NSYNC is back! Hear a snippet of the group's first new song in 20 years

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First came the awkward standing together on the MTV VMAs stage.

Now, NSYNC devotees can really say hi, hi, hi again to the group and hear a 40-second snippet of their first song together since 2002.

The reunion of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick for their brief VMAs appearance Tuesday – to present superfan Taylor Swift with the first of her nine awards of the night – stirred up the expected hype, which the quintet quickly capitalized on.

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“Better Place,” from the soundtrack of the upcoming “Trolls Band Together” movie in which Timberlake voices a character ("Branch"), won’t officially drop until Sept. 29.

But a preview of the sunny pop song is available to hear and pre-save now on the website takeyoutoabetterplace.com.

With glossy, layered harmonies, “Better Place” offers a finger-snapping chorus (“Just let me take you to a better place … I’m so excited, to see you excited”) and a danceable beat similar to Timberlake’s fizzy “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from the first “Trolls” movie in 2016.

The Tuesday gathering of the group at MTV’s annual awards soiree was rumored for days leading up to the event when most of the NSYNC members were spotted around New York City (the VMAs were held in nearby Newark, New Jersey).

Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick of NSYNC speak onstage the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards Sept. 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey.
Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick of NSYNC speak onstage the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards Sept. 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey.

The fivesome, who enjoyed boy band mania in the late-‘90s/early 2000s with ubiquitous hits including “It’s Gonna Be Me,” “Tearin’ Up My Heart,” “This I Promise You” and “Bye Bye Bye,” were last on stage together a decade ago at the VMAs to briefly perform when Timberlake received the Video Vanguard Award.

Following the 2001 release of their fourth studio album, “Celebrity,” NSYNC splintered, with Timberlake igniting a solo career with his 2002 album, “Justified.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NSYNC releases sneak peek of first new song in years, 'Better Place'