.A. Looks volumizer.

I’ll have my ramen with a side of curls, please. I mean, um, curly fries! Never mind. But if I’m being honest, I’ll take dapper Justin circa 2013. Oh, you too? Not surprised.

NO! IT’S TOO SEXY! Let’s instead look at ALL the hair. Like, the time Lance Bass had red highlights. That conveniently match Chris Kirpatrick’s sunglasses!

Hrrrrmmm, but maybe would we’d rather look at JC’s “onlyartist.com” shirt from the year 2002! (Which, 11 years later (guh), would be hashtag #onlyartist. #TimesHaveChanged.)

Except NO! We’re traveling too far into the future! I am NOT done looking at Lance Bass with blue highlights circa 1999! NOT done. Still not done. No… don’t take it away from me. I SAID NO.

FIIIIINE, I’ll see your Lance Bass with blue highlights and RAISE you Justin Timberlake’s bandana cornrows. If you’re nice to me, I’ll even throw in Chris’ pink, paisley cowboy hat. Or JC’s leather “Indiana Jones” hat! Choices!

Or we could just relive their “Spinal Tap“/stuck in a box/”It’s Gonna Be Me” 2000 VMA moment.

But why look at annnny of these things when there’s JC mid-shimmy/performing “Dirty Pop” at the 2001 VMAs?

OR *NSYNC being friends with MICHAEL JACKSON at the 2001 VMAS?? (You’re welcome again.)

But you know what? No matter where they are, and no matter what their incarnation, the fact remains: THEY’RE BACK.

Always.

EEEEE!

*NSYNC WINS THE VMAS.

+ Read more about *NSYNC’s 2013 MTV VMA reunion, watch a supercut of the boy band’s VMA history, and check out more photos of *NSYNC through the years. 

Video Music Award 2013 winners, red carpet photos, and the full VMA show free on demand at VMA.MTV.com.

Photo credit: Getty Images/GIFs: GlobalGrind/Gavin Alaoen/Vulture