HOLLYWOOD — A large line of fans clad in an array of *NSYNC concert T-shirts and custom made fan outfits camped out overnight for a perfect spot to watch Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick receive the 2,636th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was on hand for the 11:30 a.m. ceremony at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, near La Brea Avenue, near the stars of fellow boy bands Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, New Kids on the Block and New Edition.
“For all of you who came from far and wide to be here to share this moment with us, thank you so much, this really means the world to all of us,” Timberlake told the screaming crowd.
The group’s self-titled debut album was released in 1997 and sold more than 10 million copies. *NSYNC sold more than 30 million records in the U.S. and 42 million more across the globe, and set records for its concert ticket sales, and their songs set records for how fast they topped the charts.
The group launched the solo career of Timberlake, who performed the second of two weekend concerts at The Forum.
“We’re brothers, we’re family, and out of all this, the music, the tours, the love from the fans — it’s my brotherhood with you guys that I’m most thankful for,” Bass told his bandmates during the ceremony.
*NSYNC went on what it described as a hiatus in 2002 and has not performed together since then.
The group’s name stemmed from a comment by Timberlake’s mother on how “in sync” the group’s singing voices were. The name is also a play on the last letter of each of the initial member’s names, which included bass singer Jason Galasso, who dropped out just before the group signed with Trans Continental Records.
A pop-up store selling the group’s official merchandise opened Saturday at the Hollywood & Highland complex and will remain open through Tuesday.