I Want You Back (NSYNC song)

"I Want You Back" was written and produced by Max Martin and his then-mentor Denniz Pop. NSYNC were flown over to Stockholm to record the song in 1996. In a 2018 interview with Billboard, band member Joey Fatone described the song as "edgy for pop" and was apprehensive about its reception with listeners.^[1] "I Want You Back" was released as a CD single in Germany on October 4, 1996,^[2] and eventually in the United States on February 3, 1998.^[3] The song was also distributed in the United Kingdom on February 15, 1999.^[4] "I Want You Back" was sent out to American CHR stations on December 29, 1997, prior to the song's release as a CD single in the US.^[5]

Musically, "I Want You Back" is a dance-pop^[6] and pop song.^[1] According to the sheet music that was published on Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, the song is set in the time signature of ⁴
₄ common time, with a tempo of 110 beats per minute, while composed in the key of G♯ minor. NSYNC's vocals on the track ranges from the low note of E₄ to the high note of G♯₅, while the song is constructed in verse–chorus form.^[7]

"I Want You Back" peaked in the top 10 in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Canada.^{[8][9][10][11]} It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[12] The song was certified gold in the United States, Germany, and Australia.^[3][13][14]

Two versions of the music video for "I Want You Back" were released: one for the song's original release, and the other for its global re-release.^[1] Both versions were included in NSYNC's first video album title *N the Mix: The Official Home Video, released in 1998.