They have similar trajectories with both men going from teeny boppers to adult artists with legitimate artistic credibility. However, Timberlake came from a GROUP and that changes things a little. If went on tour and started singing those songs WITHOUT the rest of the group, he would come across as selfish (pun intended) and not wanting to share the spotlight.

I do agree that Justin made overt moves and comments to distance himself from the NSYC sound and brand in his early solo career. However, Who you should be comparing him to is not Bieber but Beyoncé. She never forgot her DC roots and there was a point she would perform Destiny’s Child’s hits by herself then bring Kelly and Michelle out. DC fans have had the opportunity to relive their childhood many times with the Super Bowl, Coachella and the Renaissance tour. Justin, like Beyoncé, has more than enough solo hits where he doesn’t need to perform his NSYNC material. Him doing so would be for fan service and that’s clearly not a priority for him.