Justin Timberlake ’It’s Gonna Be May’ Meme Trends Again: Here’s What it Means

The 'It's Gonna Be May' meme is back!

The Justin Timberlake "It's Gonna Be May" meme resurfaces online yet again as we welcome the month of May 2023.

The viral meme, which features the former NSYNC member, Timberlake, has resurfaced every year on various social media platforms when the fifth month of the year approaches.

Justin Timberlake
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Justin Timberlake performs during the 2022 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala at the Barker Hangar on October 08, 2022 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Justin Timberlake 'It's Gonna Be May' Meme

It is that time of the year again! As we say goodbye to April and welcome the new month, the Timberlake meme emerges.

The iconic "It's Gonna Be May" joke with the photo of Timberlake attached is spreading like wildfire again on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, according to Sportskeeda.

The meme started making waves over a decade ago. Back before TikTok was even a thing. Since then, the viral joke, which features the NSYNC member, has emerged online every year.

The annual joke is pretty simple. It features a photo of Timberlake, and as its name gives away, it comes with a caption that reads: "It's Gonna Be May."

Through the years, there have been plenty of versions of the meme. Some versions go a little extra, which includes a GIF of the American singer singing. Others even post videos of him with the same caption.

Justin Timberlake
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 26: Justin Timberlake attends the Kenzo Menswear Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 26, 2022 in Paris, France. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Justin Timberlake May Meme Explained

With its annual comeback, people are wondering yet again about the joke's context. It has been a mystery for some folks every single time the meme goes viral.

As per USA Today, the meme, which resurfaces every springtime, is actually a joke made out of the music video of NSYNC. Back then, Timberlake was still a member of the hit American boyband.

The song goes by the title "It's Gonna Be Me" rather than "May." However, in the music video, Timberlake pronounced the word "me" as if he was referring to the month after April.

The website that tracks viral content online, Known Your Meme, claims that the meme first emerged back in March 2012. So for this year, it has been making rounds online for more than a decade or ten years.

Due to the meme's popularity, USA Today notes that Spotify uses the title "It's Gonna Be May" alongside the actual "It's Gonna Be Me" title for its NSYNC Essential playlist.

Timberlake has gamely embraced the viral meme that jokes about him. He has been sharing various versions of it. For instance, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the American singer even shared its new iteration, which features a photo of him wearing a mask to protect himself from the infectious virus.

So it turns out that the former NSYNC member, Timberlake, is also a fan of the iconic "It's Gonna Be May" meme.


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