Sport & Entertainment
| Jan 31, 2022

Happy Birthday, Justin!: Top 8 Timberlake songs to add to your playlist

Ategie Edwards

Ategie Edwards / Our Today

Reading Time: 4 minutes
Justin Timberlake (Photo: The New York Times)

Former NSYNC boyband member Justin Timberlake celebrates his 41st birthday today. One of the world’s best selling artistes, the songwriter and record producer not only sings but has starred in a few films as well, including Friends With Benefits In Time, and The Social Network.

To help celebrate the American singer’s 41st birthday, here are a few Timberlake songs worthy of being added to your playlist.

8. Love Never Felt So Good (2014)

This song was originally written by King of Pop, Michael Jackson and Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka, in 1983, when Timberlake was only three years old. The demo was leaked decades later and went through a process of remastering which included Timberlake.

Released as part of Michael Jackson’s posthumous album, Xscape, it was Timberland who chose to be on the infectious track. The song’s accompanying music video was also directed by the star.

Timberlake shared that the King of Pop encouraged him to go solo during his NSYNC days. The boy band announced their split back in 2007.

7. Sexy Back (2006)

This 2006 smash hit came from the singer’s second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds. Written by Timberlake, Timbaland and Nate “Danja” Hills, the track became his first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent several consecutive weeks in the number one position.

Many were baffled as to what bringing ‘sexy back’ meant. In addressing the concerns, Timberlake shared how difficult it is to name his songs.

“I have trouble naming my songs. The chorus is very James Brown-ish, call out and repeat, like Sex Machine, I wrote it from top to bottom. It’s a very physical song, meant to provoke sexual dance. Sex Machine is the closest reference. If David Bowie were to cover Sex Machine: Rebel Rebel, got ya mother in a whirrrrl’.”

6. Can’t Stop The Feeling (2016)

Released in May 2016, Can’t Stop The Feeling was written as the official theme for the animated movie Trolls, which Timberlake voice acts in as well. He admitted that if it were not for Trolls the song would not have been made.

He explained that making the song for the soundtrack was quite different from his solo work.

“When I’m making a record for myself, I don’t know, I feel like I have to take advantage of the fact that it’s done when I love every song.”

He also shared: “Our task was to write a song that encapsulated the message of the movie, and by the way, we want people to be able to dance to it. When I was watching the movie it reminded me of disco, so that’s where I got the idea for a modern disco song.”

Coming three years after his last release, the jazzy, up tempo beat and falsetto chorus tends to make you want to dance when you hear it.

5. Rock Your Body (2002)

Produced by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, Rock Your Body bears a few similarities to Rock With You, by Michael Jackson, who the song was originally written for.

The third single from his solo debut album, Justified, the flirtatious and saucy song was delivered at the 38th annual Superbowl Halftime Show where Janet Jackson’s infamous wardrobe malfunction occurred for the world to see.

Rock Your Body became Timberlake’s first song to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

What Goes Around…Comes Around (2006)

The song speaks about a relationship that collapses due to cheating. One of his most memorable vocal performances, the song was released on his FutureSex/LoveSounds album.

Timberlake shared that the song was made for Trace Ayala, a good friend of his, who was dating Elisha Cuthbert at the time. Trace discovered from reading the tabloids that Cuthbert had cheated on him.

Suit and Tie (2013)

Suit and Tie was the first song released by the singer in six years, as the singer took a break to venture into acting roles. Featuring hip hop legend Jay-Z, the track talks about their love of being well dressed.

Sampling Sly Slick and Wicked’s Sho Nuff, Suit and Tie at the time, scored the highest first ever week of plays on American Radio.

Suit and Tie was released in 2013 on the singer’s The 20/20 Experience album.

Cry Me A River (2002)

As many of us know, this 2002 track was inspired by the singer’s former relationship with Britney Spears, that was reportedly written and recorded fter a heated conversation between the two.

The second single from his debut studio album, Cry Me A River was an international hit. The song also features producer Timbaland.

Spears went on to respond to the classic with her song Everytime, released in 2003.

1. Mirror (2013)

Although he did not mention her by name, Timberlake insinuated that the song was about wife Jessica Biel. The song was dropped just about a year after marrying the actress. The 2013 eight-minute love song was released as part of The 20/20 Experience album.

The accompanying music video opens with a dedication to the singer’s grandparents, Sadie and William Bomar, who were married for 63 years before William’s death in 2012. The video takes fans through traces of the different stages of the elderly couple’s lives.

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