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Gone (NSYNC song)

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"Gone"
Single by NSYNC
from the album Celebrity
B-side
  • "I'll Be Good for You"
  • "The Game Is Over"
ReleasedAugust 21, 2001 (2001-08-21)
Recorded2001
StudioWestlake Recording (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length4:51
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Justin Timberlake
  • Wade Robson
NSYNC singles chronology
"Pop"
(2001) 		"Gone"
(2001) 		"Girlfriend"
(2002)
Music video
"Gone" on YouTube

"Gone" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, Celebrity (2001). The band first performed the song on PopOdyssey during mid-2001, and it was sent to US radio on August 21, 2001. The physical release of the single did not occur until October 15, 2001, when a CD single was issued in Australia. It is the first NSYNC single where Justin Timberlake sings all lead vocals.

The song was nominated at the 44th Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, but lost to U2's "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of".

Background and composition

[edit]
The song was initially meant to include Michael Jackson.

"Gone" was initially written by Timberlake and Wade Robson for Michael Jackson in 2001.[1] However, Jackson passed on the song, which allowed Timberlake to introduce it in an A&R meeting for NSYNC's next album, Celebrity.[2] It was the first song Timberlake cut on his own, as he brought it to the group to record together.[2] Jackson eventually changed his mind and requested to be featured on the song as a duet; however, the song was already released, and the two could not find a way to revamp it.[3] In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Timberlake expressed, "[Michael] was very absolute about the fact that he wanted it to be a duet between himself and I."[3]

In an interview with Billboard, JC Chasez described the song's significance on the group: ["Gone"] is about as raw as it gets. It's just us and a beat-box, with just a tiny accent of acoustic guitar and violin. That song is a proud moment for us; it really shows how tight we are as a group."[4]

Timberlake got the idea for the song when his then-girlfriend Britney Spears went to the hair salon and did not return for hours.[5] The song and music video were notable departures for the group; previous NSYNC singles always had verses divided between lead vocalists Timberlake and Chasez, and in earlier music videos each group member had a storyline. "Gone" has Timberlake singing both verses as well as the bridge, runs, and ad libs. He is also the focus of the accompanying music video, with Timberlake getting mostly solo footage while his bandmates appear together separately.[6]

The song is set in the key of C major and C minor (recorded in B major and B minor) at 56 bpm.[7]

Critical reception

[edit]

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard stated that the song established "Timberlake as a solo artist long before he was actually a solo artist, and remains one of his very best singles to date."[3] In 2018, Billboard staff ranked the song 24 on their list "The 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time," writing, "the bridge is downright surreal, as the sparse beat drops out entirely, the meter all but dissolves, and the five members sound like they're swarming Timberlake's subconscious, until he breaks out for a final chorus of masterful ad libs. But it all comes back to that one word: harrowing, relentless and unmistakably final."[8] In 2015, Rolling Stone staff ranked it as the 37th greatest boy band song of all time.[1]

Chart performance

[edit]

"Gone" peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 13, 2001. It also reached number fourteen on the Hip Hop/R&B Airplay charts, becoming the only pop boy band to chart there.[9] The single also hit number 27 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It also reached number 28 in Canada, number 24 in the UK, and number 43 in Sweden.

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Gone" was directed by Herb Ritts[10] and filmed in August 2001.[11] It debuted on TRL on September 26, 2001.[12] The video is shot in black-and-white, but opens and closes with sepia-toned scenes of a silent film depicting Timberlake as a Charlie Chaplin-esque figure who tries to woo his love interest.[10] The main part of the video depicts Timberlake singing in an empty house with his bandmates. Scenes of the guys singing are intercut with Timberlake's flashbacks to happier times with a former girlfriend, played by Croatian model Korina Longin.[10][13] These flashbacks include Timberlake celebrating his girlfriend's birthday at a party with NSYNC, painting his girlfriend's toenails, gifting her a necklace, and rolling around in the grass kissing.[10]

"Gone" was the first NSYNC video to center Timberlake, with Jon O'Brien of Billboard writing, "Herb Ritts' brooding monochrome promo highlighted even further how much Timberlake had outgrown his bandmates."[14] As Timberlake would go on to launch a successful solo career the following year, writers have noted the music video foreshadowed the band's future and Timberlake's solo ascent.[1][15] The video became *NSYNC's tenth number 1 video for TRL. The video received spins on BET's 106 & Park, making NSYNC the only all-white group to ever get rotation on the show.[16] "Gone" was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards,[17] but lost to "Without Me" by Eminem.[18]

Live performances

[edit]

"Gone" was performed live at the 2001 Billboard Music Awards,[19] the 2002 Grammy Awards,[20] and during the band's set at a 2002 Winter Olympics concert,[21] in addition to the group's PopOdyssey and Celebrity tour shows. Justin Timberlake has also sang the song solo on his Justified tour and The 20/20 Experience World Tour.[22] The group sang the opening bars of "Gone" at the beginning of their reunion medley at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards where Timberlake was awarded the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.[23]

Track listing

[edit]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Recording[26]

Personnel[26]

  • Justin Timberlake – songwriter, producer, arranger, multi instruments
  • Wade J. Robson – songwriter, producer, arranger, multi instruments
  • Alan Armitage – recording
  • Kevin Guarnieri – assistant recording engineer
  • Peter Mokran – mixing
  • Tony Flores – assistant mixing engineer
  • Chris Haggerty – digital editing
  • Robin Wiley – string arrangement
  • Yasu – strings recording
  • Jeremy Welch – assistant strings recording engineer
  • The Hampton String Quartet – strings performer
  • Michael Thompson – guitars
  • Michael A. Lang – piano

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Country Date Format(s) Label Ref.
United States August 21, 2001 Contemporary hit radio Jive [49]
Australia October 15, 2001 CD [50]
Japan October 24, 2001 Maxi-CD [51]
Austria November 5, 2001 [52]
Germany [52]
Switzerland [52]
United Kingdom November 26, 2001
[53]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Walters, Barry; Stevens, Kat; Spanos, Brittany; Murray, Nick; Benjamin, Jeff; Johnston, Maura (September 24, 2015). "75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Payne, Chris (May 8, 2014). "Justin Timberlake Nearly Had Duet With Michael Jackson a Decade Ago". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Lipshutz, Jason (May 9, 2014). "'N Sync's 'Gone' Comes Back: Why Michael Jackson's Proposed Duet is an Essential Justin Timberlake Track". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  4. ^ Flick, Larry. "'N Sync: Shouldering The Burden of Celebrity". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 30, 2001. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  5. ^ "The Evolution of Justin Timberlake". iHeartRadio. January 29, 2018.
  6. ^ Nilles, Billy (March 21, 2020). "Ranking the 20 Best NSYNC Songs Ever". E! Online.
  7. ^ Gone
  8. ^ "The 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  9. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio; Patel, Minal; Jessen, Wade (November 10, 2001). "More Than Pop" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 45. p. 75.
  10. ^ a b c d Moss, Corey (August 22, 2002). "VMA Lens Recap: The Story Behind 'NSYNC's 'Gone'". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020.
  11. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (August 30, 2001). "'NSYNC, Jackson 5 Plug Their 'Dancing Machine' Back In". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. "The group even found time to finish shooting a video for 'Gone,' 'NSYNC's Joey Fatone said when he called into MTV's 'TRL' on Thursday."
  12. ^ "Wednesday's TRL Talk To Justin & Britney". PopDirt. September 27, 2001. Archived from the original on July 31, 2021.
  13. ^ "Korina Longin Complete Biography". Celebs101. Celebrity Photos. Retrieved April 28, 2013. Korina starred in NSYNC's "Gone" music video
  14. ^ O'Brien, Jon (July 22, 2021). "*NSYNC's 'Celebrity' at 20: All the Tracks Ranked From Worst to Best". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Rohwedder, Kristie (August 6, 2015). "The Official *NSYNC Music Video Ranking Brought To You By An Official *NSYNC Fan". Bustle.
  16. ^ "From The Vault: *NSYNC - 'Gone'". That Grape Juice. March 17, 2019.
  17. ^ "2002 MTV Video Music Award nominees". Billboard. July 25, 2002.
  18. ^ "2002 MTV Video Music Awards Winners". Billboard. September 1, 2002.
  19. ^ "R. Kelly, Destiny, McGraw Lead Billboard Awards". Billboard. December 5, 2001.
  20. ^ Nsync & Nelly - Gone/Girlfriend (Grammys Awards 2002)— via YouTube
  21. ^ "Nightly Concerts Set For Salt Lake's Olympic Plaza". Billboard. December 19, 2001.
  22. ^ Justin Timberlake -- GONE Ft. Lauderdale 20/20 Tour 2014 — via YouTube
  23. ^ Saad, Nardine (August 26, 2013). "'N Sync VMA reunion was Timberlake's idea, some wish it was longer". Los Angeles Times.
  24. ^ Gone (European CD single liner notes). NSYNC. Sony Music Entertainment. 2001. 9252742.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ Gone (Japanese CD single liner notes). NSYNC. Sony Music Entertainment. 2001. ZJCI-30010.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. ^ a b Gone (liner notes). NSYNC. Jive Records. 2001. 9252742.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ "Issue 608" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  28. ^ "*N Sync – Gone" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  29. ^ "'N Sync Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  30. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 51. December 15, 2001. p. 11. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  31. ^ "N Sync – Gone" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  32. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography *N Sync". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  33. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 46, 2001". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  34. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  35. ^ "*N Sync – Gone". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  36. ^ "*N Sync – Gone". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  37. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  38. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  39. ^ "N SYNC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  40. ^ "N SYNC Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  41. ^ "N SYNC Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  42. ^ "N SYNC Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  43. ^ "N SYNC Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  44. ^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. December 21, 2001. p. 60.
  45. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  46. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2002". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  47. ^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 12.
  48. ^ "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 22.
  49. ^ "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1415. August 17, 2001. p. 39. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  50. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 15th October 2001" (PDF). ARIA. October 15, 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2002. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  51. ^ "ゴーン | インシンク" [Gone | NSYNC] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  52. ^ a b c "Gone". November 5, 2001 – via Amazon.
  53. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting November 26, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 24, 2001. p. 31. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
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