Why pop music needs Justin Timberlake—seemingly teasing new music—to bring back its sexiness

Chuck Arnold

Music

from Chuck Arnold

Could it be that sexy is finally making a comeback?

That’s the question on the minds of Justin Timberlake fans everywhere after the “SexyBack” superstar teased what appears to finally be new solo music — six years after his last album, 2018’s “Man of the Woods” — in his Instagram last night.

Well, technically it all started when Timberlake deleted his Instagram on January 8th. The only thing that remained was a profile picture of the singer with his eyes focused on his car’s rearview mirror.

JT failed to rekindle the curling glory of his boy band era when ‘N Sync briefly reunited for the “Trolls” bop “Better Place” last September.

Then, after he was hauled in for allegedly telling his ex Britney Spears she needed to have an abortion while they were dating — following the release of her memoir The Woman in Me in October — it was no wonder that he wanted to say “Bye, bye” to his past.

Not to mention the fact that 20 years ago, Timberlake was at the center of Nipplegate — yes, it was Watergate-level — during the Super Bowl halftime show, when he was a surprise guest during Janet Jackson’s February 4, 2004 concert. d. and partially tore her shirt to reveal a nipple shield.

Although he initially appeared to emerge relatively unscathed from the scandal — unlike Jackson, whose career would never be the same — the #MeToo and Times Up movements eventually caught up with Timberlake.

And he didn’t do himself any favors when “Man of the Woods” was such a misguided — and half-hearted — attempt to tie him to a folk root that nobody wanted from the Memphis native.

After his first three solo albums — 2002’s “Justified,” 2003’s “FutureSex/LoveSounds” and 2013’s “The 20/20 Experience” — made him his generation’s answer to Michael Jackson and Prince , wrapped in one, Timberlake was at a crossroads when he returned to the Super Bowl halftime show as a headliner in 2018.

It all honestly seems like a different life — before we heard about this thing called COVID.

So the fact that Timberlake appeared to be teasing new music in his Instagram post Tuesday night is enough to make us all long for a simpler, sexier time.

These five slides — accompanied only by the caption “EITIW,” which following fans believe stands for “Everything I Thought It Was” — suggest that Timberlake has shot a video for a new single that reportedly reunites him with the “SexyBack” producer Timbaland.

About to turn 43 on January 31st, Timberlake is a one-of-a-kind pop sensation that we should never take for granted.

And “Justified,” “FutureSex/LoveSounds” and “The 20/20 Experience” were without a doubt three of the best, most definitive pop albums of the 21st century. Period.

Respect is due. And let’s show him some mercy for anything he may have said or done stupidly to Britney or Janet when he was barely legal.

I’m pretty sure most of us wouldn’t want to be judged on our actions at that age.

And so I say, let it begin…the 2024 experience with Justin Timberlake.