It’s Gonna Be May is a viral catchphrase and image macro based on a misheard lyric (mondegreen) from the 2000 NSYNC song It’s Gonna Be Me. When Justin Timberlake sings the word “me,” his pronunciation sounds like “May,” which sparked the joke.
The meme usually features:
- A still image or GIF of Justin Timberlake from the music video
- The caption: “It’s Gonna Be May”
- Posts shared widely on April 30, right before May begins
Over time, it has become a yearly internet tradition, much like holiday-themed memes.
Table of Contents
Origin of the Meme
The meme traces its origins back to the year 2000, when *NSYNC released their hit song It’s Gonna Be Me as part of the album No Strings Attached. In the track, Justin Timberlake’s distinctive pronunciation of the word “me” sounds like “May,” which later became the foundation of the joke.
More than a decade later, in 2012, a Tumblr user shared an image of Timberlake from the music video with the caption “It’s gonna be May,” playfully referencing this misheard lyric. The humor was simple yet instantly relatable, and it quickly caught the attention of internet users, spreading widely across social media platforms and eventually becoming a recurring annual meme.
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How the Meme Spread
After its creation in 2012, the meme spread rapidly across platforms:
- Tumblr & BuzzFeed (2012): Early viral reposts boosted visibility
- YouTube Edits: Clips highlighting the lyric gained traction
- Twitter, Instagram & TikTok: Seasonal reposts turned it into an annual trend
- Recurring Popularity: Every year, the meme trends again near May 1.
Its cyclical nature is key, it never truly dies, it just returns every spring.
| Info | Details |
|---|---|
| Meme Name | It’s Gonna Be May |
| Type | Catchphrase, Image Macro |
| Origin Song | “It’s Gonna Be Me” by *NSYNC (2000) |
| Origin Year (Meme) | 2012 |
| Platform of Origin | Tumblr |
| Main Person | Justin Timberlake |
| Core Joke | Mispronunciation of “me” sounding like “May” |
| Peak Usage Time | April 30 (annually) |
| Popularity | Recurring yearly viral meme |
| Common Formats | Images, GIFs, TikTok videos |
| Notable Variations | “So About Tomorrow”, “It’s Gonna Be Maytag” |
Variations and Trends
Over the years, users have created countless variations:
- “So About Tomorrow” posts (shared just before May begins)
- Brand parodies like “It’s Gonna Be Maytag” campaigns
- Edited images, remixes, and TikTok versions
- Creative captions and unexpected formats
Despite these changes, the core joke remains the same.
The meme first appeared in 2012 when a Tumblr user posted an image of Justin Timberlake with the caption It’s gonna be May.
The meme is traditionally shared on April 30 as a humorous way to announce that the next day is May.
The meme features Justin Timberlake from the *NSYNC music video for It’s Gonna Be Me.
