Born and raised in
Memphis, Tennessee, Timberlake appeared on musical television shows as a child, competing on Star Search; in the early to mid-1990s, he was a main cast member of
Disney's Mickey Mouse Club, performing cover songs and choreography. While on the show, Timberlake worked with future bandmate
JC Chasez, as well as future pop cultural figures including
Britney Spears,
Christina Aguilera,
Keri Russell and
Ryan Gosling. Timberlake and Chasez soon rose to prominence in late 1997 as the
lead vocalists for the
boyband*NSYNC. The group released four commercially successful studio albums, becoming one of the
best-selling boy bands of all time with sales of over 70 million units worldwide.
Justin Randall Timberlake was born on January 31, 1981, in
Memphis, Tennessee,[1] the son of Janet Lynn (Bomar) Harless and Charles Randall Timberlake, a Baptist church choir director.[10][11][12][13] Timberlake has two half-brothers, Jonathan and Stephen, from Charles' second marriage to Lisa Perry. His half-sister Laura Katherine died shortly after birth in 1997, and is mentioned in his acknowledgments in the album NSYNC as "My Angel in Heaven".
His family circle includes several musicians;[14] his grandfather introduced him to music from
country music artists like
Johnny Cash and
Willie Nelson.[15] Performing as a child, Timberlake sang country and
gospel music: at the age of 11, he appeared on the television show Star Search, performing country songs as "Justin Randall".[16] By that time, he began listening to
rhythm and blues musicians from the 1960s and 70s, such as
Al Green,
Stevie Wonder and
Marvin Gaye, and he had listening sessions with his father of studio albums by the
Eagles and
Bob Seger.[15]
In 2000, Timberlake appeared in
The Wonderful World of Disney movie Model Behavior. He played Jason Sharpe, a model who falls in love with a waitress after mistaking her for another model.[25]
The rise of his own stardom and the general decline in the popularity of boy bands led to the dissolution of NSYNC. Band member
Lance Bass was openly critical of Timberlake's actions in his memoir Out of Sync.[26] By 2002, when the group went on a hiatus and members were following individual projects, he partnered with
Pharrell Williams of the producing team
The Neptunes–and
Timbaland to start working on new music.[27] The idea of going solo was strengthened a year earlier. Timberlake originally wrote the single "
Gone" around 2001 for
Michael Jackson, but he turned the song down, and it was instead recorded by NSYNC. Before its release, however, Jackson contacted him. Timberlake declared in a later interview that the first time he felt confident to go solo happened after that conversation.[28] In a retrospective article in 2020, Billboard considered Celebrity "the group's swan song, setting the stage for Timberlake's equally massive solo career".[29]
[Michael] called me on the phone and said that he wanted to cut the record ("Gone"), but he wanted it to be a duet between himself and I. And I said, 'Well ... we've already cut the song as an 'N Sync record. Could we do, like, 'N Sync featuring Michael Jackson', or 'Michael Jackson featuring 'N Sync'? And he was very absolute about the fact that he wanted it to be a duet between himself and I.. [That was] the first time I ever really felt the confidence to do it
In August 2002, Timberlake performed at the
2002 MTV Video Music Awards, where he premiered his debut solo single "
Like I Love You";[30] it peaked at number 11 on the
Billboard Hot 100[31] and number two on the
UK Singles Chart.[32] His debut solo studio album Justified was released in November[33] and debuted at number two on the
Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 439,000 copies, fewer than previous 'N Sync releases. It sold over three million copies in the U.S. and more than ten million copies worldwide.[34] Its
R&B influence, provided by
hip-hop producers
The Neptunes and
Timbaland,[35] was complimented by music critics. About the musical direction of the record, he commented, "I just want to do R&B. It's what I grew up listening to".[36] The album spawned the top-five singles "
Cry Me a River" and "
Rock Your Body".[31]
Near the end of 2002, Timberlake was the first celebrity to appear on Punk'd, a "candid camera" type show created by
Ashton Kutcher to trick celebrities.[40] Timberlake, who cried during the episode, later admitted to being under the influence of
cannabis when he was pranked.[41] Three episodes later, he set up
Kelly Osbourne to be "punk'd", thus making him the first celebrity to appear on the show more than once.[42] Timberlake later spoofed
Ashton Kutcher and Punk'd in a 2003 episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live.[43] Timberlake co-starred in a skit titled The Barry Gibb Talk Show alongside comedian
Jimmy Fallon, where the duo portrayed
Bee Gees brothers
Barry and
Robin Gibb. It marked the beginning of a long-running friendship and collaboration with Fallon.[44]
In February 2004, during the
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, broadcast on the
CBS television network from
Houston, Timberlake performed with
Janet Jackson before a television audience of more than 140 million viewers. At the end of the performance, as the song drew to a close, Timberlake tore off a part of Jackson's black leather costume in a "costume reveal" meant to accompany a portion of the song lyrics. Jackson's representative explained Timberlake intended "to pull away the rubber bustier to reveal a red lace bra. Part of the costume detached, and Jackson's breast was briefly exposed.[45] Timberlake apologized for the incident, stating he was "sorry that anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance of the Super Bowl..."[46] The phrase "
wardrobe malfunction" has since been used by the media to refer to the incident and has entered
pop culture.[47] Timberlake and Jackson were threatened with exclusion from the
2004 Grammy Awards unless they agreed to apologize on screen at the event. Timberlake attended and issued a scripted apology when accepting the first of two
Grammy Awards he received that night (
Best Pop Vocal Album for Justified and
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Cry Me a River").[48] He had also been nominated for
Album of the Year for Justified, and
Record of the Year along with
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "
Where Is the Love?" with
The Black Eyed Peas.[48]
2004–2007: Acting and FutureSex/LoveSounds
After the Super Bowl incident, Timberlake put his recording career on hold to act in several films, having starred in a few feature films earlier in his career.[17] The first role he took during this time was as a journalist in Edison Force, filmed in 2004 and received a direct-to-video release on July 18, 2006.[49] He also appeared in the films Alpha Dog, Black Snake Moan,
Richard Kelly's Southland Tales, and voiced
Prince Artie Pendragon in the animated film Shrek the Third, released on May 18, 2007.[50] He also appeared as a young
Elton John, in the video for John's song "
This Train Don't Stop There Anymore".[51] Timberlake was considered to play the role of Roger Davis in the
film version of the rock musical Rent, but director
Chris Columbus had insisted that only the original
Broadway members could convey the true meaning of Rent, so the role was reprised by
Adam Pascal.[52]
He continued to record with other artists. After "
Where Is the Love?", he again collaborated with the Black Eyed Peas on the 2005 track "My Style" from their album Monkey Business.[53] When recording the 2005 single "
Signs" with
Snoop Dogg, Timberlake discovered a throat condition.[54]Nodules were subsequently removed from his throat in an operation that took place on May 5, 2005.[55] He was advised not to sing or speak loudly for at least a few months.[56] In 2005, he began his own record company,
JayTee records.[57]
FutureSex/LoveSounds, a full-length LP of coherence and uniform song-to-song quality virtually unheard of in pop music since the '80s golden age of Michael, Madonna, Janet and Prince... Like one of his suit-and-vest combos, Timberlake himself continued to wear pop stardom exceptionally well. He glided through his music videos and live performances with the confidence of a man who'd already spent a large percentage of his life in the spotlight, and who never doubted he'd be able to return to music on top.
—Billboard's "The Greatest Pop Star By Year (1981–2019)"[29]
Timberlake released his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, on September 12, 2006. The album, which Timberlake created from 2005 to 2006, debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 684,000 copies its first week.[58] It became the biggest album for pre-orders on
iTunes, and beat
Coldplay's record for the biggest one-week sales of a digital album.[59] The album was produced by Timbaland and
Danja (who produced a bulk of the album),
will.i.am,
Rick Rubin and Timberlake himself, and features guest vocals by
Snoop Dogg,
Three 6 Mafia,
T.I. and will.i.am.[60] A studio representative described it as being "all about sexiness" and aiming for "an adult feel".[61]
The album's lead single, "
SexyBack", was performed by Timberlake at the opening of the
2006 MTV Video Music Awards and reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for seven consecutive weeks.[62][better source needed] "
My Love", the album's second single, also produced by Timbaland and featuring rapper
T.I., reached number-one on the Hot 100, as did third single "
What Goes Around... Comes Around". The song is reported to have been inspired by the break-up of his childhood friend and business partner, Trace Ayala, with actress
Elisha Cuthbert.[63] In October 2006, Timberlake said that he would focus on his music career rather than his film roles, specifying that leaving the music industry would be a "dumb thing to do at this point".[62][better source needed] He was the special guest performer at the 2006
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show where he sang "SexyBack", "My Love" and "
LoveStoned".[64]
Timberlake hosted many music events, including the
European MTV Music Awards in 2006. On December 16, 2006, Timberlake hosted Saturday Night Live, doing double duty as both host and musical guest for the second time. During this appearance, he and
Andy Samberg performed an R&B song for a skit titled "
Dick in a Box", which some radio stations aired as an unofficial single from Timberlake. Called "one of the most iconic musical moments in the show's history" by Billboard, it became a viral hit and one of the most viewed videos on
YouTube at the time.[4]Rolling Stone listed the skit at number three on their "50 Greatest 'Saturday Night Live' Sketches of All Time".[65] The song earned him an
Emmy Award and was later featured on
The Lonely Island's debut album Incredibad.
The song "
4 Minutes" was first played by
Timbaland at Philadelphia's Jingle Ball on December 17, 2007.[68] When released on March 17, 2008, "4 Minutes" was revealed to be a duet between Timberlake and
Madonna, with backing vocals by Timbaland. It was lead single from Madonna's eleventh studio album Hard Candy, which featured four other song-writing collaborations with Timberlake, being also one of the executive producers.[69] The single was an international hit, topping the charts in over 21 countries worldwide.[70] Timberlake also appears in the music video, which was directed by Jonas & François. On March 30, 2008, Timberlake performed the song at Madonna's
Hard Candy Promo Show at Roseland Ballroom in
New York City.[71] On November 6, 2008, Timberlake performed the song with
Madonna on the Los Angeles stop of her
Sticky & Sweet Tour.[72]
In June 2007, Timberlake co-wrote, produced and provided vocals for the songs "Nite Runner" and "
Falling Down" for
Duran Duran's album Red Carpet Massacre, released on November 13, 2007. "Falling Down" was released as a single in the UK on the previous day.[73] Also in 2007, Timberlake made an appearance on
50 Cent's third album Curtis. Timberlake, along with Timbaland, is featured on a track called "
Ayo Technology", which was the album's fourth single. Also, another possible collaboration was to occur with
Lil Wayne for his album Tha Carter III with
Nelly Furtado and Timbaland.[74] With the wrapping up of the FutureSex/LoveSounds tour of Australasia and the Middle East in November 2007, Timberlake resumed his film career. Projects underway early in 2008 were starring roles in
Mike Myers' comedy The Love Guru (released June 20, 2008) and Mike Meredith's drama The Open Road (released August 28, 2009). In March 2008, it was announced that he would be an executive producer in an American adaptation of the hit
Peruvian comedy My Problem with Women for
NBC.[75] On November 20, 2008, TV Guide reported that Timberlake's next single, "Follow My Lead", which also featured vocals by Timberlake's protégée, former YouTube star
Esmée Denters, would be available for exclusive download through
Myspace. All proceeds would go to
Shriners Hospitals for Children, a charity dedicated to improving pediatric care for sick children.[76] In February 2008, Timberlake was awarded two
Grammy Awards. At the
50th Grammy Awards ceremony, he won the
Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "
What Goes Around...Comes Around", and the
Award for Best Dance Recording for "
LoveStoned/I Think She Knows".[77]
In 2008, a collaboration between Timberlake and
T.I., "
Dead and Gone", was featured on T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail, and was released as its fourth single late in 2009. In November 2008, it was confirmed that Timberlake would make a guest appearance and produce some tracks on
R&B/
pop singer
Ciara's upcoming album Fantasy Ride due out May 5, 2009. Timberlake featured on Ciara's second single "
Love Sex Magic", the video being shot on February 20, 2009.[78] The single became a worldwide hit, reaching the top ten in numerous countries and peaking at number-one in several countries including Taiwan, India, and Turkey. The song was nominated for
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the
52nd Grammy Awards. Timberlake hosted the 16th
ESPY Awards, and the musical number "I Love Sports" was later nominated for an Emmy award.[79] Timberlake and his production team
The Y's, along with
Mike Elizondo, produced and co-wrote the song "Don't Let Me Down" for
Leona Lewis's second studio album, Echo, released on November 17, 2009. Timberlake also co-wrote and performed on "
Carry Out", the third single from Timbaland's album Shock Value II, released on December 1, 2009.[80] Timberlake appeared on
Jimmy Fallon's debut as host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on March 2, 2009.[81] Timberlake was the executive producer on the
MTV reality series The Phone, which premiered on April 21, 2009. In late 2009, Barbadian singer
Rihanna released the album Rated R, with Timberlake being one of the writers and producers.[82] They both worked together previously for her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad.[83]
From 2010, Timberlake increased his acting work. He played
Sean Parker, the founder of
Napster, in the acclaimed film The Social Network (2010). He also appeared at the 2010 MTV VMAs on September 12, 2010.[84] In 2011, he starred alongside
Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher and alongside
Mila Kunis in
Friends with Benefits, and played Will Salas, the protagonist of In Time, a science fiction film by
Andrew Niccol.[85] He provided a feature and appeared in the music video for the song "
Motherlover" from
The Lonely Island's second album Turtleneck & Chain,[86] and directed and made a cameo in the
FreeSol music video "Hoodies On, Hats Low", which was released in August 2011.[87] The Late Night with Jimmy Fallon sketch "
History of Rap" was performed for the first time by both Fallon and Timberlake in 2010.[88] In July 2011, United States Marine Kelsey De Santis uploaded a
YouTube video asking Timberlake to be her date to the United States Marine Corps birthday ball; they attended the event on November 13, 2011, in
Richmond, Virginia.[89] His fifth Saturday Night Live episode, as host and musical guest, was the most-watched episode since January 7, 2012, with
Charles Barkley as host and
Kelly Clarkson as musical guest.[90]
2013–2017: The 20/20 Experience, 2 of 2, and Trolls
Timberlake began working on his third studio album The 20/20 Experience in June 2012 with "no rules and/or end goal in mind".[91] He publicly announced his return to the music industry in January 2013,[92] releasing the album's lead single "
Suit & Tie" featuring
Jay-Z later that month, which would eventually peak at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. After four years not performing in concert, Timberlake appeared the night before the
2013 Super Bowl and performed during the "
DirecTV Super Saturday Night" on February 2, 2013, in
New Orleans.[93] On February 10, 2013, he performed "Suit & Tie" with sepia-toned lighting at the
55th Annual Grammy Awards, with Jay-Z joining him from the audience. On February 11, 2013, "
Mirrors" was released as the second single from The 20/20 Experience.[94] The song would eventually peak at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-one on the
UK Singles Chart. The 20/20 Experience was released on March 19, 2013[95] through
RCA Records due to the disbandment of
Jive Records.[96][97] The album set a digital sales record for being the fastest-selling album on the
iTunes Store[98] and debuted at number-one on the charts by moving just over 968,000 copies in the U.S., the biggest sales week of 2013.[99] It eventually became the best-selling album of the year in the country.[100]
2018–2022: Man of the Woods and Super Bowl LII halftime show
For the biggest pop stars in the world, the place where they have the most trouble is honesty... Because there's a formulaic sort of vulnerability... But if you're able to really screenshot your own vulnerability, frame it properly, and color-correct it, then it becomes something that every human can relate to. And I think Justin is in the place where he's mastering that right now.
– Pharrell Williams on the recording sessions for
Man of the Woods, Timberlake's fifth studio album[139]
Speaking of his fifth studio album in 2016, Timberlake stated, "I think where I grew up in America has a lot of influence. Growing up in Tennessee—very central of the country—Memphis is known as the birthplace of rock & roll, but also the home of the blues, but Nashville's right down the street so there's a lot of country music."[140] In following interviews, Timberlake confirmed working with producers
Timbaland and
Pharrell Williams,[141] while stating, "It sounds more like where I've come from than any other music I've ever made... It's Southern American music. But I want to make it sound modern – at least that's the idea right now."[142]
His fifth studio album Man of the Woods was released on February 2, 2018,[143] two days before he headlined the
Super Bowl LII halftime show in
Minneapolis,
Minnesota on February 4, where Timberlake performed a medley of his songs featuring both the Tennessee Kids and the
Minnesota Marching Band alongside him, as well as a duet of "
I Would Die 4 U" with a video projection of late singer
Prince on screen.[144] The show contained multiple selections from Man of the Woods, which is named after his son Silas, whose name means "from the forest".[145] The album's first single, "
Filthy", was released on January 5, along with its accompanying video directed by
Mark Romanek.[146] The
electro-funk song[147] has reached number nine in the US[148] and number 5 in Canada.[149] The songs "
Supplies", "
Say Something" featuring
Chris Stapleton and "
Man of the Woods" were also released along with music videos ahead of the album.[150] His collaboration with Stapleton also reached the top 10 in the US and Canada.[149][151]
Man of the Woods topped the Billboard 200 with the biggest first week sales of the year at the time, selling 293,000 total units.[152]Man of the Woods also marks Timberlake's fourth consecutive No. 1 album and has since been certified
Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[153]Man of the Woods concluded 2018 as the sixth best-selling album of the year.[5] An accompanying
tour of the same name began on March 13, 2018, in
Toronto,
Canada and concluded on April 13, 2019, in
Uncasville.[154]The Man of the Woods Tour was the sixth-highest-grossing tour of 2018.[155]
In September 2020, Timberlake and producer Timbaland teased a potential upcoming collaboration with Canadian musician
Justin Bieber, as well as collaborations with
Justine Skye,
Hit-Boy and
Ty Dolla $ign.[167][168] In December 2020, Timberlake and
Ant Clemons released the single "Better Days", which received its premier on the Rock The Runoff virtual concert, held by
Stacey Abrams' organization Fair Fight.[169]
In January 2021, Timberlake performed as part of the
Inauguration of Joe Biden.[170][171] Performing from his hometown of Memphis, Timberlake performed his collaboration with Ant Clemons during the
Celebrating America special.[172] Timberlake performed at Pharrell Williams' Something in the Water festival in Washington D.C., where he was joined on stage by
T.I. and
Clipse for his five-song set.[173]
2023–present: Everything I Thought It Was and The Forget Tomorrow World Tour
On January 19, 2024, Timberlake performed a free one-night-only concert at the
Orpheum in Memphis where he live-debuted his new single "
Selfish" after teasing a new project on social media in previous days.[183] In promotion of the record, on January 25, 2024, Timberlake appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; he announced the release of "Selfish" and revealed that the album had taken four years to produce.[184]
Selfish debuted at number 19 on the
Billboard Hot 100, marking Timberlake's highest debut in six years on the chart. It became his 39th career solo entry on the Hot 100, and his 29th to reach the top 40.[185] On the release day of Selfish, he also announced that his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was, would be released in March 2024.[186][187] Timberlake appeared as a musical guest on the January 27, 2024, episode of Saturday Night Live, singing "Selfish" and "Sanctified". On January 30, he appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show[188][189] and held an "intimate" concert at
Irving Plaza in
New York City on January 31, his 43rd birthday.[190] He appeared as the musical guest, where he performed "Selfish" on The Graham Norton Show recorded in
London on February 22, 2024,[191] the night before he cancelled AOne Night Only concert, to be held at the
Roundhouse, London, on February 23, 2024. Timberlake was recovering from an illness.[192][193] The promotional single "
Drown" was released on February 23, 2024.[194][195][196]
On March 13, 2024, in anticipation of the album release, Timberlake performed a one-off concert at
The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The show featured a surprise reunion with his NSYNC bandmates, with the group playing a medley of hits and the new album track “Paradise.” Timberlake then performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk series on March 15 for a half-hour-long concert.[197] Timberlake also announced the release of a documentary showing the album's creation process.[198] The second single off the record, "
No Angels", was released on March 15, 2024, the same day as the album's release.[199]
Everything I Thought It Was debuted at number four on the US
Billboard 200, giving Timberlake his sixth consecutive top five album in the country.[200]
In April 2024, Timberlake opened the
iHeartRadio Music Awards, performing both singles off the album, "Selfish" and "No Angels".
[201] Timberlake will also promote the album on
The Forget Tomorrow World Tour, which will begin on April 29, 2024, in
Vancouver, Canada.[202] On February 23, 2024, Timberlake announced summer 2024 Europe tour dates.[203]
Personal life
Relationships and children
In early 1999, Timberlake began dating fellow former The All-New Mickey Mouse Club cast member and singer
Britney Spears. Their relationship ended abruptly in March 2002.[204] In her 2023 memoir, Spears wrote that she became pregnant during their relationship and had an abortion in late 2000 after Timberlake said they were not prepared for parenthood and he did not want to be a father.[205][206] In 2003, he briefly dated British singer
Emma Bunton.[207][208][209] In April 2003, he began a relationship with actress
Cameron Diaz soon after they met at the
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. After much speculation of breakups throughout their relationship, the couple split in December 2006 shortly after she introduced him as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live.[210][211][212]
In January 2007, Timberlake began dating actress
Jessica Biel.[213] They became engaged in December 2011 and married on October 19, 2012, at the
Borgo Egnazia resort in
Fasano,
Italy.[214] Their first child, a son, was born in April 2015.[215][216][217] In July 2020, they had a second son.[218][219][220]
Residences
In July 2002, Timberlake purchased a 13,250-square-foot (1,231 m2) mansion in
Hollywood Hills for $8.3 million from
Helen Hunt.[221] In 2010, Timberlake purchased a unit at 311 West Broadway in
SoHo, formerly owned by
Oscar de la Renta, for $6.56 million. He sold the unit in 2018 for $6.35 million, incurring a loss.[222][223]
Forbes began reporting on Timberlake's earnings in 2008, calculating that he earned $44 million between June 2007 and June 2008 for his music, tour, commercials, and hospitality, making him the world's 4th best-paid music personality at the time, above
Madonna and
Celine Dion.[227] That year, he was ranked twelfth on the
Forbes Celebrity 100 list[228] and second on the "Best-Paid Celebrities Under 30" list.[229]
According to Billboard, Timberlake was the third highest-paid musician of 2013, with earnings of $31 million.[230] He was ranked 26th with earnings of $57 million on the Celebrity 100 list for 2014,[231] and 19th on the 2015 list with $63 million.[232] Timberlake was listed at number three on the Billboard Money-Makers List of 2014.[233]
He was ranked 41st on the 2019 Celebrity 100 list by Forbes, with earnings of $57.5 million in 2019.[234]
Timberlake possesses a lyric
tenorvocal range.[235] He began including
beatboxing in his records near the end of his boyband era and into his emergence as a solo act with Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds.[236][237][238] Many of his songs draw from his personal life and relationships, notably "
Cry Me a River" (about his breakup with
Britney Spears).[239][240] Described by critics as a "consummate showman",[241][242] Timberlake usually plays guitar, piano and keyboard in his shows.[243]The New York Times' editor Katie Rogers highlighted Timberlake's crossover appeal after his performance with
Chris Stapleton at the
2015 Country Music Association Awards.[244]
Timberlake's next album, The 20/20 Experience (2013) is a neo soul album partly inspired by the expansive song structures of 1960s and 1970s rock.[255] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times found its elaborate structures ambitious in the vein of Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Michael Jackson.[256] He supported the album with a pair of tours: Legends of the Summer, which he co-headlined with
Jay-Z, and The 20/20 Experience World Tour.[257][258] These tours introduced his backing ensemble, the Tennessee Kids, a 15-piece multi-instrumentalist throwback to
big band music.[259][260]
Public image
Timberlake's fashion and style evolution, from "boy-band synchronized wardrobe days" to "a notable source of fashion inspiration to men all over", has been noticed by the media.[261][262] As noted by a Billboard editor, "Since his solo career began with the 2002 release of debut album Justified, Timberlake has honed his unique sense of style", while citing
Elvis Presley,
Johnny Cash,
Jerry Lee Lewis and
Frank Sinatra as style influences: "guys who were just really never trying to be that [stylish], they just were that".[263] According to American fashion designer
Tom Ford, who has dressed Timberlake since 2011 and created more than 600 exclusive pieces for
The 20/20 Experience World Tour, Timberlake "has a kind of effortless cool that makes classic menswear tailoring modern".[264]
The New York Times' editor Sia Michel wrote in 2007, "Since his last tour, for 2002's multiplatinum Justified, he has learned how to project sex-symbol edge" adding "he's a rock star who can commit."[265][266]Napster's founder
Sean Parker, portrayed by Timberlake in The Social Network, stated "I don't think I look anything like Timberlake, but it's not so bad being played by a sex symbol."[267] In
Nielsen Music's U.S. report for 2015, Timberlake led the "Top 10 Musicians Among
Millennials" list.[268] His high-profile relationships earned him the nickname "Trousersnake", a reference to his allegedly big
penis.[269][270][271] Wax statues of Timberlake are on display at the
Madame Tussauds wax museums in New York,[272] Las Vegas,[273] Hollywood,[274] Nashville,[275] Berlin,[276] Amsterdam,[277] and London.[278] His costume used in the Saturday Night Live skit "
Dick in a Box" is displayed at "Saturday Night Live: The Exhibition" in New York.[279]
After New York legalized
same-sex marriage in 2011, he voiced his support for
LGBT equality in the U.S., stating, "We're people and we're different, all of us. And we should be using our differences to bring ourselves closer together."[280][281] Timberlake and his wife
Jessica Biel received the Inspiration Award at the
GLSEN Respect Awards in 2015, with the executive director saying, "They are two vocal and committed allies to the LGBT community who are also devoted to charitable works that improve the lives of youth."[280]
Timberlake's pronunciation of the word "me" on "
It's Gonna Be Me" was popularized as an
internet meme titled "It's Gonna Be May", after a
Tumblr image of Timberlake was posted in 2012 with the respective caption. The meme eventually became an annually recurring joke throughout the month of April,[282][283] which gained the attention of
Barack Obama and Timberlake himself.[284] Influenced by the national attention received by Timberlake's selfie inside a
voting booth shared on
Instagram during the 2016 presidential election, which was at the moment an illegal act,[285] Senator
Brian Kelsey of
Germantown, Tennessee brought up a bill that would allow taking photos in voting poll stations, with some exceptions against bad procedures. It was later approved by the
Tennessee Senate.[286]
In June 2021, Timberlake spoke out in support of Britney Spears during her
court battle over her conservatorship. Timberlake wrote on his Twitter that "No woman should ever be restricted from making decisions about her own body [...] [Jessica Biel] and I send our love, and our absolute support to Britney during this time. We hope the courts, and her family make this right and let her live however she wants to live".[287]
Controversies
Following the release of Framing Britney Spears, public attention was brought to old comments Timberlake made in 2002 to describe his relationship with
Britney Spears following their breakup, with some considering them to contain misogynistic rhetoric.[288] It also led to renewed interest in his participation in the
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, where he exposed
Janet Jackson's breast on live television. Following much public pressure, Timberlake issued a public apology on his Instagram page, writing he "benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism" and "I do not want to ever benefit from others being pulled down again." He finished by saying "I care deeply about the wellbeing of the people I love and have loved. I can do better and I will do better".[289]
Public scrutiny surrounding the Super Bowl XXXVIII incident was raised when a stylist alleged that the plan was originally for Timberlake to step on the back of Jackson's dress to reveal her butt in a g-string but that he changed the plan to exposing her breast because he wanted a "reveal" to "one-up" Britney Spears' and
Madonna's kiss at the
2003 MTV Video Music Awards.[290][291][292] The claim that Timberlake wanted the breast reveal, however, is contradictory to a statement from Salli Frattini, the producer of the Halftime show, who stated in 2018 that the production team experimented with removing elements of clothing in rehearsal to reveal Jackson's skirt without nudity but that the idea was ultimately nixed. According to Frattini, it was Jackson's team who pitched the idea to Timberlake prior to the show that lead to Jackson's breast being exposed.[293]
Legacy
Timberlake has been referred to as the "
President of Pop"[294] and "Prince of Pop"[295] by contemporary journalists.[296] In a 2016 article of The Hollywood Reporter, editor Scott Feinberg stated Timberlake is "widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around entertainers in the history of show business".[297]
In 2003, Rolling Stone named him the biggest pop star of the year and featured him on the magazine's cover, commenting that he "attained the one thing most pop stars don't, and the one thing he wanted more than anything else: credibility".[15] For Entertainment Weekly his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, "redefined pop's cutting edge";[298] for Vibe it "pushed boundaries more forcefully" than works by his male contemporaries.[299]Fuse TV's editor Jason Lipshutz stated it "changed the game. [The album] was steely and sweaty, a universal dance opus that made room for intimacy. It had the best first half of any pop album in 25 years. You have to go back to 1979 for Off the Wall, to find a pop album with a first half that matches up."[300] He was ranked 66th on the
VH1 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time.[301] Timberlake appeared for the first time on the
Time 100 list of most influential people by Time in 2007.[302] In 2013, he made his second appearance on the 100 list, with
Stevie Wonder writing "Justin has accomplished a lot at a young age, taking advantage of all the possibilities, and yet he's found time to give of himself too—he gets and gives back. He has a spirit. He does God's work through using the most of his talent."[303]
Justified's single "
Cry Me a River" was ranked at number 20 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of the 2000s, and one of their
500 greatest songs of all time.[304][305]Marilyn Manson further cited it as one of the main songs that influenced him.[306][307]Billboard editor Jason Lipshutz named the song's music video "one of the more brilliant musical moments in pop music since the dawn of the century".[308] His second album FutureSex/LoveSounds was placed at 46 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the 2000s,[309] the ninth best album of the decade for Entertainment Weekly,[298] and the greatest of the decade for Vibe.[299] The lead single, "
SexyBack", helped introduce
EDM sounds to
top 40 radio, as it brought together variations of electronic dance music with Timberlake's R&B tone.[310][311] Aside from earning critical acclaim for its parent album, Sia Michel of The New York Times noted that he was responsible for popularizing in 2006 the catchphrase "I'm bringing sexy back".[250][265][312]
According to Billboard,
FutureSex/LoveShow was the third highest-grossing concert tour of 2007 and highest solo.[366]The 20/20 Experience World Tour was an international success and became Timberlake's most successful tour to date. The tour was the highest-grossing led by a solo artist in 2014, and one of the
highest grossing tours of the decade.[367] For its associated album, The 20/20 Experience, Timberlake was named 2013 Artist of the Year with the top-selling album by
iTunes' annual list of best-sellers.[368]
In the United States, five of Timberlake's singles have topped the
Billboard Hot 100: "
SexyBack", "
My Love" and "
What Goes Around... Comes Around", "
Give It to Me" and "Can't Stop the Feeling!".[131] The latter became the 41st Hot 100 number one song to be nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Original Song.[369] He topped nine
Billboard Year-End charts for 2013, including Billboard 200 Artists[370] and Billboard 200 Albums.[371] For 2014, Timberlake was named Billboard Top Male Artist.[372]Billboard published a list of "Greatest of All Time
Pop Songs Artists" in 2017, where Timberlake ranked at number 5, being the top male soloist.[373] The magazine also ranked him 25 on their "The Top 60 Male Artists of All-Time" list in 2018,[374] and 64th on "The Hot 100's Top Artists of All Time".[375] In 2019, Billboard ranked him 20th on their decade-end chart for "Top Artists" of the 2010s,[376] and 74th on "Top 125 Greatest of All Time Artists Chart".[377]
Other ventures
Business ventures
Timberlake has co-owned or provided celebrity endorsement for three restaurants in the United States: "Chi" opened in
West Hollywood, California in 2003,[378] and "Destino" and "Southern Hospitality" in New York opened in 2006 and 2007, respectively.[379] In 2005, Timberlake launched the
William Rast clothing line with childhood friend Juan ("Trace") Ayala. The 2007 line contained cord jackets, cashmere sweaters, jeans, and polo shirts.[380] The pair reports inspiration from fellow Memphis resident
Elvis Presley: "Elvis is the perfect mixture of Justin and I", Ayala says. "You can go back and see pictures of him in cowboy boots and a cowboy hat and a nice button-down shirt, but then again you can see him in a tux and a collared shirt with rhinestones on it and slacks. We like to think 'If he was alive today, what would he be wearing?'"[381] Target has announced that a William Rast collection, including denim, outerwear and sportswear for men and women, would launch in December and be available for a month.[382] In 2015, the clothing line earned him a
Lord & Taylor's Fashion Oracle Award at the
Fashion Group International's Night of The Stars Gala.[383] An avid amateur golfer, in 2007 Timberlake purchased the run-down Big Creek Golf Course in his hometown of Millington, Tennessee, which he redeveloped as the
eco-friendly Mirimichi Golf Course at the cost of around $US16 million. It was reopened on July 25, 2009, but closed again on January 15, 2010, for further improvements expected to take six months.[384] In October 2011, Timberlake received the Futures Award at the
Environmental Media Awards for his green-conscious golf course.[385] It was reported on November 7, 2014, that Timberlake had sold Mirimichi to Three Star Leasing LLC for $500,000.[386] In October 2018, Timberlake and
Levi's debuted their collaborative clothing line collection "Fresh Leaves".[387] In 2022, Justin Timberlake invested in Greenville, South Carolina par-3 golf course Greenville 3's.[388]
Timberlake provides celebrity endorsement for many commercial products, this aspect of his business being managed by
IMG since April 2008.[389] Major endorsements in 2009 included
Sony electronic products,[390]Givenchy's men's fragrance "
Play",
[391] the
Audi A1,[392]Callaway Golf Company products,[393][394] and in 2011,
Myspace.[395][396] In 2011, he teamed up with
Capital One to announce the winners of the inaugural Capital One Cup, in a six-minute advert, where he is repeatedly getting hit in the groin.[397] In 2012, he hosted
Walmart's annual shareholders meeting,[398] saying, "I buy a lot at Walmart."[399]
In 2014, Timberlake partnered with
Sauza Liquors to re-launch his own version of the beverage as part of the Sauza franchise: Sauza 901.[400] In 2016, he became an investor in the beverage company
Bai Brands.[401] In 2017,
Tiger Woods and Timberlake acquired an ownership stake in the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour.[402]
Timberlake is an
Air Jordan brand ambassador. His first collection with the brand, the Legend of the Summer collection, debuted on the co-headlining
tour of the same name with Jay-Z. These sneakers have gone on to resell for upwards of $10,000.[405] In the lead up to his 2018 Super Bowl Halftime Show, Timberlake worked with famed
Nike, Inc. designer
Tinker Hatfield to design his own version of the Air Jordan 3.[406] Timberlake debuted the shoe at the halftime show. Timberlake's performance was estimated to be worth $2.86 million in marketing for Nike, and is credited for reigniting interested in the Nike and Air Jordan brand.[407][408] Nike went on to release several colorways as part of the collaboration with Timberlake.[409][410]
In May 2022, Timberlake sold the rights to his entire musical catalog, around 200 songs he wrote or co-wrote, to
Hipgnosis Song Management for $100 million. The deal covers only pre-existing work, and not work he produces after the deal.[411][412]
Timberlake had an estimated net-worth of $250 million prior to the Hipgnosis deal, and is now estimated to be worth in excess of $350 million - making him one of the music industry's wealthiest solo performers.[413]
Philanthropy
Timberlake has been active in several charitable pursuits, initially through NSYNC's "Challenge for the Children" aimed at a range of charities, and since 2001 through his "Justin Timberlake Foundation", which initially funded music education programs in schools, but now has a much broader agenda.[414] In October 2005, the Grammy Association presented Timberlake with an award for his humanitarian efforts in Tennessee, alongside writer/director
Craig Brewer, also a Memphis native.[415]
On November 12, 2007, the
PGA Tour announced that Timberlake, an avid golfer who plays to a six
handicap,[418] would become the host of the tour's
Las Vegas tournament starting in 2008. With Timberlake's agreement to host the tournament, its name was changed to the
Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He played in the celebrity pro-am on the day before the competitive tournament and hosted a charity concert during the week of the tournament.[419] The activity was a success and was repeated in 2009. A review of the value of celebrities to fundraising concluded that Timberlake's contribution to Shriners Hospitals for Children was the single most valuable celebrity endorsement in the U.S. during 2009, and worth over $US9 million.[420] However, in 2012, the event's chair Raoul Frevel told reporters Timberlake would no longer be involved in the event: "We tried everything we could to get him more involved with our kids and the hospitals. But it seemed that when the TV cameras weren't on, he disappeared."[421]
In late 2012, Timberlake and his wife Jessica Biel volunteered in Far Rockaway, Queens over the weekend after
Hurricane Sandy. Joined by their friend Timbaland, the couple helped distribute backpacks of supplies to members of the community who were still struggling after the hurricane.[426]
Timberlake has donated items for auction for several charities, including by
Ten O'Clock Classics[427] and
MusiCares.[428] In 2010, Timberlake participated in the
Hope for Haiti Now telethon performing "
Hallelujah". The cover was made available for digital download with all proceeds donated to organizations doing relief work in Haiti.[429] In 2016, Timberlake was featured in a new version of "
Where Is the Love?". The proceeds of the charity single will go to educational programs.[430] In 2017, Timberlake and
Eminem helped raise over $2 million for
Manchester Arena bombing victims.[431]
Book
Timberlake's autobiography, Hindsight & All the Things I Can't See In Front of Me,[432] was released on October 30, 2018.[433] The book covers some on and off camera candid images, the singer's early life and inspiration for songs. According to publisher HarperCollins, Hindsight includes a "collection of anecdotes, reflections, and observations on his life and work".[433]
^Susman, Gary (February 10, 2004).
"Consolidated 'Edison'". Entertainment Weekly.
Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
^Corcoran, Monica (December 28, 2003).
"Boîte; Where's Timberlake?". The New York Times.
Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.