Poor reviews aside, Justin Timberlake's 'Man of the Woods' is No.1

LOS ANGELES -- Justin Timberlake snagged the No.1 Spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart with "Man of the Woods," despite harsh reviews and a Super Bowl halftime show that was deemed underwhelming on social media and by music critics.

"Man of the Woods," Timberlake's first studio album since 2013, sold more than 242,000 units in its first week of release, according to Nielsen Music data released on Monday.

The Billboard 200 chart tallies units from album sales, song sales (10 songs equal one album) and streaming activity (1,500 streams equal one album).

"Man of the Woods" marks Timberlake's fourth Billboard No.1 album and was the biggest-selling album in the U.S. since Taylor Swift's "Reputation" in December 2017, Billboard said.

It debuted at No.1 after a February 4 Super Bowl performance consisting mostly of Timberlake's old hits that also featured a controversial segment featuring a huge projection of Prince, who died in 2016.

The former NSYNC singer also took heat on social media for failing to mention, or perform with, Janet Jackson after an infamous 2004 Super Bowl appearance which ended with Timberlake ripping off Jackson's top and accidentally briefly exposing her breast.

Nevertheless, the Super Bowl and halftime show were watched by some 103 million Americans on television. Nielsen Music reported last week that on-demand audio and video streams for all of the songs performed by Timberlake jumped 45 percent on the day after the game, compared to the day before.

Timberlake, best known for pop tracks like "SexyBack" and "Rock Your Body," promoted "Man of the Woods" as a country-inspired album that took him back to his Memphis roots.

But the album had few fans among music reviewers. Esquire called it "disappointing" and "kind of embarrassing," while USA Today said the album "can't pull off its Americana-pop fusion."

On the digital Billboard songs chart, which measures online single sales, Timberlake had three songs in the top 20 - "Say Something" featuring Chris Stapleton, "Man of the Woods," and his 2016 hit "Can't Stop the Feeling." Canadian rapper Drake took the top spot with "God's Plan," with more than 55,00 units sold. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Justin Timberlake gets 'personal' in first album in five years

Pop superstar Justin Timberlake on Tuesday announced his first album in nearly 5 years, promising more "personal" songwriting inspired by his home and family.

The 36-year-old singer and actor said that "Man in the Woods," his fifth solo studio album, will come out on February 2 -- two days before he headlines entertainment during the Super Bowl, generally the most watched television event of the year in the United States.

Timberlake unveiled the album with a short video on social media that, true to the album's title, shows him walking reflectively in scenes of nature from a snowy forest to a sunny corn field.

"This album is really inspired by my son, my wife, my family, but -- more so than any other album I've ever written -- where I'm from," Timberlake says in the video.

"And it's personal."

Timberlake, who had a son in 2015 with his wife, actress Jessica Biel, grew up near Memphis, Tennessee, one of the capitals of blues and soul music as well as rural-rooted country.

The video features snippets of acoustic guitar, hinting perhaps at a more somber sound for the album, but closes with Timberlake in the studio with all-star pop producer Pharrell Williams.

Timberlake, one of the top-selling artists of the 21st century both as a solo artist and with boy band NSYNC, rose to fame with an electronic pop sound before finding a new voice by bringing in R&B, notably on his 2006 album "FutureSex/LoveSounds."

He last released full albums in 2013, putting out "The 20/20 Experience" and "The 20/20 Experience -- 2 of 2" in quick succession.

Even without albums, Timberlake has kept putting out music, scoring a mega-hit in 2016 with "Can't Stop the Feeling!" a giddy summer song that appeared in the animated film "Trolls."

But Timberlake has focused increasingly on acting rather than music in the past several years, most recently starring as a bookish and seductive lifeguard in Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Timberlake confirms Jessica Biel is pregnant

NEW YORK -- American singer and actor Justin Timberlake took to Instagram on his 34th birthday Saturday to announce that he and his wife, actress Jessica Biel, are expecting their first child.

"Thank you EVERYONE for the Bday wishes! This year, I'm getting the GREATEST GIFT EVER. CAN'T WAIT. #BoyOrGirl #YouNeverKnow #WeDontEvenKnow #WeAreTakingBets," Timberlake wrote on his Instagram account below a photograph of him kissing Biel's pregnant belly.


Timberlake made his start as a child television star before joining 'NSync.

He more recently has become one of the music industry's most popular solo singers and has starred in movies including the Facebook-themed drama "The Social Network."

Timberlake in 2012 married Biel, 32, who has found success both on television and in film.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com