| FutureSex/LoveSounds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 8, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | November 2005-June 2006 | |||
| Genre | Electro-R&B, dance, art pop, progressive pop | |||
| Length | 66:12 | |||
| Label | Jive, Zomba | |||
| Producer | Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Danja, Jawbreakers, Rick Rubin | |||
| Justin Timberlake chronology | ||||
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FutureSex/LoveSounds is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on September 8, 2006, by Jive Records and Zomba Group of Companies. After a two-year hiatus during which Timberlake felt unable to record new material, he returned to collaborating with record producer Timbaland. Along with the latter's dependent, Danja, the three in general wrote FutureSex/LoveSounds and much of the album's contents were produced in Timbaland's Thomas Crown Studios.Although it shares lyrical themes with Timberlake's debut album, Justified, FutureSex/LoveSounds has more diverse music. It infuses R&B and pop with techno, funk, and elements of rock, the last being the genre that was the main inspiration of Timberlake during the album's recording. The reprises and interludes interspersed on the album's tracklist were an attempt by the production team at channeling Timberlake's influences which include David Bowie and Prince.
FutureSex/LoveSounds was met with a generally positive reception, in which most music critics noted the influences in the album and its collection of eclectic sounds. The album produced six singles that attained chart success, including US number-one hits "SexyBack", "My Love", and "What Goes Around... Comes Around". Rolling Stone magazine ranked the album at number 46 on its list of the best albums of the 2000s, and aside from earning numerous best-of lists, the album received several Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. It has been certified multi-platinum in many countries worldwide, and has sold over ten million copies, with four million in the United States alone.
The album has been added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's musical library and archive. It is also considered by critics and fans to be one of Timberlake's best albums to date. To further promote the album, Timberlake embarked on his second concert tour, entitled FutureSex/LoveShow, which became one of the highest-grossing tours in 2007,
Background[]
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Timberlake in 2006
In November 2002, Justin Timberlake released his debut album, Justified,[1] and produced the U.S. top-five singles "Rock Your Body" and "Cry Me a River".[2] "Cry Me a River" in particular was credited for having helped the album sell and peak on the music charts.[3] Justified ended selling four million copies in the United States alone.[3] Although the album established Timberlake's career outside his then-band *NSYNC,[4] Timberlake (who was 22 years old at the time), was "at a crossroads" and felt he was at the stage of being "burnt out",[3][5] and thought he had lost his voice "in regards to knowing what (and how) he wanted to sing".[5] Timberlake stated that Justified had been years in the making, and a record that would re-create its success would be a challenge he was not ready to take.[6]
In the following years, Timberlake went partially idle in the music industry.[3] His being "burnt out" partly caused him to try acting in films. In October 2003, he hosted and was the guest musician on the late-night variety show Saturday Night Live, where he showcased his acting potentials. He also paired with American actor Jimmy Fallon on The Barry Gibb Talk Show. After the show, Timberlake was reportedly "inundated" with acting offers, which he readily accepted partly because he needed inspiration and did not want to pass up the opportunities.[3][7] Before returning to music, Timberlake shot four films; including Alpha Dog (2006).[3] Timberlake opted not to pursue the reunion with *NSYNC, which he considered after Justified. According to him, he was concerned with how they would reinvent their music.[4] In late 2004, Timberlake then contacted record producers Rich Harrison and Rodney Jerkins, who had produced songs for *NSYNC. Both producers were "impressed" by the live band-driven late-night shows Timberlake had participated in and wanted to incorporate this in his music.[8]
Recording[]
In 2003, Timberlake felt inspired to record songs again. Motivated by the "sad state" of pop radio, he decided he needed to experiment with music.[3] Reportedly, it was not until Timberlake turned to producer Timbaland "that he figured out the direction he wanted the record to take".[9] In August 2003, Timberlake visited Timbaland's brand-new Thomas Crown Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. Timbaland had previously collaborated with Timberlake, producing four tracks for Justified including "Cry Me a River".[10][7]
Once in the studio, however, the team had no clear direction for the album as there were no concepts being discussed.[11][12] Aside from having "Cry Me a River" to draw from, they had no "game plan" and no working title for the new album.[11] Timberlake thought that if he could make a record that would live up to Justified, he "would have".[5] So he asked Timbaland if he could reproduce the likes of "Cry Me a River" by four or six times.[10]
While in the studio, Timbaland played on the stereo plenty of songs by American singer and musician Prince for them to listen to. Early in their sessions, they reportedly were "fooling around" and "freestyling".[11] One night, Danja was playing a guitar riff and caught the attention of Timberlake, who then started humming to the melody and later sung the lyrics. Timbaland, who was at their side, added drums onto the progressing sound. After an hour, with no lyrics written on paper, Timberlake recorded in the vocal booth a song that would become "What Goes Around... Comes Around".[11] Timberlake, having been teased by Timbaland, said to the latter: "Let's do something we would never do. Let's go far left and just see what happens."[5]
Production[]
Official production for FutureSex/LoveSounds started in December 2005. When production began, Jive Records Chairman and CEO, Barry Weiss, asked when the album would be completed, to which Timberlake replied that it could possibly take a year.[13] The title was not finalized until Jive Records gave Timberlake a deadline on finishing what would become FutureSex/LoveSounds.[14] The collective thought the album is comparable with Michael Jackson's landmark record, Thriller, dubbing their own as Thriller 2006.[3]
According to Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds is like a "fashion editorial, YSL and Gucci suits, which goes with the sonics".[15] The album's artworks were shot by American fashion photographer Terry Richardson.[15] The cover features Timberlake stomping a disco ball using his black pointy shoe.
Timbaland guested on several dates on Timberlake's 2007 FutureSex/LoveShow worldwide concert tour. Timbaland, his protégé Danja, and Timberlake wrote and produced a majority of tracks that appeared on the album.
Track listing[]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "FutureSex/LoveSound" | 4:01 |
| 2. | "SexyBack" (featuring Timbaland) | 4:02 |
| 3. | "Sexy Ladies / Let Me Talk to You (Prelude)" | 5:32 |
| 4. | "My Love" (featuring T.I.) | 4:36 |
| 5. | "LoveStoned / I Think She Knows (Interlude)" | 7:24 |
| 6. | "What Goes Around... / ...Comes Around (Interlude)" | 7:28 |
| 7. | "Chop Me Up" (featuring Timbaland and Three 6 Mafia) | 5:04 |
| 8. | "Damn Girl" (featuring will.i.am) | 5:12 |
| 9. | "Summer Love / Set the Mood (Prelude)" | 6:24 |
| 10. | "Until the End of Time" | 5:22 |
| 11. | "Losing My Way" | 5:22 |
| 12. | "(Another Song) All Over Again" | 5:45 |
- ↑ "Justified by Justin Timberlake". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Justin Timberlake Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Scaggs 2004, p. [page needed].
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moss, Corey. "Justin's Future Shock". MTV News. Viacom. p. 1. Archived from the original on 3 July 2005. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Vineyard, Jennifer (9 February 2005). "Road To The Grammys: Justin Wanted To Channel Coldplay On FutureSex/LoveSounds". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Moss, Corey (5 January 2004). "Don't Expect Justified 2: Timberlake Enlists Rick Rubin For New LP". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Moss, Corey. "Justin Timberlake: A New Justification". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on 4 July 2004. Retrieved 27 May 2006.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Moss, Corey (November 5, 2004). "Justin's Talking With Hitmakers About His New LP". MTV News (Viacom). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1493494/20041105/timberlake_justin.jhtml.
- ↑ Vineyard, Jennifer (6 February 2004). "'Back' In Style: Justin Timberlake Mixes Funk, Rock On New Single". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 10.0 10.1 Scaggs 2006, p. [page needed].
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Vineyard, Jennifer (8 February 2006). "Justin Timberlake's Fooling 'Around' Resulted In Award-Nominated Song: Behind The Grammys". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on 13 December 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2006.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Hova, Tray (7 February 2011). "Studio Stories: Danja". Vibe. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Scaggs 2004, p. 3.
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