Admission One: I really like pop music. I even like some of the boy band music. I've seen the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, O-Town, and NSYNC in concert and own some of their CD's. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Some of the stuff is good.
Admission Two: I'm also not ashamed to say publicly that I think Justin Timberlake is a talented guy. He has a good voice, can dance and looks great. So I was interested to hear his first single from his solo record "Justified", which is due out November 12th.
The single is called "Like I Love You" and has been getting a lot of play on the radio this past weekend. I've heard it half a dozen times so far, so I think I'm ready to give my opinion of Justin's first solo effort.
I'd like to change the name of the single to "Like Mike", because the music is exactly 'like' a Michael Jackson record with some Prince and Bobby Brown thrown in. Those three performers have some great songs, and I'm not even bothered by the fact that it been at least 15 years since any of those great songs were released. No, the problem is one of style, and Justin isn't showing any of his own.
Many great performers are not the best singers or dancers. I'm not saying that they are bad, but the real difference between the great talents and the unknown talents is one of original style. The kind of style which makes it easy to identify their songs in the first few beats. The kind of style that encourages drag queen look-alikes and professional impersonators.
If I said that a record sounded like Elvis, you would get an image or sound in your mind reflecting his style. When I said that Justin's single sounds like Michael Jackson, you must have instantly formed a sound in your mind based on Jackson's style. If I said that a song sounded like Justin Timberlake, what would you imagine the sound to be like? Maybe some generic boy band sound, if anything. Even his ex, Britney Spears, has a more specific style than he does.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Chrissy
Uh, this is to the chick or guy that says Justin's single just isnt gonna cut it...well yeah, it will. Trust me, its not b/c he's been with Britney or any of that. Thats bullshit, and you know as well as I do that he is doing very good using a style other than his own..You & Me both have changed our styles in our lives. Why cant Justin? Ok then...buy it!
2 - jessie
ok... one thing first... is it a fact that he popped britney's cherry? NO. so until there are facts, dont say shit like that. just because either you cant get her(if you're a guy) or you aren't as pretty as her(if you're a girl) doesnt mean you have to say shit like that. i HATE it when ppl BELIVE rumors... i cant stand it!!! AND you think justin's single isn't any good... well let me tell you, it is. and it WILL sell. he has an AMAZING voice and great dance moves. plus he's really hot and just to prove that it will sell and has sold, my hip-hop class is already doing our routine to his song! and there is 27 people in the class. and every single person voted for his song when we were going to pick songs for our routine... there wasn't 1 person who voted against it. so i guess you're out numbered...
3 - margaret
i am damn sick of people saying jstin is trying to be black wiht his rapping. he is 1000 times better then everyother rapper, and nelly was lucky to get a part in the "girlfriend" remix. and the song "work it" in nellyville is way better then if somelowlife duetedwith nelly. why cant people just stop hating on my baby?
4 - Eddie Lawson
Ok, I'm a guy, I like pop, and I really do enjoy the little girls coming here to defend the boy they have their first crush on.
I just wanted to say that the song produced by P Diddy was dropped from the album.
And yeah, the shit's good.
5 - Rosie
Hey
My thoughts on Justin timberlake is that he has lots
of talent and ablity and he is not afraid to show
his true self he inspires me to become a great
singer just like him I hear people say that he is
the next Micheal Jackson but to me i agree with him
my gosh the gloves he wore on the vmas werent even
close to micheal jacksons glove.
6 - steph
i just have to say Justin is the sexiest person alive
7 - luis
no comments i just want the letters of the albun
8 - sogol
I listened to your songs .they are wonderful great and exellent,your sound is wonderful too. I love your "cry me a river".
9 - Candy Walker
I think justin timberlake is the finest thang on earth just wanted yall to know that
10 - Candy Walker
I think justin timberlake is the finest thang on earth just wanted yall to know that
11 - meg
I just want to say that Justin's single is awesome. And that he is not trying to act like he is black.
12 - meg
I just want to say that Justin's single is awesome. And that he is not trying to act like he is black.
13 - meg
I just want to say that Justin's single is awesome. And that he is not trying to act like he is black.
14 - cecile
i'm don't speak english but i want to say : i love justin more than all the girl in this world!He's the most singer in the world, nobody sing like that.. and danse like him!! he's so good looking, and so sexyy!
je ne supporte pas les gens qui le critique c'est qu'ils ont des vieux gout!! on ne peut pasne pas aimé un gras comme li, c'est pas possible!!
15 - christina
i think all of ya r talkin crap
justin timberlake mit be fit but micheal jackson HAS the best talented, just look at his dancin and love for kids... and well JT dnt got n e of that!!!
thanx:)
16 - marissa
i think just timberlake is the hottest guy in music and that he is hero i wish all guys were like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love ya
christina get ya facts rite girl!
17 - Natalie
Justins ID card, bios gossip, online videos, latest news and pictures.
18 - Jamila Vautier
i Love your eyes Justin...
19 - Sam
I think that Justin is soooooooooo gr8 he is soo talented I mean 3 awards at mtv 2003!!!That just proooves that he has talent he is amazingat singing n dancin I think that him n Britney were gr8!!!!!!!!!!!
I know a little bout Justin but Im his biggest fan!!!!!!!!
20 - Sam
Justin is sooo fit n dat person who sed Michael jackson is the most talented guy u must be kiddinme Justin is sooo the most talented person Ive seen in ma life!!!!!He has gr8 eyes n he is soooo fit topless!!!!:)I jus wanna say he is gr8 with kids becos ma m8 saw him at nba in August 2003!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dnt bleve me if ya wnt but I got pics!!!!!!!!!!He took pic of im with iz lil bro!!!!!!!!!!Justin iz fab luv im
21 - Lucy
Some of these posts are a joke, Timberlake more talented than Michael Jackson? Jackson's written dozens of hit songs, Timberlake is a music industry puppet, good dancer, solid singer and the girls find him cute, that's it. He's not an artist, all the songs on Justified were written by others and if it wasn't for the production of the neptunes he's be no where.
22 - Lucy
I have to say though "Rock your Body" was a catchy track.
23 - gabby
Sam - November 16th - you're funny.
24 - julie borgmans
haaj
I love him!!!and I was on his concert in belgium and it was sooo good! butI'm so small that I've just seen him when he was on the platform!:( but I wanne ask him to give a private concert to me!!!:)
25 - veronica
i think JT is the his own artist and MJ is his own artist. and if you like JT great but if you don't leave hi alone because he doesn't buther anyone he just does what he loves to do so don't hate him for that