As early ambassadors of Max Martin's Scandinavian-bred songwriting, *NSYNC helped usher in the advent of rhythmic pop in the '90s—a slickly produced amalgam that mixed stadium rock's lighter-aloft choruses with catchy melodies while borrowing contemporary R&B's spirited grooves. “Tearin' Up My Heart” and its funk bassline introduced this cross-pollination smashingly, as did Justin Timberlake's android beatboxing on “It's Gonna Be Me”. But the stabbing buildup of “Bye Bye Bye”, a self-mocking kiss-off to svengali Lou Pearlman, is what established *NSYNC as more than a boy band.