As Justin Timberlake’s solo debut neared release, questions about *NSYNC’s future lingered in both media and fan spaces. A small feature in J-14 Magazine, tied to the group’s Challenge For the Children event, claimed *NSYNC couldn’t break up because they owed Jive Records another 3 albums —an assertion preserved only through a now-removed eBay listing and tertiary Tumblr documentation. Joey Fatone appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly, where he confirmed the group was still planning a meeting to begin writing again, likely in March or April, even with Justin’s solo tour on the horizon. Meanwhile, the October 26th issue of Billboard featured a profile on Justified, quoting a Jive Records executive who praised Justin’s willingness to tour Europe—an effort the group had reportedly resisted. In the same piece, Timberlake pushed back against speculation about the group’s longevity, saying, “I get tired of people waiting for us to go away. We’re not going away, man. We’re growing and changing and making music that is real and honest. We’re not a machine.”
1 – A small feature claiming to explain why *NSYNC can’t break up appears as part of an article about the group’s Challenge For the Children event. A photograph of the feature was included in an eBay sales listing that has since been removed by the seller. Tertiary proof of this feature article was located on Tumblr.
Title:’ N Sync and Friends Score Big
Author(s): Unknown
Publisher: Bauer Publishing
Page(s): 19
Original Source: J-14 Magazine October/November 2002 issue
Secondary Source: eBay Sales listing (seller name “sid-carrot”)
Tertiary Source: The real Squishy Pixie Tumblr blog, uploaded photo from Madame Soifra Tumblr blog (unavailable)
Current Link: https://the-real-squishypixie.tumblr.com/post/4250725274/j-14-octobernovember-2002-three-albums-eh
2 – Joey appears on the talk show Last Call with Carson Daly and Pop Dirt.Com published a transcript of the interview.
Title: Joey Fatone on Last Call with Carson Daly
Author(s): Unknown
Original Source: NBC Last Call with Carson Daly broadcast (unavailable)
Secondary Source: Pop Dirt.Com
Current Link: http://popdirt.com/joey-fatone-on-last-call-with-carson-daly/8256/ (full transcript)
3 – The October 26th issue of Billboard Newspaper featured an article about the Justified album.
Title: Timberlake In Sync With ’60s On Solo Debut
Author(s):Larry Flick
Publisher: VNU Business Media, Inc.
Page(s): 1, 73
Original Source: Billboard Newspaper (print copy unavailable)
Secondary Source: WorldRadioHistory.Com
Current Link: https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2002/BB-2002-10-26.pdf (full PDF file)
Riddle On Her Mind 
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