*NSYNC celebrates 25 years of the “It’s Gonna Be May” meme with Great Wolf Lodge getaway and talks meme madness and TikTok resurgence.
‘It’s Gonna Be May’ tomorrow!
As April winds down, one of the internet’s most beloved memes rises again: *NSYNC’s viral “It’s Gonna Be May.” Originally sparked by the way Justin Timberlake sings the word “me” in the group’s 2000 hit “It’s Gonna Be Me,” the misheard lyric became a meme sensation in 2012. Now, over a decade later, it continues to dominate the internet each April 30.
According to Know Your Meme, the trend began in 2012 and has become an annual celebration involving GIFs, edited clips, and nostalgic photos. Each year, fans get more inventive, and no one is more amused than former *NSYNC members Lance Bass and Joey Fatone.
“I mean, it is crazy,” Bass tells People exclusively. “If you want to stay relevant, become a meme for the young kids out there. It keeps us alive every year. It’s the most searched *NSYNC thing ever on that day just because of this stupid little meme, which I’m sure Justin loved. But yeah, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.”
Fatone agrees. “There are so many different ones out there. People just get creative. They dig up old-school stuff and add the words under the meme. It’s hilarious. Why not run with it? It’s fun.”
To mark the 25th anniversary of “It’s Gonna Be Me,” Fatone and Bass have teamed up with Great Wolf Lodge to make this year’s celebration even more special. The pair is fronting the family resort’s “Summer Camp-In” campaign, encouraging fans to kick off the season with a little nostalgia and a lot of fun.
Available only on May 1, families can save up to 51% on Great Wolf Lodge stays across the country with the promo code BEMAY at checkout. It’s a one-day-only offer, and the duo hopes it inspires fans to celebrate the meme in real life.
“It’s so much fun doing this with Great Wolf Lodge and having these creative ideas for ‘It’s Gonna Be May’ and kind of reinventing things,” says Fatone. “As you know, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and this is a fun, family-friendly place. Obviously, we all have kids. I got older kids, but it’s still a great place for all ages, which is awesome.”
Beyond the meme, *NSYNC’s music is enjoying a surprising renaissance, thanks to social media. Fatone points out that TikTok has brought their early 2000s hits back into the spotlight.
@bmotheprince It’s gonna be MAY #millennial ♬ original sound – Brian Moller | B Mo the Prince
“I was on TikTok just scrolling, and every few videos it was “Bye Bye Bye“,” he recalls. “All these different people dancing to it — it was wild. It’s hard to explain, but it kind of felt like … I don’t want to say we died and came back, but in a way, it was like a resurrection.”
@thewiggles Tomorrow starts a new month… and you already know what it’s called. #TheWiggles #fyp #May ♬ original sound – The Wiggles
Even after thousands of performances, Fatone is thrilled to see the love for their iconic tracks. “People are like, ‘Do the song again!’ and I’m like, ‘All right, here we go … “Bye Bye Bye” for the 8,000th time.’ But hey — it’s still a banger.”
@lancebass POV: your friend mispronounces a word once and now it’s a national holiday. Happy #itsgonnabemay ♬ original sound – run_dmt
As May approaches once again, the meme that started as a joke proves it has staying power — and so does *NSYNC. Whether you’re online laughing at the latest remix or booking a getaway for the summer, one thing is for sure: it’s definitely gonna be May.
